Action:
Awarded for his outstanding command of the XXXV. Armee-Korps during the defensive battles on the eastern edge of the Orel salient following Operation Citadel. At the start of the battle Soviet tanks rolled over the 3 pontoon bridges, but 60 were quickly shot up by the Germans. On the 14.07.1943 another 120 were destroyed. The attack by the Soviets towards Archangelskoje on 18.07.1943 was also thrown back, as Rendulic had foreseen the move and preempted it by dispatching a Kampfgruppe under his Chief of Staff (Oberst Staedtke) to the area.
By the time the Soviets were forced to call off their breakthrough attempts in this area on 20.07.1943, the defending German forces claimed the destruction of 819 enemy tanks.
Details:
271st Award.