Hubert Schmundt

Hubert Schmundt (19 September 1888 – 17 October 1984) was a German admiral during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.

Hubert Schmundt
Born	19 September 1888
Died	17 October 1984 (aged 96)
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kriegsmarine
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	light cruiser Königsberg light cruiser Nürnberg Naval Academy Mürwik
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

Schmundt joined the German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) as a cadet in 1908 and was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1911. He was serving with the German East Asia Squadron aboard SMS Scharnhorst between 1910 and 1913 and returned to Germany in 1913. During World War I he was flag lieutenant of the 3rd destroyer flotilla and commanded the destroyer V71 being promoted to Kapitänleutnant in 1918. Schmundt was awarded the Iron Cross first and second class.

Schmundt remained in the Navy after the end of the war and in the 1920s commanded the torpedo boat S18 and served as a staff officer. He was promoted to Korvettenkapitän in 1927 and served as an aide to Defence Minister Wilhelm Groener between 1929 and 1932. During the 1930s Schmundt commanded the light cruisers Königsberg (1934–35) and Nürnberg (1935–36). He became commander of the Naval Academy Mürwik in Flensburg-Mürwik in 1938 and was promoted to rear admiral.

In the Second World War Schmundt commanded the Bergen warship group during Operation Weserübung (squadron group consisted of light cruisers Köln (flagship) and the Königsberg, an artillery training ship Bremse, torpedo boat tender "Karl Peters, destroyers " Wolf " and " Leopard ", and a group of small warships). Subsequently, Schmundt served as Admiral commanding Northern Norway (1941–42) including commanding Operation Wunderland, and as commander of German forces in the Baltic (1943–44). He was dismissed in April 1944 and taken prisoner by the British in 1945. He was released in 1947.

Schmundt died at the age of 96 on 17 October 1984. At the time of his death, he was the last surviving Kriegsmarine officer to hold the rank of full Admiral.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (6 October 1915) & 1st Class (14 May 1917)[1]
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (21 December 1934)[1]
• Sudetenland Medal (20 December 1939)[1]
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (1 October 1939) & 1st Class (11 April 1940)[1]
• Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (25 March 1942)[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 June 1940 as Konteradmiral and commander in chief of the Aufklärungs-Streitkräfte and leader of the Kampfgruppe Bergen[2][Note 1]

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as stellvertretender Befehlshaber der Aufklärungs-Streitkräfte und Führer der Kriegschiffgruppe 3 (Zielhafen Bergen)—deputy commander of the reconnaissance forces and leader of the warship group 3 (destination Bergen).[3]

References

Citations

1. Dörr 1996, p. 209.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 383.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 674.

Bibliography

• Dörr, Manfred (1996). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine—Band 2: L–Z (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2497-2.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). 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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• 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] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.