13 holders of Swords

[Walter Model]

Name 13 holders of Swords who you would like to add to 27 holders of diamonds to the number of 40 holders of diamonds.

My list:

Erich von Manstein
Gerd von Rundstedt
Ewald von Kleist
Hermann Hoth
Heinz Bär
Walter Oesau
Gerhard Barkhorn
Günther Rall
Erich Rudorffer
Gotthard Heinrici
Johannes Blaskowitz
Paul Hausser
Michael Wittmann

[Mike.H]

Hans-Joachim Marseille?
Erich 'Bubi' Harmann?

[Walter Model]

They received their diamonds.

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

I could add eight more that I think deserved the 'Diamonds'!

Otto Kretschmer (Kriegsmarine U-boat ace)
Erich Topp (Kriegsmarine U-boat ace)
Joachim Helbig (Luftwaffe bomber ace)
Werner Baumbach (Luftwaffe bomber ace)
Alfred Druschel (Luftwaffe ground attack ace)
Otto Baum (Waffen-SS general)
Heinz Harmel (Waffen-SS general)
Georg Bochmann (Waffen-SS general)

[Momchil Milanov]

Interesting.
Why Bochmann and Harmel?

[krichter33]

Heinz Bar. Won the swords after 90 kills. He was recommended for the Diamonds more than once, I believe, but due to political reasons never received it, despite the fact he ended the war with 221 kills, including 125 against the West.
Otto Kretschmer.
Erich von Manstein.
Gunther Rall.
Gerhard Barkhorn.
Otto Kittel.
Erich Rudorffer.
Werner Baumbach.
Franz Bake.
Alfred Druschel.
Erich Topp.
Hans Dorr.
Michael Wittmann.
Joachim Peiper.
Anton Hackl.
Erich Barenfanger.
Hermann Balck.

[Momchil Milanov]

Hi krichter
why Erich Bärenfänger?

Regards,
Momchil

[Walter Model]

Balck received diamonds.

[krichter33]

Yes, you're correct Balck did receive the Diamonds. I change my mind, Barenfanger probably didn't deserve the Diamonds, since he was only briefly in command of two sectors in Berlin before he committed suicide. In that case then probably Michael Wittmann shouldn't have recieved it either because he had just won the swords before he was killed.

[krichter33]

I also think that maybe Erich Hartmann should have received the Golden Oakleaves after his 350th kill, and I believe Hans Joachim Marseille should have been awarded the Golden Oakleaves posthumously, though it would have had to have been made after Dec. 1944 which is when I believe Rudel received his, since it wasn't in existence before that. I also would like to have seen Hyazinth Graf von Strachwitz receive the Golden Oakleaves for his action in Russia towards the end of 1944, and for his command in 1945. So in total I think there should have been four holders of the Golden Oakleaves: Rudel, Hartmann, Marseille, and Strachwitz.

[Deutsch Boy]

actually, Rudel recieved his Golden Oakleaves on 1 January of 1945
here are my diamonds recipients:
Erich von Manstein
Michael Wittman
Otto Kretschmer
Kurt Meyer
Felix Steiner
Gerhard Barkhorn
Gunther Rall
Hajo Hermann
Hermann Hoth
Paul Hausser
Otto Kittel
Erich Rudorffer
Anton Hackl
and Heinrich 'Pritzl' Bär
And I think Werner Mölders should also have recieved the Golden oakleaves postumously

[Andreas1984]

Gerhard Barkhorn

[Frech]

Here we are, all 27 recepients of diamonds:
Mölders
Galland
Rommel
Model
Gille
Dietrich
v. Saucken
Kesselring
Mauss
Hartmann
Balck
Graf
Hartmann
Marseille
Nowotny
Schnaufer
v. Manteuffel
Brandi
Lüth
Gollob
Rudel
Lent
Schulz
Strachwitz
Ramcke
Tolsdorff
Hube
Schörner

Regards

Christian

[Dieter Zinke]

Christian,

the topic is the attractive and fictious approach of some dreamful fellows, who want to bestow some recipients of the swords nowadays also with the diamonds honorarily.

A spiel not very appreciated by myself according the motto "What if ...".

I seem to recall an idiom during my childhood:
"If my granmother would have wheels she would be an omnibus"

I think we should close resp. finish the thread, please

Dieter Zinke