Iron Cross Second Class/First Class

I'm currently working on the awards section of my Werner Voss page and I have a few questions I'd like to ask the experts. I know that the Germans had a progressive nature when it came to presenting medals. First you get the EK2 then the EK1. I also know that they didn't give out dupes. Once you got the EK2, if you did something worthwhile again, you'd get the EK1.

Here's my question. Did they ever skip medals and go straight for the EK1 for a particular event or did you have to work your way up.

The reason I ask is because Voss got his EK1 after downing his first two planes. Both planes were downed on the same day almost as soon as he arrived at Jasta Boelke. He received an EK1 for this feat. If he had not already received the EK2 while with the 11 hussars would he have gotten the EK2 instead. It seems that two victories on your first day might warrant an EK1 anyway.?

I also find it interesting that if you were racking up a score fairly quickly you may not get the PLM at 20 victories. First you needed to get all those knight crosses out of the way and if they weren't fast enough in the presenting, then you had to work a little harder for yuor PLM.

Tobias

Tobias, no knight's crosses to worry about in WWI.
Checking it in The Iron Cross A History 1813-1957
by Gordon Williamson, quote "Instituted on 1 Sept 1939, the Knight's Cross was a new award, intended to bridge the considerable gap which existed between the Iron Cross First Class and the Grand Cross." Only 5 Grand Crosses awarded in WWI, one to the Kaiser the rest to Generals of varying degrees, it being available only "for a decisively won battle" or equivalent leadership of an army.
The third clause of the institution statement for the 1914 Iron Cross reads: "The first class is only awarded if the second class has already been earned and is worn beside the latter one."
This being my long-winded way of saying that Voss, had he not already earned the EK2 would be unlikely to have been awarded the EK1 directly for his early aerial exploits.

[Billy_Bishop]

Well, the way I understand it, is to get the Iron Cross 1st class, you have to have the 2nd class medal first. As for the Blue Max, it wasn't always set at 20 victories to get one. Immelmann and Boelcke got theirs at 8 victories. Manfred von Richthofen got his at 16.

Now, there is a misconception that it eventually reached 30 before you'd be awarded the medal. Actually, from the time you became eligible for it, until the paperwork went though, could be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. By which time the receipient usually had more victories to his credit. This became really bad near the end of the war with communications breaking down and such.

The only GERMAN medal that I know of that was typically awarded between the Iron Cross 1st class and the Blue Max was The Cross of the Order of the House of Hohenzollern. This was typically awarded after 12-15 victories, but not always. Immelmann was awarded the medal, but Boelcke was not, Lothar got one, but Manfred didn't.

Seems like someone couldn't make up their mind!!

VBR,

Al Lowe

[Reinout]

Whoa! Some serious misconceptions there!

First Tobias'question. It was almost a rule that a man's first aerial victory would be rewarded with both the Ehrenbecher and an EK. It depended on the recipient whether it would be an EK2 or EK1. If he already had the first, he would get the higher grade. If he possessed both crosses already, than he would only receive the Ehrenbecher. There are a few isolated cases where an EK2 and EK1 were awarded simultaneously. What happened even fewer, was that a person got an EK1 without receiving an EK2 first. Those instances are extremely rare and are usually due to administrative faults (losing awards recommendations). It is certainly not correct, particularly in the awards system used by Imperial Germany; it was riddled with rules and restrictions. If Voss hadn't already earned the EK2, his first victories would have warranted it.

The intermediate Knight's Cross Tobias Gibson referred to, was the Royal Hohenzöllern House Order Knight's Cross. It became the standard Order for officers between the EK1 and the PlM. Some 8,300 were awarded. The first airman to receive it was Oswald Boelcke for his 6th victory (Nov 1915), Immelmann got his for his own 6th. MvR naturally received it. In fact there were only a few fighter pilots who would go on to win the PlM without getting the intermediate award. They are all exceptions or subject to different rules. The exceptions are few and I can name only one from the back of my mind: Oliver Freiherr von Beaulieu-Marconnay. He scored his victories with a tremendous pace late in 1918. He was hit by friendly fire and hospitalised, but it was obvious that he would die. Upon hearing this, the Kaiser ordained he be given the PlM immediately (his score was 26) skipping the RHHOKC. The people subjected to different rules were the NCO's who were promoted after receiving the GMMC (enlisted men's PlM), usually when their scores were over the 20-mark. When promotion came, they were instantly proposed for the PlM and needed not wait for the RHHOKC - the GMMC cancelled that need apparently. Those 5 men were: Paul Bäumer, Fritz Rumey, Otto Könnecke, Max Ritter von Müller and Karl Thom. The last two already owned the Member's Cross of the Royal Hohenzöllern House Order, which is the NCO version of the KC, but it was awarded only 12 or 14 times during WWI, of which 8 or 10 went to airmen (Sebastian Festner and Fritz Kosmahl are other famous recipients).

To be continued...

[Reinout]

There were some changes in the official directives as the air war progressed, and that is only natural. It happened in every country. For instance, Hawker and Brabazon-Rees got their VC's for defeating 3 opponents (with Rees being taken out of action as well), a feat that many Commonwealth pilots would equal later in the war - no VC's for them! For Germany it meant that as the ability to get higher scores, the awards linked to scores were in danger of being devaluated. The only right thing to do was of course to raise the standards of those awards to guard their prestige. In 1915 and much of 1916, 6 victories warranted a RHHOKC, while 8 victories entitled a man to a PlM. However, with the creation of the Jastas in 1916 and the introduction of twin-gunned powerful fighters, some pilots (like MvR) started to amass scores in unprecedented time-spans. Some scores rose so rapidly that the Orders Chancellories upped the standards, so a RHHOKC was from 1917 onwards awarded for 10-12 victories (with exceptions going both ways) and the PlM for 16. However the PlM-16 rule was used only once, possibly thrice (Voss and Bernert); after that, 20 was the maxim and the rule was never changed.

Al raised another important issue: time. In the beginning of the war, a PlM would follow within days of the proposal. Immelmann and Boelcke even got theirs on the same day they earned it. Later, in 1917, a proposal took weeks and this time expanded when the Orders Chancellories had sooo many proposals to work through (and to check up on) and the paperwork administration was beginning to slow down under its weight. In 1918, this situation became even worse and the administration began to break down due to the war turning against the Germans. Paperwork reached their destination late if at all. Consequently, a PlM award could take up to two months or more. For instance, Büchner was proposed after his 20th victory and got his PlM when his score stood at 40!

The Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuz was a WWII award, but the EK went back to 1813, during what King Friedrich (III?) described as "Eiserne Zeit", and was revived in 1870, 1914 and finally revised by Hitler. Hitler had a way of adding new classes to the EK whenever a deserving man was there. For instance, the Golden Oakleaves were created specifically for Rudel as he already had every other possible award. Nobody else came close, though Hartmann was well on his way of earning it.
The Eichenlaub, Schwertern and Brillanten were also added when particularly capable fighting men were in need of recognition and already had everything else.

Kind regards,

Reinout

Reinout,
I bow to your superior knowledge of German awards.
Thanks for putting me straight & adding to my understanding. Won't jump in so precipitously next time!
VBR
Liz

Reinout,
I think you are mistaken about the Golden Oak leaves being the highest award of the Knight's Cross in WW2. The highest award was the Knight's Cross with Oak Leave Cluster and Diamonds which Erich Hartmann was awarded. There were only 7 of this decoration awarded during the course of the war. Also the criteria for the VC was NOT downing three planes, it was dependant upon the courage and bravery displayed during the conflict. The individuals at the stand of Rourke's Drift who received the VC would have had multiple awards if it was only dependant on a body count. It like the CMH is depending on the courage and bravery "above and beyond" the call of duty, which is determined by an investigation into the events surrounding any action, and the actions of the recipient. For example Lt. Vraciu (USN)in WW2 shot down 7 Japanese Zero/Kates in one dog fight for which he was awarded the CMH. His valorous actions were deemed "Above and beyond" when he could have just as well withdrew from the fight after shooting down one or two. The point being he stayed with his wingman and took out seven of the enemy's premier fighter planes during that fight. The Allies criteria for awards was much different than the IGAF's. I know for one to be awarded anything from the Silver Star up to the CMH, they must actually be in combat to be elegible for them. I believe that also applies to the Military Cross and the VC for the English forces. Where as the PlM was based on a tally of planes that were shot down. Somebody like Hans-Joachim Marseilles would be a more worthy recipient of a Knights Cross for twelve planes in one fight than someone who just shoots down 20 planes in seperate engagements IMHO.
VBR,
Jim
VBR,
Jim

Jim,

Reinout is correct. The golden oak leaves with swords and diamonds to the knights cross was awarded to Rudel as the next higher grade since he had already, like Hartmann, been awarded the knights cross with oak leaves, swords and diamonds. Rudel was the only individual to receive it.

Regards,

MDD

[Frank_Olynyk]

Jim,
Alex Vraciu was not awarded the MoH. He was proposed for it, but it was downgraded to a Navy Cross. Several years ago there was an attempt to review the award process and get it upgraded, but as far as I know the attempt failed. And my memory says he claimed seven Judy dive bombers, not Zekes/Kates. There are several US aces who have been proposed for the MoH who have had the award reduced; Ralph Parr for sure, and I think Randy Cunningham and Wilbur Webb, and one or two more.

Frank.

Michael and Frank,
Thanks for the correction. I though Vraciu had been awarded the CMH for his actions, and I hadn't been aware of the Knights Cross with Golden Oak Leaves cluster w/Diamonds. My apologies for the oversight. But my point about the differences between Allied and German award criteria is correct.
VBR,
Jim