Eberhard Rodt

Eberhard Rodt (4 December 1895 – 14 December 1979) was a German general during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany.

Eberhard Rodt
Born	(1895-12-04)4 December 1895 Munich, German Empire
Died	14 December 1979(1979-12-14) (aged 84) Munich, West Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Branch	Army (Wehrmacht)
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands	22nd Panzer Division 15th Panzergrenadier Division
Battles / wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

On 25 August 1941, he took an important role in the German capture of Dnipropetrovsk. Rodt, then a colonel within 13th Panzer Division, seized a Soviet pontoon bridge across the Dnieper river after Red Army forces had destroyed all fortified bridges across the river in the city. Rodt's ad hoc decision allowed German forces to establish a preliminary bridgehead on the east shore of the river, providing cover for the forces of the III Army Corps to begin their crossing.^[1]

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (30 July 1915) & 1st Class (10 August 1918)^[2]
• Clasp to the Iron Cross 2nd Class (21 May 1940) & 1st Class (21 May 1940)^[2]
• German Cross in Gold on 23 August 1942 as Oberst in the 22. Schützen-Brigade^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 25 June 1940 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 25^[4]
  • Oak Leaves on 28 April 1945 as Generalleutnant and commander of 15. Panzergrenadier-Division^[5]