For Supreme Valour or Leadership (Axis Recipients) - North Africa
This listing of those men awarded their countries' highest decorations for bravery include only those men who served in a ground combat role, and who were awarded their decorations for feats performed while in theatre.
das Ritterkreuz zum
Eisernes Kreuz |
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Rank & Branch |
Name |
Position and Unit |
Date |
Action/Notes |
Oberfeldwebel |
AHRENDT, Peter | Platoon Leader, Headquarters Company, Fallschirmjäger Regiment 5 | 4 Dec 1942 |
Also listed in some sources as "Arent" |
Generalleutnant |
ARNIM, Hans-Jürgen | Commander, 17th Panzer Division | 4 Sep 1941 | |
Oberstleutnant |
AUDORFF, Paul | Commander, Grenadier Regiment 754 | 27 June 1943 | |
Oberst |
BAADE, Ernst-Günther | Commander, Schützen Regiment 115 | 6 July 1942 | Later awarded the Oakleaves and Swords |
|
BACH, Wilhelm | Commander, First Battalion, Schützen Regiment 104 | 8 July 1941 | |
Oberstleutnant |
von BARBY, Hans-Levin | Commander, "Afrika" Regiment 361 | 13 Dec 1941 | |
Oberstleutnant im Generalstab |
BAYERLEIN, Fritz | General Staff Officer, Afrika Korps | 26 Dec 1941 | Later awarded the Oakleaves and Swords |
Oberleutnant |
BEHR, Winrich | Company Commander, Armoured Reconaissance Battalion 3 | 14 May 1941 | |
Oberst |
BEUKEMANN, Helmut | Commander, Infantry Regiment 382 | 14 May 1941 | |
Oberst |
von BISMARCK, Georg | Commander, Schützen Regiment 7 | 18 Oct 1940 | |
Oberst |
BOECKMANN, Helmut | Battalion Commander, Artillery Regiment 187 | 6 Aug 1942 | |
Major |
BOLBRINKER, Ernst | Commander. First Battalion, Panzer Regiment 5 | 15 May 1941 | |
Oberstleutnant |
BOROWIETZ, Willibald | Commander, Schützen Regiment 10 | 24 Jul 1941 | |
Generalmajor |
Commander, 15 Panzer Division | 10 May 1943 | Oakleaves | |
Generalleutnant |
BÖTTCHER, Karl | Commander, Panzer Division 21 | 3 Dec 1941 | |
Hauptmann |
BRIEL, Georg | Commander, Flak Battalion 606 | 28 Jul 1942 | |
Oberst |
von BROICH, Freiherr Friedrich | Commander, Panzer Brigade 24 | 1 Sep 1942 | |
Oberst |
BRUER, Alfred | Commander, Panzer Artillery Regiment 155 | 4 Aug 1942 | |
Oberst im Generalstab |
BÜRKER, Ulrich | Divisional IA (Chief of Operations), 10 Panzer Division | 26 Jan 1943 | |
Oberstleutnant |
BUHSE, Rudolf | Commander, Infantry Regiment 47 | 17 Aug 1942 | |
Oberleutnant |
CIRENER, Willi | Commander, 3rd Company, Pioneer Battalion 33 | 1 May 1941 | 19 July 1940? |
Oberstleutnant |
CRAMER, Hans | Commander, Panzer Regiment 8 | 27 June 1941 | |
Oberstleutnant |
CRASEMANN, Eduard | Commander, Artillery Regiment 33 | 10 Jan 1942 | Later awarded the Oakleaves |
Hauptmann |
EHLE, Curt | Company Commander in Motorcycle Battalion 15 | 27 Jul 1941 | Later awarded the Oakleaves |
Hauptmann |
EVERTH, Wolfgang | Company Commander in Armoured Reconaissance Battalion 3 | 11 Jul 1942 | |
Oberst |
EWERT, Herbert | Commander, Schützen Regiment 104 | 22 Aug 1942 | |
Oberst |
FEHN, Gustav | Commander, Schützen Regiment 33 | 5 Aug 1940 | |
Major |
FENSKE, Günther | Commander, First Battalion, Panzer Regiment 8 | 31 Dec 1941 | |
Generalleutnant |
FISCHER, Wolfgang | Commander, 10 Panzer Division | 9 Dec 1942 | Oakleaves |
Generalleutnant |
FRANTZ, Gotthard | Commander, 19th FlaK Division | 25 May 1943 | |
Hauptmann |
FROMM, Walther | Battery Commander, FlaK Regiment 33 | 5 Jul 1941 | |
Oberstleutnant |
FULLRIEDE, Fritz | Commander, Battle Group "Fullriede" | 18 Apr 1943 | Later awarded the Oakleaves |
Generalmajor |
GAUSE, Alfred | Staff Officer, Panzer Group "Afrika" | 13 Dec 1941 | |
Oberst |
GEISSLER, Erich | Commander, Infantry Regiment (motorized) 200 | 3 Aug 1942 | |
Hauptmann |
GIERGA, Kurt | Commander, 5th Company, Panzer Regiment 5 | 25 Jun 1941 | |
Hauptmann |
GRÜN, Werner | Commander, 1st Battalion, Panzer Regiment 5 | 8 Feb 1943 | |
Major |
GÜRKE, Ernst | Commander, 1st Battalion, FlaK Regiment 43 | 12 Nov 1942 | |
Grenadier |
HALM, Günther | Anti-tank Gunner, HQ Company, Panzergrenadier Regiment 104 | 7 Aug 1942 | |
Major |
HECHT, Max | Commander, Flak Regiment 135 | 4 Feb 1942 | |
Oberstleutnant |
HECKER, Hermann-Hans | Commander, Engineer Battalion (Motorized) 29 | 5 Aug 1940 | |
Unteroffizier |
HEINTZE, Erich | Gun commander, 3rd Battery, Flak Regiment 33 | 7 Mar 1942 | |
Oberst |
von HERFF, Maximilian | Battle Group Commander, Kampfgruppe Herff, Schützen Regiment 115 | 13 Jun 1941 | |
Major |
HISSMAN, Josef | Commander, Army FlaK Battalion 617 | 13 May 1943 | |
Hauptmann |
von HÖSSLIN, Richard | Commander, Armoured Reconaissance Battalion 33 | 23 Jul 1942 | Cited in some sources as "Roland von Hoesslin" |
Gefreiter |
HÜBNER, Arnold | Gunner, 3rd Company, FlaK Regiment 33 | 7 Mar 1942 | |
Hauptmann |
HUDEL, Helmut | Commander, 1st Company, Panzer Regiment 7 | 27 May 1942 | |
Hauptmann |
KIEHL, Rudolf | Leader, DAK Escort unit | 7 Jul 1942 | Some sources cite 11July 1942 |
Generalmajor |
KIRCHHEIM, Heinrich | Leader, Sonderstelle Lybian Army Troops | 14 May 1941 | |
Hauptmann |
KLÄRMANN, Hans | Commander, 2nd Battalion, Panzergrenadier Regiment 361 | 9 Sep 1942 | Some sources cite 18 Sep 1942 |
Oberst |
KLEEMAN, Ulrich | Commander, Schützen Brigade 3 | 13 Oct 1941 | |
Oberstleutnant |
KNABE, Gustav-Georg | Commander, Motorcycle Battalion 15 | 1 Jun 1941 | |
Hauptmann | von KOENEN, Friedrich | Commander, 3rd Battalion, Jäger Regiment 4, Brandenburg Commandos | 16 Sep 1943 | |
Oberst |
KRAUSE, Fritz | Commander, FlaK Regiment 91 | 9 Jan 1943 | |
Oberleutnant |
KÜMMEL, Johannes | Commander, 1st Company, Panzer Regiment 8 | 9 Jul 1941 | |
Hauptmann |
Commander, 1st Battalion, Panzer Regiment 8 | 11 Oct 1942 | Oakleaves | |
Oberstleutnant |
LANG, Rudolf | Commander, Mountain Anti-Tank Battalion 44 | 23 Aug 1941 | |
Generalmajor |
von LIEBENSTEIN, Freiherr Kurt | Commander, Infantry Division "Afrika" 164 | 15 May 1943 | |
Oberst |
von MANTEUFFEL, Hasso | Commander, Schützen Brigade 6 | 31 Dec 1941 | Later awarded the Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds |
Oberstleutnant |
MARCKS, Werner | Commander, Schützen Regiment 155 | 5 Feb 1942 | Later awarded the Oakleaves |
Unteroffizier |
MELZER, Reinhard | Gun Commander, 1st Company, FlaK Regiment 33 | 30 Jun 1941 | |
Oberst |
MENNY, Erwin | Commander, Schützen Brigade 15 | 26 Dec 1941 | |
Oberst |
MICKL, Johann | Commander, Schützen Regiment 155 | 13 Dec 1941 | |
Oberst |
Commander, Panzergrenadier Regiment 25 | 6 Mar 1943 | Oakleaves | |
Oberstleutnant |
MILDEBRATH, Werner | Commander, Panzer Regiment 5 | 12 Aug 1942 | |
Oberst |
MÜLLER, Gerhard | Commander, Panzer Regiment 5 | 9 Sep 1942 | |
Major |
MÜLLER, Klaus | Commander, Panzer
Battalion 60 (other sources cite as Hauptmann, Company Commander, Panzer Regiment 7, 14 Oct 1942) |
3 Apr 1942 | |
Major |
MUSCULUS, Friedrich-Heinrich | Commander, Anti-Tank Battalion 111 | ||
Generalmajor |
NEHRING, Walther K. | Commander, Panzer Division 18 | Later awarded the Oakleaves and Swords | |
Generalmajor |
NEUFFER, Georg | Commander, 20 FlaK Division | 8 Aug 1943 | |
Oberstleutnant |
PANZENHAGEN, Albert | Commander, Panzergrenadier Regiment 361 | 7 Oct 1942 | |
Oberleutnant |
PLINZNER, Peter-Paul | Commander, 5th Company, Panzer Regiment 27 | 20 Oct 1941 | |
Oberstleutnant |
PONATH, Gustav | Commander, Machine Gun Battalion 8 | 13 Apr 1941 | |
Oberst |
RAMCKE, Bernard Hermann | Commander, Parachute Assault Regiment 1 | 21 Aug 1941 | Later awarded the Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds |
Hauptmann |
REISSMAN, Werner | Commander, 3rd Battalion, Schützen Regiment 104 | 28 Jul 1942 | |
Hauptmann |
RETTEMEIER, Josef | Commander, Panzer Battalion 5 | 5 Dec 1943 | Later awarded the Oakleaves |
Oberleutnant |
RIEPOLD, Josef | Commander, 5th Company, Panzer Regiment 5 | 3 Aug 1942 | |
Oberleutnant |
ROCHOLL, Rolf | Commander, 2nd Company, Panzer Regiment 5 | 28 Jul 1942 | |
Hauptmann |
Commander, 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Regiment 569 | 31 Aug 1943 | Oakleaves | |
Generalmajor |
ROMMEL, Erwin | Commander, Deutsches Afrika Korps | 20 Mar 1941 | Oakleaves |
Commander, Panzer Group Afrika | 20 Jan 1942 | Swords | ||
Commander, Panzer Army Afrika | 11 Mar 1943 | Diamonds | ||
Oberleutnant |
RYLL, Wolfgang | Commander, 5th Company, Panzer Regiment 7 | 13 Oct 1941 | |
Generalmajor |
SCHMID, Josef "Beppo" | Commander, "Hermann Goering" Division | 21 May 1943 | |
Oberstleutnant |
SCHULTE-HEUTHAUS, Hermann | Commander, Motorcycle Battalion 25 | 23 Jan 1942 | |
Oberleutnant |
SCHWEIGER, Franz | Commander, 8th Battery, FlaK Regiment 25 | 14 Feb 1932 | |
Major |
SEIDENSTICKER, August | Commander, Heavy Tank Battalion 501 | 18 Jul 1943 | |
Oberleutnant |
SENFFT von PILSACH, Ott-Friedrich | Commander, 4th Company, Panzer Regiment 5 | 27 Jun 1941 | |
Oberst |
von SPONEK, Graf Theodor | Commander, Schützen Regiment 11 | 12 Sep 1941 | |
Oberleutnant |
STIEFELMAYER, Otto | Commander, 1st Company, Panzer Regiment 8 | 12 Jul 1942 | |
Oberstleutnant |
STOLZ, Harald | Commander, Motorcycle Battalion 43 | 28 Aug 1942 | |
Hauptmann |
STOTTEN, Hans-Günther | Commander, 1st Battalion, Panzer Regiment 8 | 10 May 1943 | Oakleaves |
Oberst |
STREICH, Johannes | Commander, Panzer Regiment 15 | 31 Jan 1941 | |
Oberleutnant |
STRUCKMANN, Rudolf | Headquarters, Schützen Regiment 115 | ||
Generalmajor |
von THOMA, Wilhelm Ritter | Commander, 20 Panzer Division | 31 Dec 1941 | |
Major |
VOIGTSBERGER, Heinrich | Commander, Machine Gun Battalion 2 | 9 Jul 1941 | Later awarded the Oakleaves |
Oberstleutnant |
von WECHMAR, Frieherr Irnfried | Commander, Armoured Reconaissance Battalion 3 | 13 Apr 1941 | |
Oberfeldwebel (Hauptfeldwebel) |
WENDT, Wilhelm | Company First Sergeant, 5th Company, Panzer Regiment 5 | 30 Jun 1941 | |
Oberst im Generalstab |
WESTPHAL, Siegfried | Ia (Staff Officer), German-Italian Panzer Army | 30 Nov 1942 | |
Major |
WOLDENGA, Bernhard | Commander, Infantry Regiment 428 | 11 Oct 1941 | Some sources cite as Luftwaffe recipient |
Oberst |
WOLZ, Alwin | Commander, Flak Regiment 135 | 17 Jun 1943 | |
Leutnant |
ZECHERLE, Konrad | Squadron Commander, 1st Battalion, Armoured Reconaissance Battalion 190 | 7 Jun 1943 | |
Generalleutnant |
ZIEGLER, Heinz | Staff, Army Group Afrika | 18 Apr 1943 |