EK Hiearchy

[Richard]

Since the EK2 had to be awarded before a recipient could be awarded the EK1, my question is the following:

Could a WW1 recipient of the EK2 be awarded a 1939 version EK1 in WW2 based on his WW1 EK2 or would he have to be awarded a 1939 version in WW2 to be eligible for the 1939 version of the EK1?
Richard V

[Dietrich Maerz]

Richard,

the EK2 of WW1 did not count in WW2 as a legitimate pre-requisite for the EK1.

It was therefore also not possible to have the EK1 and EK2 of WW1 and get the Knights Cross in WW2. One needed to have the proper version before. That's why you see the old generals of WW2 with both Spangen and the RK.

Dietrich

[Richard]

Thank you for the answer to that question Dietrich. I had never seen anyone with just a WW1 EK2 award and a WW2 EK1, hence my curiosity.
Richard V