Rudolf Altstadt

Rudolf Altstadt
Born	16 January 1914 Offenbach am Main
Died	27 May 1974 (aged 60) Bad Langenbrücken
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1935–38 1939–45
Rank	Major of the Reserves
Commands held	1./Grenadier-Regiment 380
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Rudolf Altstadt (16 January 1914 – 27 May 1974) was a highly decorated Major of the Reserves in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Rudolf Altstadt was captured by American troops in April 1945 and was released a month later.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (2 July 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (14 January 1942)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (5 March 1944)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge (13 March 1942)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal (8 August 1942)^[1]
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze (9 February 1944)^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 May 1944 as Hauptmann of the Reserves and commander of I./Grenadier-Regiment 380^[2]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1987, p. 51.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 99.

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.
• 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.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1987). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 1: A–Be [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 1: A–Be] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1153-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945