Schuchardt, Karl.

Schuchardt, Karl, born 07-05-1893, in Köln-Mülheim , joined the Royal Prussian Army on 07-05-1912 as a cadet. The son of the manufacturer August Schuchardt came to the 1st Brandenburg Field Artillery Regiment “General Feldzeugmeister” No. 3. In this he was promoted to Fähnrich on 27-01-1913. After attending war school, he was promoted to leutnant on 18-12-1913. His patent was dated 21-12-1911. As such, he was then employed as a battery officer in the 1st Brandenburg Field Artillery Regiment “General Feldzeugmeister” No. 3. He was then used in this function until mobilization for World War I in the summer of 1914. As such, he went to the front at the beginning of the war. There he was then used as an orderly officer. In mid-January 1915, he was transferred to the 82nd motor anti-aircraft battery as a leader. As such, he was promoted to Oberleutnant on 27-01-1917. On 28-02-1917 he was then transferred to the commander of Flak 7 (Koflak 7) as adjutant. In mid-September 1917 he was then transferred as an adjutant to the commander of Flak 17 (Koflak 17). In mid-June 1918 he was transferred to the commander of Flak 9 (Koflak 9) as an adjutant. In mid-September 1918 he became adjutant to Flak-Batterie 27. On 17-09-1918 he married Gertrud Schmidt. During World War I he was awarded both Iron Crosses. After the war he was accepted into the Imperial Army on October 01-10-1919 as a leutnant. He came to the Reichswehr Artillery Regiment 15 of the Reichswehr Brigade 15 as a battery officer. When the 100,000-man army of the Reichswehr was formed, he was retired from active service on 30-11-1920.

From 01-12-1920, he worked as a trainee in the ball bearing factory of the Norma company. In 1921 he was then appointed head of the repair department of this company. From 01-10-1921, he worked as a self-employed businessman and manufacturer of the button factory Pahl and Schuchardt in Berlin. On 01-06-1926, he joined the Reichswehr as an employee. He was then employed as a consultant for camouflage and air defense in the Reichswehr Ministry (RWM) in Berlin. After two years, in June 1928, he came to the headquarters of the 6th Reichswehr Division in Münster as a consultant for camouflage and air raid protection. He then held this position for a number of years. On 01-10-1934, during the expansion of the Reichswehr into the Wehrmacht, he was accepted into active service as a Hauptmann. His rank seniority was set to 01-09-1934. On 01-10-1934, he was transferred to the 4th Driving Department as squadron commander. As such, he was promoted to Major on 01-02-1935. On 01-04-1935, he was transferred to the Luftwaffe  as a major and was appointed commander of Flak Battalion 4 in Dortmund. On 01-10-1935, he was then appointed commander of the 1st Division of Flak Regiment 4 in Dortmund. He then retained this position for several years. He was also promoted to Oberstleutnant on 01-01-1938. As such, on 01-07-1938, he was appointed commander of the 1st Division of Flak Regiment 74. On 15-11-1938, he was appointed commander of the II. Battalion of Flak Regiment 14 by renaming his department. During the mobilization for World War II in the summer of 1939, he relinquished his command. For this he was then appointed commander of Flak Regiment 41 in Münster during the mobilization. He then led this at the beginning of the war in the Polish campaign. After that, the regimental staff continued to be deployed in East Prussia. As a regimental commander, he was promoted to Oberst on 01-01-1940. With the transfer of his staff to the western front in the spring of 1940, he was also deployed in the western campaign. He gave up his command of Flak Regiment 41 in November 1940. According to other information, he took over as commander of the 11th Flak Regiment as early as June 1940. His actual activity in 1941 is so far unknown. On 01-03-1942, he was appointed commander of Flak Regiment 64, succeeding Generalmajor Georg von Kutzleben. Von Kutzleben survived the war and died age 77, on 03-07-1962, in  Coburg He was now also referred to as the commander of the Duisburg anti-aircraft group. As early as April 1942 he allegedly handed over his command to Oberstleutnant Rudolf Erlenbach. Apparently he was appointed commander of Flak Regiment 44 as successor to Oberstleutnant Hans-Jürgen Nicolai. He was now also referred to as the commander of the anti-aircraft group Essen.

Death and burial ground of Schuchardt, Karl.

In November 1942 he was appointed commander of the new Luftwaffe Artillery Regiment 15. He then led this at the beginning of 1943 in the formation of the Luftwaffe Field Division 15 on the Don. On 08–02-1943, he handed over his command to Oberst Herbert Müller. On the same 08-02-1943, he then became the commander of the new Luftwaffe Artillery Re. Oberst Müller did not hold the command of the regiment for long, the 14-07-1942, age 45, near Millerowo, his command tank was hit by a Russian antitank grenade and he was instantly killed, this was during one of the bigger battles in the Stalingrad offensive. He was buried in a Germany Military Cemetary at Millerowo between Stalingrad and Krakow, the Russians destroyed the cemetary during their offensive against Germany.

Karl Schuchardt on 13-08-1943, age 50, was killed in battle, near Oul, Russiatunion and is buried, with his wife Gertrud Schmidt, at the Hauptfriedhof Baden-Baden near the tomb of General Erich Erdmann Fitzau (Gaus).  Denis Estoppey, from Geneva, Switserland, visited the cemetery and sent me the grave photo’s with great thanks.

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