Why didnt Hitler get the KC?

[Jim Woods]

Back to the KC question. Wouldn't Adolph have to earn the 1939 clasps (2nd, 1st classes)before the KC or are there examples of WWI vets holding the 1914 1st, and 2nd classes, not earning the 1939 clasps/ spange before earning the KC?

The Iron Cross is a combat award and as Adolf did not see combat action, no
spange. True the 1914 Iron Cross had a non-combat ribbon the WW 2 did not.

[Don D.]

Not entirely true. Quite a few EKs (and several RKs)were handed out to the General Staff at the conclusion of the Polish Campaign. I doubt they ever got anywhere near hearing a shot fired in anger.

[Mike P.]

QUOTE " a wounded German soldier limped out of the maelstrom and into Private Tandey's line of fire, the battle weary man never raised his rifle and just stared at Tandey resigned to the inevitable. "I took aim but couldn't shoot a wounded man," said Tandey, "so I let him go."
This happened on 28th September 1918
(http://www.worldwar1.com/heritage/hitler2.htm)

On October 7, 1916, Hitler was wounded in the leg by a shell fragment during the Battle of the Somme.
In October 1918, he was temporarily blinded by a British chlorine gas attack near Ypres.
( http://209.85.207.104/search?q=cache...lnk&cd=1&gl=us )
I think the dates and his wound would have to be checked ..I can see a Soldier "stumbling" after being gassed , not Limping. People Limp from a Leg wound.
Something doesn't add up here.
And I agree with Darrell - "You remember the 20th person you passed on the street yesterday? "
Unless Adolf documented the date and the same exact story somewhere , there's no way to confirm he was the one Limping because of a Gas attack.

[Gary Cain]

Hi Steve,

The EK was classless from its inception. On the 10th of March when it was instituted(the birthdate of his deceased Queen Luise) it was to be awarded in three classes and the majority were awarded without class distinction. Anyone (even civilians could earn it) based on bravery or meritorious service. In the 1870 war there were 47,244 2nd Class EKs awarded and 1,304 1st Classes were awarded. Clearly more than there were officers in combat.

Gary

BTW the way the IC is a classless order and very deliberately so. Any rank could get any level of the order they just had to earn the lower orders first. I cannot remember the exact stats but a large % were NCO when they received the order.

This is not my understanding when it comes to the 1870 and 1914 EK eras. Of course nothing was etched in stone, as Hitler and no doubt many other enlisted men won the 1st class during these eras. I think it is safe to say that by 1939 this was not so much the case and it was available to enlisted soldiers more readily.[/quote]

[Don D.]

But the Grand Cross was reserved for High rank and Royalty.

[jagdtiger]

Quote:


"the knights cross might be awarded to any rank in the armed forces, either for individual or cumulative acts of gallantry or for distinguished leadership in command"

so as said above it was not earned by fighting alone

i have also read that the iron cross was awarded freely in the imperial wars

[robertdmountfor]

Not really connected, but I remember a good few years ago a brief conversation I had with Karl Wilhelm Krause (still alive!) recounting the famous scene at FHQ when he noticed how adgitated AH became when a mosquito or fly was buzzing around the map table, AH asked Krause to try and swot it.....Krause replied 'perhaps, M.F. Thats a job for the Luftwaffe'. It got him an instant transfer to active duty.
However, it was suggested that after the fall of France the leadership had discussed honouring AH with some type of suitable exclusive award. Of course, it came to nothing, but I havent seen anything about this perhaps, less important incident since.

[brownshirts]

hitler awards

ok guys as we are on the subject of what or rather not hitler wore as a leader.

has anyone seen him wear a daggar with his brown outfit????

ive seen a picture of him in italy wearing a black shirt dagger,but im guessing only a one off as a gift.
ive even seen a few photos of him with a holster(polish campaign)

yet never the standard dagger to complete his brown shirt outfit....gorring,lutze and other big nsdap leader wore a dagger,so why not the BOSS.

be great to see what you come up with.
regards
matthew

[JR.]

As my Germany paratrooper friend has always maintained " the kook was a Private who thought he was a freeking General !"

[Jono]

whats the deal with synders website..ive seen a few threads mocking him.

He is a massive fake peddler, thats the deal

[ww2collector]

Hitler wearing a dagger...

Thanks
Eric

[byterock]

Funny the Myth of Hitler continues

Just shows you how powerful 'Myth' and 'Propaganda' is even 70 years on.

Hitler very early in his career he realized the the 'Myth' is much more important than a 'man'.

The english style mustache, the few medals, tea-tottler, vegetarianism, and a whole lot else were carefully cultivated by him and his minions to a point even today most people do not know what is fact or what is fiction.

Add to this propaganda from the other side one see how things get muddled.

Anyway my rant almost done for today.

Personally Hitler despised 'Golden Pheasants' (High party members with lots of gold braid and greatly be medaled and badged) but he knew that some-times a medals would automatically create a great deal of credibility and respect this last even to this day (ie this forum) and his party was Pan-German so silly little local awards were worthless to his on the Pan German Iron Cross had value to him. Or at least that is what he wanted people to think.

Even after his death the myth and anti myth continues, Many books say he bit down on a pursic acid vial and shot himself at the same time, something that is physically impossible to do. Pursic acid work almost instantly, no chance to ire a gun at the same time.

anyway one of the first 'Good Bios'

Robert Payne 'The life and death of AH' There are better ones out there but this is a good start

On his final demise (many crap books out there)
Anton Joachimsthaler 'The Last days Of Hitler' This is the gold standard right now

And an example of a semi-bad one
William Shirer 'The rise and Fall of the Third Reich' A journalist's book well written but uses a number of 'current reports' and has some inaccurate information

[Edgar Estrada]

Good for AH that he never wore an KC, but better for the IRON CROSS reputation that HE never did it.

Enought damage has been done to the IRON CROSS prestige. If he would had used the KC uffffff.... the IRON CROSS prestige would be buried deeper than it is now (with the help of Hollywood and thing like that).

Just MHO, sorry.

Edgar

[brownshirts]

hitler dagger

very nice photo of hitler and mussolini,clear shot of dagger in wear.great stuff eric.

although it is still a black shirt gift dagger,with his gift rank of corporal in the blk shirts arm patch.


still yet to see adolf with an SA dagger.


regards

matthew

[robertdmountfor]

very nice photo of hitler and mussolini,clear shot of dagger in wear.great stuff eric.

although it is still a black shirt gift dagger,with his gift rank of corporal in the blk shirts arm patch.


still yet to see adolf with an SA dagger.


regards

matthew

Was Il'Duces gift to him I think..honourary corporal.