Rudolf Freiherr von Waldenfels

Rudolf Freiherr von Waldenfels
Rudolf Freiherr von Waldenfels (2nd from right)
Born	23 September 1895 Ingolstadt
Died	14 August 1969 (aged 73) Rottach-Egern
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	6. Panzer-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Siege of Warsaw (1939) Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Battle of Moscow Battles of Rzhev Second Battle of Kharkov Battle of Kursk Lower Dnieper Offensive Hube's Pocket Operation Konrad Operation Frühlingserwachen Vienna Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Rudolf Freiherr von Waldenfels^{[Note 1]} (4 December 1895 – 14 August 1969) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 6. Panzer-Division. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. 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.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (16 October 1915)^[1]
  • 1st Class (27 April 1924)^[1]
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (24 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (12 October 1939)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 11 October 1941 as Oberst and commander of Schützen-Regiment 4^{[2][Note 2]}
  • 476th Oak Leaves on 14 May 1944 as Generalmajor and commander of the 6. Panzer-Division^[3][4]

Footnotes

1. Regarding personal names: Freiherr is a former title (translated as Baron), which is now legally a part of the last name. The feminine forms are Freifrau and Freiin.
2. According to Scherzer as Oberstleutnant.^[3]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 409.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 353.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 766.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 70.

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 (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht