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Walter Schmidt (SS officer)
Encyclopedia
Walter Schmidt was an Obersturmbannführer
(Lieutenant Colonel) in the Waffen SS during World War II
. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak leaves
, an award that recognized extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
during World War II.
Walter Schmidt joined the SS in 1935 (SS-Nr. 311 100) and was posted to the III. Battalion, SS Standarte Germania. He was later selected to become an officer, attending the SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tölz
. Upon graduation he was promoted to Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant). He returned to the Germania as a platoon commander in the 4th Company, in time for the Polish Campaign. After that campaign he was given command of the Panzerspähzuges (Armoured car platoon) in the SS-VT Division, serving with them over the Battle of France
.
In June 1941 he was posted to the Wiking Division
, and took part in the invasion of Russia
, Operation Barbarossa
. On 9 April he was awarded the German Cross in Gold
and was given command of the III. Battalion, Westland, SS Wiking.
Schmidt was awarded the Knight's Cross for his battalion's successful defense in the Izium
sector. He then led his battalion out of the Cherkassy pocket, for which he was promoted to Hauptsturmführer
(Captain) and was awarded the Oak leaves to his Knight's Cross.
In November 1944 he was promoted again to Sturmbannführer
(Major) and returned to the SS-Junkerschule in January 1945 as an instructor.
In March 1945, he was given command of the 96th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment, the 38th SS Division Nibelungen
, which was formed from instructors and students from the SS Junkerschule. The regiment surrendered to the American forces
on the 8 May 1945.
Schmidt survived the war and died on the 28 July 2000 in his home town of Bremen
, Germany
.
Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer was a paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. It was created in May 1933 to fill the need for an additional field grade officer rank above Sturmbannführer as the SA expanded. It became an SS rank at the same time...
(Lieutenant Colonel) in the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak leaves
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, an award that recognized extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II.
Walter Schmidt joined the SS in 1935 (SS-Nr. 311 100) and was posted to the III. Battalion, SS Standarte Germania. He was later selected to become an officer, attending the SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tölz
Bad Tölz
Bad Tölz is a town in Bavaria, Germany, and administrative center of the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen.- History :Since the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the Ice Age, archaeology has shown continuous occupation of the site of Bad Tölz...
. Upon graduation he was promoted to Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(Second Lieutenant). He returned to the Germania as a platoon commander in the 4th Company, in time for the Polish Campaign. After that campaign he was given command of the Panzerspähzuges (Armoured car platoon) in the SS-VT Division, serving with them over the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
.
In June 1941 he was posted to the Wiking Division
5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
The 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking was one of the elite Panzer divisions of the thirty eight Waffen SS divisions. It was recruited from foreign volunteers, from Scandinavia, Finland, Estonia, The Netherlands, and Belgium under the command of German officers...
, and took part in the invasion of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
. On 9 April he was awarded the German Cross in Gold
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
and was given command of the III. Battalion, Westland, SS Wiking.
Schmidt was awarded the Knight's Cross for his battalion's successful defense in the Izium
Izium
Izyum , is a city situated on the Donets River in the Kharkiv Oblast of eastern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Iziumsky Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located approximately 75 miles southeast of the oblast capital,...
sector. He then led his battalion out of the Cherkassy pocket, for which he was promoted to Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
(Captain) and was awarded the Oak leaves to his Knight's Cross.
In November 1944 he was promoted again to Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
(Major) and returned to the SS-Junkerschule in January 1945 as an instructor.
In March 1945, he was given command of the 96th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment, the 38th SS Division Nibelungen
38th SS Division Nibelungen
The 38th SS Division Nibelungen. was formed in March 1945 from the staff and students of the SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tölz.It was first given the title of the SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz Division, but was renamed the SS-Division Junkerschule and finally the 38th SS Grenadier Division Nibelungen...
, which was formed from instructors and students from the SS Junkerschule. The regiment surrendered to the American forces
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
on the 8 May 1945.
Schmidt survived the war and died on the 28 July 2000 in his home town of Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.