- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- General der Infanterie (Lieutenant-General of Infantry)
- Unit:
- Kommandierende General XI.Armeekorps / 17.Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
- Awarded on:
- March 5th, 1945
The following wartime excerpt describes why Bünau was awarded the Oakleaves to his Knight’s Cross…
“On the 05.03.1945 the Führer awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross to General der Infanterie Rudolf von Bünau, commanding general of an Armee-Korps, as the 766th soldier of the German Wehrmacht to be so honoured.
During the combat for the upper Silesian industrial area the Soviets achieved a deep penetration in the front of the Armee-Korps led by General von Bünau. The commanding general launched successful counterattacks that managed to hold off the enemy long enough until he had created the preconditions for the withdrawal of his forces that were still in the industrial region and the creation of a new frontline to the southwest of this area. In 14 days the Soviets lost 129 tanks, 73 guns and over 4000 dead in the sector of Korps Bünau.”
766th Award.