Hans Schmidt (general)

Hans Schmidt
Born	(1895-03-14)14 March 1895 Bayreuth, Upper Franconia, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
Died	28 November 1971(1971-11-28) (aged 76) Weiden in der Oberpfalz, Bavaria, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)Weimar Republic (to 1933)Nazi Germany
Branch	Imperial German ArmyFreikorpsReichswehrArmy (Wehrmacht)
Service years	1914–1945
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands	Infanterie-Regiment 24568. Infanterie-Division275. Infanterie-Division
Conflicts	World War INovember Revolution (fighting the Bavarian Soviet Republic)World War II Poland Campaign Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) Second Battle of Kharkov Battle of Voronezh (1943) Battle of Kursk Lower Dnieper Offensive Operation Overlord Falaise pocket Battle of Aachen Battle of Hürtgen Forest Battle of Halbe
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations	∞ 1921 Sophie Münch; 2 daughters
Other work	Insurance salesman

Hans Schmidt (14 March 1895 – 28 November 1971) was a German officer, finally general and divisional commander during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. He was also involved in protecting Pegasus Bridge, but failed as they were captured.

Promotions

• 10 August 1914 Kriegsfreiwilliger (War Volunteer)
  • joined the Royal Bavarian 7th Infantry Regiment "Prince Leopold" of the Bavarian Army
• 2 October 1914 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)
• 1 November 1914 Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter (Officer Candidate with Lance Corporal rank)
• 20 November 1914 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (Officer Candidate with Corporal/NCO/Junior Sergeant rank)
• 24 June 1915 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet); simultaneously commissioned
• 24 June 1915 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) without Patent
  • 9 October 1917 received Patent as 2nd Lieutenant from 15 November 1913
  • 1 July 1922 received new Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 April 1914
• 1 October 1923 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
• 1 May 1928 Hauptmann (Captain)
• 1 March 1935 Major (5)
• 31 December 1937 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) with effect and RDA from 1 January 1938 (14)
• 20 October 1940 Oberst (Colonel) with effect and RDA from 1 November 1940 (9)
• 20 April 1943 Generalmajor (Major General) with effect and RDA from 1 April 1943 (17a)
• 8 November 1943 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) with effect and RDA from 1 October 1943 (12b)

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 14 March 1915
  • 1st Class on 30 October 1917
• Military Merit Order (Bavaria), 4th Class with Swords (BMV4X/BM4X) on 29 December 1915
• Military Merit Cross (Austria-Hungary), 3rd Class with War Decoration (ÖM3K) on 14 May 1917
• Wound Badge in Black on 19 August 1918
• DRA/German Gymnastics and Sports Badge (Deutsches Turn- und Sportabzeichen) in Silver on 10 August 1927
• DLRG basic certificate (Grundschein) of the German Life Saving Association
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords on 28 January 1935
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 2 October 1936
• Hungarian World War Commemorative Medal with Swords and Helmet
• Bulgarian War Commemorative Medal 1915–1918 with Swords
• Anschluss Medal
• Sudetenland Medal with the Prague Castle Bar
• Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 19 September 1939
  • 1st Class on 12 October 1939
• Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal on 1 August 1942
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver on 11 October 1942
• German Cross in Gold on 20 April 1942 as Colonel
• Wound Badge (1939) in Silver
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 16 October 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 275. Infanterie-Division^[1]

External links

• Pictures of Hans Schmidt: 1922, 1943 and 1944

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 310.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.