Friedrich Rumpelhardt
German soldier and Knight's Cross recipients
Friedrich "Fritz" Rumpelhardt (19 June 1920 – 20 January 2011) was a German air officer during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.
During his career Rumpelhardt flew in 130 missions as a Bordfunker (radio/radar operator) with two night fighter wings of the Luftwaffe. He participated in 100 aerial victories as a crewman with Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer from October 1942 until the end of the war. Rumpelhardt was the most successful radar operator—in terms of aerial victories claimed—in the Luftwaffe night fighter force.
Early life and career
Rumpelhardt was born 19 June 1920 in Nordhalden near Konstanz, at the time in the Republic of Baden of the German Reich during the Weimar Republic. He was one of three sons of the teacher Emil Rumpelhardt and his wife Rosa. Both his twin brothers were killed in action as Luftwaffe pilots during the war. Rumpelhardt attended the Gymnasium, a secondary school, in Singen. In 1938, while still at school, he volunteered for military service in Luftwaffe, requesting to be assigned to the Flak. His application was put on hold. In 1939, he passed his Abitur (university-preparatory high school diploma) and was called into the compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service).
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