Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Obergefreiter (Corporal)

Unit:

Richtschütze, 3. Schwadron, Panzerjäger-Abteilung 179 (,)

Awarded on:

January 19th, 1943

At 08:20 on the 29.12.1943, following a preparatory barrage lasting two hours, the Soviets launched a combined arms assault against positions of the 79. Infanterie-Division in a suburb near Stalingrad. Attached to the defense were two German Paks, one crewed by Obergefreiter Röder. As the attack began, the second Pak jammed after destroying its first Soviet tank, and for the next crucial 20 minutes Röder’s gun was the only weapon available against the attacking Soviet tanks.

The Soviets pressed forward, with one KV-1 attempted to crush the Röder’s gun. However, when this tank was just a mere 12 meters away, Röder scored a direct hit and knocked it out. A few minutes later a T-34 coming up behind it met the same fate. Then 4 more T-34s rolled up at high speed simultaneously, all firing furiously at Röder’s gun. Shells exploded all around the gun emplacement. However Röder kept his nerve, and with his gun crew he was able to destroy 2 of the attacking tanks and forcing the rest to withdraw. Soviet infantry were meanwhile being held at bay by a nearby MG. Röder would destroy another 3 Soviet tanks before this attack was finally beaten off.

Thus, over the course of 20 minutes, Röder had single-handedly shot up 7 enemy tanks and contributed decisively to the halting of the Soviet armoured attack. For this deed he would be awarded the Knight’s Cross.