August Schmidt (Luftwaffe)
August Schmidt was a highly decorated General der Flakartillerie in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Schmidt was captured by British troops on 8 May 1945. In October 1947 he was sentenced to life imprisonment because of war crimes committed against captured British airman. His sentence was later reduced to ten years, and in 1950 he was released for health reasons.
Awards and decorations
- Iron Cross
- * 2nd Class
- * 1st Class
- Wound Badge
- * in Black
- Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords
- Knight's Cross Second Class of the Order of the Zähringer Lion with Swords
- Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
- Iron Cross
- * 2nd Class
- * 1st Class
- German Cross in Gold
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 February 1945 as General der Flakartillerie and commander of Luftgau VI
- Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords