__NOTOC__ Wilhelm Schmalz (1 March 1901 – 14 March 1983) was a German general (

Generalleutnant is the Germanic variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO rank of ...

) in the

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and a recipient of the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

. Schmalz surrendered to the 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. .

Awards and decorations

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...

(1939) 2nd Class (14 September 1939) & 1st Class (16 October 1939)Thomas 1998, p. 262. *

German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repe ...

in Gold on 8 February 1942 as '' Major'' in Kradschützen-Bataillon 59 *

** Knight's Cross on 28 November 1940 as ''Major'' and commander of I./Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 11 ** 358th Oak Leaves on 23 December 1943 as ''

Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish ...

'' and commander of Panzerbrigade z.b.V. der Panzer-Division "Hermann Göring"Fellgiebel 2000, p. 65.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Schmalz, Wilhelm 1901 births 1983 deaths People from Saalekreis People from the Province of Saxony Luftwaffe World War II generals Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United States Lieutenant generals of the Luftwaffe Military personnel from Saxony-Anhalt Fallschirmjäger of World War II