Date of birth:

April 24th, 1894 (Carstorf, Germany)

Date of death:

August 7th, 1943 (near Berissowka - Bjelgorod/Ukrain, Soviet Union)

Buried on:

German War Cemetery Rossoshki

Nationality:

German

Promotions:
March 1st, 1913: Fahnenjunker;
November 20th, 1913: Fähnrich;
June 19th, 1914: Leutnant (Patent: June 23rd, 1912);
September 16th, 1917: Oberleutnant;
July 1st, 1925: Hauptmann;
May 1st, 1934: Major;
October 1st, 1936: Oberstleutnant;
June 1st, 1939: Oberst;
April 1st, 1942: Generalmajor;
January 1st, 1943: Generalleutnant.

Career:
March 1st, 1913: 3. Brandenburgisches Infanterie-Regiment "Graf Tauentzien von Wittenburg" Nr. 20;
?: Kriegsschule;
?: Kompanieoffizier, 3. Brandenburgisches Infanterie-Regiment "Graf Tauentzien von Wittenburg" Nr. 20;
1914: Kompanieführer, 3. Brandenburgisches Infanterie-Regiment "Graf Tauentzien von Wittenburg" Nr. 20;
1917: Ordonnanzoffizier, 3. Brandenburgisches Infanterie-Regiment "Graf Tauentzien von Wittenburg" Nr. 20;
1 mei 1918: Adjutant, 3. Brandenburgisches Infanterie-Regiment "Graf Tauentzien von Wittenburg" Nr. 20;
October 1st, 1919: Reichswehr-Infanterie-Regiment 6;
?: Kompanieoffizier, 5. (Preußisches) Infanterie-Regiment;
1924: 2. Eskadron, 5. (Preuß.) Reiter-Regiment;
1925: 4. (MG.) Kompanie, 5. (Preuß.) Infanterie-Regiment;
July 1925: Stab, 5. (Preuß.) Infanterie-Regiment;
October 1st, 1927: Adjutant, 5. (Preuß.) Infanterie-Regiment;
July 1st, 1931: Chef, 11. Kompanie, 5. (Preuß.) Infanterie-Regiment;
October 1st, 1934: Adjutant, Generalkommando, Kavalleriekorps;
1935: Adjutant, Generalkommando, X. Armeekorps;
October 12th, 1937: Kommandeur, II. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 59;
1939: Kommandeur, Infanterie-Ersatz-Regiment 216;
October 10th, 1939: Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 74;
1940: Kommandeur, 19. Schützen-Brigade;
January 6th, 1942: m.d.F.b. 19. Panzer-Division;
April 1st, 1942 - August 7th, 1943: Kommandeur, 19. Panzer-Division.
Committed suicide to avoid the capture by the soviet troops.

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Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kompanieführer, Infanterie-Regiment "Graf Tauentzien von Wittenburg" Nr. 20, 11. infanterie-Brigade, 6. Division, Königlich Preussische Armee

Awarded on:

September 15th, 1914

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kompanieführer, Infanterie-Regiment "Graf Tauentzien von Wittenburg" Nr. 20, 11. infanterie-Brigade, 6. Division, Königlich Preussische Armee

Awarded on:

October 18th, 1915

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

1934

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, II. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 59, 19. Infanterie-Divison, Heer

Awarded on:

September 21st, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, II. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 59, 19. Infanterie-Divison, Heer

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 742, 702. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

September 4th, 1940

Awarded for his leadership of Infanterie-Regiment 74 during the battle of France. His Regiment would prove to be the most successful of the Division while also suffering the fewest losses. He and his Regiment particularly distinguished themselves on the 10.05.1940, during the attacks on Allied fortifications at the Maas near Roermond. Here 11 bunkers were proving to be a particularly troublesome obstacle for the attacking German forces. Following Schmidt’s reconnaissance, his Regiment was able to seize them in cooperation with the heavy weapons in the span of just 3 hours.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

in Bronze

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 19. Schützen-Brigade, 19. Panzer-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

April 22nd, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Generalleutnant (Major-general)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 19. Panzer-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

March 6th, 1943

The following newspaper excerpt (dated 12.03.1943) describes why x received the Knight’s Cross…

“Generalleutnant Schmidt performed extremely well during the fierce defensive battles on the Eastern front in the winter months of 1942/43. At the beginning of December the Bolsheviks tried to break through the German defensive front southeast of Toropez by any means necessary, and so the General’s Division was dispatched for a counterattack. This thrust caught the Soviets completely off-guard thanks to General Schmidt’s thorough preparation. During this attack the General directed his Regiments from the foremost line, and in the fighting that took place he led them far beyond the ordered attack objective. By doing so he closed a gap in the German frontline and cut off 2 Bolshevik corps that had previously advanced through the gap.”

203rd Award.

• Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer collection
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
  - Volksbund
  - Generalleutnant Gustav Schmidt - Lexikon der Wehrmacht
  - Die Grenz-Zeitung (Edition 70)
  

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