Karl Rettlinger

Karl Rettlinger
Hans Becker (left) and Karl Rettlinger at Kursk summer 1943
Born	8 February 1913 Gunzenhausen, Germany
Died	14 June 1990 (aged 77) Gunzenhausen, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1933–45
Rank	Sturmbannführer (Major)
Unit	1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross German Cross in Gold Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class Winter war Medal 1941/42 Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle bar Panzer Badge in Silver Wound Badge in Gold

Karl Rettlinger (8 February 1913 — 14 June 1990) was a Sturmbannführer (Major) in the Waffen-SS who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on the 20 December 1943, for personally destroying 30 Russian tanks on the Eastern Front, including 6 in one attack. He was also awarded the wound badge in Gold for being wounded 5 times in action.^[1]

Commands

• 3rd Battery, 1st SS Sturmgeschütz Battalion LSSAH
• 1st SS Sturmgeschütz Battalion LSSAH
• 1st SS Panzerjäger Battalion LSSAH

Awards

• German Cross in Gold on 28 March 1943 as SS-Hauptsturmführer in the 3./SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 December 1943 as SS-Hauptsturmführer and chief of the 3./SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 1 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"^{[3][Note 1]}

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as SS-Hauptsturmführer of the Reserves and chief of the 3./SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 1.^[4]

References

Citations

1. Panzers in Winter By Samuel W. Mitcham p.115
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 375.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 356.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 624.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.