114th Jäger Division
Encyclopedia
114th Jäger Division was a German Infantry
Division
of World War II
. It was formed in April 1943, following the reorganization and redesignation of the 714th Infantry Division. The 714th Division had been formed in May 1941, and transferred to Yugoslavia
to conduct anti partisan and Internal security
operations. They were involved in Operation Delphin
which was an anti-partisan operation in Croatia
that took between 15 November to 1 December 1943. The objective of the mission was to destroy the Partisan elements on the Dalmatian islands off central Dalmatia
.
The division was transferred to Italy
in January 1944, to reinforce the Anzio
front. The division was still serving in Italy when it was destroyed in combat in April 1945.
more facilely combat capable than the brute force offered by the standard infantry divisions. The Jäger divisions were
more heavily equipped than mountain division, but not as well armed as a larger infantry division. In the early stages of
the war, they were the interface divisions fighting in rough terrain and foothills as well as urban areas, between the
mountains and the plains. The Jägers (means hunters in German) relied on a high degree of training, and slightly superior communications, as well as their not inconsiderable artillery support. In the middle stages of the war, as the standard infantry divisions were down sized, the Jäger model with two infantry regiments came to dominate the standard tables of organization.
In 1943, Adolf Hitler
declared that all infantry divisions were now Grenadier Divisions except for his elite Jäger and Mountain Jaeger divisions.
in the village of Filetto di Camarda, when seventeen men were shot in retaliation of the killing of four German soldiers on 7 June 1944 and the parts of the village was burned down. The officer in command at the time was Matthias Defregger, who became a bishop in Munich
after the war and was forced to resign when investigations of the killing were reopened in 1969.
The division also took part in the shooting of forty civilians in Gubbio
on 22 June 1944, in reprisal for a partisan attack.
This unit was one of those singled out in exhibit UK-66, the British report on German reprisals for Partisan activities in Italy at the International Military Tribunal war crimes trial in Nuremberg
:
Evidence has been found to show that a large number of the atrocities in Italy were committed by the Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring
, 1st Parachute Division
, 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division and the 114th Jäger Division.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was formed in April 1943, following the reorganization and redesignation of the 714th Infantry Division. The 714th Division had been formed in May 1941, and transferred to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
to conduct anti partisan and Internal security
Internal security
Internal security, or IS, is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other self-governing territories. generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats...
operations. They were involved in Operation Delphin
Operation Delphin
Operation Delphin was an anti-partisan operation in the Independent State of Croatia that took place in World War II, from 15 November to 1 December 1943...
which was an anti-partisan operation in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
that took between 15 November to 1 December 1943. The objective of the mission was to destroy the Partisan elements on the Dalmatian islands off central Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
.
The division was transferred to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in January 1944, to reinforce the Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
front. The division was still serving in Italy when it was destroyed in combat in April 1945.
Background
The main purpose of the German Jäger Divisions was to fight in adverse terrain where smaller, coordinated units weremore facilely combat capable than the brute force offered by the standard infantry divisions. The Jäger divisions were
more heavily equipped than mountain division, but not as well armed as a larger infantry division. In the early stages of
the war, they were the interface divisions fighting in rough terrain and foothills as well as urban areas, between the
mountains and the plains. The Jägers (means hunters in German) relied on a high degree of training, and slightly superior communications, as well as their not inconsiderable artillery support. In the middle stages of the war, as the standard infantry divisions were down sized, the Jäger model with two infantry regiments came to dominate the standard tables of organization.
In 1943, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
declared that all infantry divisions were now Grenadier Divisions except for his elite Jäger and Mountain Jaeger divisions.
Known war crimes
The 114th Jäger Division was implicated in a war crimeWar crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
in the village of Filetto di Camarda, when seventeen men were shot in retaliation of the killing of four German soldiers on 7 June 1944 and the parts of the village was burned down. The officer in command at the time was Matthias Defregger, who became a bishop in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
after the war and was forced to resign when investigations of the killing were reopened in 1969.
The division also took part in the shooting of forty civilians in Gubbio
Gubbio
Gubbio is a town and comune in the far northeastern part of the Italian province of Perugia . It is located on the lowest slope of Mt. Ingino, a small mountain of the Apennines. See also Mount Ingino Christmas Tree.-History:...
on 22 June 1944, in reprisal for a partisan attack.
This unit was one of those singled out in exhibit UK-66, the British report on German reprisals for Partisan activities in Italy at the International Military Tribunal war crimes trial in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
:
Evidence has been found to show that a large number of the atrocities in Italy were committed by the Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring
Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring
The Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. Hermann Göring was an élite German Luftwaffe armoured division. The HG saw action in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and on the Eastern front...
, 1st Parachute Division
1st Parachute Division (Germany)
The German 1st Parachute Division was a German elite military parachute-landing Division that fought during World War II. A division of paratroopers was termed a Fallschirmjäger Division...
, 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division and the 114th Jäger Division.
Commanders
- Generalleutnant Friedrich Stahl (2 May 1941 – 31 December 1942)
- Generalleutnant Josef ReichertJosef ReichertJosef Reichert was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
(1 January 1943 – 20 February 1943) - General der GebirgstruppeGeneral der GebirgstruppeGeneral der Gerbirgstruppe was a rank of German Army General introduced by the Wehrmacht in 1940....
Karl EglseerKarl EglseerKarl Eglseer was a highly decorated General der Gebirgstruppe in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the XVIII. Gebirgs-Korps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or...
(20 February 1943 – 1 December 1943) - Generalleutnant Alexander Bourquin (1 December 1943 – 19 May 1944)
- Generalleutnant Dr. Hans BoelsenHans BoelsenDr.jur. Dr.rer.pol. Hans Boelsen was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
(19 May 1944 – 19 July 1944) - Generalmajor Hans-Joachim Ehlert (19 July 1944 – 15 April 1945)
- Generalmajor Martin Strahammer (15 April 1945 – 23 April 1945)
Area of operations
- GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(May 1941 – May 1941) - Serbia and Independent State of CroatiaIndependent State of CroatiaThe Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
(May 1941 – April 1943) - YugoslaviaYugoslaviaYugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
(April 1943 – January 1944) - ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(January 1944 – April 1945)
Order of battle
- JägerJäger (military)Jäger is a term that was adopted in the Enlightenment era in German-speaking states and others influenced by German military practice to describe a kind of light infantry, and it has continued in that use since then....
Regiment 721 - Jäger Regiment 741
- Reconnaissance Battalion 114
- Artillery Regiment 661
- Pionier Battalion 114
- PanzerjägerPanzerjägerPanzerjäger was a branch of service of the Wehrmacht during the Second World War which were the anti-tank arm-of-service who operated anti-tank artillery, and made exclusive use of the tank destroyers which were also named Panzerjäger...
Battalion 114 - Signals Battalion 114
- Reserve Battalion 114
- Supply detachment 114