The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () 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. A total of 7,321 awards were made between its first presentation on 30 September 1939 and its last bestowal on 17 June 1945. 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.

These recipients are listed in the 1986 edition of Walther-Peer Fellgiebel's book, [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 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.

Listed here are the 92 Knight's Cross recipients whose last name starts with "V". Scherzer has challenged the validity of five of these listings. 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, 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 (Supreme Command of the Armed Forces) kept separate Knight's Cross lists for the Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), Luftwaffe (Air Force) and 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. Of the 92 awards made to servicemen whose last name starts with "V", seven were later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and seven presentations were made posthumously. Heer members received 68 of the medals, one went to the Kriegsmarine, 17 to the Luftwaffe, and six to the Waffen-SS.

Name Service Rank Role and unitFor an explanation of the various naming schemes used by the Luftwaffe, Heer, Kriegsmarine and Waffen-SS refer to nomenclature used by the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS. Date of award Notes Image Heer 17-HOberst Commander of the 2. Schützen-Brigade Waffen-SS 17-WSS-Oberführer Leader of 2. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Das Reich" Luftwaffe 12-LLeutnant Pilot in the 3./Transportgeschwader 2 Heer 13-HOberleutnant of the Reserves Chief of the 4./Schützen-Regiment 112 Heer 03-HGefreiter Reconnaissance troop leader in the 1./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 143 Waffen-SS 14-WSS-Hauptsturmführer of the Reserves Leader of a Kampfgruppe in SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 15 Waffen-SS 06-WWaffen-Unterscharführer Group leader in the 33. SS-Freiwilligen-Division "Charlemagne" (franz. Nr. 1) in the combat area Groß Berlin (greater Berlin) Luftwaffe 10-LFahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel Pilot in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" Heer 10-HOberfeldwebel Shock troops leader in the 7./Infanterie-Regiment 125 Heer 03-HGefreiter Deputy group leader in the 3./Pionier-Bataillon 342 Heer 19-HGeneralleutnant Commander of the 2. Panzer-Division Waffen-SS 17-WWaffen-Standartenführer Commander of lett. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment 48 Luftwaffe 13-LOberleutnant Observer in the 5./Kampfgeschwader 55 Waffen-SS 13-WSS-Obersturmführer Leader of the 3./SS-Panzer-Regiment 2 "Das Reich" * Killed in action 7 January 1945 Heer 06-HUnteroffizier Group leader in the 6./Grenadier-Regiment 76 (motorized) Heer 16-HOberstleutnant Commander of Pionier-Bataillon 45 Heer 09-HFeldwebel Leader of Infanterie-Pionier-Zug/Grenadier-Regiment 436 Heer 12-HLeutnant Leader of the 3./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 14 Heer 18-HGeneralmajor Leader of Kampfgruppe 551. Volksgrenadier-Division Heer 06-HUnteroffizier In the 8./Infanterie-Regiment 60 (motorized) Heer 17-HOberst Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 31 Luftwaffe 13-LOberleutnant Chief of the 2./leichte Flak-Abteilung 77 (self-motorized) Luftwaffe 14-LHauptmann Commander of the II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3 Kriegsmarine 12-MLeutnant Group leader in the Marine-Kleinkampfmittel-Flottille 211 Along with Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Heer 03-HGefreiter PaK gunner in the 14.(Panzerjäger)/Grenadier-Regiment 147 * Killed on active service 4 June 1944 Luftwaffe 15-LMajor Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Kampfgeschwader 26 Heer 06-HUnteroffizier Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 380 Heer 17-HOberst Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 60 (motorized) Heer 14-HHauptmann of the Reserves Commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 866 Heer 04-HObergefreiter Group leader of the 7./Skijäger-Regiment 1 Heer 17-HOberst Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 258 Heer 12-HLeutnant of the Reserves Leader of the 4./Grenadier-Regiment 42 Luftwaffe 13-LOberleutnant Staffelkapitän in the II./Zerstörergeschwader 1 Heer 16-HOberstleutnant Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 453 Heer 13-HOberleutnant of the Reserves Chief of the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 456 Heer 15-HMajor Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 461 Heer 10-HOberfeldwebel Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Infanterie-Regiment 87 (motorized) ? Heer 14-HHauptmann Leader of an alarm unit at the Oder sector Heer 20-HGeneral der Infanterie Commanding general of the LV. Armeekorps Luftwaffe 13-LOberleutnant Staffelkapitän of the 7./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 * Killed in action 31 August 1943 + called von Scheel Heer 20-HGeneral der Panzertruppe Commanding general of the XIII. Armeekorps Awarded 456th Oak Leaves 16 April 1944 Heer 13-HOberleutnant Chief of the 10./Grenadier-Regiment 7 Heer 12-HLeutnant Leader of the 6./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 99 * Killed in action 12 December 1944 + Heer 14-HHauptmann of the Reserves Deputy leader of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 460 Awarded 728th Oak Leaves 5 February 1945 + Luftwaffe 09-LFeldwebel Pilot in the 11./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 Awarded 465th Oak Leaves 25 April 1944 Heer 10-HOberfeldwebel Company troop leader in the 2./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25 Heer 04-HObergefreiter Group leader in the 6./Jäger-Regiment 40 (L) ? Luftwaffe 12-LLeutnant Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 5./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4 Heer 14-HHauptmann Commander of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 40 Luftwaffe 12-LLeutnant In Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 26 ? Heer 14-HHauptmann of the Reserves Commander of the II./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 99 Heer 19-HGeneralleutnant Commander of the 78. Infanterie-Division Heer 14-HHauptmann Commander of Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 92 Heer 09-HFeldwebel Zugführer (platoon leader) of the 6./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 91 * Died of wounds 26 October 1942 Heer 13-HOberleutnant of the Reserves Leader of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25 + Heer 19-HGeneralleutnant Commander of the 101. Jäger-Division Awarded 475th Oak Leaves 14 May 1944 Heer 09-HFeldwebel Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 7./Grenadier-Regiment 119 (motorized) Heer 15-HMajor Commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 6 Heer 10-HOberfeldwebel Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 12./Infanerie-Regiment 78 Heer 16-HOberstleutnant Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 505 Heer 15-HMajor of the Reserves Commander of the II./Artillerie-Regiment 157 Heer 06-HUnteroffizier Kradmeldestaffel (motorcycle halftrack messenger squadron) in the Stab I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 93 Heer 13-HOberleutnant Chief of the 12./Grenadier-Regiment 1054 Heer 10-HOberschirrmeister In the Stabskompanie/Panzergrenadier-Regiment 101 + Waffen-SS 13-WSS-Obersturmführer Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung of the SS-Verfügungs-Division Awarded 785th Oak Leaves 16 March 1945 Luftwaffe 12-LLeutnant Staffelführer of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" Heer 12-HLeutnant of the Reserves Leader of the 4.(MG)/Grenadier-Regiment 915 Heer 13-HOberleutnant Chief of the 7./Infanterie-Regiment 19 "List" Heer 13-HOberleutnant Chief of the 2./Pionier-Bataillon 18 ? Heer 18-HGeneralmajor Commander of fortress Arnswalde (Pommern) Heer 13-HOberleutnant Chief of the 5./Grenadier-Regiment 154 * Killed in action 12 January 1944 Heer 10-HOberfeldwebel Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 14.(Panzerjäger)/Grenadier-Regiment 31 + Heer 15-HMajor Commander of MG-Bataillon 2 Awarded 351st Oak Leaves 9 December 1943 Heer 19-HGeneralleutnant Commander of the 8. Jäger-Division Heer 14-HHauptmann Chief of the 7./Panzer-Regiment 6 * Died of wounds 16 December 1942 Heer 06-HUnteroffizier Gun leader in the 2./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 9 Heer 10-HOberwachtmeister Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 Heer 14-HHauptmann Chief of the Stabskompanie/Panzergrenadier-Regiment 73 Heer 12-HLeutnant of the Reserves Battery officer in the 2./Artillerie-Regiment 240 Luftwaffe 16-LOberstleutnant Geschwaderkommodore of Zerstörergeschwader 2 Luftwaffe 13-LOberleutnant Staffelkapitän of the 1./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" Heer 13-HOberleutnant of the Reserves Leader of the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 411 Heer 13-HOberleutnant of the Reserves Chief of the 12./Infanterie-Regiment 408 Heer 13-HOberleutnant Chief of the 10./Infanterie-Regiment 134 Luftwaffe 17-LOberst Commander of Flak-Regiment 21 (motorized) Heer 19-HGeneralleutnant Commander of the 23. Panzer-Division ? Heer 15-HMajor Commander of Heeres-Flak-Abteilung "Brandenburg" + Heer 16-HOberstleutnant Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 585 Awarded 314th Oak Leaves 28 October 1943 Luftwaffe 15-LMajor Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Kampfgeschwader 51 Heer 13-HOberleutnant of the Reserves Leader of the 5./Schützen-Regiment 93 Luftwaffe 13-LOberleutnant Staffelkapitän of the 4./Kampfgeschwader 26 Heer 14-HHauptmann Leader of Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 9

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