Gerd Ruge (soldier)

Gerd Ruge
Born	17 August 1913 Breege
Died	18 January 1997 (aged 83) Wetzlar
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1936–45 1956–71
Rank	Oberst
Commands held	Panzergrenadier-Regiment 128
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Second Battle of Kharkov Battle of the Caucasus Lower Dnieper Offensive Dnieper-Carpathian Offensive First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive Battle of Debrecen Operation Frühlingserwachen Vienna Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Gerd Ruge (17 August 1913 – 18 January 1997) was a highly decorated Oberst in the Wehrmacht during World War II. 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. Gerd Ruge was captured by British troops in April 1945 and was released later that year. In 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and retired in 1971 as an Oberst.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (19 July 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (8 August 1941)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze
  • in Silver
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 7 September 1943 as Oberleutnant and commander of I./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 128^[2]
  • 648th Oak Leaves on 16 November 1944 as Major and commander of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 128^[3]
• Mention in the Wehrmachtbericht (22 October 1944)

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 231.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 299.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 77.

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 Militaer-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