▁South west ▁Africa ▁( l ater ▁Nam ib ia ). ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁He ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁South - West ▁Africa ▁campaign ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁during ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁captured . ▁ ▁After ▁being ▁transferred ▁to ▁a ▁prisoner ▁of ▁war ▁( P OW ) ▁camp ▁in ▁Britain , ▁Sch mitt ▁attempted ▁to ▁escape , ▁without ▁success . ▁He ▁was ▁rep atri ated ▁to ▁Germany ▁before ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁and ▁then ▁joined ▁König lich ▁Bayer isches ▁Reserve - In fan ter ie - Reg iment ▁Nr . ▁ 1 ▁( G erman ▁Wikipedia ), ▁station ed ▁in ▁Mun ich . ▁ ▁Inter - war ▁years ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁Sch mitt ▁joined ▁a ▁right - wing ▁milit ia ▁known ▁as ▁Fre ikor ps ▁E ul enburg , ▁which ▁fought ▁against ▁Russian ▁forces ▁during ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Balt ic ▁off ensive ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 8 – 1 9 1 9 ▁and ▁put ▁down ▁an ▁u pr ising ▁by ▁eth nic ▁Pol es ▁in ▁Upper ▁S iles ia . ▁ ▁Sch mitt ▁ ▁was ▁employed ▁by ▁the ▁Bav arian ▁police ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁in ▁A sch affen burg ▁and ▁Mun ich . ▁ ▁Re jo ining ▁the ▁army ▁after ▁the ▁Naz is ▁came ▁to ▁power , ▁Sch mitt ▁served ▁initially ▁in ▁the ▁ord n ance ▁corps . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁By ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁he ▁was ▁commander ▁of ▁Inf anterie ▁Regiment ▁ 6 2 6 , ▁part