Mayor Otto Ruhnau

[Dete]

Hello,
i am looking for information about Major Otto Ruhnau during the first world war. I think he served in the Infantry Regiment 69. I would appreciate any information which could be given, especially about his rewards.
thx
Detlev

[PaulChep]

I have a Major Otto Ruhnau in IR 69 before the war, also served in RIR 440, and finished with IR 49 as a OTL ad. Born 1868, died 1931. His awards include the PLM, ROA4 and HOH3X. If you do a Google search on him you may find more information.

[Glenn2438]

Ruhnau

Detlev,

Otto Ruhnau was born on 17 July 1868 at Neuwied in the Rhine Province. He entered the 7. Rheinischen Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 69 as an Avantageur on 23 September 1888 and was promoted to Portepee-Fähnrich on 16 April 1889. Commissioned as a Second-Lieutenant on 16 January 1890 he served as the Adjutant of II./I.R. 69 from 1 January 1894 to 30 June 1897. On the 1 July 1897 he was assigned as an Inspektions-Offizier to the War School in Engers. Promoted to Premier-Lieutenant on 27 January 1898 he became the Adjutant at Engers on 25 August 1899. He returned to I.R. 69 on 27 January 1903 where he was promoted to supernumary Hauptmann on 18 July 1905. He was appointed as the Company commander of 11./I.R. 69 on 15 September 1905 in which post he remained until his promotion to Major and transfer to the staff of Infanterie-Regiment Prinz Carl (4. Großherzoglich Hessisches) Nr. 118 on 19 June 1914.

Following the mobilisation he was appointed as commander of I./L.I.R. 116 on 5 August 1914 and of Landsturm-Infanterie-Regiment 614 on 12 January 1917. On 23 August 1917 he became commander of Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 440. He was awarded the PLM on 22 April 1918 for his leadership of the regiment during the March offensive of 1918. R.I.R. 440 was disbanded following extremely heavy losses and Major Ruhnau briefly commanded (acting) the 71. Infanterie-Brigade from 17 to 30 September 1918. He was appointed as the commander of Infanterie-Regiment 49 on 28 September 1918 and was wounded on 4 November. At the end of February 1919 he returned to I.R. 118 and in mid March entered the Hessian Freikorps. He was appointed commander of III./Hess. Reichswehr-Schützen-Regiment 35 in Friedberg at the end of April 1919 and retired on 4 March 1920 as a charakterisierter Oberstleutnant. He died on the 29 September 1931 in Stuttgart.

[Dete]

thx a lot for your answers, that s really good news for me. I was lucky and bought several positions at an auktion which i thought they could belong together. These incl. the Pour le Merite which i already showed here in the Forum plus a very nice bar with the ROA4, HOH3X and 7 more rewards. Also incl the dog tag with the name of Ruhnau. Hopefully everything arrives soon, than i ll post some pictures.
regards
Detlev

[torstenbel]

Detlev, I would certainly look forward to seeing those pics ... Cheers, Torsten.