Richard Ruoff
| Richard Ruoff | |
|---|---|
|
Soviet Union. Richard Ruoff, of the 4th Panzer Armee talking with a wounded soldier | |
| Born |
18 August 1883 Meßbach |
| Died |
30 March 1967 (aged 83) Tübingen |
| Allegiance |
 German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933).svg.png){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch | Heer |
| Rank | Generaloberst |
| Commands held | V.Armeekorps |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Richard Ruoff (18 August 1883 – 30 March 1967) was an officer in the German Army (Wehrmacht Heer) before and during World War II.
Colonel-General (Generaloberst) Richard Ruoff commanded the 4th Panzer Army from 8 January 1942 to 31 May 1942. The 4th Panzer Army was part of Army Group A (Heeresgruppen A) which was formed when Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd) was split into two formations for the summer offensive of 1942.
Ruoff commanded the 17th Army from 1 June 1942 to 24 June 1943. The 17th Army was also part of Army Group A. Ruoff was the commander of the 17th Army when, on 3 June 1942, the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia (Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia, or CSIR) was briefly subordinated to it. From June to July, the German 17th Army, the CSIR, and the Romanian 3rd Army were organized as "Army Group Ruoff" (Heeresgruppen Ruoff).
By July 1942, Ruoff lost the Italian unit. The CSIR was subsumed by the larger Italian Army in Russia (Armata Italiana in Russia, or ARMIR) and transferred to Army Group B (Heeresgruppen B).
During the late summer, as part of Army Group A, Ruoff and the 17th Army attacked towards the Caucasus oilfields. By December, Soviet forces had destroyed the armies defending its flanks (including the ARMIR) and had en-circled the German 6th Army at Stalingrad.
Army Group B was withdrawn from southern Russia but Ruoff and the 17th Army were ordered to hold the "Kuban bridgehead."
Command History
- Commanding Officer, 13th Regiment - 1933 to 1934
- Chief-of-Staff, V Corps - 1934 to 1936
- Chief-of-Staff, 3rd Army Group Command - 1936 to 1938
- Chief-of-Staff, 5th Army Group Command - 1938 to 1939
- General Officer Commanding V Corps - 1939 to 1942
- General Officer Commanding, 4th Tank Army, Eastern Front - 1942
- General Officer Commanding, 17th Army, Eastern Front - 1942 to 1943
- Retired - 1943
Awards and decorations
- Iron Cross(1914)[1]
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Knight's Cross of the Military Merit Order (Württemberg)[1]
- Knight's Cross, First Class of the Friedrich Order (Württemberg)[1]
- Wound Badge (1914)[1]
- in Black
- Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 June 1941 as General der Infanterie and commander of V. Armeekorps[2]
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 1st class
See also
References
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by General der Infanterie Hermann Geyer |
Commander of V. Armeekorps 1 May 1939 – 12 January 1942 |
Succeeded by General der Infanterie Wilhelm Wetzel |
| Preceded by Generaloberst Erich Höpner |
Commander of 4. Panzer-Armee 8 January 1942 – 31 May 1942 |
Succeeded by Generaloberst Hermann Hoth |
| Preceded by Generaloberst Hans von Salmuth |
Commander of 17. Armee 1 June 1942 – 24 June 1943 |
Succeeded by Generaloberst Erwin Jaenecke |
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