Hubert Schmundt


Hubert Schmundt was a German admiral during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.

Career

Schmundt joined the German Imperial Navy 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 and Nürnberg. 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. Subsequently, Schmundt served as Admiral commanding Northern Norway including commanding Operation Wunderland, and as commander of German forces in the Baltic. 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