Gustav Schmidt (general)

Gustav Schmidt (24 April 1894  – 7 August 1943) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Schmidt committed suicide on 7 August 1943 to avoid capture by the Red Army in the course of the Soviet Belgorod-Kharkov Offensive Operation.

Gustav Richard Ernst Schmidt
Born	(1894-04-24)24 April 1894
Died	7 August 1943(1943-08-07) (aged 49) Belgorod, Soviet Union
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
Branch	German Army
Years of service	1913–1943
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands	19th Panzer Division
Battles / wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of Belgium Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Battles of Rzhev Battle of Kursk Belgorod-Khar'kov Offensive Operation (KIA)
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (15 September 1914) & 1st Class (18 October 1915)^[1]
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (21 September 1939) & 1st Class (2 October 1939)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 22 April 1942 as Oberst in the 19. Schützen-Brigade^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 4 September 1940 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 742^[3]
  • 203rd Oak Leaves on 6 March 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 19. Panzer-Division^[4]