Karl Rothenburg

Karl Rothenburg
Oberst Karl Rothenburg (2nd from left) June 1940
Born	8 June 1894 Fürstenwalde (Spree), Province of Brandenburg, German Empire
Died	28 June 1941(1941-06-28) (aged 47) near Ostroszycki Gorodok near Minsk, Belarus
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–18 1935–41
Rank	Generalmajor (Posthumously)
Commands	Panzer-Regiment 25
Battles / wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	Police officer

Karl Rothenburg (8 June 1894 – 28 June 1941) was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II and a recipient of both the Pour le Mérite and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for actions in the March 1918 offensive during the Great War. The Pour le Mérite was the highest military order of the German Empire. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Between wars he served as a commander in the police force, before returning to the Wehrmacht in 1934. During the Second World War he was the commander of the 25th Panzer Regiment of the 7th Panzer Division. Rothenburg was killed six days into the invasion of Russia on 28 June 1941 near Minsk, Belarus and was posthumously promoted to Generalmajor.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (23 May 1918)
• Pour le Mérite (30 June 1918)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Panzer Badge
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 June 1940 as Oberst and commander of Panzer-Regiment 25

References

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Mitcham Jr, Samuel W. (2009). The Men of Barbarossa: Commanders of the German Invasion of Russia - 1941. Havertown PA, USA. ISBN 978-1-935149-15-6
• Mitcham Jr, Samuel W. (2009). Rommel's Lieutenants: The Men Who Served the Desert Fox, France, 1940. Mechanicsburg PA, USA. ISBN 978-0-8117-3557-5
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com