 Put in charge of an office to return stranded German soldiers to their units in late August 1941, he began to help Jews after being approached by two pleading for his intercession.Schmid hid Jews in his apartment, obtained work permits to save Jews from the Ponary massacre, transferred Jews in "Wehrmacht" trucks to safer locations, and aided the Vilna Ghetto underground.It is estimated that he saved as many as 300 Jews before his arrest in January 1942.