__NOTOC__ Gustav Schmidt (24 April 1894 – 7 August 1943) was a German general in the ''

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...

'' during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Schmidt committed suicide on 7 August 1943 to avoid capture by the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...

in the course of the Soviet Belgorod-Kharkov Offensive Operation.

Awards

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...

(1914) 2nd Class (15 September 1914) & 1st Class (18 October 1915)Thomas 1998, p. 267. *

Clasp to the Iron Cross The Clasp to the Iron Cross (Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz) was a white metal medal clasp displayed on the uniforms of German Wehrmacht personnel who had been awarded the Iron Cross in World War I, and who again qualified for the decoration in World W ...

(1939) 2nd Class (21 September 1939) & 1st Class (2 October 1939) *

German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repe ...

in Gold on 22 April 1942 as ''

Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish ...

'' in the 19. Schützen-Brigade *

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...

** Knight's Cross on 4 September 1940 as ''Oberst'' and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 742 ** 203rd Oak Leaves on 6 March 1943 as ''

Generalleutnant is the Germanic variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO rank of O ...

'' and commander of 19. Panzer-DivisionFellgiebel 2000, p. 59.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Gustav 1894 births 1943 deaths Lieutenant generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht) German Army personnel of World War I Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves German military personnel who committed suicide People from Querfurt People from the Province of Saxony Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class Suicides in the Soviet Union Suicides in Russia Military personnel from Saxony-Anhalt German Army generals of World War II