Rudolf Petersen (Kapitän zur See)

Rudolf Jesper Petersen (15 June 1905 in Atzerballig on Alsen, Germany – 2 January 1983 in Flensburg) was a German officer in the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Petersen, in his role as Kommodore, was the head of the court of what might have been the last desertion-trial of Nazi Germany. Matrose Fritz Wehrmann, age 26 from Leipzig, Funker Alfred Gail, age 20 from Kassel, and Obergefreiter Martin Schilling, age 22 from Ostfriesland were executed on board GERMAN SUPPORT SHIP Buéa on 10 May 1945 two days after the Unconditional surrender of Germany.

The accused had received news of the German capitulation to the British forces on 4 May 1945. On 6 May 1945 they left their stations on Svendborg on Fünen to get to the mainland. They were caught by the Danish Police and handed over to the German authorities on Fünen.

Awards

 * Wehrmacht Long Service Award (1 April 1937)
 * Memel Medal (26 October 1939)
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (1940)
 * 1st Class (28 May 1940)
 * Destroyer War Badge (11 December 1940)
 * Fast Attack Craft War Badge (19 March 1942)
 * with Diamonds (13 June 1944)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 4 August 1940 as Korvettenkapitän and chief of the 2. Schnellbootflottille
 * 499th Oak Leaves on 13 June 1944 as Kapitän zur See and leader of the Schnellboote (FdS)