caption serviceyears branch commands death_place death_date birth_place allegiance awards battles birth_date rank image article_title name
rudolf meister 1914 -- 28 1931 -- 45 '' '' reichswehr '' -lrb- 1918 -- 28 -rrb- '' heer deutsches '' -lrb- 1931 -- 33 -rrb- '' luftwaffe '' -lrb- heer 1933 -- 45 -rrb- '' -lrb- 1914 -- 18 -rrb- iv . fliegerkorps hanover , lower saxony , west germany 11 september 1958 cologne german empire , rhine province , kingdom of prussia , german to 1933 -rrb- nazi germany empire -lrb- to 1918 -rrb- weimar republic -lrb- knight 's cross of the iron cross world war i world war ii 1 august 1897 general der flieger bundesarchiv bild 146-1975-050-28a , rudolf meister.jpg rudolf meister
 rudolf meister
rudolf meister

rudolf meister -lrb- 1 august 1897 -- 11 september 1958 -rrb- was a highly decorated general der flieger in the luftwaffe during world war ii who commanded the iv .
fliegerkorps .
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 .
rudolf meister was captured by american troops in may 1945 and was held until 1948 .
