List of Knight's Cross recipients 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen

The 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen., also known as SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9 Hohenstaufen or 9. SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen, was a German Waffen-SS armoured division which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II. It was formed, in France in February 1943, mainly formed from Reichsarbeitdienst (RAD) conscripts. Originally, it was designated as a Panzergrenadier division, but in October 1943 it was promoted to full Panzer Division status. At its formation, Hohenstaufen was commanded by SS-Obergruppenführer Willi Bittrich. The title Hohenstaufen came from the Hohenstaufen dynasty, a Germanic noble family who produced a number of kings and emperors in the 12th and 13th centuries AD. It is believed that the division was named specifically after Friedrich II, who lived from 1194-1250.

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 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 of June 3, 1940. In 1941 two higher grades of the Knight's Cross were instituted. The enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613 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 of December 29, 1944 concluded the variants of the Knight's Cross.

Prerequisites

To qualify for the Knight's Cross, a soldier had to already hold the 1939 Iron Cross First Class, though the Iron Cross I Class was awarded concurrently with the Knight's Cross in rare cases. Unit commanders could also be awarded the medal for exemplary conduct by the unit as a whole.

Grades

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was divided into five grades, excluding the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross:

• Knights Cross
• Knights Cross with Oak Leaves
• Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and swords
• Knights Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
• Knights Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds

Knight's Cross with Swords

• Sylvester Stadler, 06.05.1945 Oberführer Commander 9th SS Panzer Div Hohenstaufen

Knight's Cross with Oakleaves

• Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock, 02.09.1944 Oberführer Commander 9th SS Panzer Div Hohenstaufen
• Otto Meyer, 30.09.1944 Obersturmbannführer Commander 9th SS Panzer Rgt

Knight’s Cross

HQ Staff

• Walter Harzer, 21.09.1944 Obersturmbannführer Ia 9th SS Panzer Div Hohenstaufen

SS Panzer Regiment 9

• Josef Holte, 27.08.1944 Oberscharführer platoon commander 2nd Company
• Otto Meyer, 04.06.1944 Obersturmbannführer Commander 9th SS Panzer Rgt
• Rudolf Rettberg, 06.05.1945 Sturmbannführer Commander II./9th SS Panzer Rgt
• Eberhard Telkamp, 23.08.1944 Sturmbannführer Commander II./9th SS Panzer Rgt

SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 19

• Hermann Borchers, 16.10.1944 Hauptsturmführer Commander I./19th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt

SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment 20

• Herman Alber, 16.12.1944 Sturmmann KpTruppmelder 9th Company, 20th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt
• Robert Frank, 04.06.1944 Sturmbannführer Commander II./20th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt

SS Panzer Artillery Regiment 9

• Ludwig Spindler, 27.09.1944 Sturmbannführer Commander I./9th SS-Pz.Art.Rgt

SS Panzerjäger Battalion 9

• Johann Sailer, 06.05.1945 Obersturmführer Commander, 3 Battery,9th SS Panzerjager Btn

SS Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion 9

• Viktor Eberhard Gräbner, 23.08.1944 Hauptsturmführer, Commander 9th SS-Pz.Rec Btn

SS Flak Battalion 9

• Heinz Gropp, 06.05.1945 SS-Obersturmführer Commander 2nd Battery, 9th SS-Flak.Btn

Footnotes

References

• SEEMEN, Gerhard von: Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945. Podzun-Pallas, 1976.
• SCHERZER, Veit: Knight's Cross Recipients 1939 - 1945 (Paperback) by Enid Blyton, 1999

de:Liste der Träger des Eichenlaubs mit Schwertern zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes fr:Liste des titulaires de la croix de chevalier de la croix de fer avec feuilles de chêne et glaives