Rudolf Bacherer

Rudolf Bacherer (19 June 1895 – 6 July 1964) was a German officer 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.

Rudolf Bacherer
Born	19 June 1895 Pforzheim
Died	6 July 1964 (aged 69) Bad Krozingen
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Army
Years of service	1914–19 1935–45
Rank	Oberst
Commands held	Grenadier-Regiment 1049
Battles/wars	Battle of Saint Malo
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

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 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.[1] The Division however, which was already understrength when Bacherer made his advance soon suffered heavy losses as the Americans forged ahead.[2] Bacherer was captured by American forces following the fall of Saint-Malo in 1944 and was held as a POW until 1947.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914) 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 29 January 1942 as Rittmeister in Aufklärungs-Abteilung 156[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 30 October 1943 as Oberst and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 234[4]
  • 550th Oak Leaves on 11 August 1944 as Oberst and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 1049[5]

References

Citations

1. Samuel W. Mitcham, Rommel's Last Battle: The Desert Fox and the Normandy Campaign, Jove Books, 1991, pp. 123-124
2. Mitcham, Rommel's Last Battle, p. 153
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 20.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 102.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 73.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.