Date of birth:

October 10th, 1910 (Deutsch-Altenburg/Lower Austria, Austria)

Date of death:

November 6th, 1990 (Linz/Upper Austria, Austria)

Nationality:

Austrian (1938-1945, Reichsgau)

Rudolf Berger was an Austrian fencer. He competed in the team foil event at the 1928 Summer Olympics.
Rudolf Berger joined the Wehrmacht in 1939 and was already deployed in Pionier Battalion 262 in the 1940 western campaign.
In the Russian campaign he fought at Leningrad , at the Volkhov and at Lake Lagdoga as a successful shock troop leader.
For his success he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on April 14, 1943 as a sergeant and platoon leader in a pioneer company.
From 1943 he was deployed in Norwegian and French garrisons, he saw the end of the war on the Rhine front and finally in Wroclaw.
After the war he lived in Linz for many years.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Feldwebel

Unit:

1. / Pionier-Bataillon 296

Awarded on:

December 13th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Feldwebel (Staff Sergeant)

Unit:

Zugführer 1. / Pionier-Bataillon 296

Awarded on:

April 14th, 1943

The following press excerpt describes why Berger was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“… During the combat against the Soviets in 1943 he was a Zugführer in a Pionier-Bataillon. During the defensive combat northwest of Orel he mastered a critical situation through his personal bravery and determination. The Soviets had put their great superiority to full effect, penetrating into the German positions and capturing a commanding hill. In response he launched a counterattack with 2 Sturmgeschützen and 33 Pionieren. He and his men ejected the Soviets from the positions after bitter close combat and once again brought the old frontline back under German control. He received the Knight’s Cross for this bold and fearless deed.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1941

in silver

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Feldwebel

Unit:

1. / Pionier-Bataillon 296

Awarded on:

August 18th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

August 20th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1943

• Photo: Kennisgeving voor omleiding
  
• - SCHERZER, VEIT, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Bissendorf, 2010.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
  - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
  - Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945
  - Axis History Biographical Research via Axis History Forum