Gruber, Rupert

Date of birth:: August 22nd, 1914 (Nürnberg, Germany)
Date of death:: February 1st, 1968 (Stuttgart, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Major
Unit:: Kommandeur Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 209
Awarded on:: August 14th, 1943

During the Soviet attack against the Mius in mid-July 1943 a penetration was quickly achieved against the sector of the 304. Infanterie-Division. Due to the lack of German reserves the Soviets quickly took the Redkina ravine as well as Hills 223.2, 278.5 and 289.9. As the Soviets were feeding in massive reinforcements to turn this development into a proper breakthrough, the German leadership viewed the situation as critical and reinforcements were immediately dispatched.

The IV. Armee-Korps dispatched two battalions of infantry and one of Gebirgsjäger to the sector. Due to the immediacy of their need these units were deployed into counterattacks in a piecemeal fashion, and all counterthrusts were bloodily repulsed by the Soviets.

The Korps thus dispatched artillery and the Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 209 under the command of Major Gruber. Gruber assembled a Kampfgruppe from the available infantry forces and launched a renewed counterattack on the 19.07.1943. The combined-arms German attack, well-supported by artillery, was able to make progress and in the first hours 5 enemy tanks were destroyed. The Sturmgeschütze and infantry managed to resolve the battlefield crisis, recapture the old German line and then hold it against all Soviet attempts to regain possession of it.

Gruber would be decorated with the Knight’s Cross for his efforts in ensuring the success of this attack.