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. Johann-Heinrich Eckhardt was captured by American troops on 8 May 1945 and died in custody on 15 May 1945. Iron Cross (1914) Bibliography.
Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (20 October 1915) 1st Class (2 March 1917) Wound Badge (1914) in Black in Silver Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg (1 December 1917) Knight"s Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (22 May 1918) Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (18 December 1934) Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (17 October 1939) 1st Class (29 May 1940) Eastern Front Medal (15 August 1942) German Cross in Gold on 25 January 1942 as Oberst in Jäger-Regiment 38 Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight"s Cross on 20 May 1942 as Oberst and commander of Jäger-Regiment 38 644th Oak Leaves on 3 November 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 211. Infanterie-Division Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (3 September 1944).
