Walter Schmidt (SS officer)

Walter Schmidt
Born	28 January 1917 Bremen, Germany
Died	28 July 2000 Bremen, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1935–45
Rank	Obersturmbannführer
Service number	SS #311,100
Unit	5th SS Panzergrenadier Division Wiking 38th SS Division Nibelungen
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves German Cross in Gold Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class General Assault Badge Eastern Front Close Combat Clasp in Silver Wound Badge in Silver Tank Destruction Badge in Silver Infantry Assault Badge in Silver [1]

Walter Schmidt (28 January 1917 – 28 July 2000) 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 Junker school at SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz. Upon graduation he was promoted to Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant).^[2] 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.^[2]

In June 1941 he was posted to the Wiking Division, and took part in the invasion of Russia, Operation Barbarossa.^[2] On 9 April he was awarded the German Cross in Gold and was given command of the III. Battalion, Westland, SS Wiking.^[1][2]

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.^[1][2][3]

In November 1944 he was promoted again to Sturmbannführer (Major) and returned to the SS-Junkerschule in January 1945 as an instructor.^[2]

In March 1945, he was given command of the 96th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment,^[4] 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.^[1][2][5]

Schmidt survived the war and died on the 28 July 2000^[1] in his home town of Bremen, Germany.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (20 September 1939)^[6]
  • 1st Class (14 September 1941)^[6]
• German Cross in Gold on 9 April 1943 as SS-Hauptsturmführer in the 11./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Westland"^[7]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 4 August 1943 as SS-Hauptsturmführer and leader of the III./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 10 "Westland"^{[8][Note 1]}
  • 721st Oak Leaves on 14 May 1944 as SS-Hauptsturmführer and commander of the II./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Westland"^[9][10]

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as leader of the III./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Westland".^[9]

References

Citations

1. "frontkjemper".
2. "personregister".
3. Fellgiebel, p.311
4. "38dgren".
5. "junkerschule".
6. Thomas 1998, p. 271.
7. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 414.
8. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 382.
9. Scherzer 2007, p. 672.
10. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 83.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Schaulen, Fritjof (2005). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe III Radusch – Zwernemann [Oak Leaves Bearers 1940 – 1945 Contemporary History in Color III Radusch – Zwernemann] (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-22-5.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.