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20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) (German:''20.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (estnische Nr.1)''), (Estonian:''20. Eesti relvagrenaderide SS-diviis'') was formed in Spring 1944 〔( 20. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (estnische Nr. 1) ) at axishistory〕 after general conscription-mobilization was announced in Estonia on 31 January 1944 by the German occupying authorities. 38 000 men were conscripted and other Estonian units that had fought on various fronts on the German side were rushed to Estonia.〔(mobilisation in Estonia ) estonica.org〕 Estonian officers and men in other units that fell under the conscription proclamation and had returned to Estonia had their rank prefix changed from "SS" to "Waffen" (Hauptscharführer would be referred to as a Waffen-Hauptscharführer rather than SS-Hauptscharführer). The wearing of SS runes on the collar was forbidden, and these formations began wearing a national insignia instead.〔( Waffen-SS ) at jewishvirtuallibrary.org〕〔Encyclopædia Britannica〕 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'' 〔@ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 1573; 1 September 1939 )〕 of September 1, 1939 instituted the Iron Cross and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. As the war progressed some of the recipients distinguished themselves further and a higher grade, the Oak Leaves to Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was instituted. The Oak Leaves, as they were commonly referred to, were based on the enactment ''Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 849'' 〔@ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 849; 3 June 1940 )〕 of June 3, 1940. In 1941 two higher grades of the Knight's Cross were instituted. The enactment ''Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 613'' 〔@ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Reichsgesetzblatt Teil I S. 613; 28 September 1941 )〕 of September 28, 1941 introduced the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. At the end of 1944 the last and final grade, the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds, based on the enactment ''Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11'' 〔@ALEX Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Reichsgesetzblatt 1945 I S. 11; 29 December 1944 )〕 of December 29, 1944 concluded the variants of the Knight's Cross. ==Prerequisites== To qualify for the Knight's Cross, a soldier had to already hold the 1939 Iron Cross First Class, though the Iron Cross I Class was awarded concurrently with the Knight's Cross in rare cases. Unit commanders could also be awarded the medal for exemplary conduct by the unit as a whole. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「List of Knight's Cross recipients 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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