Sturmmen with the Knightscross

Garder · #1

Hi

Does anyone know how many SS-Sturmmen won the Knightscross, and what there names were. I only know of Fritz Christen and Erich Göstl.

Kind Regards
Soren

Michael Miller · #2

I believe this is the complete list (Göstl received the RK while holding the rank of SS-Panzergrenadier; he may have been promoted to SS-Sturmmann [or higher] but I've yet to see any documentation of such promotion):

Alber, Hermann Karl
SS-Sturmmann d. R. der Waffen-SS (posthumous award, 26.12.1944)

Fritz Christen
SS-Oberscharführer der Waffen-SS (received as SS-Sturmmann, 20.10.1941)

Günther Lange
SS-Sturmmann der Waffen-SS (received on 06.05.1945)

Gerardus Leonardus Mooyman
SS-Untersturmführer d. R. der Waffen-SS (received as SS-Sturmmann, 20.02.1943)

Richard (Remi) Schrijnen
SS-Unterscharführer d. R. der Waffen-SS (received as SS-Sturmmann d. R., 21.09.1944)

Best wishes,
~ Mike

Panzer Grenadier · #3

I believe that Gerard Mooyman won the KC when he was Sturmman.
He did climb in rank later, so that's maybe not what you are looking for.

Regards,

Ben

Dieter Zinke · #4

Michael Miller wrote: Günther Lange
SS-Sturmmann der Waffen-SS (received on 06.05.1945)
~ Mike

Mike,
this was an illegal award by "Sepp" Dietrich too, cancelled by Veit Scherzer. Not mentioned in any way in the Bundesarchiv. The date was given from the SS-PzAOK 6, which was not allowed to award because of missing authorization from Personalhauptamt or Heerespersonalamt..

Dieter Z.

Michael Miller · #5

Thank you, Dieter - I will make note of this in the RKT book I'm working on.

Here is an example of the verbiage I'm using in these unfortunate cases:

Günther Lange
SS-Sturmmann der Waffen-SS

*
+

NSDAP-Nr.: [Unknown if he held Party membership]
SS-Nr.: Unknown (possibly no SS-Nr. assigned)

Promotions:
[06.05.1945] SS-Sturmmann der Waffen-SS

Decorations & Awards:
06.05.1945 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuze as SS-Sturmmann and Gruppenfhr. in 16.(Pionier)Kompanie / SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 4 “Der Führer” / 2.SS-Panzer-Division “Das Reich” / 6.SS-Panzer-Armee (immediate award, one of several made by “Sepp” Dietrich, which, in light of new research by Veit Scherzer, were technically invalid as they were not authorized by the SS-Personalhauptamt or Heerespersonalamt)
00.00.194_ 1939 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
00.00.194_ 1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse

I assume that this must also be the case with Emil Seibold.

Emil Seibold
SS-Hauptscharführer der Waffen-SS

* 26.02.1907 in Basel, Switzerland.
+ 11.09.1990 in Biano / Marino, Italy (while on vacation) (or in Bad Hersfeld per E. G. Krätschmer).

NSDAP-Nr.: Unknown (Joined 01.04.1933)
SS-Nr.: Unknown (Joined 10.04.1940)

Promotions:
01.11.1943 SS-Oberscharführer der Waffen-SS
[06.05.1945] SS-Hauptscharführer der Waffen-SS

Decorations & Awards:
06.05.1945 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as SS-Hauptscharführer and Zugfhr. in 8.Kompanie / SS-Panzer-
Regiment 2 / 2.SS-Panzer-Division “Das Reich”, Southeastern Front (awarded in honor of his 65th enemy tank kill, which occurred on 12.03.1945. He ended the war as “Das Reich’s” highest scorer with 69 kills)
04.06.1944 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold as SS-Oberscharführer and Zugfhr. in 8.Kompanie / SS-Panzer-
Regiment 2 / 2.SS-Panzer-Division “Das Reich” (based on a recommendation submitted by Kompaniechef Rudi Wildhagen and approved by Rgt. Kdr. Christian Tychsen)
20.04.1943 1939 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
23.08.1941 1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
00.00.194_ Nahkampfspange I. Stufe (Bronze)
00.00.194_ Allgemeines-Sturmabzeichen
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Silber
00.00.1942 Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42”
00.00.194_ Goldenes Hitler-Jugend Ehrenzeichen (?)
00.00.19__ Hitler-Jugend Leistungsabzeichen

[Note: Seibold was completely unaware of his status as a Ritterkreuzträger
until 04.1982, as another distinguished “Das Reich” Panzer-Regiment soldier,
SS-Hauptscharführer Hans Siebert {killed in action in 1943}, had been
erroneously credited for his award. Siebert had received the Deutsches Kreuz
in Gold with II.Abteilung / SS-Panzer-Regiment “Das Reich” on 08.09.1943]

I salute Herrn Scherzer's new research and believe he's probably right about this, however- in my humble opinion, if "Sepp" Dietrich, Herbert Otto Gille, Willi Bittrich, or even Otto Weidinger, etc. deemed a soldier worthy of the award, the award, and subsequent OdR recognition thereof, should still stand (with attention being given to Scherzer's conclusions). Does Scherzer refer in his book to specific official documentation nullifying these awards, or has he made the conclusion based on a self-evident fact that, in the absence of approval by higher (SS-PHA or HPA) authority, awards were unjustly made? And how is it that Dönitz did not have authority to approve those post-08.05.1945 awards? It seems that Hitler's power to authorize awards would have been transferred to his appointed successor, but perhaps there is some caveat in the Reichsgesetzblatt section(s) concerning awards that they could only be rendered prior to, and not after, any capitulation of the Reich.

I suspect the OdR must be in a furor over this!

Best wishes and thanks in advance,
~ Mike

Michael Miller · #6

Dear Dieter~

Here is a list- complete, I hope- of Waffen-SS members cited in most texts as 06.05.1945 Ritterkreuzträger. Does the "Scherzer Rule" apply to all of them, or only to those in units subordinated to 6.SS-Panzer-Armee?

Best wishes,
~ Mike

Wilhelm (Willi) Bittrich
SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS: Schwertern

Karl-Heinz Felix Bühler
SS-Obersturmbannführer der Waffen-SS
und Oberstleutnant der Schutzpolizei: Ritterkreuz

Oskar Drexler
SS-Obersturmbannführer der Waffen-SS: Ritterkreuz

Fröhlich, Kurt
SS-Obersturmführer der Waffen-SS: Ritterkreuz

________ Gebhard
SS-Oberscharführer der Waffen-SS: Ritterkreuz

Heinz Gropp
SS-Obersturmführer d. R. der Waffen-SS: Ritterkreuz

Hans Hauser
SS-Sturmbannführer der Waffen-SS
und Major der Schutzpolizei: Ritterkreuz

Johann (“Joop”) Havik
SS-Untersturmführer der Waffen-SS: Ritterkreuz

Karl Kreutz
SS-Standartenführer der Waffen-SS: Eichenlaub

Günther Lange
SS-Sturmmann der Waffen-SS: Ritterkreuz

Rudolf (“Rudi”) Lehmann
SS-Standartenführer der Waffen-SS: Ritterkreuz

Walter Mattusch
SS-Hauptsturmführer der Waffen-SS: Ritterkreuz

Walter Andreas Pitsch
SS-Hauptscharführer der Waffen-SS: Ritterkreuz

Fritz Rieflin
SS-Obersturmführer der Waffen-SS: Ritterkreuz

Emil Seibold
SS-Hauptscharführer der Waffen-SS: Ritterkreuz

Otto Weidinger
SS-Obersturmbannführer der Waffen-SS: Schwertern

Günther-Eberhard Wisliceny
SS-Obersturmbannführer der Waffen-SS: Schwertern

Requin Marteau · #7

Bonjour,

Date Grade Nom Unité Division

20/10/1941 SS Sturmmann CHRISTEN Fritz Richschütze i. d. 2./SS Totenkopf Pz Jäg Abt Totenkopf
23/10/1942 SS Rottenführer HIRNING Hans Granatwerfertruppenfhr i. d. 6./SS Totenkopf Inf Rgt 1 Totenkopf
20/02/1943 SS Sturmmann MOOYMAN Gerardes Geschützefhr i. d. 14./SS Freiwilligen Legion "Nederland" Nederland
16/12/1943 SS Rottenführer SWIERZINSKI Lothar Gruppenfhr i. d. 10./SS Pz Gre Rgt 5 "Thule" Totenkopf
20/12/1943 SS Rottenführer SCHNEIDEREIT Alfred Panzer Büchsentruppenfhr i. d. 8./SS Pz Gre Rgt 1 LSSAH
16/01/1944 SS Rottenführer WOLL Balthasar Richtschütze i. d. 13. (schwere)/SS Pz Rgt 1 LSSAH
23/08/1944 SS Rottenführer BRUINS Derk-Elsko Geschützefhr i. d. 1./SS Pz Jäg Abt 54 Nederland
21/09/1944 SS Sturmmann SCHRIJNEN Richard Richtschütze i. d. 2./SS Freiwilligen Sturmbrigade "Langemarck" Langemarck
31/10/1944 SS Panzergrenadier GÖSTL Erich MG-Schütze 1 i. d. 6./SS Pz Gre Rgt 1 LSSAH
16/11/1944 SS Rottenführer STRAPATIN Stefan Fernsprecher i. II./SS Freiw Pz Gre Rgt 49 "De Ruyter" Nederland
18/11/1944 SS Rottenführer ECKSTEIN Fritz Richtschütze i. d. 1./SS Pz Jäg Abt 12 Hitlerjugend
18/12/1944 SS Kanonier JENSCHKE Walter Funktruppenfhr i. d. 5./SS Freiw Art Rgt 54 Nederland
26/12/1944 SS Sturmmann ALBER Hermann (+) Kompagnie Truppenmelder i. d. 9./SS Pz Gre Rgt 20 Hohenstaufen
06/05/1945 SS Sturmmann LANGE Günther Gewehrfhr i. d. 16. (Pi)/SS Pz Gre Rgt 4 "Der Führer" Das Reich

Thierry

Jan-Hendrik · #8

The Schwerter of Bittrich are cancelled for sure , even Tieke in his "In the firestorms of last war years" admitted that he found no evidence for this in the archives

http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.d ... ermann.htm

http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.d ... rardes.htm

http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.d ... -Elsko.htm

http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.d ... n-Remi.htm

Jan-Hendrik

Jan-Hendrik · #9

Could anyone provide the "reason" for Strapatin's decoration ?

Jan-Hendrik

Mark C. Yerger · #10

I believe you mean Lehmann's EL award as commander "Das Reich." He got his KC with LAH.

Marc Rikmenspoel · #11

Strapatin commanded the messenger squad in the headquarters of II./De Ruyter. On July 27, 1944, the command post was to the north of Grenadier Hill during the height of the Tannenberg Line fighting. Soviet tanks threatened the HQ, and Strapatin knocked out several with Panzerfauste. A later photo, after his promotion to Uscha., shows him wearing four Tank Destruction badges.

II./De Ruyter distinguished itself during the September 1944 retreat from Estonia, leading to its new commander Otto Peterson (who took command in mid-August 1944, after the Tannenberg Line fighting had died down) winning the RK. Strapatin was probably at Peterson's side all during this time, since I have read somewhere (I can't remember the source at the moment) that Strapatin's RK came due his efforts on July 27 combined with further actions in September. I would assume that Peterson found Strapatin indispensible, and saw to it that he was recommanded for his eventual RK.

Jan-Hendrik · #12

Thank you very much , dear Mark !

Jan-Hendrik