And he was an odd duck, eschewing mess life with the other cadets to spend all his spare moments at sports or hiking in the magnificent hills surrounding Graz, in Styria. After volunteering for dive bomber school, he couldn't seem to get the hang of Stuka flying. 1936, but his path to becoming the world's greatest pilot was plagued with disappointment.

When he learned of the formation of a new Luftwaffe, he determined, 'I will become a pilot!' He passed the difficult entrance examination and began infantry training in Dec.

From childhood he had wanted to become a pilot, but after he matriculated from secondary school his father could not afford the expensive training, as his oldest sister was already studying medicine. He developed the conviction that 'one can do anything if one wants to.' As a soldier, he famously maintained this belief with his personal motto: 'Only he who gives up on himself is lost.'īetween the Hitler Youth and school sporting meets, 'Uli' became a decathlete for whom an Olympic future was predicted. Once he had conquered his fear, 'no tree was too high, no ski slope too steep, no brook too wide, and no boy's prank too risky' 2 for this son of a Lutheran priest who weighed less than six pounds when he was born Jin Konradswaldau in German Silesia - which since WWII is the section of Poland bordering the Czech Republic. Rudel's extraordinary career began after he overcame a childish timidity by plunging himself into sports participation after hearing mocking words from his older sister. This was quite a statement considering all the great and courageous soldiers that have fought so valiantly for the Fatherland, yet considering the almost unbelievable accomplishments of this modest man who loved piloting and sports, it was not a rash statement.

So Adolf Hitler told Hans-Ulrich Rudel on Januat the bunker headquarters in Berlin on the occasion of promoting Rudel to the rank of colonel and awarding him the highest German WWII decoration: the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves with swords and diamonds. You are the greatest and most courageous soldier the German people have ever had.' Below, official photo of Rudel -click to enlarge. Stuka pilot Hans-Ulrich Rudel, on duty, wearing the decoration Adolf Hitler designed especially for him.

Hans ulrich rudel stuka