Heer Ritterkreuzträger in Original Color

GENERALFELDMARSCHALL


Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model (24 January 1891 – 21 April 1945).



Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (15 November 1891 - 14 October 1944).



Generalfeldmarschall Ferdinand Schörner (12 June 1892 - 2 July 1973).



Generalfeldmarschall Maximilian von Weichs (12 November 1881 – 27 September 1954).

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GENERALOBERST


Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz (10 July 1883 – 5 February 1948).

Generaloberst Eduard Dietl (1890-1944), born on 21 July 1890 in Bad Aibling and killed on 23 June 1944 in a Ju 52 aircraft crash near Rettenegg while serving as one of Adolf Hitler’s most trusted mountain warfare specialists and a convinced National Socialist, earned his enduring fame as the Hero of Narvik through the desperate defense of the Norwegian port during the 1940 Weserübung campaign, an action that directly secured him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 9 May 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 3. Gebirgs-Division; after ten German destroyers had been sunk in the First and Second Battles of Narvik, Dietl’s outnumbered mountaineers, reinforced by re-drafted sailors and reliant on captured supplies, withdrew into the surrounding hills and mountains where they held out for weeks against vastly superior Norwegian, British, French and Polish forces until the Allies withdrew following the German breakthrough in France, allowing Dietl to retake the town in a masterful display of improvised mountain warfare that turned certain defeat into victory. His leadership of this isolated battle group under the most difficult conditions and against overwhelming enemy superiority prompted the award of the Eichenlaub on 19 July 1940, making him the first German soldier to receive the Oak Leaves to the Ritterkreuz while commanding the Gebirgs-Korps Norwegen, an honour that elevated his status as the embodiment of Gebirgsjäger resilience. Later, as Generaloberst and Oberbefehlshaber of the 20. Gebirgs-Armee on the northern Eastern Front during the Arctic campaign, Dietl continued to demonstrate outstanding leadership amid challenging terrain and Soviet pressure in operations such as Silver Fox, actions for which he was posthumously awarded the Schwerter on 1 July 1944 as the 72nd recipient of the Swords to the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, capping a career that had begun in the Bavarian Army in 1909, spanned service on the Western Front in the First World War, and saw him rise through Freikorps and early Nazi Party involvement to become one of the Wehrmacht’s most decorated mountain commanders.



Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (1888-1954) was a German army general and military theorist who pioneered the blitzkrieg approach and the panzer division concept, becoming one of the most influential commanders of the Second World War through his advocacy for concentrated armored forces supported by motorized infantry, artillery, and air power. As General der Panzertruppe and Kommandierender General of the XIX. Armee-Korps he demonstrated outstanding leadership during the Invasion of Poland in September 1939, spearheading the northern advance from Pomerania through former West Prussian territory, linking up with forces from East Prussia by 5 September, shifting to attack Warsaw, and capturing Brest-Litovsk on 17 September after issuing an ultimatum amid the Soviet invasion, with his corps advancing some 330 kilometers in ten days while suffering minimal tank losses of only eight out of 350 destroyed, actions that earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 27 October 1939. Later, as Generaloberst and Befehlshaber of Panzergruppe 2, Guderian commanded this formation from the start of Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941, leading the crossing of the Bug River, closing the Minsk pocket with approximately 300,000 Soviet prisoners, and playing a pivotal role in the Battle of Smolensk that culminated in the encirclement and destruction of the Soviet 16th, 19th, and 20th Armies, successes for which he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 17 July 1941 as the 24th recipient, further validating his theories of mobile warfare before strategic disagreements with higher command resulted in his temporary dismissal.



Generaloberst Hermann Hoth (1885-1971) rose through the ranks of the German army to become one of the Wehrmacht’s most capable panzer leaders during the Second World War, earning the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, Eichenlaub and the Schwerter for successive feats of bold command and decisive operational success. As Kommandierender General of the XV. Armeekorps attached to the 10. Armee in the 1939 Polish campaign, Hoth displayed skillful and energetic leadership by spearheading a rapid breakthrough south of Tschenstochau on the right wing of the advancing German forces, pushing swiftly to the Lysa Gora heights while contributing decisively to the encirclement and destruction of Polish units in the Radom pocket between 9 and 12 September, actions that secured him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 27 October 1939. Promoted to Generaloberst and given command of the 3. Panzergruppe under Heeresgruppe Mitte for Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, Hoth orchestrated the massive encirclement near Minsk that trapped more than 300,000 Soviet soldiers and destroyed thousands of tanks before his spearheads captured Vitebsk and drove onward to reach the highway to Moscow west of Jarzewo on 15 July, thereby completing the vast Smolensk pocket and earning the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz on 17 July 1941 in recognition of his Panzergruppe’s pivotal role in the early triumphs of the invasion of the Soviet Union. Later, as Oberbefehlshaber of the 4. Panzerarmee in 1943, Hoth conducted tenacious defensive operations on the southern face of the Kursk salient during Operation Citadel, then executed a skillful fighting withdrawal of his army to the Dnieper line on both sides of Kiev amid fierce Soviet counteroffensives, maintaining cohesion, inflicting heavy enemy losses, and avoiding encirclement despite intense pressure, achievements for which he was awarded the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub on 15 September 1943.

Generaloberst Hans-Valentin Hube (29 October 1890 – 21 April 1944).

Generaloberst Hans von Salmuth (11 November 1888 – 1 January 1962).

Generaloberst Eugen Ritter von Schobert (13 March 1883 – 12 September 1941).



Generaloberst Heinrich von Vietinghoff (6 December 1887 - 23 February 1952).

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GENERAL DER ARTILLERIE


General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico (6 February 1892 - 4 April 1986).



General der Artillerie Erich Marcks (6 June 1891 – 12 June 1944).



General der Artillerie Max Pfeffer (7 June 1883 – 31 December 1955).



General der Artillerie Johann Sinnhuber (27 March 1887 – 23 October 1979).



General der Artillerie Albert Wodrig (16 July 1883 - 31 October 1972).

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GENERAL DER GEBIRGSTRUPPE


General der Gebirgstruppe Julius Ringel (16 November 1889 – 11 February 1967).

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GENERAL DER INFANTERIE


General der Infanterie Erich Abraham (1895-1971) rose through the ranks of the Wehrmacht after serving as a Leutnant der Reserve in the First World War and later in the police before rejoining the army in 1935, eventually commanding Infanterie-Regiment 230 of the 76. Infanterie-Division where he earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 13 November 1942 as Oberst for his outstanding leadership during heavy defensive combat at the blocking position north of Stalingrad from 24 August to 1 October 1942; facing relentless Soviet reserves and tank assaults aimed at relieving the encircled forces, Abraham distinguished himself particularly on 18 and 23 September when enemy attacks overran forward garrisons, personally fighting alongside his staff at the command post to hold off superior numbers until reserves arrived, then directing decisive counterthrusts that destroyed multiple enemy tanks and restored the frontline despite severe losses, actions that had also been previously recommended following the encirclement battle at Kalatsch and which inspired his troops amid the chaos of the Stalingrad operations. Later appointed commander of the rebuilt 76. Infanterie-Division on 17 February 1943 after its destruction at Stalingrad, he led the formation through Italy and back to the Eastern Front with Army Group South, advancing to Generalleutnant on 1 January 1944 and directing it through intense defensive battles and the withdrawal during the Red Army’s Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive until October 1944, culminating in the award of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 26 June 1944 as the 516th recipient for his reinforced division’s establishment of a critical bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Latka river northwest of Odessa in early April 1944 and its tenacious defense against retreating Soviet forces to keep the route open. Abraham subsequently took command of the LXIII. Armeekorps on the Western Front, was promoted to General der Infanterie in March 1945, and was captured at the war’s end before his release in 1947, his career embodying resolute command under extreme pressure on multiple fronts.

General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf (15 February 1895 - 1 May 1945).

General der Infanterie Dietrich von Choltitz (9 November 1894 - 5 November 1966).



General der Infanterie Werner Kienitz (3 June 1885 – 31 December 1959).



General der Infanterie Friedrich Materna (21 June 1885 – 11 November 1946).



General der Infanterie Georg-Wilhelm Postel (25 April 1896 - 20 September 1953.



General der Infanterie z.V. Hans Schmidt (28 April 1877 - 5 June 1948).



General der Infanterie Albrecht Schubert (23 June 1886 – 26 November 1966).



General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (15 October 1897 - 30 November 1976).



General der Infanterie Karl Weisenberger (29 September 1890 – 28 March 1952).

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GENERAL DER KAVALLERIE


General der Kavallerie Siegfried Westphal (18 March 1902 - 2 July 1982).

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GENERAL DER PANZERTRUPPE


General der Panzertruppe Hermann Balck (7 December 1893 – 29 November 1982).



General der Panzertruppe Ludwig Crüwell (20 March 1892 – 25 September 1958).



General der Panzertruppe Traugott Herr (16 September 1890 – 13 April 1976).



General der Panzertruppe Alfred Ritter von Hubicki (5 February 1887 – 14 July 1971).



General der Panzertruppe Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz (23 December 1895 – 19 May 1975).

General der Panzertruppe Hasso von Manteuffel (14 January 1897 - 24 September 1978).



General der Panzertruppe Walther Nehring (15 August 1892 - 20 April 1983).



General der Panzertruppe Dietrich von Saucken (16 May 1892 - 27 September 1980).



General der Panzertruppe Rudolf Veiel (10 December 1883 – 19 March 1956).

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GENERALLEUTNANT


Generalleutnant Ernst-Günther Baade (20 August 1897 - 8 May 1945).



Generalleutnant Friedrich-Carl Cranz (14 November 1886 – 24 March 1941).



Generalleutnant Hermann Flörke (23 October 1893 - 19 August 1979).



Generalleutnant Hermann Hohn (11 October 1897 – 13 November 1968).



Generalleutnant Richard John (21 June 1896 – 19 February 1965).



Generalleutnant Sigfrid Macholz (20 September 1890 - 25 May 1975).



Generalleutnant Dr.med.dent. Karl Mauss (17 May 1898 – 9 February 1959).



Generalleutnant Curt Siewert (5 April 1899 – 13 June 1983).

Generalleutnant Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche (30 July 1893 - 25 April 1968).

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GENERALMAJOR

Generalmajor Dr.med.dent. Franz Bäke (28 February 1898 – 12 December 1978).



Generalmajor Franz Griesbach (21 December 1892 - 24 September 1984).



Generalmajor Maximilian Jais (4 March 1891 - 24 January 1957).



Generalmajor Karl Koetz (8 February 1908 – 11 June 1977).



Generalmajor Willy Langkeit (2 June 1907 - 27 October 1969).

Generalmajor Meinrad von Lauchert (29 August 1905 - 4 December 1987).



Generalmajor Hanns-Horst von Necker (28 August 1903 – 27 February 1979).



Generalmajor Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski (2 January 1899 - 19 September 1966).



Generalmajor Adelbert Schulz (20 December 1903 - 28 January 1944).

Generalmajor Rudolf Sieckenius (18 August 1896 - 29 April 1945).

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OBERST


Oberst Karl Baacke (15 May 1907 - 2 April 1944).



Oberst Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary (13 January 1914 - 3 December 1995).



Oberst der Reserve Dr.Ing. Rudolf Flinzer (9 November 1889 - 17 June 1976).



Oberst Johannes Kümmel (21 July 1909 - 26 February 1944).



Oberst Ernst-Hasse von Langenn-Steinkeller (7 December 1916 - 5 September 2004).



Oberst Josef Rettemeier (17 September 1914 - 19 December 1997).



Oberst Herbert Schwender (22 December 1912 - 22 September 1944).



Oberst Ludwig Stautner (4 May 1895 - 5 January 1983).



Oberst Ernst Wellmann (14 January 1904 - 17 July 1970).

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OBERSTLEUTNANT


Oberstleutnant der Reserve Wilhelm Bach (5 November 1892 - 22 December 1942).



Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Drewes (26 May 1907 - 14 July 1982).



Oberstleutnant Günter Goebel (14 November 1917 - 4 September 1993).



Oberstleutnant Heinrich Hogrebe (22 June 1913 - 25 June 1998).



Oberstleutnant Bruno Kahl (23 November 1914 - 28 February 1999).



Oberstleutnant Franz-Josef Kohout (16 August 1908 - 21 November 1980).



Oberstleutnant im Generalstab Ekkehard Kylling-Schmidt (21 June 1918 - 28 August 2000).



Oberstleutnant Bernhard Sauvant (25 March 1910 - 15 April 1967).



Oberstleutnant der Reserve Wilhelm Schöning (8 June 1908 - 2 November 1987).



Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Walther (27 January 1910 - 25 November 2010).

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MAJOR


Major Winrich Behr (22 January 1918 - 25 April 2011).



Major im Generalstab Peter Frantz (24 July 1917 - 11 March 2001).



Major Helmut Hudel (4 July 1915 – 11 March 1985).



Major Clemens-Heinrich Graf von Kageneck (17 October 1913 – 18 March 2005).



Major der Reserve Gerhard Konopka (27 March 1911 - 29 January 1997).



Major der Reserve Josef Stigler (30 May 1899 - 10 February 1982).

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HAUPTMANN

Hauptmann Erich Geppert (31 December 1912 - 8 February 1966).

Hauptmann Rudolf Krüger (4 November 1911 - 28 October 1972).

Hauptmann Rudolf Schlee (1913-1979), a highly decorated soldier of the Wehrmacht who was born on 10 November 1913 in Ludwigshafen, Rheinland Provinz (German Empire), served as a platoon leader in the 6./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13 during World War II and demonstrated exceptional bravery in various campaigns. He earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 23 October 1941 as Oberfeldwebel for his leadership and courage during intense combat operations, particularly in the mountain warfare contexts following the campaigns in the Balkans and the advance into the Soviet Union. His repeated acts of valor continued to stand out in the harsh fighting in the Caucasus region, where he led his Jäger platoon with outstanding initiative and determination, ultimately leading to the award of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as the 222nd recipient on 6 April 1943. Schlee later rose to the rank of Hauptmann and survived the war, becoming one of the notable recipients of these prestigious German decorations for his frontline service.



Hauptmann Bodo Spranz (1 January 1920 - 1 September 2007).

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OBERLEUTNANT


Oberleutnant Hugo Primozic (16 February 1914 - 18 March 1996).

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LEUTNANT

Leutnant der Reserve Herbert Berger (24 November 1912 - 16 December 2000).



Leutnant Josef Dörfel (2 March 1915 - 3 April 2002).

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OBERFELDWEBEL


Oberfeldwebel Heinz-Georg Haase (16 April 1914 - 25 November 1943).



Oberfeldwebel Helmuth Harth (15 May 1917 - 27 January 1992).



Oberfeldwebel Alfred Hartmann (11 March 1914 - 19 September 1943).



Oberfeldwebel Martin Hrustak (17 October 1913 - 18 August 1944).

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FELDWEBEL / WACHTMEISTER


Feldwebel Rudolf Bittner (18 December 1921 - 21 January 1945).

Wachtmeister Siegfried Freyer (11 February 1917 - 10 May 2014).

Feldwebel Walter Pape (20 November 1914 - 27 June 1989).

Unteroffizier Hubert Brinkforth (15 April 1916 - 5 June 1942).

Source :
Bundesarchiv photo archive
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek photo archive
NARA photo archive
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/m064km4b?hl=en