Kurt Schmidt
Encyclopedia
Kurt Schmidt was a German Generalleutnant during the Second World War who also fought during the First World War.
Four years later, in 1915, he was promoted to Oberleutnant.
He was also awarded the Iron Cross
2nd Class and Iron Cross 1st Class of the Kingdom of Prussia
.
Schmidt was wounded during the First World war and for that he received the Wound Badge
in Silver.
He also received the Hanseatic Cross
from the city of Hamburg
. In the last months of the war he was promoted to Hauptmann (Captain).
In 1937 the newly promoted Oberst Kurt Schmidt moved with his family to the German town of Hamelin.
When he moved to Hamelin he was commander of Infanterie-Regiment 74. He took part in the invasion of Poland in September 1939. In about November 1940, he became commander of Luxembourg
.
Schmidt was the commander of the 702nd Infantry Division in Norway
from September 1941 to September 1943. During his time in Norway he was promoted to Generalleutnant, the highest rank he would hold.
Generalleutnant Kurt Schmidt died on March 3, 1945 in Aalsmeer
whilst commander of the 526th Reserve Division.
He was first buried at the Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats in Amsterdam
but later re-buried at the Ysselsteyn
German war cemetery.
Early life and career
He was born in the German city of Frankfurt on April 9, 1891. In 1909 he joined the German army and on March 20, 1911, he was promoted to Leutnant. He served in the 30th Infantry Regiment.Four years later, in 1915, he was promoted to Oberleutnant.
He was also awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
2nd Class and Iron Cross 1st Class of the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
.
Schmidt was wounded during the First World war and for that he received the Wound Badge
Wound Badge
Wound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
in Silver.
He also received the Hanseatic Cross
Hanseatic Cross
The Hanseatic Cross was a decoration of the three Hanseatic Cities of Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck, who were member states of the German Empire during World War I...
from the city of Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. In the last months of the war he was promoted to Hauptmann (Captain).
1930s and World War II
Kurt Schmidt was a member of the staff of the 5th Infantry Division in 1930, in 1931 he was promoted to Major; in 1937 he was promoted to Oberst.In 1937 the newly promoted Oberst Kurt Schmidt moved with his family to the German town of Hamelin.
When he moved to Hamelin he was commander of Infanterie-Regiment 74. He took part in the invasion of Poland in September 1939. In about November 1940, he became commander of Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
.
Schmidt was the commander of the 702nd Infantry Division in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
from September 1941 to September 1943. During his time in Norway he was promoted to Generalleutnant, the highest rank he would hold.
Generalleutnant Kurt Schmidt died on March 3, 1945 in Aalsmeer
Aalsmeer
Aalsmeer is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Its name is derived from the Dutch for eel and lake . Aalsmeer is bordered by the Westeinderplassen lake, the largest open water of the Randstad, and the Ringvaart Canal...
whilst commander of the 526th Reserve Division.
He was first buried at the Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
but later re-buried at the Ysselsteyn
Ysselsteyn
Ysselsteyn is a small village in the municipality of Venray in Limburg, Netherlands. It was established in 1921 and named after its designer, Hendrik Albert van IJsselsteyn, then Minister of Agriculture....
German war cemetery.
Dates of rank
- Fähnrich: March 3, 1910
- Leutnant, March 20, 1911
- Oberleutnant, June 18, 1915
- HauptmannHauptmannHauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
, June 20, 1918 - Major, April 1, 1932
- Oberstleutnant, July 1, 1934
- OberstOberstOberst is a military 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 rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
, March 1, 1937 - Generalmajor, February 1, 1941
- Generalleutnant, October 1, 1942
Notable decorations
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
1914-1918 Second Class of Prussia - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
1914-1918 First Class of Prussia - Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
1914-1918 in Silver - Hanseatic CrossHanseatic CrossThe Hanseatic Cross was a decoration of the three Hanseatic Cities of Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck, who were member states of the German Empire during World War I...
of the city of Hamburg - War Merit CrossWar Merit CrossThe War Merit Cross was a decoration of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel...
First Class with Swords - Cross of HonorCross of HonorThe Cross of Honor, also known as the Honor Cross or, popularly, the Hindenburg Cross, was a commemorative medal inaugurated on July 13, 1934 by Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg for those soldiers of Imperial Germany who fought in World War I...