List of Knight's Cross recipients 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking

The 5th SS Panzer Division "Wiking" was a German Waffen SS division recruited from foreign volunteers. During the course of World War II, the division progressed from a motorised infantry, Regiment formation to a full-fledged Panzer division. It saw action on the Eastern Front during the war. After the success of the Waffen SS during the early war campaigns in Poland and the West, it was decided to expand the number of Waffen SS divisions. Due to the influx of foreign volunteers, particularly from Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway, a decision was made to form a volunteer division. This unit, originally organized as the Nordische Division (Nr.5), was to be made up of Nordic volunteers mixed with ethnic German Waffen-SS veterans. To this end, the Germania motorised infantry regiment from the SS-Division Verfügungstruppe was removed from the division in late 1940. In December, Germania was dissolved and the troops were used as a basis for the formation of a new SS motorised formation, now to be designated SS-Division (mot.) Germania. During its formative period, the division's name was changed again, to SS-Division (mot.) Wiking. in January 1941. The division was formed around three motorised infantry regiments: Germania, formed mostly from ethnic Germans; Westland, consisting mainly of Dutch and Flemish volunteers; and Nordland, composed mostly of Danes, Swedes and Norwegians. Command of the newly formed division was given to SS-Brigadeführer Felix Steiner, the former commander of the Verfügungstruppe Deutschland Regiment.

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 Diamonds

 * Herbert Otto Gille, 19.04.1944 Gruppenführer and Generalleutnant of Waffen SS Commander 5th SS Panzer Div Wiking

Knight's Cross with Swords

 * August Dieckmann, 10.10.1943 Obersturmbannführer Commander 10th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Westland
 * Hans Dorr, 09.07.1944 Sturmbannführer Commander 9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Herbert Otto Gille, 20.02.1944 Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der W-SS Commander 5th SS Panzer Div Wiking

Knight's Cross with Oakleaves

 * August Dieckmann, 16.04.1943 Sturmbannführer Commander I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Hans Dorr, 13.11.1943 Hauptsturmführer Commander I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Herbert Otto Gille, 01.11.1943 Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der W-SS Commander SS Panzer Gren.Div Wiking
 * Franz Hack, 18.04.1945 Obersturmbannführer Commander 10th SS Panzer Gren.Rgt Westland
 * Johannes Mühlenkamp, 21.09.1944 Standartenführer Commander 5th SS-Panzer.Div Wiking
 * Walter Schmidt, 14.05.1944 Hauptsturmführer Commander II./10th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Westland
 * Felix Steiner, 23.12.1942 Gruppenführer and Generalleutnant of Waffen SS Commander SS-Pz.Gren.Div Wiking
 * Fritz Vogt, 16.03.1945 Hauptsturmführer Commander I./23rd SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Norge

HQ Staff

 * Manfred Schönfelder, 23.02.1944 Obersturmbannführer Ia 5th SS-Pz.Div Wiking

SS Panzer Regiment 5 Wiking

 * Helmut Bauer, 12.09.1943 Oberscharführer platoon commander, 3rd company 5th SS Panzer Rgt Wiking
 * Fritz Darges, 05.04.1945 Obersturmbannführer Commander 5th SS-Pz.Rgt Wiking
 * Sepp Draxenberger, 17.04.1945 Hauptscharführer platoon commander HQ company, 5th SS Pz.Rgt Wiking
 * Hans Flügel, 16.10.1944 Hauptsturmführer Commander II./5th SS-Pz.Rgt Wiking
 * Alfred Großrock, 12.08.1944 Untersturmführer platoon commander 6th Company, 5th SS-Pz.Rgt Wiking
 * Willy Hein, 04.05.1944 Obersturmführer Commander 2nd Company, 5th SS-Pz.Rgt Wiking
 * Karl Heinz Lichte, 06.05.1945 Hauptsturmführer Commandeer 5th Company, 5th SS-Pz.Rgt Wiking
 * Johannes Mühlenkamp, 03.09.1942 Sturmbannführer Commander 5th Pz.Btn SS-Div Wiking
 * Karl Nicolussi-Leck, 09.04.1944 Obersturmführer Commander 8th Company, 5th SS.Pz.Rgt Wiking
 * Karl Picus, 17.04.1945 Obersturmführer 5th SS-Pz.Rgt Wiking
 * Hugo Ruf, 16.10.1944 Oberscharführer platoon commander 3rd Company, 5th SS-Pz.Rgt Wiking
 * Otto Schneider, 04.05.1944 Obersturmführer Commander 7th company, 5th SS-Pz.Rgt Wiking
 * Kurt Schumacher, 04.05.1944 Untersturmführer Commander 3rd Company, 5th SS-Pz.Rgt Wiking
 * Paul Senghas, 11.12.1944 Obersturmführer Commander 1st Company, 5th SS-Pz.Rgt Wiking

SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 9 Germania

 * Fritz Biegi, 16.06.1944 Oberscharführer platoon commander 5th Company, 9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Karl Heinz Bühler, 06.05.1945 Obersturmbannführer Commander 9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * August Dieckmann, 23.04.1942 Sturmbannführer Commander I./SS-Rgt (mot) Germania
 * Hans Dorr, 27.09.1942 Hauptsturmführer Commander 4th Company, SS-Inf.Rgt ''Germania'
 * Fritz Ehrath, 23.02.1944 Obersturmbannführer Commander 9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Markus Faulhaber, 25.12.1942 Obersturmführer Commander 2nd Company, SS-Rgt (mot) Germania
 * Egon Franz, 16.10.1944 Unterscharführer platoon commander, 3rd Company, 9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Franz Hack, 14.05.1944 Sturmbannführer Commander III.(gp.)/9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Hans Juchem, 12.09.1943 Hauptsturmführer Commander II./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Soeren Kam, 07.02.1945 Untersturmführer Commander 1st Company, 9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Werner Meyer, 04.06.1944 Obersturmführer Commander 1st Company, 9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Heinz Murr, 21.09.1944 Hauptsturmführer Commander III./9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Helmut Pförtner, Helmut 18.01.1942 Untersturmführer platoon commander, 2nd Company, SS-Rgt Germania
 * Gustav Schreiber, 02.12.1943 Hauptscharführer Commander 7th company, 9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Hans Sigmund, 05.04.1945 Oberscharführer platoon commander, 11th Company, 9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Josef Styr, 05.04.1945 Hauptscharführer platoon commander, 10th Company. 9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania
 * Jurgen Wagner, 24.07.1943 Oberführer Commander 9th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Germania

SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 10 ''Westland

 * Hans Drexel, 14.10.1943 Obersturmführer Commander II./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Westland
 * Bruno Hinz, 02.12.1943 Untersturmführer Commander 2nd Company, 10th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Westland
 * Gerhard Lotze, 01.02.1945 Obersturmführer Commander 5th Company, 10th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Westland
 * Albert Muller, 04.08.1943 Hauptscharführer Pak.platoon commander, 4th Company, 10th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Westland
 * Erwin Reichel, 28.02.1943 Sturmbannführer Commander SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Westland
 * Walter Schmidt, 04.08.1943 Hauptsturmführer Commander III./10th SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Westland
 * Günther Sitter, 13.09.1943 Hauptsturmführer Commander II./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Westland
 * Erich Zepper, 02.12.1943 Hauptscharführer Commander 2nd Company, SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Westland

SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Nordland
(assigned until March 1943)
 * Harry Polewacz, 23.12.1942 Sturmbannführer Commander III./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt Nordland
 * Fritz von Scholz 18.01.1942 Oberführer Commander SS-Rgt Nordland

SS Panzer Grenadier Battalion Narwa
(III./Nordland until 06/43)
 * Georg Eberhardt, 04.08.1943 Sturmbannführer Commander SS-Pz.Gren.Btn Narwa

5th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Wallonien

 * Léon Degrelle, 20.02.1944 Hauptsturmführer Commander 5th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Wallonien

SS Panzer Artillery Regiment 5 Wiking

 * Herbert Otto Gille, 08.10.1942 Oberführer Commander ArtRgt der SS-Div Wiking
 * Joachim Richter, 23.02.1944 Obersturmbannführer Commander 5th SS-Pz.Art Rgt Wiking
 * Karl Schlamelcher, 01.03.1942 Hauptsturmführer Commander III./5th SS-Art Rgt Wiking

SS Panzerjäger Battalion 5 Wiking

 * Willi Eßlinger, 19.06.1943 Hauptscharführer platoon commander, 3rd Battery, Pz.Jäg Btn, SS-Pz.Gren.Div Wiking
 * Gerhard Fischer, 04.05.1944 Unterscharführer platoon commander, 3rd Battery, 5th SS-Pz.Jäg Btn Wiking
 * Paul Trabandt, 14.10.1943 Hauptscharführer platoon commander, 2nd Battery, SS-Pz.Jäg Btn Wiking

SS Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion 5 Wiking

 * Heinrich Debus, 04.05.1944 Obersturmführer Commander 5th SS-Pz.Reconnaissance Btn Wiking

SS Panzer Pionier Battalion 5 Wiking

 * Hugo Eichhorn, 15.01.1943 Hauptsturmführer HQ's 5th Pi.Btn, SS-Div Wiking
 * Eberhard Heder, 18.11.1944 Hauptsturmführer Commander 5th SS.Pz.Pi.Btn Wiking
 * Max Schäfer, 12.02.1943 Obersturmbannführer Commander 5th SS-Pi.Btn Wiking

SS Flak Battalion 5 Wiking

 * Alois Schnaubelt, 16.11.1944 Unterscharführer Geschützführer, 3rd Battery, 5th SS-Flak Btn Wiking