42nd Jäger Division was a German Infantry division during 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 can trace its origins to the 187th Infantry Division which was based in Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

 until September 1942, when it was redesignated as the 187th Reserve Division. The 187th was sent to 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 ...

 and was redesignated the 42nd Jäger Division in January 1944. 42. Jäger-Division was formed 22 Dec 1943 in Croatia from the 187. Reserve-Division. After taking part in Operation Margarethe

Operation Margarethe

During World War II, the Germans planned two discrete operations using the codename Margarethe.Operation Margarethe I was the occupation of Hungary by German forces on 19 March 1944. The Hungarian government was an ally of Nazi Germany, but had been discussing an armistice with the Allies...

, the military occupation of Hungary

Hungary

Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...

 in March 1944, and the returned 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....

 in May. In July 1944 it 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...

 where it remained for the rest of the war and surrendered in April 1945.

Background

The main purpose of the German Jäger Divisions was to fight in adverse terrain where smaller, coordinated units were more facilely combat capable than the brute force offered by the standard infantry divisions. The Jäger divisions were more heavily equipped than a 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.

Commanders

• General der Infanterie
  General der Infanterie
  General of the Infantry is a military rank of a General officer and refers to:* General of the Infantry * General of the Infantry...
  
   Walther Graeßner
  Walther Graeßner
  Walther Graeßner was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the XII. Armeekorps. 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...
  
    (15 October 1939 - 6 February 1940)
• Generalleutnant Konrad Stephanus  (7 February 1940 - 15 August 1942)
• Generalleutnant Josef Brauner von Haydringen  (15 August 1942 - 26 April 1944)
• Generalleutnant Walter Jost
  Walter Jost
  Walter Jost 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...
  
    (26 April 1944 - 24 April 1945)

Area of operations

As 187th Division
Austria (October 1939 - August 1942)
As 187th Reserve Division
Austria (August 1942 - September 1942)
Croatia (September 1942 - January 1944)
As 42nd Jäger Division
Croatia (January 1944 - March 1944)
Hungary (March 1944 - May 1944)
Yugoslavia (May 1944 - July 1944)
Italy (July 1944 - April 1945)

Order of battle (1944)

• Jäger
  Jäger (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 25
• Jäger Regiment 40
• Reconnaissance Battalion 142
• Artillery Regiment 142
• Pioneer Battalion 142
• Panzerjäger
  Panzerjäger
  Panzerjäger 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...
  
   Company 142
• Mountain Flak Company 142
• Signals Battalion 142
• Feldersatz Battalion 142
• Versorgungseinheiten 142