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Ruge, Friedrich

Date of birth:
December 24th, 1894 (Leipzig/Saxony, Germany)
Date of death:
July 3rd, 1985 (Tübingen/Baden-Württemberg, Germany)
Nationality:
German

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
December 21st, 1936
Deutsches Olympia Ehrenzeichen Zweiter Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
February 15th, 1940
Kriegsabzeichen für Minensuch-, U-Boots-, Jagd- und Sicherungsverbände
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitän zur See (Navy Captain)
Unit:
Kommodore, Führer, Minensuchboote West
Awarded on:
October 21st, 1940
The following press article (dated 23.10.1940) describes why Ruge would receive the Knight’s Cross…

“At the recommendation of the Commander in Chief of the Kriegsmarine, Grand Admiral Raeder, the Führer and Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht has awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross to Kapitän zur See and Kommodore Ruge.

Kapitän zur See and Kommodore Ruge, Commander of the Minesweepers, distinguished himself in a special way during the Polish campaign. He also had an overwhelming share in the swift and thorough establishment of our minesweeper formations and in their uninterrupted and successful operations. During the Norwegian campaign he participated in sweeping and clearing operations, leading units far up north along the Norwegian coast. A Räumbootflottille commanded by Kommodore Ruge was the first German naval formation to pass through the Dover Straits by day. The operating areas of our minesweeping units have since been extended as far as the Spanish coast.”
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1939
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
September 17th, 1939
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
March 2nd, 1918
Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:
August 26th, 1917
Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1934
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
June 1st, 1958
Grande Ufficiale della Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
August 2nd, 1961
other sources give 21.02.1961
Legion of Merit - Commander (LoM - C)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
September 28th, 1961
Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern und Schulterband des Verdienstordens der BRD

Sources

Photo