A note regarding the statistics on Knight Cross winners

[Garder]

In the detailed distribution statictics it says that no foreigner below the rank of Major recived the Knights Cross. But Untersturmführer Soeren Kam recived it in 1945. And he was a dane, serving in Denmark at the time.

[Tom Houlihan]

It could be my interpretation of the statistics, but was he serving in a German unit at the time? If so, my understanding was that he didn't count as a 'foreigner' per se. I thought the "foreigner" category was people serving in other nations' military forces.

[M.Wittmann]

In the detailed distribution statictics it says that no foreigner below the rank of Major recived the Knights Cross. But Untersturmführer Soeren Kam recived it in 1945. And he was a dane, serving in Denmark at the time.

At the 20th February 1943, Sturmman Gerardus Mooyman recieved as first foreigner the RK. Although servicing in the Waffen-SS he still was Dutch.

[Chris]

Hi Garder

I suspect that the Foreigners refered to in the list, are Axis recipitants of the Knights Cross. That would be Italians u.s.w. The foreign volunteers in the Waffen-SS, must be included in the Waffen-SS list, on the same page. (I have not checked the total number though!) All of danish volunteers, who recieved the Knoghts Cross, was below the rank of Captain (SS-Hauptsturmführer).

I was wondering, Garder, about your statement on Søren Kam. He was not serving in Denmark at the time, when he was awarded the KC. It is correct, that he had previously been the leader of (the) Schalburgskolen, but he returned to the front, by fall 1943.
He was awarded his KC, while serving with Regiment Germania (5.SS-P.-div. Wiking), early 1945. According to testemonies surrounding the award, (Bundesarchiv) He commanded (briefly?) the I./Batt., North of Warsaw (by the Rivers Bug and Narew), and succeded in holding of substancial Russian forces, and thereby securing the Germania regiment from encirclement, from the left flank.

Sources: Høgh-Sørensen "Dansk dødspatrulje" and Haaest, "Udyr eller hvad".

All the best
Chris

[Anton]

Soeren Kam distinguished himself at Warsaw and was thereafter transfered as Ubersturmbahnfurer for SS Flak abteilung 12, (SS Hitler Jugend). The unit was stationed in Bordeaux, in order to defend the hard batterned navy station. He led the unit in the retreat from france. And took a stand in Koblentz in february 1945.

Soeren still lives in Bayern. He got help from his comrades to change his identity and start a new life as CEO at a brewery. In 1995 he attended a SS-meeting in Austria, where he proud wore his Knight Cross. He was identified from photage and asked to be sent to Denmark for the murder of a danish publicist in 1944 (when on leave). Germany refuses, but a new anti-terrorist laws might change that this year.

My father, who is also still alive, served under him as a soldier in the 12 SS Flak abteilung. He admired and still admire Kam. Who he considered to be the best officer of the SS. My father was wounded at Koblentz and do not know what happened to his unit afterwards.