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Date Instituted:
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December 29th, 1944
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Awarded To:
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In theory, to 12 of the most deserving officers and men of any rank within any
branch of the Wehrmacht, Waffen-SS or the auxiliary service organizations,
awarded post-WWII pending an Axis victory. In practice, an exception was made and
only one award was ever presented.
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Required Qualifications:
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In general:
The previous award of the Knight's Cross with
Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds, and
Continued performance of outstanding actions of combat bravery above
and beyond the call of duty.
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First Awarded:
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Awarded December 29th, 1944
Presented January 1st, 1945
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Number Awarded:
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One
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Grades/Variations:
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During the time of the Third Reich, the range of categories of the Iron Cross
were as follows:
The Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
The various grades of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross specifically are
discussed within seperate entries due to the great importance
of each grade. The grades of the Knight's Cross were as follows:
Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross w. Oakleaves
Knight's Cross w. Oakleave, Swords
Knight's Cross w. Oakleaves, Swords, Diamonds
K.Cross w. Golden Oakleaves, Swords, Diamonds
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Method of Wear:
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The Knight's Cross with Golden Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds was worn in the same manner as the
Knight's Cross with Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds, the only difference being
that the cluster of inlaid diamonds, oakleaves and swords above the Knight's
Cross itself was made of gold rather than silver.
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Notes:
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The Knight's Cross with Golden Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds was the highest
single grade of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and was awarded only
once during WWII - an exception to the rule for this award which was only
to be awarded 12 times once WWII ended. It was awarded to Hans Ulrich Rudel in honor of
his unrivaled heroism as a Luftwaffe Stuka pilot. Rudel was responsible for the
destruction of 530 Soviet tanks, enough tanks for five complete Soviet Tank
Corps! He also destroyed 150 anti-aircraft and anti-tank positions, 800 motor
vehicles, the Soviet Battleship Marat, a Soviet Cruiser, a Soviet Destroyer,
70 Soviet landing craft, and numerous bridges and bunkers. He also heavily
damaged another Soviet Battleship, the October Revolution. Rudel flew
2,530 combat missions, claimed 11 air victories in his Stuka, and was shot down
30 times.
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Knight's Cross with Golden Oakleaves,
Swords and Diamonds
The only Golden Oakleaves, Swords and
Diamonds holder, Hans Ulrich Rudel
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