▁with ▁Oak ▁Le aves ▁( R itter kre uz ▁des ▁E is ern en ▁Kreuz es ▁mit ▁E ichen la ub ), ▁seven ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁with ▁Oak ▁Le aves ▁and ▁S words ▁( R itter kre uz ▁des ▁E is ern en ▁Kreuz es ▁mit ▁E ichen la ub ▁und ▁Sch wer tern ), ▁and ▁one ▁won ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁with ▁Oak ▁Le aves ▁S words ▁and ▁Diam onds ▁( R itter kre uz ▁des ▁E is ern en ▁Kreuz es ▁mit ▁E ichen la ub , ▁Sch wer tern ▁und ▁Br ill anten ). ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁and ▁its ▁higher ▁gr ades ▁were ▁based ▁on ▁four ▁separate ▁en act ments . ▁The ▁first ▁en act ment , ▁ ▁of ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁instit uted ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁( ), ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁and ▁the ▁Grand ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁( ). ▁Article ▁ 2 ▁of ▁the ▁en act ment ▁mand ated ▁that ▁the ▁award ▁of ▁a ▁higher ▁class ▁be ▁preced ed ▁by ▁the ▁award ▁of ▁all ▁preceding ▁classes . ▁As ▁the ▁war ▁progress ed , ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁recip ients ▁of ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁distinguished ▁themselves ▁further ▁and ▁a ▁higher ▁grade , ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁with ▁Oak ▁Le aves ▁( ), ▁was ▁instit uted . ▁The ▁Oak ▁Le aves , ▁as