Gebirgsjäger
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gebirgsjäger, often referred to as Gebirgsjager or Gebirgsjaeger in English, is the German word for Mountain trooper (Gebirge meaning 'mountain range', and Jäger meaning 'hunter' or 'ranger'). The word "Jäger" is a traditional German term for light infantry. Their place in German military traditions predates World War 1 and they are considered somewhat of an élite corps.
During World War II the Heer and Waffen-SS raised a number of Gebirgsjäger units. The quality of these divisions varied greatly, with the 1.Gebirgs-Division being classed as élite, and the 13.Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS Handschar (kroatische nr.1) as unreliable in combat.
The Gebirgsjäger arm of the Heer was already well advanced by 1941, with an entire Gebirgskorps being formed in Norway. The Divisions were lightly equipped, with much of the transport provided by pack animals. The Gebirgsjäger units were equipped with fewer automatic weapons than regular infantry divisions, however the machine gunners were provided with more ammunition than their infantry counterparts. Gebirgsjäger were identified by the edelweiss insignia worn on their sleeves and their caps.
Gebirgsjäger participated in many famous battles, including Operation Weserübung, Operations Silberfuchs, Platinfuchs and Polarfuchs, the Operations in the Caucasus, the Gothic Line, the invasion of Crete and the battles in the Vosges region of France.
[edit] Gebirgsjäger in the modern German forces
Honouring tradition, upon the creation of the Bundeswehr in 1956, the Gebirgsjäger returned as a distinctive arm of the Heer. Until 2001 the Gebirgsjäger-units were organized in the 1. Gebirgsdivision, but this division was disbanded in the run of the general reform of the German forces. The successing unit is the Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23 with its headquarter in Bad Reichenhall (Bavaria). All battalions of the Gebirgsjäger are deployed in southern Bavaria, only one can be found in Schneeberg (Saxony).
List of all active Gebirgsjäger-units in the Bundeswehr (in 2006):
- Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23
- Gebirgsjägerbataillon 231
- Gebirgsjägerbataillon 232
- Gebirgsjägerbataillon 233
- Gebirgsjägerbataillon 571 (in Saxony)
- Ausbildungszentrum für Gebirgstragtierwesen 230 (training center for transport mules)
- Gebirgsaufklärungskompanie 230 (company with a special reconnaissance mission)
- Gebirgs- und Winterkampfschule (international training center for mountain area and winter warfare)
The soldiers of the Gebirgsjäger wear a grey cap (which is called “Bergmütze”) with an edelweiss on its left side. This special kind of cap separates them from all other German soldiers who are wearing berets.
The “Kaiserjägermarsch” (March of the Kaiserjäger) from 1914 is the traditional military march of the German and Austrian Gebirgsjäger. The "Gebirgsmusikkorps" (Mountain troops military band) from Garmisch-Partenkirchen is one of the most popular military bands in Germany and fulfils an important mission for the public relation efforts of the Bundeswehr. The Gebirgsmusikkorps became famous for its performance for the ISAF in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2002 .
[edit] See also
- Strzelcy podhalańscy. the Podhale rifles of Poland
- Alpini of Italy
