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show the obverse and reverse of the Bundeswehr version of the Iron Cross 1st Class. Figures 41 and 42 show the obverse and reverse of the Bundeswehr Knight’s Cross with swords and oakleaves.

Figure 42: Reverse of the Bundeswehr version of the Knight’s Cross.

De-nazified awards permitted to be worn by Bundeswehr personnel include:

Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (all grades);Knight’s Cross of the War Merit Cross;German Cross;Roll of Honor Emblems for the Army, Navy and Air

Force;Iron Cross, 1st Class and 2nd Class; War Merit Cross, 1st and 2nd Class;Wound Badges (Gold, Silver, Black);Infantry Assault Badge;General Assault Badge; Tank Assault Badge;

Tank Destruction Badge;Close Combat Bar.

The one badge that is conspicuously absent from this list of Third Reich awards permitted to be worn by Bundeswehr personnel is the Anti-Partisan War Badge (Bandenkampfabzeichen). This is probably because the badge was initially created by Heinrich Himmler for Waffen-SS personnel battling guerillas behind the lines on the Eastern Front and in the mountains of the Balkans. Although Wehrmacht (mostly Army but some Air Force) personnel later qualified for the badge, its origins as an SS award and the nature of the fighting for which the badge was awarded probably made it too controversial for de-Nazification and wear in post-1957 German armed forces.

In any event, shortly after the de-Nazified awards were authorized for wear, however, the Bundeswehr abolished all full-sized breast badges, and converted them to ribbon bars with a miniature version of the badge superimposed. For example, the Tank Destruction Badge in gold became a gold-colored ribbon with a silver tank. The Tank Destruction Badge in Silver became a silver colored ribbon with a bronze tank on it.

Famous World War II officers serving in the Bundeswehr in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, like Luftwaffe Colonel Erich Hartmann, the greatest aerial ace of all time, were frequently seen with wearing the ribbons of these de-Nazified awards on their uniforms. An example of a post-1957 ribbon set worn by a Bundeswehr officer awarded many decorations and badges during World War II is at Figure 43. The ribbon set belonged to Hans Roeger, who served as a Panzergrenadier NCO (Oberfeldwebel) in World War II. His 13 ribbons are (top to bottom, left to right): (1) Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross; (2) Roll of Honor Emblem for the Army; (3) Iron Cross 1st Class; (4) Iron Cross 2d Class; (5) Close Combat Clasp (in bronze); (6) Wound Badge (in silver); (7) – (10) four awards of the Single Handed Destruction of a Tank Badge (in silver);

Figure 43: Ribbon set worn by Bundeswehr officer.

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(11) Infantry Assault Badge; (12) East [Front] Medal 1941/42; and (13) DLR Sport Badge.

In 1980, when the Bundeswehr celebrated its 25th anniversary, Minister of Defense Hans Apel announced that the German Armed Forces was to have its first post-World War II military decoration: the Badge of Honor of the German Armed Forces (Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr). The first Badges of Honor were awarded on November 6, 1980 and awards continue to be made on a regular basis to soldiers of the German armed forces, allied nations, and civilians for outstanding service to the German armed forces.

In 2008, a major evolution in the Badge of Honor occurred when the decoration was “expanded” to seven grades. This expansion occurred in response, at least in part, to petitions from German citizens and civic organizations that the Iron Cross be restored as a military award for Bundeswehr personnel. While the German Minister of Defense declined to resurrect the Iron Cross, he did recognize that the presence of German soldiers in Afghanistan required additional awards for both gallantry and service. The seven grades of the Badge of Honor (now the Cross/Medal of Honor) are:

Cross of Honor of the German Armed Forces for Bravery Cross of Honor of the German Armed Forces in Gold

for Outstanding DeedsCross of Honor of the German Armed Forces In GoldCross of Honor of the German Armed Forces in Silver

for Outstanding DeedsCross of Honor of the German Armed Forces in SilverCross of Honor of the German Armed Forces in BronzeMedal of Honor of the German Armed Forces

Unlike the awards system in place from 1939 to 1945, which required a German soldier to be awarded the lower grade of a decoration before he could receive a higher grade (i.e. the Iron Cross 2nd Class was a prerequisite for the Iron Cross 1st Class, and both were required before a soldier could receive the Knight’s Cross), there is no requirement for a Bundeswehr trooper to receive a lower grade of the Cross of Honor before being awarded a higher grade. Additionally, all grades of the Cross of Honor/Medal of Honor may be worn at the same time.

Cross of Honor of the German Armed Forces for Bravery (Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr für Tapferkeit). Equivalent to the United States Medal of Honor, this is the highest combat gallantry award and is reserved “for valor beyond the call of duty.” The Cross of Honor for Bravery is a gold-colored cross pattée, within which is outlined a second cross pattée. In the center of these two crosses

is yet a smaller cross pattée, which is surrounded by a wreath of oakleaves. The German eagle is superimposed on this smaller cross. The cross planchet is suspended from a black ribbon edged in gold and red; these colors represent the flag of the German Federal Republic. The design of the Cross of Honor for Bravery (the highest grade) and the Cross of Honor in Gold for Oustanding Deeds (the next higher grade) are the same, except that the former has a cluster of double-sided oak leaves attached to its ribbon and the cross pattée of the latter is edged in red enamel. Figure 44 depicts the obverse of the Cross of Honor for Bravery; note the emblem on the ribbon.

Figure 44: Obverse of the Cross of Honorof the German Armed Forces for Bravery.

The first four German soldiers to be awarded the bravery grade of the new decoration received their awards “for bravery in a life-threatening situation” in Afghanistan in October 2008. Chancellor Angela Merkel personally presented the awards to:

Sergeant 1st Class Jan Berges, Paratrooper Battalion 263Sergeant 1st Class Alexander Dietzen, Paratrooper

Battalion 263Sergeant 1st Class Henry Lukàcs, Paratrooper Battalion

263Sergeant 1st Class Markus Geist, Paratrooper Battalion

263

On 20 October 2008, a suicide bomber attacked a German unit patrolling near Kunduz, Afghanistan. The vehicle

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carrying the Germans caught fire and large quantities of ammunition exploded, killing one German soldier and five Afghan children. Three other soldiers and another child were badly injured. At the risk of their own lives, Sergeants Berges, Dietzen, Lukàcs, and Geist rushed to aid the victims of the attack and rescued two German soldiers and one child.

Less than a year later, three more soldiers were awarded the Cross of Honor for Bravery “for conspicuous gallantry in combat.” They were:

Master Sergeant Daniel Siebert, Mechanized Infantry Battalion 212

Master Sergeant Jan Hecht, Mechanized Infantry Battalion 391

Colonel Adolf Schrodinger, Light Infantry Battalion 291

On June 4, 2009, Siebert was the squad leader and Hecht was the platoon leader when they led their unit to rescue a small reconnaissance team surrounded by an overwhelming insurgent force near Basoz, Afghanistan. The Germans, still greatly outnumbered, managed to defeat their attackers in close combat that resulted in scores of insurgents killed but no German casualties.

In a separate incident, Colonel Schrodinger’s unit was attacked at 2 a.m. by more than 110 guerillas. Schrodinger was wounded in the right leg and right arm, but he and his men secured an Afghan compound and killed 77 insurgents. There were no German casualties.

Three days later, on June 7, 2009, another non-commissioned officer was awarded the Cross of Honor for Bravery “for conspicuous gallantry in combat.” Staff Sergeant Steffen Knoska, Air Assault Regiment 1, serving as a squad leader, led his soldiers in a firefight with insurgents near Kunduz, Afghanistan. When a German soldier was seriously wounded by enemy fire, Knoska charged into incoming fire and, despite being struck in the helmet by a bullet, brought the helpless soldier to safety.

The following year, on April 2, 2010, six soldiers were awarded the Cross of Honor for Bravery “for conspicuous gallantry in combat.” They were:

Master Sergeant Mario Kunert, Paratrooper Battalion 373

Master Sergeant Philipp Oliver Pordzik, Paratrooper Battalion 373

Master Sergeant Ralf Rönckendorf, Paratrooper Battalion 373

Corporal Maik Mutschke, Paratrooper Battalion 373Corporal Robert Hartert, Partrooper Battalion 372

(posthumous)

Private First Class Martin Augustyniak, Paratrooper Battalion 373 (posthumous)

After their parachute infantry platoon of 32 men was ambushed during a search for improvised explosive devices in Chardara, Afghanistan, the Germans fought off a force three times their size. After nine hours of combat, most members of the platoon had been wounded. The six soldiers awarded the Cross of Honor for Bravery were cited for their “great courage” and “self-sacrifice.” A photograph of Master Sergeant Pordzik’s uniform, showing his Cross of Honor for Bravery, is at Figure 45.

Figure 45: Cross of Honor for Bravery wornby Master Sergeant Pordzik.

Finally, on October 7, 2010, Lieutenant Colonel Jared Sembirtzki was awarded the Cross of Honor for Bravery “for conspicuous gallantry in combat” while leading his battalion during an insurgent assault on their combat outpost near Shahabuddin, Afghanistan. Although under intense enemy fire, Sembirtzki’s courage was critical to the successful defense of the outpost and this averted a possible threat to coalition efforts in the entire province.

Cross of Honor of the German Armed Forces in Gold for Outstanding Acts (Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Gold für besonders herausragende Taten). As discussed above, the design of the second highest grade of the Cross of Honor is the same as the highest grade, with two exceptions: first, the decoration is edged in red enamel; second, the cross lacks the double-sided oakleaves. Figure 46 shows the obverse of the decoration.

Two Germans have been awarded the Cross of Honor in Gold for Outstanding Acts. They are:

Master Sergeant Nils Bruns “for valor in combat” (posthumous)

Recruit Roman Wins “for great civil courage”