The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Horst Niederländer was killed on 24 April 1944 in Sevastopol, Ukraine. He was posthumously promoted to Oberst and awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight"s Cross.
Iron Cross (1939) Bibliography.
Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (3 October 1939) 1st Class (20 June 1942) Infantry Assault Badge German Cross in Gold on 21 April 1943 as Major in the I./Grenadier-Regiment 686 Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight"s Cross on 10 February 1943 as Hauptmann and commander of I./Grenadier-Regiment 686 491st Oak Leaves on 9 June 1944 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Füsilier-Battalion 336.
