| Rudolf Geisler | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 29, 1911 |
| Died | 13 April 1944 (aged 33) |
| Place of birth | Hennersdorf near Reichenbach, Silesia |
| Place of death | Kovel, Ukraine |
| Allegiance |
 Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch | Heer |
| Years of service | 1930–1943 |
| Rank | Oberstleutnant (posthumous) |
| Commands held | Pionier-Bataillon 662 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
| Relations | Siegfried Geisler (brother) |
Rudolf Geisler (29 March 1911 – 13 April 1944) was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade the Oak Leaves was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Rudolf Geisler was severely wounded in defense of Kovel on 11 April 1944 In a counterattack. A grenade exploded in the immediate vicinity of Geisler and he was hit several times by the splintering. He succumbed to his injury, a splinter wound in the pelvis, at the field hospital at Kovel on 13 April 1944, the same day he was awarded the Oak Leaves.
Awards and decorations
- Iron Cross (1939)
- German Cross in Gold (3 June 1943)
- General Assault Badge (October 1940)
- Eastern Front Medal (22 August 1942)
- Wound Badge in Silver (April 1943)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
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]. Friedburg, 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.
- Scherzer, Veit (2010). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil XI: Pioniertruppe—Band 1: A–K (in German). Bissendorf, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2398-4.
- 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.
