List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients (V)
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 [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.[4]
Listed here are the 92 Knight's Cross recipients whose last name starts with "V".[5] Scherzer has challenged the validity of five of these listings.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8] 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).[9] 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.[10]
Recipients
| Service | Number of presentations | Posthumous presentations |
|---|---|---|
| Heer | 68 | 5 |
| Kriegsmarine | 1 | 0 |
| Luftwaffe | 17 | 1 |
| Waffen-SS | 6 | 1 |
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.[11] 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.[5]
| Name | Service | Rank | Role and unit[Note 2] | Date of award | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gustav von Värst | Heer | Oberst[12] | Commander of the 2. Schützen-Brigade[12][13] | 30 July 1940[12] | — | .jpg) |
| Herbert-Ernst Vahl | Waffen-SS | SS-Oberführer[14] | Leader of 2. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Das Reich"[13][14] | 31 March 1943[14] | — | — |
| Hans-Joachim Valet | Luftwaffe | Leutnant[14] | Pilot in the 3./Transportgeschwader 2[13][14] | 20 April 1944[14] | — | — |
| Hermann Valle | Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves[14] | Chief of the 4./Schützen-Regiment 112[13][14] | 31 December 1941[14] | — | — |
| Helmuth Valtiner | Heer | Gefreiter[14] | Reconnaissance troop leader in the 1./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 143[13][14] | 13 June 1941[14] | — | — |
| Anton Vandieken | Waffen-SS | SS-Hauptsturmführer of the Reserves[14] | Leader of a Kampfgruppe in SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 15[15][Note 3] | 26 December 1944[14] | — | — |
| Eugène Vaulot | Waffen-SS | Waffen-Unterscharführer[14] | Group leader in the 33. SS-Freiwilligen-Division "Charlemagne" (franz. Nr. 1) in the combat area Groß Berlin (greater Berlin)[13][14] | 29 April 1945[14] | — | — |
| Bernhard Vechtel | Luftwaffe | Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel[14] | Pilot in the 10./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"[13][14] | 27 July 1944[14] | — | — |
| Peter Veeser | Heer | Oberfeldwebel[14] | Shock troops leader in the 7./Infanterie-Regiment 125[13][14] | 14 May 1941[14] | — | — |
| Fritz Vehse | Heer | Gefreiter[14] | Deputy group leader in the 3./Pionier-Bataillon 342[13][14] | 4 October 1944[14] | — | — |
| Rudolf Veiel | Heer | Generalleutnant[14] | Commander of the 2. Panzer-Division[13][14] | 3 June 1940[14] | — |  |
| Voldemārs Veiss | Waffen-SS | Waffen-Standartenführer[14] | Commander of lett. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment 48[16][Note 4] | 9 February 1944[14] | — |  |
| Alfred Veith | Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant[17] | Observer in the 5./Kampfgeschwader 55[17][18] | 24 October 1944[17] | — | — |
| Johann Veith | Waffen-SS | SS-Obersturmführer[17] | Leader of the 3./SS-Panzer-Regiment 2 "Das Reich"[17][18] | 14 February 1945*[17] | Killed in action 7 January 1945[17] | — |
| Martin Veldkamp | Heer | Unteroffizier[17] | Group leader in the 6./Grenadier-Regiment 76 (motorized)[17][18] | 28 November 1943[17] | — | — |
| Paul Velke | Heer | Oberstleutnant[17] | Commander of Pionier-Bataillon 45[17][18] | 15 August 1940[17] | — | — |
| Otto Velten | Heer | Feldwebel[17] | Leader of Infanterie-Pionier-Zug/Grenadier-Regiment 436[17][18] | 5 April 1945[17] | — | — |
| Theodor Velten | Heer | Leutnant[17] | Leader of the 3./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 14[17][18] | 4 October 1944[17] | — | — |
| Siegfried Verhein | Heer | Generalmajor[17] | Leader of Kampfgruppe 551. Volksgrenadier-Division[17][18] | 28 February 1945[17] | — | — |
| Josef Vernhold | Heer | Unteroffizier[17] | In the 8./Infanterie-Regiment 60 (motorized)[17][18] | 22 February 1942[17] | — | — |
| Kurt Versock | Heer | Oberst[17] | Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 31[17][18] | 25 August 1942[17] | — |  |
| Dr.-agrar. Hans Vesenmayer | Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant[17] | Chief of the 2./leichte Flak-Abteilung 77 (self-motorized)[18][Note 5] | 18 November 1944[17] | — | — |
| Kurt Veth | Luftwaffe | Hauptmann[Note 6] | Commander of the II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3[17][18] | 30 September 1944[17] | — | — |
| Alfred Vetter | Kriegsmarine | Leutnant[17] | Group leader in the Marine-Kleinkampfmittel-Flottille 211[17][18] | 12 August 1944[17] | Along with Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class[18] | — |
| Johann Vetter | Heer | Gefreiter[19] | PaK gunner in the 14.(Panzerjäger)/Grenadier-Regiment 147[18][Note 7] | 15 June 1944*[19] | Killed on active service 4 June 1944[19] | — |
| Martin Vetter | Luftwaffe | Major[19] | Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Kampfgeschwader 26[18][19] | 16 May 1940[19] | — | — |
| Max Vetter | Heer | Unteroffizier[19] | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Grenadier-Regiment 380[18][19] | 7 February 1944[19] | — | — |
| Alexander Vial | Heer | Oberst[19] | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 60 (motorized)[18][19] | 18 December 1942[19] | — | — |
| Hermann Vicinius | Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves[19] | Commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 866[18][19] | 16 September 1943[19] | — | — |
| Willi Vickendey | Heer | Obergefreiter[19] | Group leader of the 7./Skijäger-Regiment 1[18][19] | 17 September 1944[19] | — | — |
| Hans Viebig | Heer | Oberst[19] | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 258[18][19] | 21 February 1944[19] | — | — |
| Korbinian Viechter | Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves[19] | Leader of the 4./Grenadier-Regiment 42[18][19] | 20 October 1944[19] | — | — |
| Helmut Viedebantt | Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant[19] | Staffelkapitän in the II./Zerstörergeschwader 1[18][19] | 30 December 1942[19] | — |  |
| Wilhelm Viehmann | Heer | Oberstleutnant[19] | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 453[19][20] | 17 April 1945[19] | — | — |
| Gottfried Viehweg | Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves[19] | Chief of the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 456[19][20] | 13 January 1944[19] | — | — |
| Ernst Vielhauer | Heer | Major[Note 8] | Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 461[19][20] | 21 May 1943[19] | — | — |
| Wilhelm-August Vielwerth | Heer | Oberfeldwebel[21] | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Infanterie-Regiment 87 (motorized)[20][21] | 18 October 1941[21] | — | — |
| Fritz Vierecker?[Note 9] | Heer | Hauptmann | Leader of an alarm unit at the Oder sector[20] | 28 April 1945 | — | — |
| Erwin Vierow | Heer | General der Infanterie[21] | Commanding general of the LV. Armeekorps[20][21] | 15 November 1941[21] | — |  |
| Willi Viertel | Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant[21] | Staffelkapitän of the 7./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1[21][23] | 5 February 1944*[21] | Killed in action 31 August 1943[21] | — |
| Heinrich von Vietinghoff+ called von Scheel | Heer | General der Panzertruppe[21] | Commanding general of the XIII. Armeekorps[20][21] | 24 June 1940[21] | Awarded 456th Oak Leaves 16 April 1944[21] |  |
| Günther Viezenz | Heer | Oberleutnant[21] | Chief of the 10./Grenadier-Regiment 7[20][21] | 7 January 1944[21] | — | — |
| Heinrich Villinger | Heer | Leutnant[Note 10] | Leader of the 6./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 99[20][21] | 1 February 1945*[21] | Killed in action 12 December 1944[21] | — |
| Otto Vincon+ | Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves[21] | Deputy leader of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 460[20][Note 11] | 3 December 1943[21] | Awarded 728th Oak Leaves 5 February 1945[21] | — |
| Heinz Vinke+ | Luftwaffe | Feldwebel[21] | Pilot in the 11./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1[20][21] | 19 September 1943[21] | Awarded 465th Oak Leaves 25 April 1944[21] |  |
| Gerhard Virkus | Heer | Oberfeldwebel[21] | Company troop leader in the 2./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25[20][21] | 7 September 1943[21] | — | — |
| Kurt Vischer | Heer | Obergefreiter[21] | Group leader in the 6./Jäger-Regiment 40 (L)[20][21] | 18 December 1944[21] | — | — |
| Viktor Vitali?[Note 12] | Luftwaffe | Leutnant | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 5./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4[23] | 30 April 1945 | — | — |
| Helmut Vocke | Heer | Hauptmann[21] | Commander of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 40[20][21] | 26 March 1943[21] | — | — |
| Georg Vögerl | Luftwaffe | Leutnant[21] | In Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 26[20][21] | 28 March 1945[21] | — | — |
| Helmut Vögtle?[Note 13] | Heer | Hauptmann of the Reserves | Commander of the II./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 99[20] | 1 June 1945 | — | — |
| Paul Völckers | Heer | Generalleutnant[25] | Commander of the 78. Infanterie-Division[23][25] | 11 December 1942[25] | — | — |
| Hermann Völk | Heer | Hauptmann[25] | Commander of Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 92[20][25] | 26 March 1944[25] | — | — |
| Helmut Völkel | Heer | Feldwebel[25] | Zugführer (platoon leader) of the 6./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 91[20][25] | 13 November 1942*[25] | Died of wounds 26 October 1942[25] | — |
| Dr.-jur. Gerhard Völker | Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves[25] | Leader of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25[25][26] | 26 November 1944[25] | — | — |
| Emil Vogel+ | Heer | Generalleutnant[25] | Commander of the 101. Jäger-Division[25][26] | 7 August 1943[25] | Awarded 475th Oak Leaves 14 May 1944[25] | — |
| Robert Vogel | Heer | Feldwebel[25] | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 7./Grenadier-Regiment 119 (motorized)[25][26] | 26 August 1943[25] | — | — |
| Walter Vogel | Heer | Major[25] | Commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 6[25][26] | 29 August 1943[Note 14] | — | — |
| Friedrich Vogelsang | Heer | Oberfeldwebel[25] | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 12./Infanerie-Regiment 78[25][26] | 4 September 1942[25] | — | — |
| Dr. med. dent. Friedrich Vogelsang | Heer | Oberstleutnant[25] | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 505[25][26] | 14 December 1943[25] | — | — |
| Karl Vogelsang | Heer | Major of the Reserves[25] | Commander of the II./Artillerie-Regiment 157[25][26] | 14 January 1945[25] | — | — |
| Emil Vogler | Heer | Unteroffizier[25] | Kradmeldestaffel (motorcycle halftrack messenger squadron) in the Stab I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 93[25][26] | 24 January 1944[25] | — | — |
| Adolf Vogt | Heer | Oberleutnant[27] | Chief of the 12./Grenadier-Regiment 1054[26][27] | 16 October 1944[27] | — | — |
| Emil Vogt | Heer | Oberschirrmeister[27] | In the Stabskompanie/Panzergrenadier-Regiment 101[26][27] | 26 March 1943[27] | — | — |
| Fritz Vogt+ | Waffen-SS | SS-Obersturmführer[27] | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung of the SS-Verfügungs-Division[26][27] | 4 September 1940[27] | Awarded 785th Oak Leaves 16 March 1945[27] | — |
| Heinz-Gerhard Vogt | Luftwaffe | Leutnant[27] | Staffelführer of the 5./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"[26][27] | 25 November 1944[27] | — | — |
| Ludwig Vogt | Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves[27] | Leader of the 4.(MG)/Grenadier-Regiment 915[26][Note 15] | 17 February 1945[27] | — | — |
| Hans Vohburger | Heer | Oberleutnant[27] | Chief of the 7./Infanterie-Regiment 19 "List"[26][27] | 14 December 1941[27] | — | — |
| Gerhard Voigt | Heer | Oberleutnant[27] | Chief of the 2./Pionier-Bataillon 18[26][27] | 25 June 1940[27] | — | — |
| Hans Voigt?[Note 16] | Heer | Generalmajor | Commander of fortress Arnswalde (Pommern)[26] | 28 April 1945 | — | — |
| Hans-Günther Voigt | Heer | Oberleutnant[27] | Chief of the 5./Grenadier-Regiment 154[26][27] | 29 February 1944*[27] | Killed in action 12 January 1944[27] | — |
| Walter Voigt | Heer | Oberfeldwebel[27] | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 14.(Panzerjäger)/Grenadier-Regiment 31[26][Note 17] | 16 October 1944[27] | — | — |
| Heinrich Voigtsberger+ | Heer | Major[27] | Commander of MG-Bataillon 2[26][27] | 9 July 1941[27] | Awarded 351st Oak Leaves 9 December 1943[27] | — |
| Friedrich-Jobst Volckamer von Kirchensittenbach | Heer | Generalleutnant[27] | Commander of the 8. Jäger-Division[26][27] | 26 March 1944[27] | — | — |
| Hennecke Volckens | Heer | Hauptmann[29] | Chief of the 7./Panzer-Regiment 6[26][29] | 17 December 1942*[29] | Died of wounds 16 December 1942[29] | — |
| Kurt Volk | Heer | Unteroffizier[29] | Gun leader in the 2./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 9[26][29] | 10 May 1943[29] | — | — |
| Herbert Volke | Heer | Oberwachtmeister[29] | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5[26][Note 18] | 16 November 1944[29] | — | — |
| Heinrich Volker | Heer | Hauptmann[29] | Chief of the Stabskompanie/Panzergrenadier-Regiment 73[29][30] | 19 January 1943[29] | — | — |
| Heinz Volkmann | Heer | Leutnant of the Reserves[29] | Battery officer in the 2./Artillerie-Regiment 240[29][30] | 8 February 1943[29] | — | — |
| Friedrich Vollbracht | Luftwaffe | Oberstleutnant[29] | Geschwaderkommodore of Zerstörergeschwader 2[29][30] | 13 October 1940[29] | — | — |
| Götzpeter Vollmer | Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant[29] | Staffelkapitän of the 1./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"[29][30] | 22 June 1941[Note 19] | — | — |
| Günter Vollmer | Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves[29] | Leader of the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 411[29][30] | 20 April 1943[29] | — | — |
| Heinrich Vonhoff | Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves[29] | Chief of the 12./Infanterie-Regiment 408[29][30] | 25 September 1942[29] | — | — |
| Klaus Voormann | Heer | Oberleutnant[29] | Chief of the 10./Infanterie-Regiment 134[29][30] | 10 September 1942[29] | — | — |
| Oskar Vorbrugg | Luftwaffe | Oberst[29] | Commander of Flak-Regiment 21 (motorized)[30][Note 20] | 3 June 1944[Note 20] | — | — |
| Nikolaus von Vormann | Heer | Generalleutnant[29] | Commander of the 23. Panzer-Division[29][30] | 22 August 1943[29] | — | — |
| Werner Voshage?[Note 21] | Heer | Major | Commander of Heeres-Flak-Abteilung "Brandenburg"[30] | 8 May 1945 | — | — |
| Ernst Voß+ | Heer | Oberstleutnant[31] | Commander of Grenadier-Regiment 585[30][31] | 18 April 1943[31] | Awarded 314th Oak Leaves 28 October 1943[31] | — |
| Herbert Voß | Luftwaffe | Major[31] | Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Kampfgeschwader 51[30][31] | 5 February 1944[31] | — | — |
| Johann-Joachim Voß | Heer | Oberleutnant of the Reserves[31] | Leader of the 5./Schützen-Regiment 93[30][31] | 27 May 1942[31] | — | — |
| Reimer Voß | Luftwaffe | Oberleutnant[31] | Staffelkapitän of the 4./Kampfgeschwader 26[30][31] | 12 March 1945[31] | — | — |
| Heinrich Voutta | Heer | Hauptmann[31] | Leader of Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 9[30][31] | 23 March 1945[31] | — | — |
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Williamson, Gordon; Bujeiro, Ramiro (2004). Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves Recipients 1939–40. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-641-6.
External links
- "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 2 January 2011.
- "Das Bundesarchiv". Military Archive - Freiburg im Breisgau. Archived from the original on 29 December 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2011.