▁they ▁were ▁commonly ▁referred ▁to , ▁were ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁en act ment ▁ ▁of ▁ 3 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁two ▁higher ▁gr ades ▁of ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁were ▁instit uted . ▁The ▁en act ment ▁ ▁of ▁ 2 8 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁introduced ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁with ▁Oak ▁Le aves ▁and ▁S words ▁() ▁and ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁with ▁Oak ▁Le aves , ▁S words ▁and ▁Diam onds ▁( ). ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁the ▁final ▁grade , ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁with ▁Golden ▁Oak ▁Le aves , ▁S words , ▁and ▁Diam onds ▁( ), ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁en act ment ▁ ▁of ▁ 2 9 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁became ▁the ▁final ▁variant ▁of ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁author ized . ▁ ▁Re cip ients ▁The ▁Ober k omm ando ▁der ▁We hr macht ▁( S up reme ▁Command ▁of ▁the ▁Ar med ▁Forces ) ▁kept ▁separate ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁lists , ▁one ▁for ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁military ▁branches , ▁He er ▁( Ar my ), ▁Kriegs marine ▁( N avy ), ▁Luft wa ffe ▁( A ir ▁force ) ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁W affen - SS . ▁Within ▁each ▁of ▁these ▁lists ▁a ▁unique ▁sequ ential ▁number ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁each ▁recip ient .