serviceyears branch commands death_place death_date birth_place allegiance awards battles birth_date rank article_title name
1914 -- 19 1935 -- 45 heer infanterie-regiment 234 grenadier-regiment 234 infanterie-regiment 1026 grenadier-regiment 1049 bad krozingen 6 july 1964 pforzheim german to 1919 -rrb- nazi germany empire -lrb- to 1918 -rrb- weimar republic -lrb- knight leaves 's cross of the iron cross with oak world war i world war ii 19 june 1895 oberst der reserve rudolf bacherer
 rudolf bacherer
rudolf bacherer

rudolf bacherer -lrb- 19 june 1895 -- 6 july 1964 -rrb- 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 .
the division however , which was already understrength when bacherer made his advance soon suffered heavy losses as the americans forged ahead .
bacherer was captured by american forces following the fall of saint-malo in 1944 and was held as a pow until 1947 .
