My vote goes for the German Knight's Cross with Golden Oakleaves, Swords, Diamonds. This medal was supposed to be awarded 12 times after the end of WW2 to the most deserving military men but an exception was made and just a single medal was awarded to Hans Ulrich Rudel of the Luftwaffe. This makes it the hardest medal to win from any nation when you look at what Rudel had to do to win it. He actually managed to sink a Soviet Battleship with a Stuka dive-bomber!

http://www.feldgrau.com/rkgosd.html

VC, naturally

Not to ruffle any feathers, but medals and other military awards are EARNED not won.

Originally Posted by AussieNick

VC, naturally

You are so right again, Nick!

The VC is the hardest to earn and I am totally unbiased! On many occassions you have to get killed to be a VC recipient.

Yeah, it's not a great proportion of VC recipients who were awarded it whilst still alive, and those that have won it and still are alive are held in the highest regard.

In America, it's the Congressional Medal of Honor. There aren't too many of those winners who are still alive and in one piece.

Both the VC and the CMoH are worthy distinctions to earn and you can be sure that they are well-earned. But there have been multiple winners whereas Germany's highest award has only been awarded once. There is the argument that it is just a 'super' Knight's Cross but Rudel earned his when you look at his achievements.

The "Grass Crown".

The first thing that came to my mind when I saw this was the Victoria Cross.

My only thought about decorations of the third reich is that some of the "upper" level medals (especially ones awarded towards the later stages of the war), such as the one mentioned, may have been given out as propaganda or morale medals. Just a thought thats all.