Rudolf Donth

Rudolf Donth
Born	16 February 1920 Schreiberhau
Died	19 June 2001 (aged 81) Hahnenklee
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–45 1956–77
Rank	Oberleutnant (Wehrmacht) Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Unit	Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Crete Eastern Front Allied Invasion of Sicily Operation Shingle Battle of Monte Cassino Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Rudolf Donth (16 February 1920 – 19 June 2001) was a highly decorated Oberleutnant in the Fallschirmjäger during World War II. He was also 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.

Awards and decorations

• Parachutist Badge (15 November 1940)^[1]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (12 June 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (22 June 1941)^[1]
• Cuffband "Crete" (20 May 1943)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939) in Black (1 February 1944)^[1]
• Ground Assault Badge of the Luftwaffe (20 March 1944)^[1]
• One Tank Destruction Badge (22 April 1944)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 14 June 1944 as Oberjäger in the 6./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 January 1945 as Feldwebel and leader of the 6./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4^[3]
• US Airborne Badge (15 December 1956)^[1]
• Fallschirmspringerabzeichen (15 December 1956)^[1]
• French Parachutist Badge (21 August 1963)^[1]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 44.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 89.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 138.

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.
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knights of the Wehrmacht Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military. ISBN 978-0-88740-749-9.
• 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1986). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part II: Paratroopers] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1461-8.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com