| abstract | - The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) and its variants were the highest award 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. In total 43 individuals in the military of allies of the Third Reich were awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Eight men were also honoured with the next higher grade the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) and one senior naval officer, Fleet Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, with the Swords to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern). Among the recipients were eighteen Romanian, nine Italian, eight Hungarian, two Slovakian, two Japanese, two Spanish, two Finnish, and one Belgian.
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