▁of ▁ 5 5 5 . ▁Inf anterie - Div ision , ▁on ▁the ▁Upper ▁Rh ine . ▁From ▁ 1 9 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁Sch mitt ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁command ▁ 5 5 5 ▁Division , ▁which ▁captured ▁Str as bourg . ▁ ▁Sch mitt ▁commanded ▁Ober feld zeug st abs ▁ 2 . ▁in ▁Poland ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁stages ▁of ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁ ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁General major ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁Sch mitt ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁North ▁Africa ; ▁under ▁Er win ▁R omm el , ▁Sch mitt ▁was ▁initially ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁Rück wär t iges ▁Ar me eg eb iet ▁ 5 5 6 ▁ ▁( 5 5 6 th ▁R ear ▁Army ▁Area ) ▁for ▁Pan zer gruppe ▁A frika . ▁ ▁In ▁November , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁combined ▁A xis ▁Division ▁“ B ard ia ”, ▁in ▁the ▁S oll um - B ard ia ▁sector . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁following ▁a ▁prolong ed ▁off ensive ▁against ▁B ard ia ▁by ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁ 2 nd ▁Infantry ▁Division ▁and ▁the ▁ ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Div is ional ▁Caval ry ▁Regiment , ▁Sch mitt ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁surrender ▁his ▁forces ▁to ▁the ▁South ▁Afr icans , ▁the ▁first ▁German ▁general ▁to ▁do ▁so ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁prisoner ▁of ▁war . ▁Following ▁his ▁capture , ▁Sch mitt ▁was ▁awarded