A Wehrpaß To Lappland Shield Recipient Nco Schmidt; France & Russia

Measuring 106x147mm, better than very fine condition with scuffing and creasing of the cover, and slight damage to the spine. The document is dated to Wiesbaden on February 12, 1940.

Footnote: Karl Schmidt was born on January 22, 1899 in Wiesbaden and worked as a bank employee. During his initial mustering in April of 1937 he was deemed partially fit for service. On August 28, 1939 he was drafted and placed in the Armee-Verpflegungsamt (Army Rations Department) 603, where he just stayed for a few weeks. On September 15, Schmidt was redeployed to the Armee-Verpflegungsamt 560 with which he would serve until mid February 1942. Until early May 1940 he helped in securing the western border, being promoted to Obergefreiter der Landwehr (Corporal of the Home Guard), before fighting in the campaign against France in May and June. On June 1, Schmidt was promoted to Unteroffizier (NCO) of the Landwehr. He went on to help secure the demarcation line until mid September, then being sent to Poland as part of the occupational forces. Schmidt’s unit was then part of the first wave that attacked Russia in June of 1941. During the winter he developed nasal polyps, for which he was treated in the field between mid and end of January 1942 in the Kriegslazarett (War Military Hospital) (mot.) M 561.

From mid February to the end of September 1942 Schmidt was part of the Verfügungskompanie (Dispositional Company) of Infantry Replacement Battalion 484. Starting here, his assignments as put in the Wehrpaß are indecipherable. During this time he suffered from a maxillary sinusitis, and for the period from end of June to early December the Wehrpaß contains the codes for respiratory illness and ear disease. All these conditions were treated in a Reserve Lazarett in Wiesbaden. This was the reason why Schmidt changed units again and was placed in the Genesenden (Convalescent) Company between October 1942 and the end of January 1943. In October, on the 16, he was awarded the Eastern Front Medal. It is still unclear what Schmidt did for the first half of 1943, only his units can be named. Between February and late March he served in the 2nd Marschkompanie (Marching Company) VI/5, then with the Verpflegungsamt 181 for a few weeks, before being placed in the 2nd Fahrkolonne (Driving Convoy) 181 from mid April to mid July. Between July 1943 and early February 1944, Schmidt joined a unit with a difficult name to read. It might have been the 68th Heeres-Betriebs-Kompanie (E) (Army Operating Company). He was transferred to Finland in December of 1943 where he served until November 1944. By this time he had already been switched to another unit, namely the 2nd Company of Feldzeug (Ordnance) Battalion 18. He followed the unit to Norway and in December was placed in the 2nd Company of Nachschub (Supply) Battalion 818 with which he stayed to secure Norway until the unit surrendered at the end of the war. On July 12, 1945, most likely while being a POW, Schmidt was awarded the Lappland Shield.