Holders of the Knight's Cross with the Golden Clasp for close combat
Elite Infantry Award for Bravery - Gold Clasp for close combat, was often valued among soldiers higher than the Knight's Cross, because it could not be obtained other than by spending the prescribed 50 days in the fight of man against man. The Knight's Cross nevertheless remains the most famous German order for bravery from the Second World War, but was sometimes awarded to commanders in the crowd as an award for the activities of the entire subordinate unit, which, however, does not otherwise reduce its value to the bearer. Both of these exceptional orders were simultaneously granted to only 98 exceptional soldiers.