Richard Ruoff

Karl Richard Ruoff (18 August 1883 – 30 March 1967) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He commanded the 4th Panzer Army and the 17th Army on the Eastern Front.

Life

After Ruoff graduated from Gymnasium in Heilbronn, Kingdom of Württemberg, he joined the 10th Württemberg Infantry Regiment No. 180 of the Württemberg Army in Tübingen as a flag cadet on 15 April 1903. He was promoted to 2nd lieutenant on 18 August 1904 with patent from 19 August 1903, was battalion adjutant in 1910 and, as a first lieutenant (since 18 August 1912), was appointed to regimental adjutant in February 1913.

With the outbreak of the First World War, Ruoff was promoted to captain on 28 November 1914 and was used several times as a company commander. During the course of the war he was adjutant of the 51st Reserve Infantry Brigade and assigned to the general staff of the 26th Reserve Division. For his achievements, Ruoff was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross, the Knight's Cross of the Order of Military Merit, the Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Order of Frederick and the Wounded Badge in Black.

World War II

Ruoff took command of V Army Corps on 1 May 1939, and led this unit into World War II. He also concurrently commanded V Wehrkreis in Stuttgart.¹ Ruoff then was given command of the 4th Panzer Army from 8 January 1942 to 31 May 1942. The 4th Panzer Army was part of Army Group A which was formed when Army Group South was split into two formations for the summer offensive of 1942.

Ruoff commanded the 17th Army from 1 June 1942 to 24 June 1943. The 17th Army was also part of Army Group A. Ruoff was the commander of the 17th Army when, on 3 June 1942, the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia (CSIR) was briefly subordinated to it. From June to July, the German 17th Army, the CSIR, and the were organized as "Army Group Ruoff". By July 1942, Ruoff lost the Italian unit. The CSIR was subsumed by the larger (, or ARMIR) and transferred to ().