German Occupation in the Soviet Union 1941–1943. The Case of Colonel General Rudolf Schmidt
German Occupation in the Soviet Union 1941–1943. The Case of Colonel General Rudolf Schmidt

Summary/Abstract: The actions of Colonel General Rudolf Schmidt (1886-1957) as commanding general at the Eastern Front in the years 1941 to 1943 facilitates a complex view on the German occupation in the Soviet Union. Especially in this uncontained German-Soviet war, Schmidt did not want to break with his personal principles and with international law. With the means available to him he endeavoured to counteract the spiral of violence. He tried to prevent arbitrary acts of violence, decidedly opposed the so-called ‘Commissar Order’; prisoners of war were treated humanely in accordance with legal principles. His type of occupation policy is particularly obvious in the treatment of the civilian population and in fighting partisans. With the first, he tried to make the impact of the war as bearable as possible. Further, he established an autonomous Russian self-administration in his area of responsibility – at the time a unique experiment. With regard to partisans, Schmidt pursued a different strategy than usual. He wanted not only to fight them but to win them over with psychological warfare.

• Details
• Contents