When the Reichswehr was turned into the Wehrmacht, he became a teacher at the military school (Kriegsschule) in Munich.

In World War II he took part in the Invasion of Poland, the Battle of France and the Siege of Leningrad.

At that time he fought in the Battle of Stalingrad as commander of the XIV Panzer Corps.

On 29 Jan 1943 Friedrich Paulus learned "Lieutenant-General Schlömer and other generals had received Red Army envoys and were negotiating a surrender with them.

"[1] While in Soviet captivity he joined the National Committee for a Free Germany (Nationalkomitee Freies Deutschland, NKFD) and was released in 1949.