Gebirgsjäger

Kaiserjäger redirects here. For the 1956 film, see Kaiserjäger (film)

German Gebirgsjäger during a climbing exercise

Gebirgsjäger, in English Mountain Riflemen, is the German designation for mountain infantry. The word Jäger (lit. "huntsman" or "hunter") is the traditional German term for rifleman (often confused with skirmisher or light infantry, known as Fusiliers in Germany). The mountain infantry of Austria have their roots in the three Landesschützen regiments of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The mountain infantry of Germany carry on certain traditions of the Alpenkorps (Alpine corps) of World War I. Both countries' mountain infantry share the Edelweiß insignia. It was established in 1907 as a symbol of the Austro-Hungarian Landesschützen regiments by Emperor Franz Joseph I. These troops wore their edelweiss on the collar of their uniforms. When the Alpenkorps came to aid the Landesschützen in defending Austria-Hungary's southern frontier against the Italian attack in May 1915, the grateful Landesschützen honoured the men of the Alpenkorps by awarding them their own insignia: the Edelweiß. Together with the Fallschirmjäger (Paratroopers) they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army.

Gebirgsjäger in World War II

Gebirgsjäger group in late 1942 during the Battle of the Caucasus.

See also: 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.

An entire corps was formed in Norway by 1941. Its divisions were lightly equipped, with much of the transport provided by mules. These mountain infantry 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. Mountain infantry were identified by the Edelweiß insignia worn on their sleeves and their caps.

Mountain infantry participated in many battles, including Operation Weserübung, Operation Silver Fox, Operation Platinum Fox and Operation Arctic Fox, the operations in the Caucasus, the Gothic Line, the invasion of Crete and the battles in the Vosges region of France. Special equipment was made for them including the G33/40 mauser rifle based on the VZ.33 rifle.

Famed Wehrmacht snipers Matthäus Hetzenauer and Josef "Sepp" Allerberger served within the Gebirgsjäger on the Eastern Front. The Germans also produced a small amount of prototype and pre production test batch of the g33/40 equipped with the zf 41 sharpshooter scope. These were photographed for inclusion in the zf 41 manual in 1942. However the BRNO factory switched over to the Mauser 98 K in 1943. Approximately 350 to 400 scoped g 33/40 rifles were made total. As of 2013 only one has been examined and found to be a real test batch scoped rifle,it has serial number 3962C. It is a late dot 1942 production rifle. Recreations of this rifle using Mauser 98k zf 41 mounts sell for about 5000.00$us. Of note is the recreation rifles scope base is as the Mauser 98k, which differs from the original g 33/40 base, and so is easy to distinguish real from reproduction.reproduction mounts have been welded or screwed onto g33/40 scope bases, this is incorrect both in size and construction of the original scope base mounts. The real mount places the zf-41 scope in a very specific location on the rifle, re-creations are either too far forward or too far back from the original. The original rifles with zf-41 scopes have their stock and handguard specifically cut and fitted for the zf-41 scope and mount combination. During World War II, the Italian counterpart to the gebirgsjäger was the alpini. The alpini used discarded g33/40, mp-40, mg-34, mosin nagant sniper rifles, mauser 98k rifles and any other item when possible to augment their poor equipment.

Gebirgsjäger in the modern German forces

The coat of arms of the Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23 shows an Edelweiß as the traditional symbol for the German mountain soldiers

Honouring tradition, upon the creation of the Bundeswehr in 1956, the mountain infantry returned as a distinctive arm of the West German army. Until 2001, they were organized as the 1. Gebirgsdivision, but this division was disbanded in a general reform. The successor unit is Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23 which has its headquarters in Bad Reichenhall. The battalions of these mountain infantry are deployed in southern Bavaria as this is the only high mountain area in Germany touching the Northern Alps. Since 2008 the unit is officially called "Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23 Bayern (Bavaria)" as a commendation of the close relationship between the state and the Gebirgsjäger.

According to the official Bundeswehr website, the brigade has a current strength of 6,500 soldiers.

A German Gebirgsjäger wearing the formal uniform with the characteristic clothes and boots

Traditions

The soldiers of the mountain infantry wear a grey cap (Bergmütze) with an edelweiß on its left side, stem to the front. This distinguishes them from all other German army soldiers who wear berets and the Austrian army, whose edelweiß has its stem to the back. The formal uniform, which is based on traditional skiing outfits, is also different from the standard German military uniform, and consists of ski jacket, stretch trousers and ski boots. A soldier is allowed to wear the edelweiß on the forage cap after he has completed the "Edelweißmarsch". This honor is only allowed for the mountain infantry.

German Gebirgsjäger traditionally share a very close comradeship and distinct esprit de corps. There is also a special perception of discipline which can for example be seen in a relatively informal relationship between officers and soldiers during normal day duty.

Tasks of the German Gebirgsjäger

The main tasks of the German mountain infantry are:

• Warfare in extreme weather conditions
• Winter warfare
• Warfare in urban terrain
• Warfare in arctic, mountain and desert terrain

Units

List of active mountain infantry in the Bundeswehr as of 2009:

• Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23
  • Stab und Stabskompanie (HQ & HQ Company) in Bad Reichenhall
  • Gebirgsjägerbataillon 231 (Mountain infantry battalion) in Bad Reichenhall
  • Gebirgsjägerbataillon 232 (Mountain infantry battalion) in Bischofswiesen
  • Gebirgsjägerbataillon 233 (Mountain infantry battalion) in Mittenwald
  • Gebirgsaufklärungsbataillon 230 (Reconnaissance battalion) in Füssen
  • Gebirgsfernmeldebataillon 210 (Mountain Signal battalion) in Bad Reichenhall and Bischofswiesen
  • Gebirgspionierbataillon 8 (Combat engineer battalion) in Brannenburg (in Ingolstadt from 2010)
  • Gebirgslogistikbataillon 8 (Logistic battalion) in Füssen
  • Einsatz- und Ausbildungszentrum für Gebirgstragtierwesen 230 (company-sized training center for transport mules) in Bad Reichenhall

• List of mountain units which are not part of the Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23:
  • Gebirgs- und Winterkampfschule (international training center for mountain area and winter warfare) in Mittenwald
  • Gebirgssanitätsregiment 42 (Mountain medical support regiment) in Kempten
  • Gebirgsmusikkorps (Mountain troops military band) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The Gebirgsmusikkorps is one of the most popular military bands in Germany. It performed for the ISAF in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2002.

As the Gebirgsjägerbrigade 23 is part of the so-called stabilisation forces (Stabilisierungskräfte), it lacks any accompanying artillery.

Equipment and organization

A mountain infantry battalion consists of about 1,000 soldiers in six companies. One company is responsible for staff and support duties and has a "Hochgebirgsjägerzug" (special platoon for high mountain terrain) at its disposal. Three companies are consisting of classical mountain infantry, another one is a heavy company which is equipped with the Wiesel AWC for mortar support, tank defence and supporting cannon fire with 20 mm guns. The last company has the mission to train the conscripts in the three month basic military training of the German forces.

A Bv 206S as a medical transporter. The 206S is the standard transport vehicle of the German mountain infantry

• Equipment of the Gebirgsjäger (selection):
  • Wiesel AWC
  • Bandvagn 206
  • Snowmobiles
  • Military versions of the Unimog

Gebirgsjäger in the modern Austrian forces

Today the traditions of the Austrian mountain infantry are maintained by the 6th Jägerbrigade in Innsbruck with the

• Jägerbataillon 23
• Jägerbataillon 24
• Jägerbataillon 26

Traditions

The soldiers of the mountain infantry wear a grey cap (“Bergmütze”) with an edelweiss on its left side. This distinguishes them from all other German army soldiers who wear berets. The formal uniform, which is based on traditional skiing outfits, is also different from the standard German military uniform, and consists of ski jacket, stretch trousers and ski boots.

The “Kaiserjägermarsch” (March of the Kaiserjäger) from 1914 is the traditional military march of the German and Austrian mountain infantry.

Notable members

Also see Alpenkorps for the World War I era unit.

• Category:German World War II Gebirgsjäger
• Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg—German politician
• Hubert Lanz--General der Gebirgstruppe during World War II
• Prince Ludwig of Bavaria
• Edmund Stoiber—German politician

See also

• General der Gebirgstruppe

Similar units

• Chasseurs Alpins
• Alpini
• Podhale Rifles
• Vânători de munte
• 10th Mountain Division
• 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain)

External links

• Lone Sentry: Some Notes on German Mountain Warfare (US WWII ...
• Articles, Pictures, Videostreams, Links (in German) about the Gebirgsjaeger
• Extensive web site dedicated to the history of Gebirgstruppen
• WWII Combat Footage from the Caucasus Mountains
• Informational Video from BWTV