(Photo courtesy of Dieter Zinke & Gareth Collins)
General der Infanterie Rudolf Gercke
Born: 17 Aug 1884 in Nikolaiken, East Prussia (Ostpreußen)
Died: 17 Feb 1947 in Marburg Hospital, Lahn
Promotions:
Fähnrich (18 Oct 1903); Leutnant (18 Aug 1904); Oberleutnant (18 Aug 1912); Hauptmann (28 Nov 1914); Charakter als Major (31 Oct 1923); Major a.D. (01 Oct 1931); Oberstleutnant a.D. (01 Dec 1934); Oberstleutnant (01 Apr 1937); Oberst (01 Oct 1937); Generalmajor (01 Oct 1939); Generalleutnant (01 Aug 1940); General der Infanterie (19 Apr 1942)
Career:
Entered Army Service (27 Feb 1903)
Fahnenjunker in the 1st Jäger-Battalion (27 Feb 1903-21 Jul 1914)
Detached to the War Academy (01 Oct 1911-21 Jul 1914)
Adjutant of the 1st Jäger-Battalion (21 Jul 1914-01 Dec 1914)
Company-Leader in the 1st Jäger-Battalion (01 Dec 1914-02 May 1915)
Transferred to the General-Command of the XI. Army-Corps (02 May 1915-18 Jul 1915)
Transferred into the Army General Staff (18 Jul 1915-26 Jun 1916)
Officer of the Army, Detached to the High-Command of the Bug-Army (26 Jun 1916-27 Jun 1916)
Transferred to Corps Falkenhayn (27 Jun 1916-20 Jul 1916)
Transferred into the General-Staff of Army-Group von Der Marwitz (16 Sep 1916-05 Dec 1916)
Transferred to the General-Staff of the 17th Landwehr-Division (05 Dec 1916-29 Jun 1917)
Transferred to the General-Staff of the 30th Infantry-Division (29 Jun 1917-18 Oct 1917)
In the General Staff of the Chief of Field Railway Affairs (18 Oct 1917-03 Apr 1918)
Plenipotentiary General Staff Officer of Army-Group Kronprinz Rupprecht von Bayern (03 Apr 1918-31 Dec 1918)
Transferred to the Staff of the Field Railway Affairs (31 Dec 1918-15 Jan 1919)
Plenipotentiary General Staff Officer of the Chief of Field Railway Affairs with the High-Command of Border-Protection North (15 Jan 1919-02 Aug 1919)
Placed to the Disposal of Border-Command around Danzig (02 Aug 1919-11 Sep 1919)
With the Army-Peace-Commission (11 Sep 1919-01 Oct 1919)
With the Staff of Military-District-Command I and at the same time Member of Line-Commander Königsberg, Prussia (01 Oct 1919-01 Oct 1922)
Company-Chief in the 1st Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1922-31 Oct 1923)
Retired (31 Oct 1922)
Employed by the Army (01 Apr 1928)
Advisor in the Troop-Office, RWM (01 Apr 1928-01 Oct 1933)
Territorial-Officer (01 Oct 1923); Supplemental-Officer (05 Mar 1935); Active-Officer (01 Apr 1937)
Group-Director in RWM, then RKM (01 Oct 1933-12 Oct 1937)
Department-Chief in the Army General Staff (5. Abtlg.) OQu I (12 Oct 1937-26 Aug 1939)
Wehrmacht, as well as Army Transport Chief (with OKH) (26 Aug 1939-15 Jan 1940)
Chief of Field Transport Affairs (15 Jan 1940-08 May 1945)
In US Captivity (09 May 1945-17 Feb 1947)
Died in Captivity (17 Feb 1947)

Awards & Decorations
- RK des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes mit Schwertern: am 25.09.1943 als General der Infanterie und Chef des Feldtransportwesens
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis II. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Spange zum EK II
- Spange zum EK I
- Finn. Freiheitskreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern: 25.03.1942
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Finn. Freiheitskreuz I. Klasse mit Stern und Schwertern: 15.07.1942


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