THE FIRST
The first Ritterkreuzträger from Jagdflieger
Werner Mölders was one of the most celebrated Jagdflieger of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War and became the first fighter pilot to receive the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes. Serving initially with Jagdgeschwader 53 and later as Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 51 “Mölders,” he achieved rapid success during the campaigns in Poland, Frankreich, and the Luftschlacht um England, earning recognition for his innovative air combat tactics and exceptional leadership. On 29 May 1940, as a Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of III./Jagdgeschwader 53, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes after attaining a remarkable number of aerial victories against Allied aircraft. Mölders later became the first member of the Wehrmacht to receive the Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, reflecting his extraordinary combat record and influence on German fighter aviation doctrine. By the time of his death in an air crash near Breslau on 22 November 1941, he had achieved 115 confirmed Luftsiege and had become a legendary figure among the Jagdflieger of the Luftwaffe.
Werner Mölders was one of the most celebrated Jagdflieger of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War and became the first fighter pilot to receive the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes. Serving initially with Jagdgeschwader 53 and later as Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 51 “Mölders,” he achieved rapid success during the campaigns in Poland, Frankreich, and the Luftschlacht um England, earning recognition for his innovative air combat tactics and exceptional leadership. On 29 May 1940, as a Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of III./Jagdgeschwader 53, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes after attaining a remarkable number of aerial victories against Allied aircraft. Mölders later became the first member of the Wehrmacht to receive the Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, reflecting his extraordinary combat record and influence on German fighter aviation doctrine. By the time of his death in an air crash near Breslau on 22 November 1941, he had achieved 115 confirmed Luftsiege and had become a legendary figure among the Jagdflieger of the Luftwaffe.
The first Ritterkreuzträger from Kampfflieger
Martin Harlinghausen was the first Ritterkreuzträger (Knight's Cross recipient) from the Kampfflieger, the bomber unit of the Luftwaffe, and received the award on 4 May 1940 as a Major i.G. and Chief of staff of the X. Fliegerkorps, for the sinking of the commercial ships of over 100,000 gross register tons undertaken by him in his own combat missions, and later he served in various units including the 10. Flieger-Division, the X. Fliegerkorps, and then as Kommodore of the Kampfgeschwader 26.
The first NCO and posthumous Eichenlaubträger
Oberfeldwebel der Reserve Heinrich Hoffmann (1913-1941) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace born on 8 March 1913 in Pfiffigheim near Worms and killed in action or listed as missing in action on 3 October 1941 near Shatalovo in the Soviet Union after a low-level engagement with several Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft while flying a Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 of the 12. Staffel. He was credited with a total of 63 aerial victories in 261 combat missions, one during the Battle of Britain and 62 on the Eastern Front during Operation Barbarossa, and he flew frequently as Rottenflieger or wingman to Staffelkapitän Heinrich Bär of the 12. Staffel in IV. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders". Serving as Oberfeldwebel der Reserve and Flugzeugführer, Hoffmann achieved his first victory on 7 September 1940 over a Royal Air Force aircraft during the Battle of Britain while with the 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77, which was later redesignated as the 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51; his most prolific period came in the summer of 1941 on the Eastern Front, where he claimed 20 victories in July and around 19–25 in August, becoming an expert at destroying the heavily armored Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik by targeting its non-retractable oil cooler and also destroying three locomotives and ten trucks during ground-attack sorties in support of hard-pressed Wehrmacht troops. He earned the distinction of becoming an "ace-in-a-day" on two occasions—first on 2 August 1941 with five victories including three Polikarpov R-5s, one Polikarpov I-15, and two Neman R-10s, and again on 16 September 1941 with five more victories comprising two Il-2s, one Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1, and two Tupolev SBs—and after reaching his 40th aerial victory he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 12 August 1941 as Oberfeldwebel der Reserve and pilot in the 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 for having outstandingly distinguished himself as the wingman for his Staffelkapitän through many tirelessly executed missions in which he had shot down a total of 34 enemy aircraft while also conducting numerous successful ground-attack missions against the Soviets. Hoffmann continued scoring, reaching 55 victories by early September before his unit relocated south, and he was posthumously awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub on 19 October 1941—the 36th such award overall—as the first non-commissioned officer in the Wehrmacht and the first recipient of the decoration to be honored posthumously, in recognition of his accumulation of 63 aerial victories by the time of his death.
Martin Harlinghausen was the first Ritterkreuzträger (Knight's Cross recipient) from the Kampfflieger, the bomber unit of the Luftwaffe, and received the award on 4 May 1940 as a Major i.G. and Chief of staff of the X. Fliegerkorps, for the sinking of the commercial ships of over 100,000 gross register tons undertaken by him in his own combat missions, and later he served in various units including the 10. Flieger-Division, the X. Fliegerkorps, and then as Kommodore of the Kampfgeschwader 26.
The first NCO and posthumous Eichenlaubträger
Oberfeldwebel der Reserve Heinrich Hoffmann (1913-1941) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace born on 8 March 1913 in Pfiffigheim near Worms and killed in action or listed as missing in action on 3 October 1941 near Shatalovo in the Soviet Union after a low-level engagement with several Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft while flying a Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 of the 12. Staffel. He was credited with a total of 63 aerial victories in 261 combat missions, one during the Battle of Britain and 62 on the Eastern Front during Operation Barbarossa, and he flew frequently as Rottenflieger or wingman to Staffelkapitän Heinrich Bär of the 12. Staffel in IV. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders". Serving as Oberfeldwebel der Reserve and Flugzeugführer, Hoffmann achieved his first victory on 7 September 1940 over a Royal Air Force aircraft during the Battle of Britain while with the 3. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 77, which was later redesignated as the 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51; his most prolific period came in the summer of 1941 on the Eastern Front, where he claimed 20 victories in July and around 19–25 in August, becoming an expert at destroying the heavily armored Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik by targeting its non-retractable oil cooler and also destroying three locomotives and ten trucks during ground-attack sorties in support of hard-pressed Wehrmacht troops. He earned the distinction of becoming an "ace-in-a-day" on two occasions—first on 2 August 1941 with five victories including three Polikarpov R-5s, one Polikarpov I-15, and two Neman R-10s, and again on 16 September 1941 with five more victories comprising two Il-2s, one Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1, and two Tupolev SBs—and after reaching his 40th aerial victory he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 12 August 1941 as Oberfeldwebel der Reserve and pilot in the 12. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 for having outstandingly distinguished himself as the wingman for his Staffelkapitän through many tirelessly executed missions in which he had shot down a total of 34 enemy aircraft while also conducting numerous successful ground-attack missions against the Soviets. Hoffmann continued scoring, reaching 55 victories by early September before his unit relocated south, and he was posthumously awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub on 19 October 1941—the 36th such award overall—as the first non-commissioned officer in the Wehrmacht and the first recipient of the decoration to be honored posthumously, in recognition of his accumulation of 63 aerial victories by the time of his death.
The first Eichenlaubträger from Stukaflieger
Oskar Dinort (1901-1965) was one of the pioneering leaders of the Luftwaffe’s dive-bomber arm and became the first Stuka pilot to be awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes. As Geschwaderkommodore of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" (StG 2), Dinort led his Ju 87 formations with distinction during the campaigns in Poland, Norway, the Low Countries, France, the Balkans, Greece, and Crete. He had already earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 20 June 1940 for his leadership and combat achievements during the western campaign, but his reputation continued to grow as StG 2 became one of the Luftwaffe’s most effective dive-bomber units. Under his command, the Geschwader provided decisive close air support to advancing German ground forces and carried out highly successful attacks against shipping and military targets. Dinort also demonstrated technical innovation, introducing the famous “Dinort-Stäbe,” extended fuse rods fitted to bombs to increase their blast effect against troops in the open. In recognition of his outstanding leadership, operational success, and the combat record achieved by StG 2 during the opening years of the war, Oberstleutnant Dinort received the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 July 1941 as the 21st recipient of the award and the first Stuka pilot to be so honored, marking a significant milestone for the Luftwaffe’s Sturzkampf units. He later rose to the rank of Generalmajor, but his greatest distinction remained his role as the first representative of the Stuka arm to receive the prestigious Eichenlaub.
The first Luftwaffe combat aircrew to be mentioned by name in the Wehrmachtbericht
Walter Storp became the first Luftwaffe combat aircrew member to be mentioned by name in the Wehrmachtbericht through his leadership of a daring low-level bombing attack against targets in the English Midlands on 27 September 1940 while serving as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of II./Kampfgeschwader 76 during the Battle of Britain. Flying a Junkers Ju 88 with his crew, Storp carried out a hazardous Tiefangriff (low-altitude attack) against heavily defended objectives in central England, an action that attracted the attention of the German High Command because of its boldness and effectiveness. The official Wehrmachtbericht bulletin specifically praised “the crew of a bomber aircraft under the leadership of Hauptmann Storp” for distinguishing itself in these attacks, making Storp and his crew the first Luftwaffe combat aircrew to be identified by name in the daily armed forces communiqué rather than being referred to only in general terms. This public recognition was highly significant, as the Wehrmachtbericht served as Germany’s principal wartime military news bulletin and mentions by name were reserved for exceptional achievements. Storp’s success brought him nationwide prominence and was followed by a second mention in the Wehrmachtbericht on 4 November 1940 for successful attacks against British airfields and important targets in London. The prestige gained from these operations contributed to his receipt of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 21 October 1940 as commander of II./Kampfgeschwader 76, and he later earned the Eichenlaub on 14 July 1941 as Geschwaderkommodore of Schnellkampfgeschwader 210.
The first Ritterkreuzträger from U-bootwaffe
Günther Prien, the daring commander of U-47, secured his place in history as the first member of the German U-boat arm to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) following his audacious and highly successful raid on the British naval base at Scapa Flow in October 1939. By penetrating the heavily fortified harbor and sinking the battleship HMS Royal Oak, Prien achieved a significant psychological and strategic victory for the Kriegsmarine, transforming him into a national hero and the poster child of the U-boat offensive. His promotion to the rank of Korvettenkapitän and his subsequent fame underscored the critical role of the U-bootwaffe in the early stages of World War II, marking him as one of the most iconic, albeit ultimately ill-fated, figures in the annals of submarine warfare before he and his crew vanished in the North Atlantic in March 1941.
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THE LAST
The last living Ritterkreuzträger
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YOUNGEST
Youngest Generalmajor of the Wehrmacht
Dietrich Peltz, born on 9 June 1914 in Gera in the German Empire and deceased on 10 August 2001 in Munich, distinguished himself as the youngest Generalmajor of the Wehrmacht during World War II, achieving this rank at the age of 29 after a meteoric rise through the ranks of the Luftwaffe as a skilled bomber pilot and innovative commander. Initially enlisting in the Reichswehr in 1934 and transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1935, he served with Sturzkampfgeschwader units flying the Ju 87 dive bomber, completing 102 combat missions over Poland and France as Staffelkapitän without losing a single aircraft in his formation, which earned him both classes of the Eisernes Kreuz. Transitioning to the Junkers Ju 88 with Kampfgeschwader 77, he flew approximately 70 missions during the Battle of Britain including daring solo attacks, securing the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 October 1940. As Gruppenkommandeur of II./Kampfgeschwader 77 in Operation Barbarossa, Peltz pioneered precision bombing techniques that enabled highly effective strikes on critical targets such as railway infrastructure in the northern sector, amassing around 250 sorties and receiving the Eichenlaub on 31 December 1941. Promoted rapidly through leadership roles, including command of specialized units for precision-guided munitions against Allied shipping and appointment as Angriffsführer England, he orchestrated the revival of the German night bomber offensive against Britain with IX. Fliegerkorps, culminating in the award of the Schwerter on 23 July 1943 for his combined flying and command achievements exceeding 300 missions. His ascent continued with promotions to Oberst im Generalstab and then Generalmajor on 1 November 1943, making him the youngest general officer in the Wehrmacht; he later commanded II. Jagdkorps and I. Fliegerkorps, overseeing operations such as the planning of Bodenplatte and advocating bold defensive tactics like ramming Allied bombers, before the war's end. Postwar, Peltz worked in industry for companies like Krupp and Telefunken, leaving a legacy as one of the Luftwaffe's most accomplished bomber experts.
Source :
https://www.tracesofwar.com/awards/83/ritterkreuz-des-eisernen-kreuzes.htm
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