Rinke, Karl-Eberhard

Date of birth:: September 29th, 1915 (Hamburg/Hamburg, Germany)
Date of death:: December 15th, 1977 (Vienna/Lower Austria, Austria)
Nationality:: German

Biography

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:: Chef, 8. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, Grenadier-Regiment 552, 329. Infanterie-Division, Heer
Awarded on:: April 22nd, 1943

Following 9 days of heavy defensive combat south of Lake Ilmen, Oberleutnant Rinke led a counterthrust at the head a few of his Grenadiers that defeated a strong Soviet penetration. On the same day he and his Kompanie totally smashed a Soviet battlegroup that was trying to envelop the German forces in this area. By doing this a great crisis in this sector was averted, and so Rinke would be awarded the Knight’s Cross in recognition.