Gustav Schmidt (general)

This article is about the Wehrmacht general. For the West German sprint canoer, see Gustav Schmidt.

Gustav Richard Ernst Schmidt
Born	(1894-04-24)24 April 1894 Carsdorf
Died	7 August 1943(1943-08-07) (aged 49) Belgorod, Russia
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1913–1943
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	19. Panzer-Division
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of Belgium Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Battles of Rzhev Battle of Kursk Belgorod-Khar'kov Offensive Operation
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Gustav Richard Ernst Schmidt (24 April 1894  – 7 August 1943) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. 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. Gustav Schmidt committed suicide on 7 August 1943 to avoid capture by Soviet troops.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (15 September 1914)
  • 1st Class (18 October 1915)
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords
• Cross of Honor
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (21 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (2 October 1939)
• Panzer Badge
  • in Bronze
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold (22 April 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 4 September 1940 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 742
  • 203rd Oak Leaves on 6 March 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 19. Panzer-Division

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Schaulen, Fritjof (2005). Eichenlaubträger 1940 - 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe III Radusch - Zwernemann (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-22-X.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht

Military offices
Preceded by General der Panzertruppen Otto von Knobelsdorff	Commander of 19. Panzer-Division 5 January 1942 – 7 August 1943	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Hans Källner