List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords or Diamonds recipients of the Luftwaffe fighter force
Introduction The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () and its variants were the highest military award in Nazi Germany. Recipients are grouped by grades of the Knight's Cross. During World War II,453 German day and bomber destroyer (''Zerstörer'') pilots, 85 night fighter pilots, including 14 crew members, were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Among them, 130 pilots received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (''Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub''), 34 the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (''Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern''), and nine won the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (''Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten'').
Background The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grades were based on four separate enactments. The first enactment,  of 1 September 1939 instituted the Iron Cross (), the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (). Article 2 of the enactment mandated that the award of a higher class be preceded by the award of all preceding classes. As the war progressed, some of the recipients of the Knight's Cross distinguished themselves further and a higher grade, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (), was instituted. The Oak Leaves, as they were commonly referred to, were based on the enactment  of 3 June 1940.In 1941, two higher grades of the Knight's Cross were instituted. The enactment  of 28 September 1941 introduced the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords () and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (). At the end of 1944 the final grade, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (), based on the enactment  of 29 December 1944, became the final variant of the Knight's Cross authorized.
Recipients The ''Oberkommando der Wehrmacht'' kept separate Knight's Cross lists, one for each of the three military branches, ''Heer'' (Army), ''Kriegsmarine'' (Navy), ''Luftwaffe'' (Air force) and for the ''Waffen-SS''. Within each of these lists a unique sequential number was assigned to each recipient. The same numbering paradigm was applied to the higher grades of the Knight's Cross, one list per grade.===Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds===The Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds is based on the enactment ''Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613'' of 28 September 1941 to reward those servicemen who had already been awarded the Oak Leaves with Swords to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Ultimately, it would be awarded to twenty-seven German soldiers, sailors and airmen, ranging from young fighter pilots to field marshals. Nine recipients were fighter pilots. Number Name Rank Unit Date of award Notes Picture 1  ''Oberst'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 51   100px 2  Oberst ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"   100px 3  Major ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 77   100px 4  Oberleutnant ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 27   100px 5  Oberleutnant of the Reserves ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 52   100px 8  Hauptmann ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Jagdgeschwader 54   100px 15  Oberstleutnant ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3   100px 18  Oberleutnant ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 52   100px 21  Hauptmann ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1   100px===Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords===The Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords is also based on the enactment (''Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613'') of 28 September 1941 to reward those servicemen who had already been awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The list is initially sorted by the chronological number assigned to the recipient. Number Name Rank Unit Date of award Notes Picture 1  ''Oberstleutnant'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"  Awarded 2nd Diamonds 28 January 1942 100px 2  ''Major'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 51  Awarded 1st Diamonds 15 July 1941 100px 3  Hauptmann ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 3   100px 4  Major ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 3   100px 7  Hauptmann ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 1./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"   100px 8  Hauptmann ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Jagdgeschwader 54   100px 9  Hauptmann ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Jagdgeschwader 77    10  Oberleutnant ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 7./Jagdgeschwader 54    11  Leutnant of the Reserves ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 52  Awarded 5th Diamonds 16 September 1942 100px 12  Oberleutnant ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 27  Awarded 4th Diamonds 3 September 1942 100px 13  Hauptmann ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 77  Awarded 3rd Diamonds 30 August 1942 100px 14  Oberfeldwebel pilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 52 * Killed in action 15 June 1942  19  Hauptmann deputy ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 51   100px 23  Major ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"    32  Major ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1  Awarded 15th Diamonds 31 July 1944 100px 34  Hauptmann ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 52   100px 37  Hauptmann ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Jagdgeschwader 54  Awarded 8th Diamonds 19 October 1943 100px 43  Oberst Inspekteur der deutschen Luftverteidigung   100px 44  Major ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 * Killed in action 21 January 1944 100px 51  Oberstleutnant ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" * Killed in action 2 March 1944 100px 52  Hauptmann ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Jagdgeschwader 52   100px 54  Major ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1    73  Oberstleutnant ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"    75  Oberleutnant ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 52  Awarded 18th Diamonds 25 August 1944 100px 78  Major ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 11    82  Oberstleutnant ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 77   100px 84  Hauptmann ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1  Awarded 21st Diamonds 16 October 1944 100px 88  Major ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen"    108  Hauptmann ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" * Killed in action 22 June 1944  113  Oberleutnant ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 2./Jagdgeschwader 54    126  Major ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Jagdgeschwader 54   100px 130  Oberleutnant ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 14./Jagdgeschwader 27   100px   Major ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"   100px   Major ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Jagdgeschwader 52   ===Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves===The Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves was based on the enactment ''Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849'' of 3 June 1940.The last officially announced number for the Oak Leaves was 843.Number Name Rank Unit Date of award Notes Picture 2  ''Major'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of   Awarded 2nd Swords 22 June 19411st Diamonds 15 July 1941 100px 3  ''Major'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of  "Schlageter"  Awarded 1st Swords 21 June 19412nd Diamonds 28 January 1942 100px 4  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the  "Richthofen"   alt=The head and shoulders of a young man. He wears a military uniform, an Iron Cross displayed at the front of his shirt collar and breast pocket. 9  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the   Awarded 3rd Swords 15 July 1941 100px 11  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the    100px 12  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the  "Schlageter"  Awarded 19th Swords 9 September 1942 100px 16  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the   Awarded 9th Swords 24 April 1942  17  ''Hauptmann'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of  "Richthofen"    18  ''Leutnant'' Pilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen"    27  ''Major'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of   Awarded 4th Swords 11 October 1941 100px 28  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the  "Schlageter"  Awarded 73rd Swords 2 July 1944  29  ''Major'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of    100px 31  ''Leutnant'' Pilot in the   Awarded 7th Swords 16 February 1942 100px 32  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the  "Richthofen"    33  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the   Awarded 8th Swords 12 March 1942 100px 35  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the    100px 36  ''Oberfeldwebel'' Pilot in the  * Killed in action 3 October 1941  38  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the   Awarded 13th Swords 23 June 19423rd Diamonds 30 August 1942 100px 39  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the    100px 70  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 * Killed in action 3 February 1942  79  ''Feldwebel'' Pilot in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52    80  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 77    81  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 7./Jagdgeschwader 54  Awarded 10th Swords 17 May 1942  82  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Jagdgeschwader 54 * Killed in action 14 February 1942  83  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 7./Jagdgeschwader 77    84  ''Leutnant'' ''Staffelführer'' of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"    85  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Zerstörergeschwader 26 "Horst Wessel" * Killed in action 27 January 1942  90  ''Oberleutnant'' of the Reserves ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 54    93  ''Leutnant'' of the Reserves ''Staffelführer'' of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 52  Awarded 11th Swords 19 May 19425th Diamonds 16 September 1942 100px 94  ''Leutnant'' of the Reserves Pilot in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 52    96  ''Oberfeldwebel'' Pilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 52  Awarded 14th Swords 23 June 1942  97  ''Oberleutnant'' Pilot in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 27  Awarded 12th Swords 18 June 19424th Diamonds 3 September 1942 100px 98  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2  Awarded 32nd Swords 2 August 194315th Diamonds 31 July 1944 100px 101  ''Oberleutnant'' Pilot and adjutant in the Stab of the I./Jagdgeschwader 77   100px 102  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 4./Jagdgeschwader 77    106  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 6./Jagdgeschwader 77   100px 107  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"    108  ''Oberfeldwebel'' Pilot in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"    109  ''Hauptmann'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 77  Awarded 78th Swords 9 July 1944  114  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"    115  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Jagdgeschwader 52  Awarded 82nd Swords 28 July 1944 100px 122  ''Hauptmann'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"  Awarded 23rd Swords 23 December 1942  124  ''Leutnant'' Pilot in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 52    126  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 1./Jagdgeschwader 53    127  ''Feldwebel'' Pilot in the 3./Jagdgeschwader 53    128  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 53    130  ''Leutnant'' Pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 54    131  ''Feldwebel''Pilot in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 77  Awarded 130th Swords 1 February 1945 100px 134  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 8./Jagdgeschwader 52  Awarded 34th Swords 12 September 1943 100px 137  ''Oberfeldwebel'' Pilot in the 5./Jagdgeschwader 54    139  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Zerstörergeschwader 1   100px 141  ''Oberfeldwebel'' Pilot in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 52   100px 146  Leutnant pilot in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthoffen"  Awarded 108th Swords 24 October 1944  175  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 4./Jagdgeschwader 52  Awarded 52nd Swords 2 March 1944 100px 190  ''Hauptmann'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 * Killed in action 3 February 1943  196  ''Oberleutnant'' Pilot in the 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 * Killed in action 24 February 1943  197  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1  Awarded 54th Swords 11 March 1944  198  ''Hauptmann'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 12./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 * Killed in action 26 February 1943  232  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen"  Awarded 51st Swords 2 March 1944 100px 255  ''Major'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 27    263  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2   100px 264  ''Hauptmann'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1    265  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 5   100px 266  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 7./Jagdgeschwader 5   100px 267  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"    268  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Jagdgeschwader 27  Awarded (144th) Swords 19 April 1945 100px 269  ''Major'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 300  Awarded 43rd Swords 23 January 1944 100px 288  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"    289  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 8./Jagdgeschwader 27 * Killed in action 17 July 1943  290  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 100  Awarded 44th Swords 23 January 1944 100px 293  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 1./Jagdgeschwader 54  Awarded 37th Swords 22 September 19438th Diamonds 19 October 1943 100px 337  ''Oberstleutnant'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 52    338  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet"    364  ''Leutnant'' ''Staffelführer'' of the 2./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" * Killed in action 15 May 1943  365  ''Leutnant'' ''Staffelführer'' of the 2./Jagdgeschwader 27 * Missing in action 7 September 1942  413  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen"  Awarded 88th Swords 14 August 1944  414  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Jagdgeschwader 54    415  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 7./Jagdgeschwader 52   100px 416  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 * Killed in action 29 September 1943  417  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 * Killed in action 27 September 1943  418  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Jagdgeschwader 52    419  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Jagdgeschwader 54    420  ''Leutnant'' ''Staffelführer'' of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 52  Awarded 75th Swords 2 July 194418th Diamonds 25 August 1944 100px 430  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1   100px 437  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Zerstörergeschwader 26 * Killed in action 22 February 1944  444  ''Oberstleutnant'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5    446  ''Hauptmann'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 1./Jagdgeschwader 1    447  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./Jagdgeschwader 54  Awarded 126th Swords 26 January 1945 100px 448  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 54  Killed in action 3 September 1944  449  ''Leutnant'' Pilot in the 1./Jagdgeschwader 54  Awarded 113th Swords 25 November 1944  450  ''Major'' of the Reserves Commander of Nachtjagdgruppe 10    451  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 4    452  ''Leutnant'' Pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"    460  ''Leutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 9./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"    464  ''Leutnant'' Pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 54 * Killed in action 2 April 1944  465  ''Oberfeldwebel'' Pilot in the 11./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 * Missing in action 26 February 1944 alt=Smiling man wearing life jacket and a military decoration in shape of an Iron Cross at his neck. 471  ''Leutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" * Killed in action 8 May 1944  507  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1  Awarded 84th Swords 30 July 194421st Diamonds 16 October 1944 100px 508  ''Leutnant'' Pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"   100px 512  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" * Killed in action 8 June 1944 100px 526  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 52  Awarded (145th) Swords 21 April 1945  527  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 6./Jagdgeschwader 27 * Killed in action 29 January 1944  528  ''Hauptmann'' of the Reserves ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1   100px 529  ''Hauptmann'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 7./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" * Missing in action 7 June 1944  530  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 11./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" * Killed in action 19 April 1944  531  ''Oberfeldwebel'' Pilot in the 2./Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 * Killed in action 26 April 1944  588  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 5    616  ''Leutnant'' Pilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 5    653  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" * Killed in action 17 September 1944 100px 663  ''Hauptmann'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 6./Jagdgeschwader 1    667  ''Major'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 4    697  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"    713  ''Leutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 53    724  ''Major'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 300  At the same time promoted to ''Oberstleutnant''  727  ''Major'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Jagdgeschwader 11    736  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 27 * Killed in action 1 December 1943  748  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Jagdgeschwader 11    769  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 10./Nachtjagdgeschwader 11    781  ''Hauptmann'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 2./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2    782  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Jagdgeschwader 54 * Killed in action 29 December 1944  792  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 6    810  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"    822  ''Oberleutnant'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 7./Jagdgeschwader 54   100px 833  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2    836  ''Major'' ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of Nachtjagdgeschwader 6   100px 837  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Jagdgeschwader 53    838  ''Hauptmann'' ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 12./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1    839  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1   100px 840  ''Hauptmann'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1    841  ''Major'' ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 * Killed in action 8 February 1945 100px
Notes
References ===Citations======Bibliography===* * * * *
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