Knight's Cross And Ek 2nd Worn By Admiral

[W. C. Stump]

I would like opinions on the Knight's Cross and the Iron Cross 1st shown in the photograph of this Kreigsmarine Admiral. I think they have been added by the studio, but if original awards they are nothing like I have ever seen.

[W. C. Stump]

KNIGHTS CROSS IN CLOSE UP

Here is an enlargement of the Knight's Cross.

[Dave Kane]

Bill...unless he wanted to 'upstage' the Fatman it's not possible! it looks like a 'photo-addition' to me...
John

[RoyA]

MUST be added by the studio.
I saw one just like it on ebay today
(Sorry Bill....I couldn't resist)

[Dez H]

The EK looks quite cruddy as well, maybe these were made on board a boat as temporary pieces while waiting for the originals.

[Rich G]

Perhaps they were hand-made on board the ship before the official cross could be bestowed?

Rich

[admcdonald]

Dear Bill,
At a guess,I would say that these were studio add on's.I don't think that an officer of his seniority(including his ribbon bar)would have need for a ship made EK 1,maybe an RK,but the photo's you posted a couple of week's ago showed that machinist's/fitter's/toolmaker's could turn out better pieces than those shown above.
Regards:Andrew

[W. C. Stump]

OFFICER IDENTIFIED

Thanks to everyone for your opinions. My good friend Don Frailey recognized the officer in the photograph as being Ernst-Felix Kruder. He was the Capt. of the Auxiliary Cruiser PINGUIN and not an Admiral. Once identified I found that he was bestowed the Knight's Cross on December 22, 1940. When the PINGUIN was sunk on May 8, 1941 he was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. Since the Captain was a Knight's Cross holder before the ill fated voyage of the PINGUIN he would have been wearing a regulation Knights Cross prior to his death. Therefore, I agree that the photograph was taken before he was bestowed the RK and was altered post May 8, 1941.

[Tiger 1]

Admiral?

Hello Bill,

I was curious about some things in the photo of the KM officer that you posted. Do you know the identity of this officer? I remember seeing this officer's picture somewhere else but I can't place it at the moment. The second question is why you believe this officer to be of admiral rank when the scrambled eggs on the bill of his cap are for Kapitan z. See/Kommadore rank and lower? Is there something that I'm missing here?

The KC Ribbon around his neck seems to be originally in the picture. The KC and the EK seem to look as if they were doctored up at some point. Maybe to de-nazify the portrait? If that isn't the case then my guess would be a formal portrait taken with shipboard made and presented decorations "awarded" by the crew before reaching home port. I don't believe that these would be studio props as it would be beneath the dignity of any honorable officer to wear bravery decorations that he is not entitled to. He would become a pariah among his fellow officers.

Just some questions and thoughts.

[Tiger 1]

D*mn that was fast!

I just posted and when I was brought back to the forum the answer was there! To paraphrase the ex-patriot Russian comedian Yakov Schmirnoff...."WHAT A FORUM !"

[George Stimson]

Here is another pic of Kruder with his "strange" RK.





George

[Tiger 1]

Crew presented?

This last picture that George posted was obviously taken at a different time. It strongly suggests that this KC was not added to the photo as previously dicussed but in fact may be crew presented to their very esteemed commanding officer. The fact that we now have at least two separate pictures of Kruder wearing this unusual KC shows that he valued this award from his crew.

This is very interesting and a further study of this remarkable officer may be due.

Just some thoughts.

[George Stimson]

"a further study of this remarkable officer may be due."

An excellent account of Ernst-Felix Kruder's WW2 career is the book Ghost Cruiser HK 33, by H. J. Brennecke.

George

[Rich G]

Well, I tried to tell ya but ya just wouldn't listen!


Rich

[W. C. Stump]

I'LL CONCEDE TO THE IRISH

I have to say that the second photograph George posted proves that the odd Knights Cross did exist and Captain Ernst-Felix Kruder took it with him when the PENGUIN went to the bottom. Just think if it had survived the war and was offered on Ebay. I could hear the laughs and ridicule it would receive. The anomalies brought forth by war is really amazing. Thanks for the detective work and another mystery seems to have been solved. I will have a helping of "Crow" Mr. Gordon.