Rudolf Hallensleben

Rudolf Hallensleben
Born	2 June 1916 Uelzen, Germany
Died	19 April 1945 (aged 28) near Leipheim
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1934–45
Rank	Oberstleutnant
Commands held	LG 1 KG 2 KG 51 KG 76
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Britain
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Rudolf Hallensleben (2 June 1916 – 19 April 1945) was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and 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.

Hallensleben was traveling on the Autobahn to his command post on 19 April 1945. Hallensleben and three other passengers were killed when their car was attacked by strafing US fighters just as they were crossing a bridge over the Danube near Leipheim.^[1]

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 15 October 1941 as Hauptmann in the 2./Kampfgeschwader 76^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 November 1943 as Major and Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 76^[3][4]

References

Citations

1. Kaiser 2010, p. 186.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 161.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 211.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 362.

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.
• Kaiser, Jochen (2010). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger—Band 1 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Bomber Fliers—Volume 1] (in German and English). Bad Zwischenahn, Germany: Luftfahrtverlag-Start. ISBN 978-3-941437-07-4.
• 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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com