Margraviate of Meissen Markgrafschaft Meißen
State of the Holy Roman Empire
← Image missing 965–1423 →
Flag Coat of arms
Capital	Meissen
Government	Principality
Historical era	Middle Ages
- Partitioned from     marca Geronis	965
- Investiture Controversy¹	1067
- War of Thuringian     Succession	1247–64
- Acquired most of the     Landgraviate of Thuringia	1298
- Battle of Lucka	1307
- Frederick IV assigned     Saxony-Wittenberg	1423
- Acquired Burggraviate	1426
1: As a result of the Investiture Controversy in 1067, the territory was lost from the Brunonen to the Wettin dynasty.

Meissen, with the Albrechtsburg and the Cathedral of Sts. Johannis and Donatus in the distance.

The March or Margraviate of Meissen (German: Mark(grafschaft) Meißen), sometimes March of Miśnia, was a medieval principality, a march, of the Holy Roman Empire in the area of the modern German state of Saxony. Created out of the Marca Geronis in 965, it merged to the Saxon Electorate in 1423.

The March of Meissen was sometimes called the Thuringian March or March of Thuringia. Usually, however, this was a term for the eastern part of the Meissen march, that is, the land east of the Elbe as far as the Saale, a land inhabited by Slavs. Formerly, the "Thuringian march" was called the "Sorbian march".

Founding[link]

In 928 or 929, during a campaign against the Slavic Glomacze tribe, King Henry the Fowler built a castle on a hill above the Elbe. The later Albrechtsburg was then named Meissen after the nearby stream of Meisa. A town soon developed at the foot of the fortress. Henry, however, made no attempts to Germanise the Slavs or to create a chain of supporting burgwards for his new fortress, rather Meissen sat alone, like Brandenburg, with little organisation around it.^[1] That did not last, however. The town grew, eventually becoming one of the most important cities in the large marca Geronis which covered the lands east of the Duchy of Saxony. When the marca was divided in 965 on the death of the margrave Gero the Great, Meissen formed the centre of a new march primarily against the Sorbs. The first mention of a margrave in Meissen comes in 968. That same year, the castle became also the see of the newly created Bishopric of Meissen.

In 979, a certain Count Rikdag became Margrave of Meissen, who also acquired the lands of the marches of Merseburg and March of Zeitz. By 982, the territory of the march had extended as far as the Neisse to the east and in southern direction the Erzgebirge. In 983, following word of the defeat of Emperor Otto II at the Battle of Stilo, the Slavic Veleti tribes bordering eastern Saxony rebelled. The bishoprics of Havelberg and Brandenburg were destroyed and the March of Zeitz devastated. Margrave Rikdag joined forces with the margraves of Lusatia and the Northern March as well as with the Bishop of Halberstadt and the Archbishop of Magdeburg and defeated the Slavs at Belkesheim, near Stendal.^[2] Nevertheless, large territories were lost and the Germans were once again limited to the land west of the Elbe.

With the accession of Margrave Eckard I in 985, the title was held by the Ekkeharding noble family. In 1002, King Bolesław I Chrobry of Poland conquered the Thuringian March ^[3] and by the 1018 Peace of Bautzen the Meissen margraves had to cede the Milceni territory of later Upper Lusatia to Poland. In 1046, the margraviate went to Count Otto of Weimar-Orlamünde and, in 1067, to the Brunonen, whose representative, Egbert II, was deposed during the Investiture Controversy in 1089.

Wettin rule[link]

The Mark Meissen (hatched) under the Ottos

Emperor Henry IV then granted Meissen to Count Henry of Eilenburg, of the Wettin dynasty under whose rule the margraviate would remain for the rest of its existence. Under Wiprecht von Groitzsch in the 1120s, Meissen ultimately underwent Germanisation.^[4] He was followed by Conrad the Great (1123–56), Otto the Rich (1156–91), and Dietrich the Hard-Pressed (1191–1221), under whom the march was expanded and developed.

In 1264, Henry III asserted himself in the war of the succession of the Landgraviate of Thuringia, where his uncle, Henry Raspe, had died childless. Between 1243 and 1255, Henry III acquired Pleisseland around Altenburg as a security measure. In 1307, the attempt by Emperor Henry VII to once again subdue the Margraves of Meissen failed with his defeat at the Battle of Lucka. By that time the margraviate was de facto independent of any sovereign authority.

In the years following Lucka, there would be joint rule of the principality by multiple members of the Wettin dynasty at any given time. In the years 1382 and 1445, this even led to the division of the march. However, the cadet branches of the family frequently became extinct and the lands consequently reunited. At the same time, the territory could be extended by marriage, purchase, or conquest, which is how the margraviate gained the rights to the burgraviate in 1426. At the end of 15th century, the area ruled over by the Wettin dynasty covered the lands between the Werra and the Oder.

In 1423, Frederick the Militant became Margrave and was assigned the Duchy of Saxony-Wittenberg. With it the Margraviate of Meissen entered into the electorate of Saxony and lost its status as an independent principality. In 1485, the Leipzig Partition divided Saxony and Thuringia between the brothers Ernest and Albert, which marked the beginning of the permanent separation of the two states.

Burgraviate[link]

Around 1068, Meissen received its own burgrave. In time the Meinheringer family would come to control the burgraviate.

See also[link]

• List of Margraves of Meissen
• List of Margravines of Meissen

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Thompson, James Westfall. Feudal Germany, Volume II. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1928.

Hans Philipp
150px Hans Philipp
Born	(1917-03-17)17 March 1917 Meißen, Saxony
Died	8 October 1943(1943-10-08) (aged 26) near Neuenhaus
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1936 – 1943
Rank	Oberstleutnant
Unit	JG 76, JG 54, JG 1
Commands held	4./JG 54, I./JG 54, JG 1
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland (1939) Battle of France Battle of Britain Operation Barbarossa Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Lieutenant Colonel Hans Philipp (born 17 March 1917 in Meißen, Saxony, killed in action 8 October 1943 near Neuenhaus in the Netherlands) was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1936 until he was killed in action 8 October 1943 by a P-47 Thunderbolt-pilot. It is believed that he was shot down by Robert S. Johnson.^[1] Philipp managed to bail out but his parachute never opened.

WW2 Career[link]

As part of I./JG 76 (later to renumber as II./Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54) Philipp first flew operations over Poland and scored his first victory. Serving later during the Battles of France and Britain, Hans Philipp was Staffelkapitän of 4./JG 54 by the end of 1940.

On November 4, 1940 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for twenty victories.

During the Balkans campaign in April 1941, JG 54 engaged the Bf 109's of the Jugoslovensko Kraljevsko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo (JKRV—Yugoslav Royal Air Force) in a massive air battle. Hans Philipp claimed two of the JKRV 109s.

Operation Barbarossa saw Philipp's score begin to escalate. On August 24, 1941, Philipp became the 33rd member recipient of the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. Philipp appointed as Kommandeur I./JG 54.

In March 1942, he became the first member of JG 54 to be awarded the Swords to the Knight's Cross and on March 31, 1942 Philipp became the fourth Luftwaffe fighter pilot to achieve 100 victories.

In April 1943 Philipp was transferred to Defense of the Reich duties as Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 1, flying high altitude interception operations over North Sea and Northern Germany. On 4 October 1943 Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring is said to have issued the following instructions after another attack by Eighth Air Force.^[2]

1. There are no meteorological conditions which would prevent fighters from taking off and engaging in combat.
2. Every fighter pilot taking off in a machine not showing any sign of combat, or without having recorded a victory will be prosecuted by a court-martial.
3. In the case of where a pilot uses up his ammunition, or if his weapons are unusable, he should ram the enemy bomber.

Geschwaderkommodore Philipp's response was "As far as I'm concerned, I categorically refuse to allow myself to be held to such advice; I know what I have to do!"^[2]

On 8 October 1943, the US Eighth Air Force attacked with 156 bombers on targets in Bremen and Vegesack. The bombers were escorted by 250+ Thunderbolts from six different fighter groups. Phillipp's flight were intercepted by P-47's of the 56th Fighter Group. The Stab Flight of the Geschwader heard Philipp announce a victory over a Thunderbolt. The last transmission from him was, "Reinhardt, attack!" Feldwebel Reinhardt was Philipp's wingman on this day. He last saw the Kommodore's aircraft disappear in a cloud. Reinhardt was wounded after colliding with an enemy aircraft, but made a successful forced landing. Later that evening, the Geschwader learned that their Kommodore had been shot down and killed.^[2]

Hans Philipp had claimed 206 enemy aircraft shot down, 178 on the Eastern front, 29 against the Western Allies. He flew over 500 sorties.

Awards[link]

• Wound Badge in Black^[3]
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Fighter Pilots in Gold with Pennant "500"^[3]
• Combined Pilots-Observation Badge^[3]
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (28 September 1940)^[4]
• German Cross in Gold on 18 June 1942 as Hauptmann in the II./JG 54^[5]
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 22 October 1940 Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 4./JG 54^[6]
  • 33rd Oak Leaves on 24 August 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 4./JG 54^[6]
  • 8th Swords on 12 March 1942 Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./JG 54^[6]
• Mentioned five times in the Wehrmachtbericht on (7 July 1941, 7 June 1942, 27 June 1942, 18 March 1943 and 12 October 1943)

[edit] References in the Wehrmachtbericht

References[link]

Citations

Bibliography

External links[link]

Military of Germany portal

• "Lexikon der Wehrmacht". Hans Philipp. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/PhilippH-R.htm. Retrieved 5 April 2007. 
• "The Jagdgeschwader 54 HomePage". Hans Philipp. http://www.jg54greenhearts.com/Philip.htm. Retrieved 5 April 2007. 
• "Livejournal community about Hans Philipp(rus)". http://community.livejournal.com/hans_philipp. 

v t e Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Ernst-Günther Baade Franz Bäke Hermann Balck (Diamonds) Heinrich Bär Erich Bärenfänger Gerhard Barkhorn Wilhelm Batz Otto Baum Werner Baumbach Fritz Bayerlein Hermann-Heinrich Behrend Wilhelm Bittrich Johannes Blaskowitz Georg Bochmann Alwin Boerst Georg Freiherr von Boeselager Albrecht Brandi (Diamonds) Hermann Breith Josef Bremm Kurt Bühligen Karl Decker August Dieckmann Eduard Dietl Josef Dietrich (Diamonds) Helmut Dörner Hans Dorr Alfred Druschel Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Edelsheim Karl Eibl Hermann Fegelein Fritz Feßmann Walter Fries Adolf Galland (Diamonds) Waldemar von Gazen Herbert Otto Gille (Diamonds) Gordon Gollob (Diamonds) Walter Gorn Hermann Graf (Diamonds) Fritz-Hubert Gräser Robert Ritter von Greim Franz Griesbach Anton Hackl Heinz Harmel Josef Harpe Erich Hartmann (Diamonds) Walter Hartmann Paul Hausser Richard Heidrich Ludwig Heilmann Gotthard Heinrici Joachim Helbig Traugott Herr Hajo Herrmann Otto Hitzfeld Hermann Hogeback Hermann Hohn Hermann Hoth Hans Hube (Diamonds) Herbert Ihlefeld Hans Jordan Arthur Jüttner Hans Källner Albert Kesselring (Diamonds) Friedrich Kirchner Otto Kittel Ewald von Kleist Günther von Kluge Otto von Knobelsdorff Alfons König Wolfgang Kretzschmar Otto Kretschmer Hans Kreysing Hans Kroh Walter Krüger Otto Kumm Ernst Kupfer Friedrich Lang Heinz-Georg Lemm Helmut Lent (Diamonds) Wolfgang Lüth (Diamonds) Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz Günther Lützow Hellmuth Mäder Erich von Manstein Hasso von Manteuffel (Diamonds) Hans-Joachim Marseille (Diamonds) Karl Mauss (Diamonds) Johannes Mayer Egon Mayer Eugen Meindl Kurt Meyer Walter Model (Diamonds) Werner Mölders (Diamonds) Dietrich von Müller Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller Werner Mummert Joachim Müncheberg Walther Nehring Hermann Niehoff Horst Niemack Theodor Nordmann Walter Nowotny (Diamonds) Hans von Obstfelder Walter Oesau Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski Max-Hellmuth Ostermann Joachim Peiper Dietrich Peltz Hans Philipp Georg-Wilhelm Postel Hermann Prieß Josef Priller Günther Rall Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (Diamonds) Hermann Recknagel Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert Alfred-Hermann Reinhardt Georg-Hans Reinhardt Lothar Rendulic Erwin Rommel (Diamonds) Hans-Ulrich Rudel (Diamonds & Golden Oak Leaves) Erich Rudorffer Gerd von Rundstedt Max Sachsenheimer Dietrich von Saucken (Diamonds) Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (Diamonds) Fritz von Scholz Edler von Rarancze Ferdinand Schörner (Diamonds) Werner Schröer Hinrich Schuldt Adelbert Schulz (Diamonds) Friedrich Schulz Karl-Lothar Schulz Gerhard Graf von Schwerin Sylvester Stadler Rainer Stahel Leopold Steinbatz Felix Steiner Johannes Steinhoff Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz (Diamonds) Werner Streib Reinhard Suhren Karl Thieme Theodor Tolsdorff (Diamonds) Erich Topp Erich Walther Wilhelm Wegener Otto Weidinger Helmuth Weidling Maximilian Wengler Wend von Wietersheim Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke Theodor Wisch Günther-Eberhardt Wisliceny Michael Wittmann Josef Wurmheller Isoroku Yamamoto Werner Ziegler in alphabetical order see also: List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients

v t e Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves   Recipients of 1940 Eduard Dietl (Swords) Werner Mölders (Swords & Diamonds) Adolf Galland (Swords & Diamonds) Helmut Wick Günther Prien Otto Kretschmer (Swords) Joachim Schepke   Recipients of 1941 Martin Harlinghausen Walter Oesau (Swords) Erwin Rommel (Swords & Diamonds) Hermann-Friedrich Joppien Joachim Müncheberg (Swords) Heinrich Liebe Engelbert Endrass Herbert Schultze Herbert Ihlefeld (Swords) Wilhelm Balthasar Siegfried Schnell Rudolf Schmidt Werner Baumbach (Swords) Oskar Dinort Walter Storp Viktor Schütze Heinz Guderian Hermann Hoth (Swords) Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen Günther Lützow (Swords) Josef Priller (Swords) Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn Horst Niemack (Swords) Heinrich Bär (Swords) Hans Hahn Hans Philipp (Swords) Ludwig Crüwell Karl-Gottfried Nordmann Heinrich Hoffmann Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow Gordon Gollob (Swords & Diamonds) Erbo Graf von Kageneck Ernst-Felix Krüder Josef Dietrich (Swords & Diamonds) Heinrich Eberbach Franz Scheidies Ernst-Georg Buchterkirch Bernhard Rogge Dietrich Peltz (Swords) Adelbert Schulz (Swords & Diamonds) Josef-Franz Eckinger Günther Hoffmann-Schönborn Karl Eibl (Swords) Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock Otto Weiß Georg Freiherr von Boeselager (Swords) Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach Josef Harpe (Swords) Reinhard Suhren (Swords) Hubertus Hitschhold   Recipients of 1942 Oskar von Boddien Hans Jordan (Swords) Karl-Wilhelm Specht Hans Freiherr von Wolff Hans-Valentin Hube (Swords & Diamonds) Karl-Heinz Noak Joachim Helbig (Swords) Otto Hitzfeld (Swords) Wilhelm Wegener (Swords) Hans Traut Werner von Gilsa Hermann Breith (Swords) Rolf Kaldrack Heinrich Borgmann Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist (Swords) Georg-Hans Reinhardt (Swords) Walter Model (Swords & Diamonds) Willibald Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp Walter Wessel Walter Hagen Albert Kesselring (Swords & Diamonds) Gerhard Köppen Kurt Ubben Max-Hellmuth Ostermann (Swords) Franz Eckerle Wolf-Dietrich Huy Hans Strelow Wilhelm Spies Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller (Swords) Erich Topp (Swords) Theodor Eicke Reinhard Hardegen Wolfgang Späte Alfred Wünnenberg Theodor Scherer Hermann Graf (Swords & Diamonds) Adolf Dickfeld Eberhard von Mackensen Leopold Steinbatz (Swords) Hans-Joachim Marseille (Swords & Diamonds) Helmut Lent (Swords & Diamonds) Robert-Georg Freiherr von Malapert Ludwig Wolff Friedrich Geißhardt Heinrich Setz Walter von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt Rolf Mützelburg Adalbert Schnee Erwin Clausen Viktor Bauer Franz-Josef Beerenbrock Anton Hackl (Swords) Traugott Herr (Swords) Werner Kempf Gerhard Kollewe Walter Gorn (Swords) Kurt Brändle Johannes Steinhoff (Swords) Walter Sigel Johann Zemsky Alfred Druschel (Swords) Ernst Bormann Gerhard Hein Werner Ziegler (Swords) Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (Swords) Klaus Scholtz Heinz Schmidt Heinrich Bleichrodt Friedrich-Karl Müller Wilhelm Crinius Wolfgang Tonne Bruno Ritter von Hauenschild Hans Beißwenger Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert (Swords) Karl Torley Johannes Kümmel Günther Rall (Swords) Ludwig Kirschner Konrad Hupfer Max Stotz Heinrich Schweickhardt Wolfgang Schenck Hermann Seitz Josef Zwernemann Wolfgang Lüth (Swords & Diamonds) Werner Töniges Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz (Swords & Diamonds) Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (Swords & Diamonds) Josef Wurmheller (Swords) Karl-Friedrich Merten Friedrich Lang (Swords) Alwin Boerst (Swords) Ekkehard Kylling-Schmidt Ernst Nobis Wolfgang Fischer Karl Allmendinger Heinrich Paepcke Hermann Balck (Swords & Diamonds) Walter Heitz Hermann Fegelein (Swords) Helmuth von Ruckteschell Felix Steiner (Swords) Hubert Lanz Helmuth Schlömer Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Edelsheim (Swords) Hartwig von Ludwiger Harald von Hirschfeld Josef Bremm (Swords) Helmut Thumm Helmuth von Pannwitz Martin Fiebig   Recipients of 1943 Reiner Stahel (Swords) Fritz Feßmann (Swords) Friedrich Guggenberger Heinz Frank Ernst Kupfer (Swords) Bruno Dilley Gerhard Barkhorn (Swords) Wend von Wietersheim (Swords) Johann Mohr Friedrich Paulus Karl Willig Günter Goebel Günther von Kluge (Swords) Waldemar von Gazen (Swords) Hans Kreysing (Swords) Reinhard Günzel Hugo Primozic Willy Riedel Georg Michael Gustav Pressler Carl Rodenburg Reinhold Knacke Erwin Fischer Hermann Hogeback (Swords) Helmut Bruck Alfons König (Swords) Kurt Meyer (Swords) Paul Gildner Werner Streib (Swords) Ludwig Becker Werner Baumgarten-Crusius Fritz Witt Hans Mikosch Walter Scheunemann Gustav Schmidt Eberhard Zahn Johann Mickl Wilhelm von Malachowski Bruno Kohnz Georg Lassen Erich von Lewinski (Swords) Georg Rietscher Karl Langesee Josef Kult Walter Hörnlein Theodor Nordmann (Swords) Georg-Wilhelm Postel (Swords) Robert Ritter von Greim (Swords) Hans-Karl von Scheele Heinrich Schüler Helmut Hudel Hinrich Schuldt (Swords) Otto Kumm (Swords) Rudolf Schlee Karl Dönitz Albrecht Brandi (Swords & Diamonds) Gerhard von Kamptz Siegfried Wuppermann Erich Klawe Peter Frantz Hans-Ulrich Rudel (Golden Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds) Paul-Werner Hozzel Georg Dörffel Egon Mayer (Swords) August Dieckmann (Swords) Otto von Bülow Willibald Borowietz Hans-Günther Stotten Paul Laux Gustav Höhne Karl-Adolf Hollidt Gerhard von Schwerin (Swords) Wilhelm Niggemeyer Franz Griesbach (Swords) Erich Bärenfänger (Swords) Richard Grünert Ernst Kruse Georg Bochmann (Swords) Karl Löwrick Martin Grase Friedrich Kemnade Robert Gysae Hans von Obstfelder (Swords) Karl Göbel Friedrich Höhne Günter Klappich Gustav Rödel Carl Emmermann Werner Henke Fritz Bayerlein (Swords) Walther von Hünersdorff Bernhard Sauvant Paul Hausser (Swords) Franz Bäke (Swords) Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld Manfred Meurer Heinrich Ehrler Theodor Weissenberger Joachim Kirschner Werner Schröer (Swords) Hajo Herrmann (Swords) Bruno Kahl Lothar Rendulic (Swords) Dietrich von Müller (Swords) Georg von Küchler Ernst Busch Georg Lindemann Paul Conrath Otto Baum (Swords) Hans Freiherr von Funck Alexander Conrady Erhard Raus Dietrich von Saucken (Swords & Diamonds) Hans Gollnick Alfred Eidel Paul Schultz Hans-Detloff von Cossel Walter Krüger (Swords) Rolf Rocholl Hartmann Grasser Wolf-Udo Ettel Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (Swords) Hans Zorn Horst Großmann Walter Nowotny (Swords & Diamonds) Joachim Lemelsen Erich Jaschke Heinz Harmel (Swords) Hermann Prieß (Swords) Friedrich Hoßbach Siegfried Thomaschki Walter Lange Günther Pape Theodor Tolsdorff (Swords & Diamonds) Sylvester Stadler (Swords) Ulrich Kleemann Kurt Student Alfred-Hermann Reinhardt (Swords) Hans Fritsche Bodo Spranz Josef Schreiber Hubert-Erwin Meierdress Hans-Gotthard Pestke Julius Ringel Rudolf Freiherr von Roman Ernst Voß Herbert Otto Gille (Swords & Diamonds) Albert Graf von der Goltz Ernst Ziemer Eugen König Hermann Recknagel (Swords) Siegfried Grabert Heinrich Kiesling Otto von Knobelsdorff (Swords) Maximilian de Angelis Erich Brandenberger Otto-Ernst Remer Georg Christiansen Hans Dorr (Swords) Josef Heindl Willy Johannmeyer Karl-Friedrich Brill Johannes Block Hasso von Manteuffel (Swords & Diamonds) Gotthard Heinrici (Swords) Hans Schmidt Karl Mauss (Swords & Diamonds) Hans-Henning Freiherr von Beust Dietrich Hrabak Wilhelm Lemke Otto Schünemann Walter Hartmann (Swords) Ernst-August Fricke Ernst Wellmann Alfred Druffner Anton Grasser Kurt Walter Adolf Weitkunat Walter Elflein Willy Langkeit Andreas Thorey Sigfrid Henrici Heinrich Voigtsberger Karl Baacke Christian Tychsen Alfred Müller Hans-Joachim Kahler Ernst Kühl Kurt von der Chevallerie Wilhelm Schmalz Albert Frey Heinrich Ochs   Recipients of 1944 Bernd Klug Klaus Feldt Walter Krauß Horst Hannig Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt Helmut Kalbitz Josef-Georg Mulzer Maximilian Fretter-Pico Hans Schlemmer Heinrich Boigk August Schmidt Friedrich Wiese Walter Krüger Karl Koetz Hugo Kraas Eduard Hauser Joachim Peiper (Swords) Walter Fries (Swords) Walther Sievers Michael Wittmann (Swords) Bernhard Flachs Richard Heidrich (Swords) Walther Nehring (Swords) Botho Kollberg Erich Löwe Günther Hilt Fritz Breithaupt Robert Martinek Josef Schneider Walter Möse Friedrich Kirchner (Swords) Hans Källner (Swords) Theodor Wisch (Swords) Heinrich-Walter Bronsart von Schellendorff Karl Lorenz Meinrad von Lauchert Josef Karl Ferdinand Schörner (Swords & Diamonds) Wilhelm Stemmermann Theo-Helmut Lieb Robert Kaestner Ernst-Günther Baade (Swords) Rudolf Kolbeck Maximilian Wengler (Swords) Walter Mix Otto Benzin Werner Forst Helmuth Weidling (Swords) Friedrich Mieth Hermann Hohn (Swords) Erich Walther (Swords) Ludwig Heilmann (Swords) Kurt Bühligen (Swords) Horst Ademeit Walter Krupinski August Geiger Hans-Dieter Frank Johannes Wiese Reinhard Seiler Erich Hartmann (Swords & Diamonds) Hermann-Heinrich Behrend (Swords) Gustav Stühmer Fritz von Scholz Fritz von Scholz Edler von Rarancze (Swords) Willi Thulke Josef Rettemeier Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz (Swords) Josef Bregenzer Friedrich Schulz (Swords) Werner Mummert (Swords) Hans-Joachim Jabs Bernhard Jope Wilhelm Schmitter Maximilian Otte Hansgeorg Bätcher Georg Koßmala Georg Grüner Eduard Tratt Fritz Petersen Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin Ludwig Müller Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary Herbert Schwender Hans Kroh (Swords) Günther Radusch Johannes Frießner Alfred Grislawski Erich Rudorffer (Swords) Emil Lang Otto Kittel (Swords) Rudolf Schoenert Wilhelm Herget Anton Hafner Johannes Mayer (Swords) Heinrich Hogrebe Rudolf Geisler Heinrich von Vietinghoff Egon von Neindorff Wilhelm Drewes Karl-Lothar Schulz (Swords) Günther Schack Otto Pollmann Hans-Karl Stepp Martin Möbus Albin Wolf Heinz Vinke Karl Decker (Swords) Erich Lorenz Wilhelm Eggemann Theodor von Lücken Otto Deßloch Leopold Münster Max Sachsenheimer (Swords) Martin Hrustak Johann Schwerdfeger Emil Vogel Rudolf Freiherr von Waldenfels Fritz Müller Kilian Weimer Walter Schmidt Karl Ullrich Karl Henze Willy Marienfeld Ferdinand Wegerer Wolf Hagemann Hans Strippel Friedrich Hochbaum Ernst-Eberhard Hell Alfons Hitter Wolfgang Pickert Gottfried Weber Horst Niederländer Georg Bonk Hubert Pilarski Ernst-Wilhelm Hoffmann Konrad Zeller Joachim Domaschk Emil Kaminsky Edwin Stolz Rudolf Petersen Götz Freiherr von Mirbach Diddo Diddens Ernst Sieler Erich Marcks Albert Brux Horst Kaubisch Hendrik Stahl Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (Swords & Diamonds) Adolf Glunz Eduard Skrzipek Reinhard Egger Josef-August Fitz Herbert Huppertz Clemens-Heinrich Graf von Kageneck Werner Kolb Martin Unrein Erich Abraham Fritz-Hubert Gräser (Swords) Friedrich Dollmann Gerd von Rundstedt (Swords) Hermann Wulf Erich Buschenhagen Heinz-Otto Fabian Karl Palmgreen Heinrich Hoffmann Heinz-Georg Lemm (Swords) Wilhelm Batz (Swords) Willy Kientsch Heinz Strüning Karl-Heinz Weber Otto Weßling Rudolf Frank Herbert Lamprecht Wilhelm von Salisch Gerhard Kruse Otto Carius Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski (Swords) Rudolf Demme Paul Schulze Kurt von Tippelskirch Hubert Mickley Willy Wesche Carl Hilpert Heinrich Nickel Curt Schille Martin Strahammer Karl Kloskowski Gerhard Simons Max Wünsche Dietrich Kraiß Rudolf Bacherer Andreas von Aulock Hermann Siggel Gerhard Pick Heinz Macher Hinrich Warrelmann Rudolf Wulf Werner Schulze Walter Melzer Bruno Hinz Hellmuth Mäder (Swords) Rudolf Holste Kurt Pflugbeil Wilhelm Bittrich (Swords) Eugen Meindl (Swords) Hermann Flörke Martin Bieber Hermann Klein Jakob Gansmeier Walter Misera Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz (Swords) Heinz Greiner Christian Sonntag Hellmuth Pfeifer Rudolf Flinzer Walter Neitzel Richard Seuss Otto Lasch Alois Weber Gerhard Lindemann Johannes Bölter Gustav Reimar Otto Kähler Erich Pietzonka Walter Gericke Heinrich Trettner Hans Thurner Paul Zorner Hans von der Mosel Rudolf Haen Helmut Scholz Otto Schury Werner Marcks Ehrenfried-Oskar Boege Hellmuth Becker Johannes Mühlenkamp Friedrich-August Schack Ernst König Ernst-Georg Philipp Wolfgang Kretzschmar (Swords) Otto Meyer Hermann Scharnagel Konrad Sauer Jörg Burg Gerhard Behnke Gerhard Kunert Wilhelm Kohler Heinz Reinefarth Erich Straube Georg Graf von Rittberg Mortimer von Kessel Willi Koch Friedrich Strohm Theodor Krancke Georg Jakob Walter Schuck Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte Herbert Bauer Franz Kieslich Diether Lukesch Wilhelm Bleckwenn Arthur Jüttner (Swords) Johann-Georg Richert Werner Gust Othmar Kreuzinger Franz Weller Karl Thieme (Swords) Hans-Christian Stock Gustav Schubert Johann Schalanda Helmut Leicht Günther Tonne Benno Reuter Paul Ecker Paul Freiherr von Hauser Fritz-Rudolf Schultz Heinrich Busse Eduard Brunner Max Simon Johannes Blaskowitz (Swords) Klaus Hilgemann Gerhard Friedrich Maximilian Felzmann Johann-Heinrich Eckhardt Werner Hartmann Walter Weiß Gustav-Adolf von Zangen Gerd Ruge Wilhelm Weidenbrück Helmut Dörner (Swords) Albrecht Krügel Emil Badorrek Klaus Mietusch Heinz Meyer Wilhelm Antrup Heinrich Höfer Gerhart Schirmer Hans Seidemann Hans Hoßfeld Werner Dörnbrack Hubert Pölz Rudolf Witzig Georg-Peter Eder Rudolf Rennecke Otto Dommeratzky Karl Kennel Gerhard Michalski Gerhard Bremer Klaus von Bismarck Artur Phleps Otto Wöhler Helmuth Reymann Curt Ehle Kurt Maier Georg Sattler Walther Hahm Christian Braun Fritz Arndt Gerhard Engel Jürgen Wagner Friedrich Jakob Harry Hoppe Eduard Crasemann Andreas Kuffner Fritz Biermeier Paul Klatt Günther-Eberhardt Wisliceny (Swords) Otto Weidinger (Swords)   Recipients of 1945 Heinrich Baron von Behr Kurt-Hermann Freiherr von Mühlen Walter Lucht Sigmund-Ulrich Freiherr von Gravenreuth Kurt Gröschke Kurt Herzog Alois Eisele Volprecht Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach Joachim Brendel Wilhelm Hasse Hans-Detlef Gollert-Hansen Claus Breger Bruno Streckenbach Max Reinwald Richard Henze Walther Risse Alexander Löhr Gerhard Schmidhuber Wilhelm Schöning Herbert Kündiger Albert Henze Erich Reuter Kurt Dahlmann Kurt Plenzat Herbert Rollwage Max Schäfer Karl Pröll Hellmuth Böhlke Walter Süß Wilhelm Spindler Karl Arndt Kurt Wahl Joachim Rumohr August Zehender Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch Walther Dahl Karl Roßmann Ernst Jansa Jürgen Harder Otto Vincon Joachim Sander Georg Graf von Plettenberg Maximilian von Weichs Wilhelm Osterhold Georg Jauer Karl-Heinz Oesterwitz Herbert Wittmann Herbert Schramm Anton-Otto Frank Anton Müller Eduard Zorn Willi Schülke Günther Blumentritt Josef Heichele Georg Gebhardt Ernst Knebel Fritz Klasing Edmund Blaurock Ludwig Schulz Rolf Hermichen Hans Krebs Heinz-Martin Ewert Fritz-Georg von Rappard Josef Jakwert Horst Warschnauer Hans-Babo von Rohr Ernst-August Krag Heinrich Schmelzer Traugott Kempas Arthur Kullmer Michael Pössinger Ottmar Pollmann Bern von Baer Hans Reichardt Werner Ebeling Hermann Niehoff (Swords) Heinrich Götz Rudolf von Bünau Bruno Karczewski Erich Schneider Kurt Welter Helmut Renschler Wolfgang Rust Friedrich Sixt Kurt Witschel Clemens Betzel Franz Rogalski Johannes Grimminger Ernst Kutschkau Egon Aghta Wilhelm Schröder Karl-Heinz Becker Heinz Rökker Robert Weiß Werner Pötschke Alfred Matern Fritz Vogt Karl-Heinz Jaeger Max Wandrey Hans Engelien Heinrich Ruhl Bruno Frankewitz Paul Scheuerpflug Martin Becker Gerhard Werner Ernst-Georg Kedzia Kuno von Meyer Walter Prüß Günther Konopacki Hans-Georg Herzog Rudolf Trittel Karl Wanka Harald Freiherr von Elverfeldt Friedrich Jeckeln Fritz Fullriede Johannes Spielmann Heinrich Keese Lothar Berger Helmuth Hufenbach Erich Schroedter Horst von Usedom Günther Josten Alexander Gläser Wilhelm Stähler Gerhard Stüdemann Walter Girg Horst von Mellenthin Martin Steglich Rudolf Neubert Friedrich Richter Ernst Kuppinger Otto Paetsch Hans von Tettau Gerhard Thyben Theodor Burchardi August Thiele Bruno Richter Otto Skorzeny Ernst-Anton von Krosigk Helmut Borchardt Carl Becker Kurt Röpke Friedrich Rögelein Alfred Simm Gerhard Raht Hans-Arno Ostermeier Max Hansen Herbert Lütje Helmut Lipfert Josef Kraft Martin Drewes Hermann Greiner Paul Semrau Adolf Raegener Hans-Peter Knaust Franz Hack Paul-Albert Kausch Josef Brandner Eberhard Rodt Joachim Ziegler Hans-Joachim Kappis Karl Schrepfer Josef Prentl Rolf Thomsen Hans-Günther Lange Heinz-Oskar Laebe Heinrich Hax Hanns Laengenfelder Richard Daniel Wolfgang von Obstfelder Wolfgang von Bostell Gerhard Mokros Werner Ostendorff Rudolf Lehmann Karl Kreutz Heinz Werner Alfred Jodl Adalbert von Blanc Hermann Plocher Franz Graßmel Friedrich Lier Oskar-Hubert Dennhardt Matthias Kleinheisterkamp Hanns-Heinrich Lohmann Alfred Montag Hans Meier Alfons Rebane Walter Schlags-Koch Erich Schmidt Joachim von Siegroth Paul Stahl Georg Störck Franz Sensfuß Joseph von Radowitz   Foreign recipients (as individuals in the military of allies of the Third Reich) Mihail Lascăr Agustín Muñoz Grandes Isoroku Yamamoto (Swords) Corneliu Teodorini Petre Dumitrescu Mineichi Koga Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Léon Degrelle in chronological order see also: List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients

v t e Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of Jagdgeschwader 54 Horst Ademeit (Oak Leaves) Hans Beißwenger (Oak Leaves) Hans-Ekkehard Bob Paul Brandt Hugo Broch Herbert Broennle Anton Döbele Franz Eckerle (Oak Leaves) Franz Eisenach Günter Fink Hans Götz Helmut Grollmus Horst Hannig1 (Oak Leaves) Hans-Joachim Heyer Reinhold Hoffmann Dietrich Hrabak2 (Oak Leaves) Heinrich Jung Karl Kempf Otto Kittel (Oak Leaves & Swords) Rudolf Klemm Gerhard Koall Hans-Joachim Kroschinski Emil Lang (Oak Leaves) Arnold Lignitz Gerhard Loos Helmut Mißner Hubert Mütherich Walter Nowotny (Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds) Max-Hellmuth Ostermann (Oak Leaves & Swords) Hans Philipp (Oak Leaves & Swords) Wilhelm Philipp Josef Pöhs Rudolf Rademacher Erich Rudorffer3 (Oak Leaves & Swords) Friedrich Rupp Carl Sattig Günther Scheel Wilhelm Schilling Hermann Schleinhege Reinhard Seiler (Oak Leaves) Peter Siegler Wolfgang Späte (Oak Leaves) Heinrich Sterr Max Stotz (Oak Leaves) Fritz Tegtmeier Alfred Teumer Gerhard Thyben (Oak Leaves) Hannes Trautloft Joachim Wandel Robert Weiß (Oak Leaves) Heinz Wernicke Ulrich Wernitz Ulrich Wöhnert Albin Wolf (Oak Leaves) Eugen-Ludwig Zweigart 1 Oak Leaves with JG 2. 2 Oak Leaves with JG 52. 3 Knight’s Cross with JG 2.

v t e German World War II flying aces with 100+ aerial victories 300+ Erich Hartmann (352) Gerhard Barkhorn (301) 250–299 Günther Rall (275) Otto Kittel (267) Walter Nowotny (258) 200–249 Wilhelm Batz (237) Erich Rudorffer (222) Heinrich Bär (220) Hermann Graf (212) Heinrich Ehrler (208) Theodor Weissenberger (208) Hans Philipp (206) Walter Schuck (206) Anton Hafner (204) Helmut Lipfert (203) 150–199 Walter Krupinski (197) Anton Hackl (192) Joachim Brendel (189) Max Stotz (189) Joachim Kirschner (188) Kurt Brändle (180) Günther Josten (178) Johannes Steinhoff (176) Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert (174) Günther Schack (174) Emil Lang (173) Heinz Schmidt (173) Horst Ademeit (166) Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (162) Hans-Joachim Marseille (158) Heinrich Sturm (158) Gerhard Thyben (157) Hans Beißwenger (152) Peter Düttmann (152) Gordon M. Gollob (150) 100–149 Fritz Tegtmeier (146) Albin Wolf (144) Kurt Tanzer (143) Friedrich-Karl Müller (140) Karl Gratz (138) Heinrich Setz (138) Rudolf Trenkel (138) Franz Schall (137) Walter Wolfrum (137) Horst-Günther von Fassong (136) Otto Fönnekold (136) Karl-Heinz Weber (136) Joachim Müncheberg (135) Hans Waldmann (134) Alfred Grislawski (133) Johannes Wiese (133) Adolf Borchers (132) Erwin Clausen (132) Adolf Dickfeld (132) Wilhelm Lemke (131) Gerhard Hoffmann (130) Heinrich Sterr (130) Walther Dahl (129) Franz Eisenach (129) Franz Dörr (128) Rudolf Rademacher (126) Josef Zwernemann (126) Dietrich Hrabak (125) Wolf-Udo Ettel (124) Herbert Ihlefeld (123) Wolfgang Tonne (122) Heinz Marquardt (121) Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (121) Robert Weiß (121) Friedrich Obleser (120) Erich Leie (118) Franz-Josef Beerenbrock (117) Hans-Joachim Birkner (117) Jakob Norz (117) Walter Oesau (117) Heinz Wernicke (117) August Lambert (116) Wilhelm Crinius (114) Werner Schröer (114) Hans Dammers (113) Berthold Korts (113) Helmut Lent (113) Kurt Bühligen (112) Kurt Ubben (110) Franz Woidich (110) Reinhard Seiler (109) Emil Bitsch (108) Hans Hahn (108) Bernhard Vechtel (108) Viktor Bauer (106) Werner Lucas (106) Günther Lützow (105) Eberhard von Boremski (104) Adolf Galland (104) Heinz Sachsenberg (104) Hartmann Grasser (103) Siegfried Freytag (102) Friedrich Geißhardt (102) Egon Mayer (102) Max-Hellmuth Ostermann (102) Josef Wurmheller (102) Rudolf Miethig (101) Werner Mölders (101) Josef Priller (101) Ulrich Wernitz (101) List of German World War II aces List of top World War II aces