| Rudolf Bacherer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 June 1895 |
| Died | 6 July 1964 (aged 69) |
| Place of birth | Pforzheim |
| Place of death | Bad Krozingen |
| Allegiance |
 German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1919) Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch | Heer |
| Years of service |
1914–1919 1935–1945 |
| Rank | Oberst der Reserve |
| Commands held |
Infanterie-Regiment 234 Grenadier-Regiment 234 Infanterie-Regiment 1026 Grenadier-Regiment 1049 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Rudolf Bacherer (19 June 1895 – 6 July 1964) was a highly decorated Oberst der Reserve in the Wehrmacht during World War II who held several regimental commands. 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.
In June 1944 Bacherer was commanding the 1049th Infantry Regiment on the Western Front when Major General Rudolf Stegmann, commander of the 77th Infantry Division was killed in American air raid. Bacherer was immediately promoted to command the Division and enjoyed some early successes, capturing 250 American prisoners on 17 June and the following day broke through US lines to link up with the remnants of the LXXXIV Corps near La Haye-du-Puits.[1] The Division however, which was already understrength when Bacherer made his advance soon suffered heavy losses as the Americans forged ahead.[2] Bacherer was captured by American forces following the fall of Saint-Malo in 1944 and was held as a POW until 1947.
Awards and decorations
- Iron Cross (1914)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
- Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
- Wound Badge
- in Black
- Eastern Front Medal
- German Cross in Gold (29 January 1942)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 30 October 1943 as Oberst der Reserve and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 234[4]
- 550th Oak Leaves on 11 August 1944 as Oberst der Reserve and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 1049 [5]
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (10 July 1944)
References
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [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]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). 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]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Thomas, Franz (1997) (in German). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K]. Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
External links
| This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors). |
