Rudolf Sigmund

Rudolf Sigmund
Born	5 March 1915 Hardheim
Died	4 October 1943 (aged 28) Göttingen
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	?–1943
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	NJG 1 NJG 3
Commands held	III./ NJG 3
Battles/wars	World War II Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Rudolf Sigmund (5 March 1915 – 4 October 1943) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. In 150 missions Rudolf Sigmund claimed 28 aerial victories, 26 of them at night.^{[Note 1]} On 5 October 1943, Sigmund and his crew were killed when their Bf-110 was shot down in aerial combat southwest of Göttingen.

Awards

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (29 March 1943)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold (22 July 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 2 August 1943 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän in the 11./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1^{[1][Note 2]}

Notes

1. For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.
2. According to Scherzer as Staffelkapitän of the 10./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1.^[2]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 401.
2. Scherzer 2007, p. 706.

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.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• 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
• Luftwaffe 39-45
• Aces of the Luftwaffe