List of living Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients

The following is a list of living Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients.

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 ^[1] of September 1, 1939 instituted the Iron Cross and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

As the war progressed some of the recipients distinguished themselves further and a higher grade, the Oak Leaves to Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was instituted. The Oak Leaves, as they were commonly referred to, were based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849 ^[2] of June 3, 1940.

In 1941 two higher grades of the Knight's Cross were instituted. The enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613 ^[3] of September 28, 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 last and final grade, the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds, based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11 ^[4] of December 29, 1944 concluded the variants of the Knight's Cross.

The total number of recipients of the Knight's Cross is 7,366. Of these 890 individuals received Oak Leaves; 160 received Oak Leaves and Swords. Only 27 men were awarded the Diamonds grade of the Knight's Cross; Hans-Ulrich Rudel was the only recipient of the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds.

Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds

• Last living and only recipient: Hans-Ulrich Rudel (Luftwaffe), 1916–1982

Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds

• Last living Kriegsmarine recipient: Albrecht Brandi, 1914-1966
• Last living Waffen-SS recipient: Herbert Otto Gille, 1897-1966
• Last living Heer recipient: Hermann Balck, 1897–1982
• Last living (and last living Luftwaffe) recipient: Adolf Galland, 1912–1996

Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (1 of 160)

• Last living Waffen-SS recipient: Otto Kumm, 1909–2004
• Last living Kriegsmarine recipient: Erich Topp, 1914–2005
• Last living Heer recipient: Waldemar von Gazen, 1917–2014

Image	Current residence	Name	Birth date and age	Nationality	Force served	Notes
	Germany	Rudorffer, ErichErich Rudorffer	01917-11-01-00001 November 1917 (age 97)	German	Luftwaffe	Highest scoring living fighter ace in the world. 222 victories including 78 Il2 Sturmovik in more than 1000 missions. He claimed 12 victories with the Me 262.

Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves (6 of 890)

• Last living non-German recipient: Léon Degrelle, 1906–1994
• Last living recipient of Waffen-SS: Walter Girg, 1919–2010

Image	Current residence	Name	Birth date and age	Nationality	Force served	Notes
	Germany	Dahlmann, KurtKurt Dahlmann	01918-03-04-00004 March 1918 (age 97)	German	Luftwaffe	Bomber and jabo pilot. He flew the Ju 88 and FW 190 in more than 350 combat missions.
	Germany	Hardegen, ReinhardReinhard Hardegen	01913-03-18-000018 March 1913 (age 102)	German	Kriegsmarine CO, U-123	Attacked New York City harbour with U-123 in December 1941. Highest scoring U-Boat ace still living.
	Germany	Rökker, HeinzHeinz Rökker	01920-10-20-000020 October 1920 (age 94)	German	Luftwaffe	Last living night-fighter ace since Hermann Greiner's death.
	Germany	Ruhl, HeinrichHeinrich Ruhl	01915-08-31-000031 August 1915 (age 99)	German	122nd Infantry Division	Awarded for actions at the Courland Pocket.
	Germany	Schwerdfeger, JohannJohann Schwerdfeger	01914-11-24-000024 November 1914 (age 100)	German	101st Jäger Division	Only remaining NCO oakleaves recipient. Probably served as role model for the film Cross of Iron.
	Germany	Simons, GerhardGerhard Simons	01921-02-05-00005 February 1921 (age 94)	German	170th Infantry Division	Son of American professor and officer Hans Simons, grandson of temporary German president Walter Simons.

Knight's Cross (65 of 7384)

This list is not complete. People listed are alive or survived the war but their fate is unknown.

• Last living Kriegsmarine recipient: Alfred Eick 1916–2015

Image	Current residence	Name	Birth date and age	Nationality	Force served	Notes
	Germany	Axthammer, ErichErich Axthammer	01920-12-03-00003 December 1920 (age 94)	German	Luftwaffe	Schlachtgeschwader 10
	Germany	Barths, Karl-LudwigKarl-Ludwig Barths	01920-05-13-000013 May 1920 (age 94)	German	Heeres-Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 393
	Germany	Bauer, LudwigLudwig Bauer	01923-02-16-000016 February 1923 (age 92)	German	I./Panzer-Rgt 33
	Germany	Becker, Karl-HeinzKarl-Heinz Becker	01920-10-02-00002 October 1920 (age 94)	German	2nd Jäger Regiment 228
	Germany	Becker-Neetz, ArturArtur Becker-Neetz	01920-12-31-000031 December 1920 (age 94)	German	3rd Panzer Division
	Germany	Biehl, JohannJohann Biehl	01917-01-29-000029 January 1917 (age 98)	German	2./InfRgt 124
	Germany	Bierbauer, GüntherGünther Bierbauer	01922-05-20-000020 May 1922 (age 92)	German	Luftwaffe	KG 27 "Boelcke"
	Germany	Boosfeld, JoachimJoachim Boosfeld	01922-06-01-00001 June 1922 (age 92)	German	8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer	Awarded for actions at the Siege of Budapest
	Germany	Braake, GünterGünter Braake	01921-04-10-000010 April 1921 (age 94)	German	Führer I. / Grenadier-Regiment 422 / 126. Infanterie-Division
	Germany	Brinckmann, FriedrichFriedrich Brinckmann	01920-07-28-000028 July 1920 (age 94)	German	Luftwaffe	6.(F)/AufklGrp 122
	Germany	Broch, HugoHugo Broch	01922-01-06-00006 January 1922 (age 93)	German	Luftwaffe	Jagdgeschwader 54
	Germany	Buck, FriedrichFriedrich Buck	01922-01-30-000030 January 1922 (age 93)	German	8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer	Also awarded the rare Close Combat Clasp in Gold
	Germany	Damerius, DieterDieter Damerius	01924-04-17-000017 April 1924 (age 91)	German	93. Infanterie-Division
	Germany	Drescher, Georg WilhelmGeorg Wilhelm Drescher	01920-02-15-000015 February 1920 (age 95)	German	12. Luftwaffe Feld Division
	Germany	Gapp, FranzFranz Gapp	01919-07-08-00008 July 1919 (age 95)	German	Luftwaffe	Kampfgeschwader 6 Franz Gapp completed 400 missions in the Ju-88 fighter-bomber in IV./LG-1, III./KG (J)-6 and ended up flying the Me-262, scoring several aerial victories over B-24s and downed one P-38 Lightning.
	Germany	Gläsche, DieterDieter Gläsche	01920-09-01-00001 September 1920 (age 94)	German	PzGrenRgt 11
	Germany	Halm, GünterGünter Halm	01922-08-27-000027 August 1922 (age 92)	German	21st Panzer Division	Awarded for actions at El Alamein
	Germany	Hase, Karl-Günther vonKarl-Günther von Hase	01917-12-15-000015 December 1917 (age 97)	German	Ia Panzer-Div "Holstein"	German ambassador in London 1970–1977
	Germany	Heder, EberhardEberhard Heder	01918-06-30-000030 June 1918 (age 96)	German	5th SS Panzer Division Wiking	Former officer of the Estonian Legion.
	Germany	Heinemann, AntonAnton Heinemann	01921-01-21-000021 January 1921 (age 94)	German	Luftwaffe	Nachtjagdgeschwader 2
	Germany	Hönig, JustinJustin Hönig	01917-07-09-00009 July 1917 (age 97)	German	3./Panzer-Grenadier Rgt 41
	Germany	Jeserer, HelmutHelmut Jeserer	01914-11-30-000030 November 1914 (age 100)	German	II./SturmRgt 215
	Germany	ter Jung, DietrichDietrich ter Jung	01916-02-19-000019 February 1916 (age 99)	Germany	Panzer Grenadier Regiment 79
	Germany	Keppel, WilhelmWilhelm Keppel	01921-09-29-000029 September 1921 (age 93)	German	Hilfs VB 7./Artillery Rgt 227
	Germany	Klaus, Johann-AlfredJohann-Alfred Klaus	01918-09-04-00004 September 1918 (age 96)	German	Luftwaffe	Schlachtgeschwader 1
	Germany	Kleffel, Paul-GeorgPaul-Georg Kleffel	01920-09-07-00007 September 1920 (age 94)	German	3rd Panzer Division	General in the Bundeswehr
	Germany	Krems, GerhardGerhard Krems	01920-05-04-00004 May 1920 (age 94)	German	Luftwaffe	Kampfgeschwader 27
	Germany	Kreßmann, ErwinErwin Kreßmann	01918-06-02-00002 June 1918 (age 96)	German	Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 519
	Germany	Krink, HeinzHeinz Krink	01919-03-25-000025 March 1919 (age 96)	German	Luftwaffe	Fallschirmjäger Regiment 3
	Germany	Laage, Karl-ErnstKarl-Ernst Laage	01920-06-09-00009 June 1920 (age 94)	German	I. / Artillerie-Regiment 66
	Germany	Lange, GüntherGünther Lange	01923-04-17-000017 April 1923 (age 92)	German	2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich
	Namibia	Leipzig, Hellmut vonHellmut von Leipzig	01921-07-18-000018 July 1921 (age 93)	German	Panzer Aufkl-Abt "Brandenburg"	Field Marshal Rommel's driver
	Germany	Mangels, HermannHermann Mangels	01921-03-18-000018 March 1921 (age 94)	German	Pioneer Battalion 189
	Germany	Mertens, EwaldEwald Mertens	01914-08-14-000014 August 1914 (age 100)	German	Infanterie Regiment 204
	Germany	Meyer, GünterGünter Meyer	01920-07-13-000013 July 1920 (age 94)	German	3rd Panzer Division
	Germany	Munser, RudolfRudolf Munser	01914-09-19-000019 September 1914 (age 100)	German	208th Infantry Division
	Germany	Neumayr, LorenzLorenz Neumayr	01926-11-10-000010 November 1926 (age 88)	German	334th Infantry Division	Awarded as Private. Presumably youngest Knight's Cross winner alive.
	Germany	Oster, DieterDieter Oster	01918-01-15-000015 January 1918 (age 97)	German	Luftwaffe	I. / Flak-Regiment 8
	Austria	Peter, RudolfRudolf Peter	01923-12-21-000021 December 1923 (age 91)	Austrian	2./Grenadier-Regiment 307
	Germany	Polz, HeinzHeinz Polz	01916-11-06-00006 November 1916 (age 98)	German	Luftwaffe	Flak-Sturm-Regiment 241
	Germany	Preiß, JosefJosef Preiß	01922-06-24-000024 June 1922 (age 92)	German	15./JägRgt 227
	Germany	Probst, HeinzHeinz Probst	01925-04-19-000019 April 1925 (age 90)	German	Luftwaffe	Falschirmjaeger PzGrenRgt 1 Hermann Göring Division
	Germany	Radermacher, KarlKarl Radermacher	01922-12-12-000012 December 1922 (age 92)	German	21st Infantry Division	Awarded as Private
	Germany	Rafoth, HeinzHeinz Rafoth	01923-01-06-00006 January 1923 (age 92)	German	Führer 2. / Grenadier-Regiment 48	served with the Bundeswehr from 4 May 1956 until 31 March 1982 and finally reached the rank of Oberst (Colonel) im Generalstab.
	Germany	Regeniter, Dr. AlfredDr. Alfred Regeniter	01922-01-13-000013 January 1922 (age 93)	German	Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 276
	Germany	Rehbein, MaxMax Rehbein	01918-12-09-00009 December 1918 (age 96)	German	24th Panzer Division	Successful documentary film director after the war
	Germany	Remmert, Heinz-HermannHeinz-Hermann Remmert	01922-03-28-000028 March 1922 (age 93)	German	6./Grenadier-Regiment 464
	Germany	Reschke, WilliWilli Reschke	01922-02-03-00003 February 1922 (age 93)	German	Luftwaffe	Jagdgeschwader 301 and Jagdgeschwader 302. 28 aerial victories in 70 missions including 18 four-engine bombers. He claimed three victories were made flying the Ta 152.
	Germany	Ribbentrop, Rudolf vonRudolf von Ribbentrop	01921-05-11-000011 May 1921 (age 93)	German	1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS	Son of German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. Awarded for actions at the Battle of Kursk.
	Germany	Rinkowski, LeoLeo Rinkowski	01924-09-14-000014 September 1924 (age 90)	German	5./GrenRgt 670	MG-Gunner
	Germany	Sachs, HansHans Sachs	01923-09-03-00003 September 1923 (age 91)	German	5./PzFüsRgt'GD', Großdeutschland Division
	Austria	Sametreiter, KurtKurt Sametreiter	01922-04-09-00009 April 1922 (age 93)	Austrian	1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS	Awarded for actions at the Battle of Kursk
	Germany	Schmelzinger, BrunoBruno Schmelzinger	01922-01-31-000031 January 1922 (age 93)	German	4./Grenadier-Rgt 544
	Austria	Spadiut, HubertHubert Spadiut	01922-03-29-000029 March 1922 (age 93)	Austrian	Luftwaffe	5./Kampfgeschwader 76
		Stollnberger, HansHans Stollnberger	01919-04-10-000010 April 1919 (age 96)	Austrian	Luftwaffe	II.(Schl)./LG 1
	Germany	Timpe, HeinzHeinz Timpe	01923-12-23-000023 December 1923 (age 91)	German	1./Sturm-Geschutz Brigade 300
	Germany	Trummer, JohannJohann Trummer	01923-12-23-000023 December 1923 (age 91)	German	Luftwaffe	SG 5
	Germany	Vehse, FritzFritz Vehse	01924-04-23-000023 April 1924 (age 91)	German	342nd Infantry Division	Awarded as Private
	Germany	Voss, ReimerReimer Voss	01920-03-30-000030 March 1920 (age 95)	German	Luftwaffe	KG 26
	Germany	Wanhöfer, GünterGünter Wanhöfer	01916-11-18-000018 November 1916 (age 98)	German	4th SS Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland
	Germany	Wehking, HermannHermann Wehking	01914-09-09-00009 September 1914 (age 100)	German	Artillerie-Regiment 146 (mot.)
	Germany	Wieselhuber, HelmutHelmut Wieselhuber	01922-11-28-000028 November 1922 (age 92)	German	I./s.WerferRgt 1	Reached the rank of Oberst (Colonel) in the Bundeswehr by the time he retired in 1982.
	Germany	Wilfling, GüntherGünther Wilfling	01922-12-21-000021 December 1922 (age 92)	Germany	Grenadier Regiment 501
	Germany	Zinsser, LudwigLudwig Zinsser	01914-12-21-000021 December 1914 (age 100)	German	8. / Artillery-Regiment 148
	Austria	Zoppoth, GerhardGerhard Zoppoth	01923-06-02-00002 June 1923 (age 91)	Austrian	6./GrenRgt 732	General in the Austrian army after the war

References