Germany revives the Iron Cross medal.

[Swoop]

I wonder when the Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds will be revived?


July 9, 2009: The German army has awarded the first Iron Cross medals, for bravery in a combat zone, since 1945. From 1813 to 1945, nearly five million Iron Cross medals were awarded to German military personnel (and a few civilians who were performing military functions.) The Iron Cross medal ceased to exist between 1945 and last year. But popular demand caused the German government to create an "Honor Cross for Bravery" which is, to all appearances, a continuation of the Iron Cross medals that have been awarded for over two centuries. The first recipients are four army sergeants, who performed heroically during a Taliban attack in Afghanistan.

After World War II, the government designed an Iron Cross for World War II veterans to wear, one that did not include a swastika (which has been illegal to display in Germany since World War II.) Until 1918, there were several higher (than the Iron Cross) order decorations for distinguished service in combat, but these were replaced during World War II by more elaborate versions of the Iron Cross. At the moment, all the German armed forces have is Honor Cross for Bravery. But, as in World War I, where the first Iron Cross you got was the Iron Cross 2nd class, and if you got another one, it was the Iron Cross 1st class, the Honor Cross may also morph a bit.

[James Deuce]

You're getting confused with the Knight's Cross.

There are classes of Iron Cross, at least there used to be, but the Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds were all upgrades to the Knight's Cross. Invented by Hitler too, so you won't see them back.

[Big Dave]

Cross schmoss. I'll let you touch mine if you like.

[Swoop]

You're getting confused with the Knight's Cross.

There are classes of Iron Cross, at least there used to be, but the Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds were all upgrades to the Knight's Cross. Invented by Hitler too, so you won't see them back.

Sorry Jim. The Knight's Cross was a higher "level" of the Iron Cross.

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) recognized extreme battlefield bravery or successful leadership. The Knight's Cross was divided into five degrees:

Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes)
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves (mit Eichenlaub)
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern)
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten)
Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (mit Goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten)
In total, 7,313 awards of the Knight's Cross were made. Only 883 received the Oak Leaves; 160 both the Oak Leaves and Swords (including Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (posthumously); 27 with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds; and one with the Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel).


Recipients of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds

Pilots (Thought you would appreciate the air recipients Jim)
Colonel (Oberst) Werner Mölders (July 15, 1941)
Lieutenant General (Generalleutnant) Adolf Galland (February 28, 1942)
Colonel (Oberst) Gordon M. Gollob (August 3, 1942)
Captain (Hauptmann) Hans-Joachim Marseille (September 3, 1942)
Colonel (Oberst) Helmut Lent (July 7, 1944)
Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (October 14, 1944)
Major Walter Nowotny (October 19, 1943)
Colonel (Oberst) Hans-Ulrich Rudel (Diamonds: March 29, 1944, Golden Oak Leaves: January 1, 1945)
Major Erich Hartmann (August 8, 1944)
Colonel (Oberst) Hermann Graf (September 16, 1942)
Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring never held the Diamonds. He, being one of the first soldiers presented with the Knight's Cross in 1939, was presented with the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross in 1940.


I also like how Galland got TWO sets of diamonds!

[James Deuce]

I'm aware of that Swoop, but the Knight's Cross won't be back, particular the Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.

The Ritterkreuz was a WWII only award. The Iron Cross has a pre-Nazi tradition. I don't see modern Germany resurrecting the Knight's Cross, ever. The Knight's Cross could only be awarded to holders of a First Class 1939 Iron Cross. It's specifically a Nazi award.