Rudolf Zölk
| Rudolf Zölk | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth date | 8 August 1914 |
| Place of birth | Hamburg, German Empire |
| Allegiance |  Weimar Republic National Socialist Germany
|
| Service/branch |  Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine
|
| Years of service | 1935 1935–1945 |
| Rank | Stabsobermaschinist (senior staff NCO) |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | German Spanish Cross Iron Cross, 2nd and 1st Class German Cross in Gold |
Rudolf Zölk (b. 8 August 1914) was a member of the Reichsmarine and the Kriegsmarine.
Life
After school, apprenticeship and a short professional life, Zölk joined the Reichsmarine in January/February 1935 (machinist career) and committed for 12 years. After one year of service, he was promoted to Oberheizer (Private E2), after two to Stabsheizer (Private First Class). During the liberation of the Sudetenland in 1938 and during the last phase of the Spanish Civil War, he served as Obermaschinenmaat/Maschinenobermaat (Staff sergeant) on a German ship in Spanish waters for at least three months which led to him being awarded the German Spanish Cross. He became a NCO candidate and was promoted to Maschinenmaat/Maschinistenmaat (NCO) after 12 months of training.
WWII
In 1940, now a Maschinist (Staff Sergeant), he was still serving on surface ships. In 1941, he transferred to the U-Boot weapon. He served on the Unterseeboot U 123 under Reinhard Hardegen (Operation Paukenschlag) and Horst von Schroeter. He was promoted to Obermaschinist (Senior Staff Sergeant) and in 1944 to Stabsobermaschinist (Master Sergeant).
Post WWII
Zölk survived WWII, receiving new papers on 7 June 1945, presumably, like so many, forcibly serving withe the German Mine Sweeping Administration (GMSA), an organisation formed by the Allies from former crews and vessels of the Kriegsmarine for the purpose of mine sweeping after the Second World War, predominantly in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, which existed from June 1945 to January 1948.
Awards and decorations
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th Class on 1 February 1939
- Sudetenland Commemorative Medal on 18 December 1939
- German Spanish Cross (Spanienkreuz) in Bronze on 6 November 1940
WWII
- Minesweeper War Badge (Kriegsabzeichen für Minensuch-, U-Jagd- und Sicherungsverbände) on 25 May 1941
- Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
- 2nd Class on 23 November 1941
- 1st Class on 7 May 1942
- U-boat War Badge 1939 (U-Boot-Kriegsabzeichen) on 5 March 1942
- U-boat Front Clasp (U-Boot-Frontspange) in Bronze
- German Cross in Gold on 17 May 1944 as Obermaschinist on U 123/2. Unterseebootsflottille[1]
References
- ↑ Zölk, Rudolf (U-123), tracesofwar.com
