Date of birth:

March 1st, 1901 (Reußen/Saxony, Germany)

Date of death:

March 14th, 1983 (Braunfels/Hesse, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (01 Apr 1919);
Fähnrich (01 Oct 1921);
Oberfähnrich (01 Oct 1922);
Leutnant (01 Feb 1923);
Oberleutnant (01 Feb 1928);
Rittmeister (01 Apr 1934);
Major (01 Apr 1939);
Oberstleutnant (01 Feb 1942);
Oberst (01 Oct 1942);
Generalmajor (01 May 1944);
Generalleutnant (30 Jan 1945)

Career:
Entered the Army with the III. Naval-Brigade then with the Volunteer-Division von Lettow-Vorbeck (01 Apr 1919-00 Jul 1919)
With the 40th then 9th Reichswehr-Brigades (00 Jul 1919-31 Dec 1919)
Fahnenjunker and Platoon-Leader in the 15th Mounted-Regiment (01 Jan 1920-31 Dec 1930)
Member of the Olympia-Selection-Team of the Cavalry-School Hannover (1926-1928)
Member of the German Military Riding Team (1926-1932)
Riding-Instructor at the Cavalry-School Hannover (01 Jan 1931-30 Sep 1934)
Squadron-Chief in the 16th Mounted-Regiment (01 Oct 1934-14 Oct 1935)
Company-Chief in the 2nd Motorcycle-Rifle-Battalion (15 Oct 1935-30 Sep 1936)
Advisor in the Reichs War Ministry then in OKH (01 Oct 1936-30 Sep 1938)
With the Staff of the 11th Cavalry-Rifle-Regiment (01 Oct 1938-31 Mar 1939)
Battalion-Commander in the 11th Rifle-Regiment (01 Apr 1939-31 Oct 1940)
Commander of the 59th Motorcycle-Rifle-Battalion (01 Nov 1940-31 Jan 1942)
Commander of the 11th Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment (01 Feb 1942-31 Dec 1942)
Commander of Group ‘New-Formation Of Division Hermann Göring’ in Mont-de-Marsan, South-France (01 Jan 1943-30 Apr 1943)
Transferred into the Luftwaffe as Commander of Special-Purpose-Grenadier-Brigade of Panzer-Division ‘Hermann Göring’ (01 May 1943-15 Apr 1944)
Commander of the Parachute-Panzer-Division ‘Hermann Göring’ (16 Apr 1944-03 Oct 1944)
Commanding General of the Parachute-Panzer-Corps ‘Hermann Göring’ (04 Oct 1944-08 May 1945)
In US Captivity, Accused of Alleged War Crimes by an Allied War-Court in Italy and was Acquitted (08 May 1945-1950)
Released (1950)

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur, I. Abteilung, Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 11

Awarded on:

September 14th, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur, I. Abteilung, Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 11

Awarded on:

October 16th, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur, I. Bataillon, Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 11

Awarded on:

November 28th, 1940

During the pursuit of French forces in the Fall Rot stage of the battle of France, Major Schmalz and his troops were able to capture the bridge over the Loire at Allier despite there being no specific order to do so. The capture of this bridge, as well as another crossing over the river at Nevers, was (together with the formation of a German bridgehead at La Charte on the previous day) of crucial importance for the continuation of German operations. It ensured that the French were not able to create a new defensive line along this river and that the German pursuit operations between the Loire and the Swiss border could continue without interruption. For his contribution here Schmalz would receive the Knight’s Cross.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur, Kradschützen-Bataillons 59, 9. Panzer-Division

Awarded on:

February 8th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Group Captain)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Brigade z.b.V., Panzer-Division "Hermann Göring", Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

December 23rd, 1943

Awarded for the achievements of Kampfgruppe Schmalz during the battle for Sicily. Despite the lack of troops and supplies Schmalz and his troops fought a brilliant series of defensive actions in the Mt. Etna area from Catania through to Messina.

357th Award.

• Photo 1: Gareth Collins
• Photo: Gareth Collins via Axis Biographical Research
  
• - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht
  - Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer, Elite of the Third Reich - The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-45: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, England, 2003
  - Bender and Petersen, "Hermann Göring": from Regiment to Fallschirmpanzerkorps, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., USA, 1993
  - Axis Biographical Research
  - Lexikon-der-Wehrmacht.de
  - Generalleutnant Wilhelm Schmalz - Axis History Forum