Quick Facts
Biography
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: 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. 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 acceptance by 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.
These recipients are listed in the 1986 edition of Walther-Peer Fellgiebel's book, 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 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. 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 104 Knight's Cross recipients whose last name starts in the range of "X" to "Z". Author and historian Veit Scherzer has challenged the validity of 2 of these listings. 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, Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573 of 1 September 1939 instituted the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz), the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (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 (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub), was instituted. The Oak Leaves, as they were commonly referred to, were based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849 of 3 June 1940. In 1941, two higher grades of the Knight's Cross were instituted. The enactment Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613 of 28 September 1941 introduced the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (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 (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten), based on the enactment Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11 of 29 December 1944, became the final variant of the Knight's Cross authorized.
Recipients
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (Supreme Command of the Armed Forces) kept separate Knight's Cross lists for the Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), Luftwaffe (Air Force) and Waffen-SS. Within each of these lists a unique sequential number was assigned to each recipient. The same numbering paradigm was applied to the higher grades of the Knight's Cross, one list per grade. Of the 104 awards made to servicemen whose last name starts in the range of "X" to "Z", only Wolf-Dietrich Ritter und Edler von Xylander's last name starts with "X". Of these 104 recipients, eleven were later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and one the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords; seven presentations were made posthumously. Heer members received seventy-four of the medals, three went to the Kriegsmarine, twenty-three to the Luftwaffe, and four to the Waffen-SS. The sequential numbers greater than 843 for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves are unofficial and were assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) and are therefore denoted in parentheses.
This along with the + (plus) indicates that a higher grade of Knight's Cross was awarded as well.
This along with the * (asterisk) indicates that the Knight's Cross was awarded posthumously.
This along with the ? (question mark) indicates that historian Veit Scherzer has expressed doubt regarding the veracity or formal correctness of the listing.
Last name starting with "X"
| Name | Service | Rank | Role and unit | Date of award | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf-Dietrich Ritter und Edler von Xylander | Heer | Generalleutnant | Chief of the Generalstab of HeeresGruppe Mitte | 20 February 1945* | Killed in airplane crash 15 February 1945 | — |
Last name starting with "Z"
| Name | Service | Rank | Role and unit | Date of award | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zachariae-Lingenthal, Edel-HeinrichEdel-Heinrich Zachariae-Lingenthal | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Commander of the II./Panzer-Regiment 15 | 000000001943-09-18-000018 September 1943 | — | — |
| Zaehr, ErichErich Zähr | Luftwaffe | 15-HMajor | Commander of Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 172 | 000000001942-12-23-000023 December 1942 | — | — |
| Zahn, AlfredAlfred Zahn | Heer | 14-HHauptmann of the Reserves | Leader of the III./Grenadier-Regiment 96 | 000000001943-03-17-000017 March 1943 | — | — |
| Zahn, Dr. rer. oec. EberhardDr. rer. oec. Eberhard Zahn+ | Heer | 12-HLeutnant of the Reserves | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 33 | 000000001941-06-30-000030 June 1941 | Awarded 204th Oak Leaves 6 March 1943 | — |
| Zahn, HilmarHilmar Zahn | Luftwaffe | 13-LOberleutnant | Chief of the 5./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 | 000000001944-06-09-00009 June 1944 | — | — |
| Zahn, LotharLothar Zahn | Heer | 15-HMajor | Commander of the III./Grenadier-Regiment 30 (motorized) | 000000001943-10-02-00002 October 1943 | — | — |
| Zahn, WilliWilli Zahn | Heer | 10-HOberfeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 14.(Panzer-Jäger)/Grenadier-Regiment 507 | 000000001943-07-18-000018 July 1943* | Killed in action 16 July 1943 | — |
| Zander, HelmutHelmut Zander | Heer | 16-HOberstleutnant | Commander of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 60 | 000000001945-04-05-00005 April 1945 | — | — |
| Zangen, Gustav-Adolf vonGustav-Adolf von Zangen+ | Heer | 17-HOberst | Commander of Infanterie-Regiment 88 and leader of the 17. Infantrie-Division | 000000001942-01-15-000015 January 1942 | Awarded 647th Oak Leaves 5 November 1944 |  |
| Zapf, AlbertAlbert Zapf | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant | Leader of the III./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 129 | 000000001944-02-23-000023 February 1944 | — | — |
| Zapp, Robert-RichardRobert-Richard Zapp | Kriegsmarine | 15-MKorvettenkapitän | Commander of U-66 | 000000001942-04-23-000023 April 1942 | — | — |
| Zastrow, MaxMax Zastrow | Heer | 03-HGefreiter | Machine gunner in the 2./Pionier-Bataillon 81 | 000000001944-03-06-00006 March 1944 | — | — |
| Zauner, FranzFranz Zauner | Luftwaffe | 15-LMajor | Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Kampfgeschwader 54 | 000000001944-02-05-00005 February 1944 | — | — |
| Zebhauser, PaulPaul Zebhauser | Luftwaffe | 10-LOberfeldwebel | Pilot in the 16./Transportgeschwader 1 | 000000001944-11-18-000018 November 1944 | — | — |
| Zecherle, KonradKonrad Zecherle | Heer | 12-HLeutnant of the Reserves | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 90 | 000000001943-05-10-000010 May 1943 | — | — |
| Zehender, AugustAugust Zehender+ | Waffen-SS | 16-WSS-Obersturmbannführer | Commander of the SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 1 "Florian Geyer" | 000000001943-03-10-000010 March 1943 | Awarded 722nd Oak Leaves 1 February 1945 |  |
| Zehnder, EugenEugen Zehnder | Heer | 06-HOberjäger | Group leader in the 1./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13 | 000000001943-03-07-00007 March 1943 | — | — |
| Zeidler, MarkusMarkus Zeidler | Luftwaffe | 15-HMajor | Commander of Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 600 | 000000001942-05-09-00009 May 1942 | — | — |
| Zeiher, RobertRobert Zeiher | Heer | 14-HHauptmann of the Reserves | Leader of the 1./SS-Grenadier-Regiment "Radolfzell" | 000000001945-01-16-000016 January 1945 | — | — |
| Zeitzler, KurtKurt Zeitzler | Heer | 17-HOberst im Generalstab (in the General Staff) | Chief of the general staff of the Panzer-Gruppe 1 | 000000001941-05-18-000018 May 1941 | — |  |
| Zejdlik, FranzFranz Zejdlik | Heer | 15-HMajor | Commander of Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 51 | 000000001942-10-04-00004 October 1942 | — | — |
| Zeller, ErnstErnst Zeller | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the 3./Artillerie-Regiment 114 | 000000001943-11-16-000016 November 1943 | — | — |
| Zeller, KonradKonrad Zeller+ | Heer | 14-HHauptmann of the Reserves | Commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 380 | 000000001944-01-05-00005 January 1944 | Awarded 495th Oak Leaves 9 June 1944 | — |
| Zeller, WillyWilly Zeller | Heer | 12-HLeutnant | Leader of the 9./Grenadier-Regiment 380 | 000000001944-02-07-00007 February 1944 | — | — |
| Zellner, JohannJohann Zellner | Luftwaffe | 09-LFeldwebel | Pilot in the 3./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 | 000000001944-07-20-000020 July 1944 | — | — |
| Zellner, KarlKarl Zellner | Luftwaffe | 09-LFeldwebel | Pilot in the 1./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 | 000000001944-02-29-000029 February 1944* | Killed in flying accident 13 September 1943 | — |
| Zellot, WalterWalter Zellot | Luftwaffe | 12-LLeutnant | Pilot in the I./Jagdgeschwader 53 | 000000001942-09-03-00003 September 1942 | — | — |
| Zempel, FriedrichFriedrich Zempel | Heer | 12-HLeutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the 3./Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon (A.A.) 112 | 000000001944-05-04-00004 May 1944 | — | — |
| Zemsky, JohannJohann Zemsky+ | Luftwaffe | 14-LHauptmann | Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 | 000000001942-02-04-00004 February 1942 | Awarded 117th Oak Leaves 3 September 1942 | — |
| Zenker, FranzFranz Zenker | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Commander of the Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 12 | 000000001944-09-10-000010 September 1944 | — | — |
| Zepf, GottfriedGottfried Zepf | Heer | 10-HOberfeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Panzer-Regiment 36 | 000000001944-11-26-000026 November 1944 | — | — |
| Zepner, AloisAlois Zepner | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Leader of the III./Jäger-Regiment 38 | 000000001944-09-10-000010 September 1944 | — | — |
| Zepper, ErichErich Zepper | Waffen-SS | 10-WSS-Hauptscharführer | Deputy leader of the 2./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 10 "Westland" | 000000001943-12-02-00002 December 1943 | — | — |
| Zernin, ErichErich Zernin | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant | Leader of the 5./Panzer-Regiment 11 | 000000001943-09-13-000013 September 1943* | Killed in action 13 August 1943 | — |
| Zerth, JakobJakob Zerth | Heer | 03-HGefreiter | Deputy group leader in the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 467 | 000000001944-04-21-000021 April 1944 | — | — |
| Zettler, RudolfRudolf Zettler | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Commander of the Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 667 | 000000001943-10-18-000018 October 1943 | — | — |
| Zickwolff, FriedrichFriedrich Zickwolff | Heer | 19-HGeneralleutnant | Commander of the 113. Infanterie-Division | 000000001942-06-02-00002 June 1942 | — | — |
| Zieger, GünterGünter Zieger | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant | Chief of the 2./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 600 | 000000001944-02-08-00008 February 1944 | — | — |
| Ziegler, ArthurArthur Ziegler | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant | Regiment adjutant in Grenadier-Regiment 974 | 000000001944-08-23-000023 August 1944 | — | — |
| Ziegler, Gerhard-GeorgGerhard-Georg Ziegler | Heer | 16-HOberstleutnant of the Reserves | Leader of Grenadier-Regiment 353 | 000000001944-02-12-000012 February 1944 | — | — |
| Ziegler, HeinzHeinz Ziegler | Heer | 19-HGeneralleutnant | Leader of a Kampfgruppe in the Stab of Heeresgruppe Afrika | 000000001943-04-16-000016 April 1943 | — | — |
| Ziegler, JoachimJoachim Ziegler+ | Waffen-SS | 18-WSS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS | Commander of the 11. SS-Freiwilligen Panzergrenadier Division "Nordland" | 000000001944-09-05-00005 September 1944 | Awarded (848th) Oak Leaves 28 April 1945 | — |
| Ziegler, KarlKarl Ziegler | Heer | 15-HMajor | Commander of the III./Jäger-Regiment 207 | 000000001943-04-08-00008 April 1943 | — | — |
| Ziegler, WernerWerner Ziegler+ | Heer | 12-HLeutnant | Leader of the 2./Infanterie-Regiment 186 | 000000001941-12-31-000031 December 1941 | Awarded 121st Oak Leaves 8 September 1942 102nd Swords 23 October 1944 | — |
| Ziehr, LeonhardLeonhard Ziehr | Luftwaffe | 10-LOberfeldwebel | Pilot in the 13./Transportgeschwader 1 | 000000001944-12-16-000016 December 1944 | — | — |
| Ziemann, AlfredAlfred Ziemann | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant | Chief of the 1./schwere Panzer-Jagd-Abteilung 93 | 000000001944-01-09-00009 January 1944 | — | — |
| Ziemer, ErnstErnst Ziemer+ | Heer | 10-HOberfeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) of 15./Infanterie-Regiment 94 | 000000001941-12-14-000014 December 1941 | Awarded 317th Oak Leaves 2 November 1943 | — |
| Zierach, OttoOtto Zierach | Luftwaffe | 13-LOberleutnant | Glider pilot in the Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung "Koch" | 000000001940-05-15-000015 May 1940 | At the same time promoted to Hauptmann | — |
| Zierhofer, KarlKarl Zierhofer | Heer | 03-HGefreiter | Machine gunner in the 1./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 126 | 000000001944-10-04-00004 October 1944 | — | — |
| Zilger, ErwinErwin Zilger | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Chief of the 1./Panzer-Jagd-Abteilung 186 | 000000001943-08-04-00004 August 1943 | — | — |
| Zillich, KarlKarl Zillich | Luftwaffe | 13-LOberleutnant | Observer in the Stab of II./Kampfgeschwader 27 "Boelcke" | 000000001944-07-20-000020 July 1944* | Died from wounds on 14 April 1944 | — |
| Zillies, Karl-HeinzKarl-Heinz Zillies | Heer | 12-HLeutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the 10./Grenadier-Regiment 8 (motorized) | 000000001944-12-11-000011 December 1944 | — | — |
| Zillmann, ErichErich Zillmann | Heer | 11-HStabswachtmeister | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 245 | 000000001944-08-08-00008 August 1944 | — | — |
| Zimmer, KarlKarl Zimmer | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant | Deputy leader of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 105 | 000000001945-02-18-000018 February 1945 | — | — |
| Zimmer, RichardRichard Zimmer | Heer | 19-HGeneralleutnant | Commander 17. Infanterie-Division | 000000001944-10-16-000016 October 1944 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, ErnstErnst Zimmermann | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 105 | 000000001943-05-21-000021 May 1943 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, FritzFritz Zimmermann | Luftwaffe | 14-LHauptmann | Commander of the I.(gem.)/Flaksturm-Regiment 241 (motorized) | 000000001944-08-08-00008 August 1944* | Died from wounds on 7 June 1944 | — |
| Zimmermann, HansHans Zimmermann | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Chief of the 8./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26 | 000000001943-01-22-000022 January 1943 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, HerbertHerbert Zimmermann | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Leader of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 225 | 000000001945-01-12-000012 January 1945* | Killed in action 29 October 1944 | — |
| Zimmermann, HerbertHerbert Zimmermann | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Chief of the 1./Panzer-Regiment 36 | 000000001945-04-05-00005 April 1945 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, HermannHermann Zimmermann | Heer | 15-HMajor | Commander of the II./Schützen-Regiment 3 | 000000001940-09-04-00004 September 1940 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, JacobJacob Zimmermann | Heer | 15-HMajor | Leader of the Grenadier-Regiment 509 | 000000001945-02-01-00001 February 1945 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, JakobJakob Zimmermann | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Commander of the I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 10 | 000000001943-07-31-000031 July 1943 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, ManfredManfred Zimmermann | Heer | 14-HHauptmann of the Reserves | Leader of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 199 "List" | 000000001944-05-14-000014 May 1944 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, OskarOskar Zimmermann | Luftwaffe | 12-LLeutnant | Pilot in the 9./Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" | 000000001944-10-29-000029 October 1944 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, OttoOtto Zimmermann | Heer | 09-HFeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 4.(MG)/Grenadier-Regiment 504 | 000000001944-03-26-000026 March 1944 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, RobertRobert Zimmermann | Luftwaffe | 14-LHauptmann | Commander of the I./Flak-Regiment 29 (motorized) | 000000001945-04-01-00001 April 1945 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, WalterWalter Zimmermann | Heer | 10-HOberwachtmeister | Vorgeschobener Beobachter (forward observer) in the 12./Artillerie-Regiment 205 | 000000001945-02-10-000010 February 1945 | — | — |
| Zimmermann, WillyWilly Zimmermann | Heer | 09-HFeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 6./Grenadier-Regiment 80 | 000000001944-10-23-000023 October 1944 | — | — |
| Zingel, AugustAugust Zingel | Waffen-SS | 06-WSS-Unterscharführer | Shock troops leader in the Kampfgruppe "Krauth" n the 15./Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1 | 000000001942-10-04-00004 October 1942 | — | — |
| Zinsser, LudwigLudwig Zinsser | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the 8./Artillerie-Regiment 148 | 000000001944-11-16-000016 November 1944 | — | — |
| Zintl, [Dr.] Franz[Dr.] Franz Zintl | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant | Leader of the I./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 206 | 000000001942-07-06-00006 July 1942 | — | — |
| Zipfel, KunoKuno Zipfel | Heer | 09-HFeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Jäger-Regiment 56 | 000000001944-09-10-000010 September 1944 | — | — |
| Zipfel, WillibaldWillibald Zipfel | Luftwaffe | 09-LFeldwebel | Radio operator in the 3./Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann" | 000000001944-12-06-00006 December 1944 | — | — |
| Ziran, CarlCarl Ziran | Heer | 06-HUnteroffizier | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 461 | 000000001944-11-29-000029 November 1944 | — | — |
| Zischka, WilhelmWilhelm Zischka | Heer | 09-HWachtmeister | Vorgeschobener Beobachter (forward observer) in the 6./Artillerie-Regiment 41 (motorized) | 000000001944-10-23-000023 October 1944 | — | — |
| Zitzen, KurtKurt Zitzen | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant of the Reserves | Chief of the 2./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 177 | 000000001943-08-04-00004 August 1943 | — | — |
| Zmugg, AloisAlois Zmugg | Heer | 06-HUnteroffizier | In the 3./Schützen-Regiment 114 | 000000001941-10-18-000018 October 1941 | — | — |
| Zobel, HorstHorst Zobel | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Commander of the Panzer-Abteilung in the Panzer-Division "Müncheberg" | 000000001945-04-14-000014 April 1945 | — | — |
| Zoellner, HeinzHeinz Zöllner | Luftwaffe | 14-LHauptmann | Staffelkapitän of the 6./Kampfgeschwader 53 "Legion Condor" | 000000001944-04-05-00005 April 1944 | — | — |
| Zoll, ErhardErhard Zoll | Heer | 14-HHauptmann of the Reserves | Chief of the 14.(Panzerjäger)/Grenadier-Regiment 437 | 000000001945-01-18-000018 January 1945 | — | — |
| Zonewitz, GerhardGerhard Zonewitz | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant | Chief of the 2./Infanterie-Regiment 151 | 000000001941-12-04-00004 December 1941 | — | — |
| Zoppoth, GerhardGerhard Zoppoth? | Heer | 12-HLeutnant | Leader of the 6./Grenadier-Regiment 732 | 000000001945-05-09-00009 May 1945 | — | — |
| Zorn, EduardEduard Zorn+ | Heer | 17-HOberst im Generalstab (in the General Staff) | Leader of the 189. Infanterie-Division | 000000001944-12-25-000025 December 1944 | Awarded 739th Oak Leaves 16 February 1945 | — |
| Zorn, GerhardGerhard Zorn | Heer | 15-HMajor | Commander of Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 159 | 000000001945-03-28-000028 March 1945 | — | — |
| Zorn, HansHans Zorn+ | Heer | 18-HGeneralmajor | Commander of the 20. Infanterie-Division (motorized) | 000000001941-07-27-000027 July 1941 | Awarded 291st Oak Leaves 3 September 1943 | — |
| Zorner, PaulPaul Zorner+ | Luftwaffe | 14-LHauptmann | Staffelkapitän of the 8./Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 | 000000001944-06-09-00009 June 1944 | Awarded 588th Oak Leaves 17 September 1944 | — |
| Zubrod, HeinrichHeinrich Zubrod | Heer | 12-HLeutnant of the Reserves | Company leader in the Grenadier-Regiment 1213 | 000000001945-01-18-000018 January 1945 | — | — |
| Zuehlsdorff, HermannHermann Zühlsdorff | Heer | 10-HOberfeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Infanterie-Regiment 94 | 000000001942-01-09-00009 January 1942 | — | — |
| Zuern, ErichErich Zürn | Kriegsmarine | 13-MOberleutnant (Ing.) | Chief engineer on U-48 | 000000001941-04-23-000023 April 1941 | — | — |
| Zuern, RudolfRudolf Zürn | Heer | 15-HMajor | Commander of the II./Infanterie-Regiment 65 | 000000001940-06-16-000016 June 1940 | — | — |
| Zuerner, HermannHermann Zürner | Heer | 13-HOberleutnant of the Reserves | Leader of the II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 10 | 000000001944-12-28-000028 December 1944 | — | — |
| Zugehör, GünterGünter Zugehör | Heer | 14-HHauptmann | Commander of the II./Artillerie-Regiment 19 (motorized) | 000000001941-09-12-000012 September 1941 | — | — |
| Zumfelde, HugoHugo Zumfelde | Heer | 14-HHauptmann of the Reserves | Commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 546 | 000000001944-12-09-00009 December 1944 | — | — |
| Zurin, AlfredAlfred Zurin? | Heer | 12-HLeutnant | Leader of the 3./Grenadier-Regiment 189 | 000000001945-05-09-00009 May 1945 | — | — |
| Zurmöhle, WalterWalter Zurmöhle | Luftwaffe | 13-HOberleutnant of the Reserves | Chief of the 1./Pionier-Bataillon 6 (L) | 000000001944-04-05-00005 April 1944 | — | — |
| Zweigart, Eugen-LudwigEugen-Ludwig Zweigart | Luftwaffe | 10-LOberfeldwebel | Pilot in the 5./Jagdgeschwader 54 | 000000001943-01-22-000022 January 1943 | — | — |
| Zwer, FranzFranz Zwer | Heer | 10-HOberfeldwebel | Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 6./Grenadier-Regiment 530 | 000000001944-04-06-00006 April 1944 | — | — |
| Zwernemann, JosefJosef Zwernemann+ | Luftwaffe | 10-LOberfeldwebel | Pilot in 7./Jagdgeschwader 52 | 000000001942-06-23-000023 June 1942 | Awarded 141st Oak Leaves 31 October 1942 | — |
| Zwesken, RudiRudi Zwesken | Luftwaffe | 10-LOberfeldwebel | Pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 300 | 000000001945-03-21-000021 March 1945 | — | — |
| Zwickenpflug, HansHans Zwickenpflug | Heer | 15-HMajor | Commander of the II./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 100 | 000000001945-04-05-00005 April 1945 | — | — |
| Zwipf, HeinrichHeinrich Zwipf | Luftwaffe | 14-LHauptmann | Staffelkapitän of the 3./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 | 000000001943-12-31-000031 December 1943 | — | — |
| Zymalkowski, FelixFelix Zymalkowski | Kriegsmarine | 15-MKorvettenkapitän | Chief of the 8. Schnellbootflottille | 000000001945-04-10-000010 April 1945 | — | — |
