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Concept
Gebirgsjäger
Summary
Gebirgsjäger (ɡəˈbɪʁksˌjɛːɡɐ) are the light infantry part of the alpine or mountain troops (Gebirgstruppe) of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The word Jäger (meaning "hunter" or "huntsman") is a characteristic term used for light infantry in German speaking countries.
The mountain infantry of Austria have their roots in the three Landesschützen regiments of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The mountain infantry of modern Germany carry on certain traditions of the German Alpenkorps (Alpine corps) of World War I. Both countries' mountain infantry share the Edelweiß insignia, established in 1907 as a symbol of the Austro-Hungarian Landesschützen regiments by Emperor Franz Joseph I. These troops wore the edelweiss on the uniform collar. When the Alpenkorps served alongside the Landesschützen on Austria's southern frontier against Italian forces from May 1915, the Landesschützen honoured the men of the Alpenkorps by awarding them their own insignia: the edelweiss.
List of German divisions in World War II#Mountain divisions and Waffen-SS divisions
During World War II the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS raised a number of mountain infantry units, identified by the edelweiss insignia worn on their sleeves and caps.
These divisions were lightly equipped, with much of the transport provided by mules. They were equipped with fewer automatic weapons than regular infantry, however the MG 34 or MG 42 machine gunners were provided with more ammunition than their regular infantry counterparts. Special equipment was made for them including the G33/40 mauser rifle based on the VZ.33 rifle.
Mountain infantry participated in many campaigns, including Operations Weserübung, Silver Fox, Platinum Fox, Arctic Fox and Northern Lights. They also served in the Caucasus, the invasion of Crete, the Balkans, the Gothic Line, and the battles in the Vosges region of France.
1st Mountain Division (later 1st Volksgebirgs Division)
2nd Mountain Division
3rd Mountain Division
4th Mountain Division
5th Mountain Division
6th Mountain Division
7th Mountain Division (previously 99th Light Infantry Division)
8th Mountain Division (previously Division Nr.
Official source
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