Gerhard Schmidhuber

Gerhard Schmidhuber
Born(1894-04-09)9 April 1894
Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony German Empire
Died † 11 February 1945(1945-02-11) (aged 50)
Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary
Relatives∞ 1920 Helen Margaret Baumfelder; 2 sons
Military career
Allegiance German Empire
Weimar Republic
Nazi Germany
Branch
 Royal Saxon Army
 Imperial German Army
 Reichsheer
 German Army
Service years
1914–1920
1933–1945
Rank
Generalmajor
Commands304th Panzergrenadier Regiment
13th Panzer Division
Conflicts
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Other workBusinessman

Gerhard Karl Egon Schmidhuber (9 April 1894 – 11 February 1945) was a German general during World War II.

Life

Schmidhuber was born in Saxony, achieved his Abitur in March 1914 and joined the Royal Saxon 12th Infantry Regiment No. 177 on 1 March 1914 as a one-year volunteer to fulfill his compulsory military service before beginning his studies. Then the First World War broke out, and on 2 August 1914, he was sent to the front. On 26 September 1914, he was wounded near Chevreux during the First Battle of the Aisne (rifle shot to the right shoulder). In September 1915, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant of the Reserves. He left the army in 1920 and became a businessman, father and eventually took over the factory of his father.

He rejoined in 1933. He had served in both France and in the Soviet Union campaigns as a battalion and regimental commander. On 18 November 1941, he was severely wounded (shot through both jaws) at the Eastern Front. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Schmidhuber was commanding officer of the 13th Panzer Division during World War II. When the Germans occupied Hungary in 1944, Schmidhuber was supreme commander of German army forces in that country. According to Pál Szalai, he prevented the liquidation of Budapest Jewish ghetto by Hungarian Arrow Cross militias, although his exact role remains disputed.

Death

General Schmidhuber was killed in action in the Battle of Budapest during an escape attempt at the end of the battle.

Promotions

Awards and decorations

Sources

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "Történész vita: Lehet-e emléktáblája egy Wehrmacht-tábornoknak Budapesten? | Mazsihisz". Archived from the original on 2018-01-26. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
  2. ↑ Thomas 1998, p. 264.
  3. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 411.
  4. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 380.
  5. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 95.

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 Owreners 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.
  • 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.