caption serviceyears branch commands death_date death_place birth_place allegiance unit awards battles birth_date alt rank image article_title name
robert-georg to his knight 's cross are a photomontage freiherr von malapert note that the oak leaves 1934 -- 42 18px ii . / stg 1 yes 21 may 1942 7 august 1912 near moscow east of kursk , soviet union darmstadt , germany nazi germany stg 1 knight leaves -lrb- posthumously -rrb- 's cross of the iron cross with oak world war ii 7 august 1912 luftwaffe hauptmann freiherr von malapert.jpg robert-georg freiherr von malapert
 robert-georg freiherr von malapert-neufville
robert-georg freiherr von malapert

robert-georg freiherr von malapert called neufville -lrb- 7 august 1912 -- 21 may 1942 -rrb- was a german luftwaffe stuka pilot and recipient of the knight 's cross of the iron cross with oak leaves during world war ii .
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 .
he was the first german soldier to be awarded the german cross in gold , on 15 october 1941 .
