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The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across all ranks, from a senior commander for skilled leadership of his troops in battle to a low-ranking soldier for a single act of extreme gallantry.[1] A total of 7,321 awards were made between its first presentation on 30 September 1939 and its last bestowal on 17 June 1945.[Note 1] This number is based on the analysis and acceptance of the order commission of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR). Presentations were made to members of the three military branches of the Wehrmacht—the Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy) and Luftwaffe (Air Force)—as well as the Waffen-SS, the Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD—Reich Labour Service) and the Volkssturm (German national militia). There were also 43 recipients in the military forces of allies of the Third Reich.[3]
These recipients are listed in the 1986 edition of Walther-Peer Fellgiebel's book, Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 . Fellgiebel was the former chairman and head of the order commission of the AKCR. In 1996, the second edition of this book was published with an addendum delisting 11 of these original recipients. Author Veit Scherzer has cast doubt on a further 193 of these listings. The majority of the disputed recipients had been nominated for the award in 1945, when the deteriorating situation of Germany during the final days of World War II left a number of nominations incomplete and pending in various stages of the approval process.[4]
Listed here are the 457 recipients whose last name is in the range "Sa–Schr".[5] Scherzer has challenged the validity of 11 of these listings.[6] This is the first of two lists of all 1,060 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients whose last names start with "S". The recipients whose last name is in the range "Schu–Sz" are listed at List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients (Schu–Sz).[7] The recipients are ordered alphabetically by last name. The rank listed is the recipient's rank at the time the Knight's Cross was awarded.
Background
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grades were based on four separate enactments. The first enactment, Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573 of 1 September 1939 instituted the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz), the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). Article 2 of the enactment mandated that the award of a higher class be preceded by the award of all preceding classes.[8] 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 (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), was instituted. The Oak Leaves, as they were commonly referred to, were based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849 of 3 June 1940.[9] In 1941, two higher grades of the Knight's Cross were instituted. The enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613 of 28 September 1941 introduced the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten).[10] At the end of 1944 the final grade, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten), based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11 of 29 December 1944, became the final variant of the Knight's Cross authorized.[11]
Recipients
Service | Number of presentations | Posthumous presentations |
---|---|---|
Heer | 294 |
23
|
Kriegsmarine | 23 |
0
|
Luftwaffe | 109 |
3
|
Waffen-SS | 31 |
2
|
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (Supreme Command of the Armed Forces) 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.[12] Of the 457 awards made to servicemen whose last name is in the range "Sa–Schr", 47 were later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, four the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords and three the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds; 28 presentations were made posthumously. Heer members, including the Volkssturm, received 294 of the medals; 23 went to the Kriegsmarine, 109 to the Luftwaffe, and 31 to the Waffen-SS and Allgemeine SS.[5] The sequential numbers greater than 843 for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves are unofficial and were assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) and are therefore denoted in parentheses.[13]
Name | Service | Rank | Role and unit[Note 2] | Date of award | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rudolf Saalbach | Waffen-SS | Hauptsturmführer[14] | SS-Commander of SS-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 11 "Nordland"[15][Note 3] | 12 March 1944[14] | —
|
—
|
Alfred Saalwächter | Kriegsmarine | General Admiral[14] | Marine-Gruppenbefehlshaber Marinegruppe West[15][Note 4] | 9 May 1940[14] | —
|
—
|
Wilhelm Sabottki | Heer | Stabsfeldwebel[14] | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 4./Grenadier-Regiment 1[14][15] | 20 March 1944[14] | —
|
—
|
Friedrich Sacha | Heer | Oberleutnant[14] | Chief of the 2./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 160[14][15] | 20 January 1943[14] | —
|
—
|
Hans-Hermann Sachenbacher | Heer | Rittmeister[14] | Chief of Radfahr-Schwadron 219[14][16] | 14 December 1941[14] | —
|
—
|
Otto Sacher | Heer | Oberstleutnant[14] | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 456[14][15] | 6 February 1944[14] | —
|
—
|
Günther Sachs | Luftwaffe | Generalmajor[14] | Commander of the 18. Flak-Division[14][15] | 24 January 1945[14] | —
|
—
|
Hans Sachs | Heer | Obergefreiter[14] | Group leader in the 5./Panzer-Füsilier-Regiment "Großdeutschland"[14][15] | 10 September 1944[14] | —
|
—
|
Heinz Sachsenberg | Luftwaffe | Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel[14] | Pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 52[14][15] | 9 September 1944[14] | —
|
—
|
Max Sachsenheimer+ | Heer | Hauptmann[17] | Commander of the II./Jäger-Regiment 75[15][17] | 5 April 1942[17] | Awarded 472nd Oak Leaves 14 May 1944 132nd Swords 6 February 1945[17] |
—
|
Emil Sack | Heer | Oberfeldwebel[17] | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 4.(MG)/Infanterie-Regiment 445[15][Note 5] | 29 September 1941[17] | —
|
—
|
Friedrich Saenger | Heer | Oberleutnant[15][Note 6] | Chief of the 10./Artillerie-Regiment 1352[15][17] | 28 February 1945[17] | —
|
—
|
Rudolf Säumenicht | Waffen-SS | Hauptsturmführer[17] | SS-Chief of the 2./SS-Panzer-Regiment 3 "Totenkopf"[15][Note 7] | 13 October 1943[17] | —
|
—
|
Günther Sahner | Heer | Unteroffizier[17] | Vorgeschobener Beobachter (forward observer) in the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 176[15][Note 8] | 5 March 1945*[17] | Killed in action 6 February 1945[15][Note 9] | —
|
Johann Sailer?[Note 10] | Waffen-SS | Obersturmführer[15] | SS-Leader of the 3./SS-Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 9 "Hohenstaufen"[15] | 6 May 1945[15] | —
|
—
|
Dr. med. Friedrich Salamon | Heer | Reserves (rank equivalent to Hauptmann)[17] | Stabsarzt of theBattalions doctor of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26[15][Note 11] | 20 July 1944[17] | —
|
—
|
Walter Salamon | Luftwaffe | Oberstleutnant[17] | Commander of Flak-Sturm-Abteilung 802 (deployable)[15][Note 12] | 18 November 1944[17] | —
|
—
|
Sylvester von Saldern-Brallentin | Heer | Major[17] | Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 65[15][17] | 21 November 1943[17] | —
|
—
|
Burghardt von Saldern-Wilsnack | Heer | Hauptmann[17] | Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 51 (motorized)[15][17] | 4 May 1944[17] | —
|
—
|
Hans de Salengre-Drabbe | Heer | Oberst[17] | Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 457[17][19] | 22 February 1942[17] | —
|
—
|
Wilhelm von Salisch+ | Heer | Hauptmann[17] | Commander of the III./Jäger-Regiment 49[17][20] | 20 April 1943[17] | Awarded 533rd Oak Leaves 27 July 1944[17] | —
|
Karl-Walrad Prinz von Salm-Horstmar | Heer | Rittmeister[21] | Commander of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 123[20][21] | 19 February 1942[21] | —
|
—
|
Josef Salminger | Heer | Hauptmann[21] | Commander of the III./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 98[20][21] | 31 August 1941[21] | —
|
—
|
Hans von Salmuth | Heer | Generalleutnant[21] | Chief of the General Staff of Heeresgruppe B[20][21] | 19 July 1940[21] | —
|
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Martin Saltzwedel | Kriegsmarine | Korvettenkapitän[21] | Commander of destroyer Z24[20][21] | 15 June 1943[21] | —
|
—
|
Benno Salwey | Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves[21] | Aide-de-camp in the Stab Infanterie-Regiment 270[20][21] | 2 October 1941[21] | —
|
—
|
Wilhelm Salz | Heer | Leutnant[21] | Leader of the 6./Grenadier-Regiment 502[20][21] | 10 September 1944[21] | —
|
—
|
Walter Salzmann | Heer | Oberleutnant[21] | Leader of the 6./Infanterie-Regiment 121[20][21] | 27 June 1942[21] | —
|
—
|
Kurt Sametreiter | Waffen-SS | Oberscharführer[21] | SS-Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3.(schwere)/SS-Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 1 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"[20][Note 13] | 31 July 1943[21] | —
|
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Ernst Sander | Heer | Oberfeldwebel[21] | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 7./Schützen-Regiment 79[20][21] | 13 October 1941[21] | —
|
—
|
Erwin Sander | Heer | Generalmajor[21] | Commander of the 170. Infanterie-Division[20][21] | 3 September 1942[21] | —
|
—
|
Joachim Sander+ | Heer | Oberstleutnant[21] | Commander of Panzer-Regiment 23[20][21] | 19 September 1943[21] | Awarded 729th Oak Leaves 5 February 1945[21] | —
|
Walter Sander | Luftwaffe | Leutnant of the Reserves[22] | Leader of the 1./Fallschirm-Pionier-Bataillon 5[20][22] | 28 February 1945[22] | —
|
—
|
Wilhelm Sander | Heer | Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel[22] | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 370[20][22] | 23 December 1943[22] | —
|
—
|
Bernhard Sanders | Heer | Unteroffizier[22] | Group leader in the 7./Grenadier-Regiment 278[20][22] | 7 April 1944[22] | —
|
—
|
Rudolf Sandig | Waffen-SS | Sturmbannführer[22] | SS-Commander of the II./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"[20][Note 14] | 5 May 1943[22] | —
|
—
|
Karlheinz Sandmann | Heer | Unteroffizier[22] | Group leader in the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 102[20][22] | 8 February 1944[22] | —
|
—
|
Johann Sandner | Heer | [22] | OberjägerGroup leader in the 11./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 100[20][22] | 13 June 1941[22] | —
|
—
|
Hans Sandrock | Luftwaffe | Major[22] | Commander of the III./Fallschirm-Panzer-Regiment "Hermann Göring"[20][22] | 18 October 1944[22] | —
|
—
|
Fritz Sann | Heer | Major[22] | Leader of Marine-Infanterie-Regiment 8[20][Note 15] | 14 April 1945[22] | —
|
—
|
Werner Sanne | Heer | Generalmajor[22] | Commander of the 100. leichte Jäger-Division[20][22] | 22 February 1942[22] | —
|
—
|