Wilhelm Schmalz Explained
Wilhelm Schmalz (1 March 1901 – 14 March 1983) was a German general (Generalleutnant) in the Wehrmacht during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. Schmalz surrendered to American troops in May 1945.
Schmalz was tried and acquitted of war crimes by a court in Rome on 12 July 1950. This included the Civitella in Val di Chiana massacre on 29 June 1944 where 146 civilians were murdered by soldiers of the Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring. .[1]
Awards and decorations
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (14 September 1939) & 1st Class (16 October 1939)[2]
- German Cross in Gold on 8 February 1942 as Major in Kradschützen-Bataillon 59[3]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 28 November 1940 as Major and commander of I./Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 11[4]
- 358th Oak Leaves on 23 December 1943 as Oberst and commander of Panzerbrigade z.b.V. der Panzer-Division "Hermann Göring"[5]
References
Bibliography
- Book: Fellgiebel
, Walther-Peer
. Walther-Peer Fellgiebel . 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 . de . Friedberg, Germany . Podzun-Pallas . 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Book: 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 . de . Jena, Germany . Scherzers Militaer-Verlag . 978-3-938845-17-2.
Notes and References
- News: CIVITELLA IN VAL DI CHIANA 29.06.1944 . Atlas of Nazi and Fascist Massacres in Italy . 18 September 2018 .
- Thomas 1998, p. 262.
- Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 410.
- Fellgiebel 2000, p. 308.
- Fellgiebel 2000, p. 65.
