How many knight crosses where won by Soldiers/NCO's ??

[Meck]

Hello fellow collectors,

It seems that their are much more knight crosses rewarded to officers then to NCO's and enlisted soldiers.
Is it known how much to soldiers/NCO' and to officers?

Thanks

[Dietrich Maerz]

94 % went to officers, only about 250 Knights Crosses were awarded to enlisted men.

[peter3181]

Including Nco?
Peter

[Dietrich Maerz]

An NCO is an officer (Unteroffizier), not an enlisted man.

[Ostprussenmann]

An NCO is an officer (Unteroffizier), not an enlisted man.

An NCO is not an officer, he is enlisted.

[GRB]

I think these numbers should be quite close for enlisted men and NCO's:

Gefreiter	76
Marine-Schreiber-Obergefreiter	1
Obergefreiter	153
Stabsgefreiter	6
Unteroffizier	274
Oberjäger	25
Fahnenjunker-Oberjäger	1
Feldwebel	303
Wachtmeister	33
Fahnenjunker-Wachtmeister	2
Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel	25
Oberfeldwebel	551
Oberwachtmeister	55
Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel	28
Stabsfeldwebel	26
Stabswachtmeister	2
Total	1561

[Meck]

Thanks for the detailed information!
So still a small number compared to officers.
I thought that extreme bravery in battle is more related to EM/NCO's then to officers.
Could it be that different criteria/rules where used between officers and EM/NCO for awarding the knights cross?

[Dietrich Maerz]

An NCO is not an officer, he is enlisted.

Yes, you are right. The number I quoted was only for "Mannschaften," which excludes NCOs. The table above is then the correct answer to the question.

[Inspector Krogh]

Thanks for the detailed information!
So still a small number compared to officers.
I thought that extreme bravery in battle is more related to EM/NCO's then to officers.
Could it be that different criteria/rules where used between officers and EM/NCO for awarding the knights cross?

The 1939 Iron Cross (in any grade) was not awarded only for bravery (extreme or otherwise). It could also be earned for military leadership as well. For that reason, the Iron Cross is not directly comparable to the decorations for actions/deeds of personal bravery of other nations (US Medal of Honor and UK Victoria Cross come to mind, but I'm sure there are others).
G.