Harald Schultz

Harald Schultz  was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II.

He was born in Riga, Latvia (that time Russian Empire), died in Lubeck.

Served in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I, then in the Latvian Army until 1935.

Awards:
Order of the 3 Stars, IV Class (Latvia)
Order of St. Stanislavs, III Class (Russia)
St. George's Medal, IV Class (Russia)

***

Aug 1915: Volunteered for service in the 7. Reserve Artillery Battalion
Sept 1915: 34. Artillery Mortar Battalion (Western, later SW front)
Oct 1916: Promoted to Praporshchik (Junior Lieutenant) for bravery in battle
May 1917: Promoted to Podporuchik (Lieutenant)
Sep 1917: Promoted to Poruchik (1st Lieutenant)
Jan 1918: Released from the Army
23 Dec 1918: Joins the Baltische Landeswehr Artillery units in Riga
6 Jul 1919: Transferred to the Latvian Army as part of the Latvian German Landeswehr as 1st Lieutenant
Apr 1920: officer in the 13. Artillery Battalion
Jul 1920: officer in the Kurzeme Artillery Regiment
1921: Promoted to Captain; Battery commander, Kurzeme Artillery Regiment
1927: Promoted to Lt. Colonel (there was no rank of Major in the Latvian Army)
1927: Transferred to the Zemgale Artillery Regiment as Battalion CO, later Regiment Intendant
1934: CO of Armoured Train, Armoured Train Regiment
Oct 1936: Retired from duty at his own request

Emigrated to Germany in January 1939.

Married in 1920 to Vera Vilhelmīne Pedere (born 1896).

Children:

Ņina Gerda (1922),

Ralfs (1923),

Ivars Ansis (1927).

His brother, Edgars Kurts Alberts Šulcs was also a Lt. Colonel in the Latvian Army.

Promotions in German Army:
18.07.1940 Oberstleutnant
01.03.1941 Oberst (mit RDA vom 01.02.1942)
01.12.1944 Generalmajor

He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Harald Schultz surrendered to the Soviet forces in 1945 and was held until 1955.

09.05.1945 captured in Latvia.
Residence in the GUPVI-camps Nr. 27/Krasnogorsk, 48/Černcy, Ležnevo, 9/Spasozavodsk, special-hospital 3840/Shuja (area Ivanovo).
Prison Nr. 1 /Riga.
18.06.1949 (July ??) condemned to 25 years ITL (labour camp for improuvement - GULAG of the NKVD/MVD) by the Lettish SSR Military Tribunal (Ukas 1943, Art. Nr. 1)
Repatriation to Germany: 06.10.1955

Via Minsk,Frankfurt/Oder, Berlin and Eisenach both arrived in Herleshausen. A bus brought them to the camp for returnees in Friedland near Göttingen where they arrived in the in the evening (06.10.1955)

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 21 February 1944 as Oberst in Artillerie-Regiment 205
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 April 1945 as Generalmajor and commander of 24. Infanterie-Division
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 20 September 1944