How many RKs awarded?

[ErichS]

Does anyone know aprox. how many Knights Crosses were awarded?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Erich, the numbers vary slightly between authors, but roughly you are looking at around 7,400.

Cheers, Ade.

[ekhunter]

Agreed! Now, how many were actaully made between 39-45 is a whole other 'can of worms'!

[Dietrich Maerz]

Agreed! Now, how many were actually made between 39-45 is a whole other 'can of worms'!

True, but not as much as one might think IMHO.

Dietrich

[ekhunter]

True, but not as much as one might think IMHO.

Dietrich

I believe we had this discussion about a year ago. Wasn't the figure somewhere around 3 times higher than actual recipients?

[Dietrich Maerz]

Could be and at one point in time this was my opinion, too.

I think I know better now. There was no storage at any level of any division, army, army group for Knights Crosses up until the very last days of the war. Every single RK came directly from the Praesidialkanzlei and it was there that very detailled records were kept (I got copies of such records for my book).

The earlier notion that RK were at all kinds of places (like the EK1 and EK2's certainly were) is wrong.

The number, IMHO, is for sure not 3 times! It might not even be 1.5 times but rather less.

Dietrich


PS: if you deduct from the RK's on the market the post-war B-Types from S&L (which were - and are still by a lot of dealers - considered as pre-45) the number shrinks considerably, doesn't it?

[ekhunter]

That is interesting news, and probably just shot the values up. Still awaiting for my copy of the book to arrive.

[Don D.]

As am I.

[Dietrich Maerz]

Me to.

I'm really sorry but the books are on a boat and I have not received a definite arrival date.

Dietrich

[Tiger 1]

Hi Dietrich,

Waiting for old # 036.

I look forward to reading it.

Tony

[Ludwig]

Me to.

I'm really sorry but the books are on a boat and I have not received a definite arrival date.

Dietrich

Hope that boat doesn´t come in the way for a Wolfpack!

[ErichS]

Thanks everyone for your opinions. So if i'm reading this right it's around 7000?

[Dietrich Maerz]

Hi Erich,

no, it was more! It was already something like 7200 awarded. To that you must add the 'second' pieces bought via the PKZ plus the pieces at the PKZ on May 8th, 1945 plus the possible pieces in the supply chain.

Dietrich

[ErichS]

Thanks Dietrich for the info. Best, Erich

[Ludwig]

Thanks everyone for your opinions. So if i'm reading this right it's around 7000?

Or, as Adrian Stevenson answered your question "how many awarded", in the first place: around 7400.