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The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ((ドイツ語:Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes)) and its variants were the highest awards in the military of the Third Reich during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded for a wide range of reasons and across all ranks, from a senior commander for skilled leadership of his troops in battle to a low-ranking soldier for a single act of extreme gallantry.〔Williamson and Bujeiro 2004, pp. 3–4.〕 A total of 7,321 awards were made between its first presentation on 30 September 1939 and its last bestowal on 17 June 1945. This number is based on the analysis and acceptance of the order commission of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR). Presentations were made to members of the three military branches of the Wehrmacht—the Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy) and Luftwaffe (Air Force)—as well as the Waffen-SS, the Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD—Reich Labour Service) and the Volkssturm (German national militia). There were also 43 recipients in the military forces of allies of the Third Reich.〔Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 113–460, 483, 485–487, 492, 494, 498–499, 501, 503, 509.〕 These recipients are listed in the 1986 edition of Walther-Peer Fellgiebel's book, ドイツ語:''Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile'' — ''The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches''. Fellgiebel was the former chairman and head of the order commission of the AKCR. In 1996 a second edition of this book was published with an addendum delisting 11 of these original recipients. Author and historian Veit Scherzer has cast doubt on a further 193 of these listings. The majority of the disputed recipients had received the award in 1945, when the deteriorating situation of the Third Reich during the final days of World War II left a number of nominations incomplete and pending in various stages of the approval process.〔Scherzer 2007, pp. 117–186.〕 Scherzer wrote his book in cooperation with the German Federal Archives. The book was chosen by Prof. Dr. Franz W. Seidler for the library of the Bundeswehr University Munich and Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) and is considered an accepted reference there.〔Scherzer 2007, cover.〕 For many years Fellgiebel's book was considered the main reference work on this topic, and it has now been succeeded by Scherzer's work. Listed here are the 92 Knight's Cross recipients whose last name starts with "V".〔Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 429–433.〕 Author and historian Veit Scherzer has challenged the validity of five of these listings.〔Scherzer 2007, pp. 181–182.〕 The recipients are ordered alphabetically by last name. The rank listed is the recipient's rank at the time the Knight's Cross was awarded. ==Background== The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grades were based on four separate enactments. The first enactment, ドイツ語:''Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573'' of 1 September 1939 instituted the Iron Cross (ドイツ語:''Eisernes Kreuz''), the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (ドイツ語:''Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes''). Article 2 of the enactment mandated that the award of a higher class be preceded by the award of all preceding classes.〔 〕 As the war progressed, some of the recipients of the Knight's Cross distinguished themselves further and a higher grade, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (ドイツ語:''Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub''), was instituted. The Oak Leaves, as they were commonly referred to, were based on the enactment ドイツ語:''Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849'' of 3 June 1940. In 1941, two higher grades of the Knight's Cross were instituted. The enactment ドイツ語:''Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613'' of 28 September 1941 introduced the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (ドイツ語:''Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern'') and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (ドイツ語:''Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten''). At the end of 1944 the final grade, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (ドイツ語:''Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten''), based on the enactment ドイツ語:''Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11'' of 29 December 1944, became the final variant of the Knight's Cross authorized. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients (V)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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