Gustav Schmidt (general)

Gustav Richard Ernst Schmidt was a German career officer, finally general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Death

Most post-war sources state, Schmidt committed suicide on 7 August 1943 to avoid capture by the Red Army in the course of the Soviet Belgorod-Kharkov Offensive Operation. According to the war diary of the 19th Panzer Division, however, he was killed in action during the breakthrough from the Soviet encirclement.

10 February 1913 Fahnenjunker
* joined the Infanterie-Regiment "Graf Tauentzien von Wittenberg" Nr. 20
1 July 1913 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier
18 October 1913 Fähnrich
19 June 1914 Leutnant with Patent from 23 June 1912
16 September 1917 Oberleutnant
1 July 1925 Hauptmann
1 May 1934 Major
2 October 1936 Oberstleutnant with effect and Rank Seniority from 1 October 1936
31 May 1939 Oberst with effect and RDA from 1 June 1939
12 April 1942 Generalmajor with effect and RDA from 1 April 1942
21 January 1943 Generalleutnant with effect and RDA from 1 January 1943

Iron Cross, 2nd and 1st Class
* 2nd Class on 15 September 1914
* 1st Class on 18 October 1915
Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords on 14 May 1917
Wound Badge in Black on 14 May 1918
Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords on 22 December 1934
Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 1st Class
* 2nd Class on 2 October 1936
* 1st Class on 10 February 1938
Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class
* 2nd Class on 21 September 1939
* 1st Class on 2 October 1939
Panzer Badge in Silver
Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal on 1 August 1942
German Cross in Gold on 26 April 1942 as Oberst and Commander of the 19th Rifle Brigade
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
* Knight's Cross on 4 September 1940 as Oberst and Commander of the Infanterie-Regiment 74
* 203rd Oak Leaves on 6 March 1943 as Generalleutnant and Commander of the 19. Panzer-Division