The SS Division Das Reich (German 2. SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich) was one of the thirty-eight divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS during World War II. It served from the invasion of France and took part in several major battles on the Eastern Front, before it was pulled back to France and took part in the fighting in Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge and the last, fighting in Hungary and Austria.
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.
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
Otto Baum, 02.09.1944 SS-Standartenführer Commander 2nd SS-Pz.Div Das Reich
Otto Weidinger, 06.05.1945 SS-Obersturmbannführer Commander 4th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer [Dietrich award]*
Günther Wisliceny, 06.05.1945 SS-Obersturmbannführer Commander 3rd SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland [Dietrich award]*
Heinz Harmel, 07.09.1943 SS-Standartenführer Commander SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland
Karl Kloskowski, 11.08.1944 SS-Obersturmführer Führer 7th company 2nd SS Panzer Rgt Das Reich
Ernst Krag, 28.02.1945 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander 2nd SS Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion Das Reich
Karl Kreutz, 06.05.1945 SS-Standartenführer Commander 2nd SS Panzer Artillery Regiment Das Reich [Dietrich award]*
Walter Krüger, 31.08.1943 SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der W-SS Commander SS Panzer Gren Div Das Reich
Otto Kumm, 06.04.1943 SS-Obersturmbannführer Commander SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Rudolf Lehmann, 06.05.1945 SS-Standartenführer Commander 2nd SS Panzer Div Das Reich [Dietrich award]*
Heinz Macher, 19.08.1944 SS-Obersturmführer Commander 16th Company, 3rd SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland
Werner Ostendorff, 06.05.1945 SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der W-SS Commander 2nd SS-Pz.Div Das Reich [Dietrich award]*
Anton Bessolo, 06.04.1945 SS-untersturmführer commander 10th Company,III./4th SS Panzer Grenadier regiment Der Führer
Heinrich Schmelzer, 28.02.1945 SS-Hauptsturmführer commander 1st Company, 2nd SS Panzer Pioneer Battalion Das Reich
Sylvester Stadler, 16.09.1943 SS-Obersturmbannführer Commander SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Christian Tychsen, 10.12.1943 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander II./2nd SS Panzer Rgt Das Reich
Otto Weidinger, 26.12.1944 SS-Obersturmbannführer Commander 4th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Heinz Werner, 06.05.1945 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander III./4th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer [Dietrich award]*
Günther Wisliceny, 26.12.1944 SS-Obersturmbannführer Commander 3rd SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland
Paul Hausser, 08.08.1941 SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der W-SS Commander SS Division Reich
Matthias Kleinheisterkamp, 31.03.1942 SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der W-SS Commander SS-Division Reich
Werner Ostendorff, 13.09.1941 SS-Sturmbannführer Ia SS-Div Reich
Herbert-Ernst Vahl, 31.03.1943 SS-Oberführer Commander SS-Panzer Grenadier Division Reich
Heinrich Lammerding, 11.04.1944 SS-Oberführer Commander SS-Pz.Kgr Das Reich
SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment 3 Deutschland
Heinrich Bastian, 06.05.1945 SS-Obersturmführer Commander II./3rd SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland [Dietrich award]*
Wilhelm Bittrich, 14.12.1941 SS-Oberführer Commander SS-Inf.Rgt Deutschland
Hans Eckert, 04.05.1944 SS-Obersturmführer Commander II./3rd SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland
Franz Grohmann, 23.08.1944 SS-Obersturmführer Commander 1 Company 3rd SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland
Heinz Harmel, 31.03.1943 SS-Obersturmbannführer Commander SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland
Heinz Macher, 03.04.1943 SS-Untersturmführer Commander 16th (Pi)/SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland
Adolf Rüd, 23.08.1944 SS-Oberscharführer platoon commander HQ Company,3rd SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland
Helmuth Schreiber, 30.07.1943 SS-Hauptsturmführer Commander 10th Company SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland
Felix Steiner, 15.08.1940 SS-Oberführer Kdr SS-Standarte [Rgt (mot)] Deutschland
Alois Weber, 30.07.1943 SS-Hauptscharführer platoon commander 16th Company SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland
Günther Wisliceny, 30.07.1943 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander III./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Deutschland
Fritz Witt, 04.09.1940 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander I./SS-Standarte [Rgt (mot)] Deutschland
Simon Grascher, 14.08.1943 SS-Unterscharführer platoon commander 9th Company SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Willy Grieme, 17.09.1943 SS-Obersturmführer d.R. Commander 4th Company SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Helmut Kämpfe, 10.12.1943 SS-Sturmbannführer d.R. Commander III.(gp.)/4th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Vinzenz Kaiser, 06.04.1943 SS-Hauptsturmführer Commander III.(gp.)/4th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Georg Keppler, 15.08.1940 SS-Oberführer Commander SS-Standarte [Rgt] Der Führer
Ludwig Kepplinger, 04.09.1940 SS-Hauptscharführer platoon commander 11th company SS-Standarte [Rgt] Der Führer
Joachim Krüger, 24.06.1944 SS-Untersturmführer Commander 10th Company, 4th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Otto Kumm, 16.02.1942 SS-Obersturmbannführer Commander SS-Rgt (mot) Der Führer
Josef Lainer, 08.10.1943 SS-Oberscharführer platoon commander 1st Company SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Alfred Lex, 10.12.1943 SS-Hauptsturmführer Commander I./4th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Adolf Peichl, 16.10.1944 SS-Hauptscharführer platoon commander 12th Company, 4th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Herbert Schulze, 16.12.1943 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander II./4th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Sylvester Stadler, 06.04.1943 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander II./4th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Heinz Werner, 23.08.1944 SS-Hauptsturmführer Commander III.(gp.)/4th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Der Führer
Ernst Barkmann, Ernst 27.08.1944 SS-Unterscharführer tank commander 4th Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Karl Boska, 16.12.1943 SS-Obersturmführer Adjutant II./2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Rudolf Enseling, 23.08.1944 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander I./2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Franz Frauscher, 31.12.1944 SS-Hauptscharführer platoon commander 4th company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Horst Gresiak, 25.01.1945 SS-Obersturmführer Commander 7th Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Friedrich Holzer, 10.12.1943 SS-Hauptsturmführer Commander 1st Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Dieter Kesten, 12.11.1943 SS-Hauptsturmführer Commander 6th Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Karl Kloskowski, 11.07.1943 SS-Hauptscharführer platoon commander 4th Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Fritz Langanke, 27.08.1944 SS-Standartenoberjunker platoon commander 2nd Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Karl Mühleck, 04.06.1944 SS-Untersturmführer platon commander 2nd Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Adolf Reeb, 23.08.1944 SS-Untersturmführer platoon commander 7th Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Hans Albin Freiherr von Reitzenstein 13.11.1943 SS-Obersturmbannführer Commander 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Emil Seibold, 06.05.1945 SS-Hauptscharführer platoon commander 8th Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich [Dietrich award]*
Willy Simke, 16.12.1943 SS-Hauptscharführer platoon commander 5th Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Johann Thaler, 14.08.1943 SS-Unterscharführer Panzerfahrer in the 6th Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Christian Tychsen 31.03.1943 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander II./2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Johann Veith, 14.02.1945 SS-Obersturmführer Commander 3rd Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Karl-Heinz Worthmann, 31.03.1943 SS-Hauptscharführer platoon commander 6th Company 2nd SS-Pz.Rgt Das Reich
Wolfgang Gast, 04.06.1944 SS-Obersturmführer Commander I./2nd SS-Pz.Art.Rgt Das Reich
Karl Kreutz, 27.08.1944 SS-Standartenführer Commander 2nd SS-Pz.Art.Rgt Das Reich
Hans Schabschneider, 27.08.1944 SS-Unterscharführer Munitionsstaffelführer 4th Battery 2nd SS-Pz.Art.Rgt Das Reich
Walter Kniep, 14.08.1943 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander 2nd SS-Stug Battalion Das Reich
Wolfgang Röhder, 01.12.1943 SS-Obersturmführer d.R. Commander 3rd Battery 2nd SS-Stug.Btn Das Reich
Erich Rossner, Erich 25.08.1941 SS-Unterscharführer Geschützführer 2nd Battery 2nd SS-Pz.Jäg.Btn Reich
Fritz Klingenberg, Fritz 14.05.1941 SS-Hauptsturmführer Commander 2nd Company SS-KradSchtz.Btn Reich
Fritz Vogt, 04.09.1940 SS-Obersturmführer platoon commander 2nd Company, reconnaissance Btn SS-Verfügungs-Division
I.(Motorcycle) / SS-Schtz / Pz.Gren-Regiment Langemarck (under command of Das Reich)
Jakob Fick, 23.04.1943 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander I.(Motorcycle)/SS-Schtz-Rgt Langemarck
Ernst Krag, 23.10.1944 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander 2nd SS-Pz.Rec Btn Das Reich
Alfred Siegling, 02.12.1943 SS-Oberscharfführer platoon commander 1st Company, 2nd SS-Pz.Rec.Btn Das Reich
Otto Weidinger, 21.04.1944 SS-Sturmbannführer Commander 2nd SS-Pz.Rec.Btn Das Reich
Hans Weiß, 06.04.1943 SS-Hauptsturmführer Commander 2nd SS-Rec.Btn Das Reich
Siegfried Brosow, 13.11.1943 SS-Hauptsturmführer Commander 1st Company 2nd SS-Pz.Pi.Btn Das Reich
Karl Gebhard, 06.05.1945 SS-Oberscharführer platoon commander 2nd Company 2nd SS-Pz.Pi.Btn Das Reich [Dietrich award]*
Heinrich Schmelzer, 12.03.1944 SS-Obersturmführer d.R. Commander 2nd SS-Pz.Pi.Btn Das Reich [officially] [16.(Pi.)/SS-PGR 4 "DF"/SS-Pz.Kgr "DR"]
Franz Joseph Dreike, 06.05.1945 SS-Hauptsturmführer d.R. Commander 2nd SS-Flak.Btn Das Reich [Dietrich award]*
Fritz Rentrop, 13.10.1941 SS-Obersturmführer Commander 2nd SS-Flak.Btn SS-Div Reich
Several awards made by SS-Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich in May 1945; on his own account Dietrich was authorized to award KCs and higher grades up to swords by a personal authority he got from Adolf Hitler in May 1944 ; this is questionable and his "eidesstattliche Erklärung" about this issue is either not existent or at least not confirmed ; what is published in von Seemen and Krätschmer is a letter containing a statement which is open to interpretation ; it is very likely this passage is misinterpretated ; as a matter of fact there has been made many promotions (backdated 20.04.1945) and awards by 6. SS-Pz.Armee, announced on 06.05.1945 to the troops ; all these awards made their way from staff 6. SS-Pz.Armee to Berlin offices as well as to SS-Obersturmbannführer Wilhelm Kment [Verbindungs-Offz des Reichsführers SS zum OKH/HPA and "Sachbearbeiter W-SS" im HPA P 5 a 1. Staffel, at that time in Austria] and back beneath the ordinary proposal system and awarding procedere ; "06.05.1945" = day of announcement, is the award date for all these awards ; -> called "Dietrich award" furtheron ; are all illegal according to Scherzer
