EK 1939 Iron Cross for Women in III Reich

[Alexandre]

Hello Gentlemen,

I read some time ago in a site of WW2 historys (I dont remember the name), Hitler decorated 29 women with the Iron Cross, of whom the most famous was Hanna Reitsch, Hitler's favorite female pilot, who received both the 1st Class and 2nd Class crosses for her services as a test pilot. Only one other woman received the 1st Class Iron Cross, the rest having the 2nd Class.

I like to know the names of these women and when and why received the decorations.

Anyone can help me ??

Thx in advance

Regards

[hunyadi]

From the Klietmann book Auszeichnungen Des Deutschen Reiches 1936-1945 he states

1) Flugkapitanin Hanna Reitsch EK1 (Nov 5, 1942) and EK2 (March 28, 1941)

2) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Elfriede Wnuk EK2 (Sept 19, 1942)

3) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Marga Droste EK2

4) Flugkapitanin Melitta Grafen Schenk von Stauffenberg EK2

5) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Magda Darchinger EK2

6) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Ilse Schulz EK2

7) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Grete Fock EK2

8) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Liselotte Hensel Mutterhaus EK2

9) Hauptfuhrerin des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Holzmann (fisrt name?) EK2

10) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Elfriede Gunia EK2 (March 9, 1944)

11) Germanische Freiwillige Norwegische OKS Schwester Anne Gunhild Moxnes EK2 (March 9, 1944)

12) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Hanny Weber EK2

13) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Ilse Daub EK2

14) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Else Grossmann EK2 (Jan 4, 1945)

15) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Greta Grafenkamp EK2 (Feb 17, 1945 Fortress Breslau)

16) Arztin Dr Elisabeth Potuz EK2 (Feb 3, 1945 Fortress Breslau)

17) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Ruth Raabe (Feb 3, 1945 Fortress Breslau)

18) Schwester Ursula Kogel EK2 (March 1, 1945 Fortress Breslau)

19) Schwesterhelferin Liselotte Schlotterbeck (March 8, 1945 Fortress Breslau)

20) Eva Halm EK2 (my German is not so good but it looks like she was recognised in Jan 26th 1956 for being awarded the EK2 in the Fortress Breslau)

21) SS Kreigsberichters M. Struve Ottilie Stephan EK2 (Feb 22, 1945 Berlin)

22) Volksdeutsche Leni Stalinek EK2 (March 15, 1945 Berlin)

23) Wehrmaschthelferinnen Alice Bendig EK2 (March 6, 1945 Berlin)

24) Wehrmaschthelferinnen Hidegard Bellgardt EK2 (March 6,1945 Berlin)

25) Schwester des Deutsches Roten Kreuzes Elfriede Muth EK2 (March 18, 1945 Berlin)

26) Schwesterhelferin Rohna von Ceuern EK2 (March 22, 1945 Berlin)

27) Schwesterhelferin Anna Wohlschutz EK2 (March 22, 1945 Berlin)

28) Frau Dr. Lemke EK2 (April 26, 1945)

29) Linie Dienst (from an article in 1952 atributes this woman with the EK2) ???

There may be a more better list - but that is what I have from the book.

[James Clark]

The following expands on the above list taken from Klietmann's book:

Numbers 1-13 - these are taken from press announcements as awards were made. Ilse Daub was the 27th woman to be awarded the EKII (in spring 1944).

Number 14 - the award to Else Grossmann was reported in a army newspaper in January 1945. It mentions the award as being the EK1 but this seems to be wrong.

Numbers 15-19 (Grafenkamp to Schlotterbeck) are recorded on an award list of the Festungskommandant of Breslau (the list is in the Bundesarchiv).

Number 20 - Halm herself said in a newspaper article dating from 1956 that she was awarded the EKII in Breslau.

Number 21 - Ottilie Stephan received the award according to a report by SS-Kriegsberichter M. Struve

Numbers 22-27 - These awards are referred to in press articles dating from March 1945

Number 28 - Frau Dr. Lemke didn't receive the award: according to a manuscript belonging to former RAD-F?hrer Pauli she was asked to bring some EKs from the Reichskanzlei on 26 April 1945. It is not known who received these awards, but they included 3 F?hrerinnen of the RADwJ.

Number 29 - the memoirs of Leon Degrelle refer to a Belgien nurse being awarded the EK for service in the front line ("Linie Dienst" isn't a name).

Edited October 4, 2007 by James Clark

[Alexandre]

Thx a lot Gentlemen, Very interesting list and infos.

Any chances of a picture of some these women ???

Regards

[nesredep]

Hi

Interesting and important list.

Regards

Nesredep

[Henry 24th]

Hello Alexandre.

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2096...mp;#entry200570

This link has a number of photo's to female EK2 winners.

Regards...Henry

[James Clark]

Hello Alexandre.

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2096...mp;#entry200570

This link has a number of photo's to female EK2 winners.

Regards...Henry

It also has information about how the awards were earned.

[joe campbell]

james-

your addenda and corrections to this list

are appreciated! nicely done.

joe

[hunyadi]

Yes James - thanks - my German is not so hot! Thanks for making the proper corrections!

[Naxos]

Not only the iron cross ....

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bun...r_mit_EK_II.jpg

[Naxos]

Als zweite deutsche Frau erhielt die Rote-Kreuz-Schwester Elfriede Wnuk aus Mingfen, Krs. Osterode/Ostpr.[eu?en] vom F?hrer das Eiserne Kreuz II.Klasse, das ihr in diesen Tagen von Generalstabsarzt Dr. Zillmer ?berreicht wurde. Die 26-j?hrige Schwester war in einem r?ckw?rtigen Abschnitt der mittleren Ostfront eingesetzt, bei einem sowjetischen Fliegerangriff durch Bombensplitter so schwer verletzt worden, da? ihr ein Bein amputiert werden mu?te. Schwester Elfriede, die unser Bild zeigt, ist ausserdem Tr?gerin des Silbernen Verwundetenabzeichens und der Ostmedaille. Scherl Bilderdienst ( Glahs) , 25.9.42 [Herausgabedatum] 5379-42

Translation:

"As the second German female Elfriede Wnuk, a 26 year old nurse from Mingfingen in East Prussia, was awarded the iron cross 2nd class. She was severely wounded during a bombing raid on the Eastern front and one of her legs had to be amputated. Besides the Iron Cross she was awarded the Wound Badge in silver and the 1941 Winter Campaign medal."

Wnuk served in Kriegslazarett 509

Edited April 17, 2009 by Naxos

[joe campbell]

can you imagine the suffering she saw....

great picture, Naxos, and thanks for the translation.

joe

[Bob Lyons]

Great photo and history !

Bob

[ksg]

I have shown these before some time, but I was not able to find where.

Original picture of Greta Grafenkamp, that came whit the EK and lapel ribbon.

The auction house I bought this from sold it as Greta Grafenkamp original award. But....I only got their word for it.

Newer the less it?s a nice example of a EK II (hallmarked 100) whit a ladies bow.

The award document is a copy.

Kjell

[ksg]

[ksg]

[ksg]

[Naxos]

Superb document!

thank you for posting

[joe campbell]

i've been waiting to see this EK/ribbon setup for YEARS!!!

is someone willing to declare this the accepted or usual configuration

for awarding to a female??

expectantly yours,

joe

[Naxos]

i've been waiting to see this EK/ribbon setup for YEARS!!!

is someone willing to declare this the accepted or usual configuration

for awarding to a female??

expectantly yours,

joe

I don't think that there is a "usual configuration" for females

Here is a picture of Hanna Reitsch

[ksg]

I don't think that there is a "usual configuration" for females

Here is a picture of Hanna Reitsch

The way of wearing the cross and ribbon here, is when it?s just have been awarded. The ribbon is just tuck into the ribbon hole. The same way as for men.

Here is another picture of (Hanna Reitch), showing the normal way of wearing it. Here also whit the 1. class cross and the pilot clasp for women.

The one I have posted is, as far as I know, for use parade uniform

Kjell.

[joe campbell]

thanks for the picture naxos!

i have one very similar to ksg's,

and have never seen anything as close to

"provenance" as it with an EK doc to a woman.....

joe

[Sindarina]

Finnish nurse Dina Poljakoff was also awared with 2th class cross, but refused to take medal. Nowadays she live in israel. She was working at militar hospital of Finland.

[marrauder]

Interesting info. I googled that she doesn´t live yet, she died 1977. http://www.amitys.com/webtrees/individual.php?pid=I8204&ged=Gedcom.ged