During World War II the Iron Cross was revolutionized when the ribbon bore the tricolors of the Third Reich, black, white, and red. In general, there was no higher award for bravery. Regional awards were replaced at the beginning of WWII by the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Until 1944 the decoration was considered a 5-degree cumulative award. The award's fifth degree, golden oakleaves with swords and brilliants to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, was awarded on only one occasion from 1939-1945. Of the approximately 7,000 Knight's Cross recipients, 21 were Austrian, 43 were foreigners from allied foreign armed forces, approximately 25 were European foreigners who volunteered and served in the Waffen-SS, and 23 were German Jews. After the war, only the swastika was removed from the center of the award and replaced with three oakleaves, derived from the Iron Cross of 1813. Huge archive of eighty signed items of Knight’s Cross Recipients composed largely of signed satin or matte-finish military portraits ranging in size from 3 x 4.5 to 4 x 6. The archive also includes a number of ALS and TLS. Those represented include: Hermann Balck, Siegfried Westphal, Gerhard Matzky signed photo and an ALS), Oskar-Hubert Dennhardt, Theodore Busse, Horst von Buttlar, Otto-Maximilian Hirzfeld, Gustav Harteneck, Horst Niemack, Karl Hollidt (ALS), Wolf Ewert, Gerhard Sturt, Franz Reuss (TLS), Max Josef Pemsel, Hermann-Heinrich Behrend, Hubert-Maria Ritter von Heigl, Ernst Konig (signed photo and an ALS), Ernst Biehler, Hans-Joachim Kahler (ALS), Erich Reuter, Hans von Donat (signature), Carl Rodenburg (ALS), Hermann Holter, Werner Ranck, Adolf Raegener, Siegfried Hass (signed photo and ALS), Erwin Jolasse, Gerhard Hein, Max Kluver (signature beside a small photo affixed to a 6 x 4 white card), Erich Klawe, Oberst Werner Ziegler, Karl Herzog, Fritz Muller, Gerhard Klein (signature beside a small photo affixed to a 6 x 4 white card), Arthur Juttner (signed photo and ALS), Fritz Muller (signed photo and ALS), Robert Kaester, Walther-Peer Fellgiebel, Anton Berg, Werner Ebeling, Alois Eisele, Erich Mede (signature beside a small photo affixed to a 6 x 4 white card), Paul Delius, Heinz-Georg Lemm, Gunter Goebel, Othmar Pollman, Hans-Gotthard Pestke (composite 6 x 4.5 photo), Karl Langesee, Walter Misera (ALS), Theodor von Lucken, (ALS), Otto Ernst Remer, Heinrich Busse, Albert Brux (TLS), Walter Gericke (color cardstock image), Aloys Mocken, Karl Bulmahn, Wilhelm Kohler, Heinrich Wetjen, (ALS beside a small photo affixed to a 6 x 4 white card), Hans-martin Fritsche, Arno Pfeuffer (TLS and signature beside a small photo affixed to a 6 x 4 white card), Johann Pongratz (signature beside a small photo affixed to a 6 x 4 white card), Gerhard Gutmacher (signature beside a small photo affixed to a 6 x 4 white card), Ernst Kuppinger, Hans Mehrle (ALS beside a small photo affixed to a 6 x 4 white card), Arthur Ziegler, Karl Heinz Oesterwitz (signed photo and TLS), Josef Jakwert, Fritz Mann, Michael Possinger, Friedrich O. Th. Jaquet (2.25 x 3), Helmut Siegfried Strojek (2.25 x 3), Eduard Hug (photo is unsigned) and Otto Doser (ALS beside a small photo affixed to a 6 x 4 white card). In overall fine condition. R&R COA.
