Born on 12 June 1892 in Munich. He was decorated for his service in the First World War. During the Second World War he played a key role in the invasion of Poland in 1939, and later during the invasion of Greece. During the unsuccessful advance on Murmansk in 1942, Schörner became notorious for his claim that the harsh climate could not stop the German forces’ progress; this later proved to be an over-optimistic assessment. After leading the retreat on the Eastern front, he was appointed the commander of the Army Group Centre, tasked with defending the German-occupied Czech lands. During the battle to defend Ostrava from the Red Army Advance, Schörner had several German officers executed for voicing “defeatist” opinions. He was known by his subordinates as “Bloody Ferdinand” for his harsh methods.
