Fallschirmjäger (World War II)
Encyclopedia
The Fallschirmjäger of Nazi Germany were the first German
paratrooper
s (Fallschirmjäger
in German) to be committed in large-scale airborne operations. They came to be known as the "green devils" by the Allied forces they fought against during World War II
. Throughout World War II, the Fallschirmjäger commander was Kurt Student
.
Fallschirm "parachute" and Jäger
, the light elite infantry of the Prussian army
.
by commander of the U.S. Air Corps
in France
—Brigadier General
Billy Mitchell. However the Allied High Command was forced to abandon the idea as it was wholly unprepared for such an undertaking, both logistically and in materiel. Among the first to recognize the potential of airborne forces were Italy and the Soviet Union
. The first effective means of supporting massed infantry airborne operations came with the development of the static-line parachute in Italy in the 1920s, whereby parachutes are attached to the inside of the aircraft and deployed automatically upon departure. This technique allowed the jumps to occur at lower altitudes, limiting exposure to enemy fire, and providing a tighter drop zone grouping than individually deployed rip-cord type parachutes.
The Soviets were the first to demonstrate the military possibilities of airborne infantry in the 1930s with a series of maneuvers held in 1935 and 1936. Though somewhat crude (the Soviet paratroopers had to exit their slow-moving Tupolev TB-3
transporters through a hatch in the roof and then position themselves along the wings and jump together), the exercise managed to land 1,000 troops through air-drops followed by another 2,500 soldiers with heavy equipment delivered via airlandings. The gathered forces proceeded to carry out conventional infantry attacks with the support of heavy machine gun
s and light artillery
. Among the foreign observers present was Hermann Göring
.
Impressed, the ambitious Göring became personally committed to the creation of Germany's airborne arm in the 1930s. As the Prussia
n Prime Minister of the Interior, he ordered the formation of a specialist police unit in 1933, the Polizeiabteilung z.b.V. Wecke, devoted to protecting Nazi party officials. The organization of this unit was entrusted to Polizeimajor Walther Wecke of the Prussian Police Force, who had assembled a special detachment of 14 officers and 400 men within just two days. On 17 July, the detachment was officially renamed Landespolizeigruppe Wecke z.b.V., and was the first Landespolizeigruppe in Germany. On 22 December 1933, the unit was again retitled, becoming the Landespolizeigruppe General Göring. The unit carried out conventional police duties for the next two years under the command of Göring's ministerial adjutant Friedrich Jakoby, but it was Göring's intention to ultimately produce a unit that would match the Reichswehr
.
In March–April 1935, Göring transformed the Landespolizei General Göring into Germany's first dedicated airborne regiment, giving it the military designation Regiment General Göring (RGG) on 1 April 1935 (after Hitler
introduced conscription
on 16 March 1935). The unit was incorporated into the newly-formed Luftwaffe on October 1 of the same year and training commenced at Altengrabow. Göring also ordered that a group of volunteers be drawn for parachute training. These volunteers would form a core Fallschirmschützen Bataillon ("parachute soldiers battalion"), a cadre for future Fallschirmtruppe ("parachute troops"). In January 1936, 600 men and officers formed the 1st Jäger Battalion/RGG, commanded by Bruno Bräuer, and the 15th Engineer Company/RGG and were transferred to training area Döberitz
for jump training while the rest of the regiment was sent to Altengrabow. Germany's parachute arm was officially inaugurated on 29 January 1936 with an Order of the Day calling for recruits for parachute training at the Stendal Parachute Training School located 96 km (59.7 mi) west of Berlin
. The school was activated several months after the first parachute units were established in January 1936 and was open to active and reserve Luftwaffe personnel. NCOs, officers and other ranks of the Luftwaffe were required to successfully complete six jumps in order to receive the Luftwaffe Parachutist's Badge (instituted on 5 November 1936).
, the German Air Force (Luftwaffe
) raised a variety of airborne light infantry (Fallschirmjäger) units. Unlike the United Kingdom
, the British Commonwealth, and the United States
, the German paratroopers were part of the Luftwaffe rather than the Heer (German Army). Starting from a small collection of Fallschirmjäger battalion
s at the beginning of the war, the Luftwaffe built up a division-sized
unit of three Fallschirmjäger regiment
s plus supporting arms and air assets, known as the 7th Flieger Division
(7th Air Division).
Fallschirmjäger units made the first airborne invasion
when invading Denmark
on the 9 April 1940. In the early morning hours of Operation Weserübung
, they attacked and took control of Aalborg Air Base
which played a key role as a refueling station for the Luftwaffe in the subsequent invasion of Norway. In the same assault the bridges around Aalborg were taken. Other airborne attacks during the Battle of Denmark
were also carried out, including one on a fort on the island Masnedø
.
The first opposed airborne attacks occurred during the Norwegian Campaign
, first during the initial invasion when Fallschirmjäger captured the defended air base of Sola
, near Stavanger
. The Fallschirmjäger also had their first defeat in Norway, when a company was dropped on the village and railroad junction of Dombås
on 14 April 1940 and was destroyed by the Norwegian Army
in a five day battle
.
Later in the war, the 7th Air Division's Fallschirmjäger assets were re-organised and used as the core of a new series of elite Luftwaffe Infantry divisions, numbered in a series beginning with the 1st Fallschirmjäger Division
. These formations were organized and equipped as motorized infantry divisions, and often played a "fire brigade" role on the western front. Their constituents were often encountered on the battlefield as ad hoc battle group
s (Kampfgruppe
n) detached from a division or organized from miscellaneous available assets. In accord with standard German practice, these were called by their commander's name, such as Group Erdmann in France and the Ramcke Parachute Brigade
in North Africa.
After mid-1944, Fallschirmjäger were no longer trained as paratroops due to the realities of the strategic situation, but retained the Fallschirmjäger honorific. Near the end of the war, the series of new Fallschirmjäger divisions extended to more than 12, with a concomitant reduction in quality in the higher-numbered units of the series. Among these divisions was the 9th Fallschirmjäger Division, which was the last parachute division to be raised by Germany during World War II
. The division was destroyed during the Battle of Berlin
in April 1945. (These divisions should not be confused with the Luftwaffe Field Division
s, a poorly organised and managed series of light infantry
divisions raised from excess Luftwaffe personnel early in the war.)
Over 54,449 paratroops were killed in action
and over 8,000 are still listed as missing in action
.
Fallschirmjäger were awarded a total of 134 Knight's Crosses
between 1940 and 1945. Twenty-four KC were awarded in the west and 27 were awarded after Crete. Out of the 134 KC, 15 were with oak leaves, five with oak leaves and swords, and one with oak leaves, swords and diamonds.
Fallschirmjäger participated in many of the famous battles of World War II and in many theatres. As elite troops they were frequently deployed at the vanguard
of attacks and as the bulwark
of a defence. They would see action in the Norway and Denmark
campaign and in Belgium
, Holland
and France
in 1940. Major actions in the Balkans Campaign, Crete
, Italy
, and on both the Eastern Front
and later the Western Front
would follow.
permitted the early capture of Belgium
and, alongside successful operations in Holland
, was crucial for the speed of the German victories in 1940. The major airdrops in Norway and Denmark
in May 1940 was also vital to the success of the campaign there.
The Battle of Crete
in 1941 saw large scale airdrops in which the entire 7th Air Division was deployed with the German 5th Mountain Division
as the follow-up. Crete
was captured, along with many enemy troops and weapons, but the high casualties suffered by the Fallschirmjäger as they parachuted in convinced Hitler that such mass airdrops were no longer feasible. Unknown to the Germans, the element of surprise had been lost before the drops started due to British cracking of the Enigma
cipher.
Fallschirmjäger also played a key role defending positions in France against much larger forces during the Battle of Normandy
in 1944. The Battle of Carentan
, as depicted in Band of Brothers saw Fallschirmjäger fight American paratroopers in a short but intense engagement. The defense of Fortress Brest
, at which the core of the defending forces were Fallschirmjäger including the commander Generalleutnant Ramcke
, delayed the American advance through 99 days of combat.
The Battle of Monte Cassino
was one of the finest displays of the courage, tenacity and skill that the Fallschirmjäger became known for. The 1st Fallschirmjäger Division held the ground near the Monastery of Monte Cassino but did not occupy the building itself. The historical significance of the Benedictine monastery caused the German commander-in-chief in Italy, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring
, to order German units not to include the monastery in German defensive positions and informed the Allies accordingly. The Allied high command refused to believe that the German forces would not use such a valuable position in their defences and orders were duly given for the 1500 year old building to be bombed to rubble. After the bombing, the Germans moved into positions among the bricks, remnants of walls and still intact cellar
s which provided excellent protection for the troops. This enabled the Fallschirmjäger to hold out for months against repeated assaults and heavy bombardment. Here they gained the nickname of the "Green Devils" from the Allied forces for their distinctive ¾-length splinter pattern camouflage jackets and their tenacious defence of the ruined town and monastery on the mountain above against far superior numbers. Inflicting huge losses on the allied forces, they ultimately retreated from their positions only to avoid being outflanked. After their withdrawal, Polish, Indian, Senegalese, Moroccan and Brazilian forces finally occupied the ruins of the monastery.
Also in Italy, a smaller but equally fierce battle occurred as the 3rd battalion, 3rd Regt, 1st Fallschirmjäger Division fought against elements of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division
and the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade during the Battle of Ortona
, Italy, from December 20, 1943 to December 28, 1943. The battle was dubbed "Little Stalingrad" for the deadliness of its close-quarters combat.
Fallschirmjäger were awarded the Fallschirmschützenabzeichen, a paratrooper insignia featuring a diving gold eagle gripping a swastika.
A special version of the German armed forces' (Wehrmacht
's) modernized steel helmet (Stahlhelm
), the M1935, called the Fallschirmhelm, was designed and issued to Fallschirmjäger units. It did away with the projecting visor and deep, flared rim of the standard-issue helmet, and added further improvements. The modified shell incorporated a completely different and more substantial leather liner and chinstrap design that provided far more protection for German airborne troops; this model was known as the "M1938".
The style of parachute harness used by the Fallschirmjäger, however, is generally considered inferior to those used by the war's British and American paratroopers. Unlike the British and American models, which connected the chute at each shoulder, the German design connected the parachute to the trooper's body via a single strap in the center of the back, an Irving-type harness. Paratroopers had to throw themselves forward out of the aeroplane, and in the resulting face-down position when the chute opened, control was nearly impossible. The necessity of landing on knees and elbows reduced the amount of equipment the trooper could carry and, even with pads, significantly increased the chance of injury. As a result, they jumped armed only with a holstered pistol and a small "gravity knife
". Rifles and other weapons were dropped in separate containers and, until these were recovered, the soldiers were relatively poorly armed (by comparison, Allied paratroopers were dropped armed with rifles or submachine guns). The Japanese copied the German system.
Fallschirmjäger units were usually very well equipped; they had access to the best weapons of the German military. They were among the first combat units to use assault rifle
s and recoilless weapons
in combat. Fallschirmjäger also readily employed the best of several foreign-made small arms, including the Italian Beretta Modello 38 9 mm submachine gun, and the FN Browning P-35
9 mm pistol.
A universal weapon was developed specifically for the paratroopers that could replace rifles, submachine guns and light machine gun
s but was also light enough to be carried during a jump. These efforts resulted in the FG 42
automatic rifle
which combined the firepower of a machine gun with the lightweight handling characteristics of a standard infantry rifle. The FG 42 was built and deployed in small numbers from 1943 until the end of the war. Though an extremely advanced weapon, the design had some drawbacks. The lightweight frame was subject to considerable muzzle rise when in automatic fire and had to be fired prone to guarantee accuracy. This meant that the FG 42 was not entirely compatible with the more universal role it was supposed to play, as both a light machine gun and assault rifle. The FG 42's advanced design also meant that the weapon could not be mass-produced in a cost efficient manner, and use of certain precious metals in the gun's construction placed it in competition with other wartime projects for increasingly scarce resources.
book and movie adaption The Eagle Has Landed
, a group of Fallschirmjäger are featured in a fictional operation where they covertly land in England in an attempt to kidnap Winston Churchill
. Within the book and movie, the Fallschirmjäger are portrayed as professional soldiers and heroic as one sacrifices his life to rescue a British girl, and the commanding officer, throws his career away in an attempt to save a Jewish girl.
In the video game Turning Point: Fall of Liberty, the main attack force in the initial Nazi invasion of New York city
, are Fallschirmjäger troops. They are first seen when they land on the skyscraper the player character is working on.
In the massively multiplayer online game World War II Online
, it is possible for Axis players to play as Fallschirmjäger. Parachute drops are possible.
In World War II real-time strategy
game Company of Heroes
, Fallschirmjäger are portrayed as stealthy units, able to hide in cover and infiltrate the battlefield unseen, and as extremely lethal to enemy infantry when equipped with their FG42.
In the strategy game R.U.S.E they can be researched and used when playing as Germany. They are the best paratroopers in game, given the moniker of elite infantry , and can defeat any other infantry unit (except other elite infantry) in battle.
In the World War II first-person shooter Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
, a number of Fallschirmjäger units meet the 101st Airborne in combat. Only the Waffen-SS are comparable to them as the most skilled enemy soldiers in the game.
Germany
Germany , 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...
paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
s (Fallschirmjäger
Fallschirmjäger
are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....
in German) to be committed in large-scale airborne operations. They came to be known as the "green devils" by the Allied forces they fought against 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...
. Throughout World War II, the Fallschirmjäger commander was Kurt Student
Kurt Student
Kurt Student was a German Luftwaffe general who fought as a fighter pilot during the First World War and as the commander of German Fallschirmjäger during the Second World War.-Biography:...
.
Etymology
The word Fallschirmjäger is from the GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
Fallschirm "parachute" and 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....
, the light elite infantry of the Prussian army
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
.
Pre-war history
During the interwar years the rapid development of aircraft and aviation technology drew the attention of imaginative military planners. The idea of inserting a large body of troops inside enemy territory was first proposed during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
by commander of the U.S. Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
—Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Billy Mitchell. However the Allied High Command was forced to abandon the idea as it was wholly unprepared for such an undertaking, both logistically and in materiel. Among the first to recognize the potential of airborne forces were Italy and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The first effective means of supporting massed infantry airborne operations came with the development of the static-line parachute in Italy in the 1920s, whereby parachutes are attached to the inside of the aircraft and deployed automatically upon departure. This technique allowed the jumps to occur at lower altitudes, limiting exposure to enemy fire, and providing a tighter drop zone grouping than individually deployed rip-cord type parachutes.
The Soviets were the first to demonstrate the military possibilities of airborne infantry in the 1930s with a series of maneuvers held in 1935 and 1936. Though somewhat crude (the Soviet paratroopers had to exit their slow-moving Tupolev TB-3
Tupolev TB-3
The Tupolev TB-3 was a heavy bomber aircraft which was deployed by the Soviet Air Force in the 1930s and during World War II. It was the world's first cantilever wing four-engine heavy bomber. Despite obsolescence and being officially withdrawn from service in 1939, TB-3 performed bomber and...
transporters through a hatch in the roof and then position themselves along the wings and jump together), the exercise managed to land 1,000 troops through air-drops followed by another 2,500 soldiers with heavy equipment delivered via airlandings. The gathered forces proceeded to carry out conventional infantry attacks with the support of heavy machine gun
Heavy machine gun
The heavy machine gun or HMG is a larger class of machine gun generally recognized to refer to two separate stages of machine gun development. The term was originally used to refer to the early generation of machine guns which came into widespread use in World War I...
s and light artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
. Among the foreign observers present was Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
.
Impressed, the ambitious Göring became personally committed to the creation of Germany's airborne arm in the 1930s. As the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n Prime Minister of the Interior, he ordered the formation of a specialist police unit in 1933, the Polizeiabteilung z.b.V. Wecke, devoted to protecting Nazi party officials. The organization of this unit was entrusted to Polizeimajor Walther Wecke of the Prussian Police Force, who had assembled a special detachment of 14 officers and 400 men within just two days. On 17 July, the detachment was officially renamed Landespolizeigruppe Wecke z.b.V., and was the first Landespolizeigruppe in Germany. On 22 December 1933, the unit was again retitled, becoming the Landespolizeigruppe General Göring. The unit carried out conventional police duties for the next two years under the command of Göring's ministerial adjutant Friedrich Jakoby, but it was Göring's intention to ultimately produce a unit that would match the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
.
In March–April 1935, Göring transformed the Landespolizei General Göring into Germany's first dedicated airborne regiment, giving it the military designation Regiment General Göring (RGG) on 1 April 1935 (after 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...
introduced conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
on 16 March 1935). The unit was incorporated into the newly-formed Luftwaffe on October 1 of the same year and training commenced at Altengrabow. Göring also ordered that a group of volunteers be drawn for parachute training. These volunteers would form a core Fallschirmschützen Bataillon ("parachute soldiers battalion"), a cadre for future Fallschirmtruppe ("parachute troops"). In January 1936, 600 men and officers formed the 1st Jäger Battalion/RGG, commanded by Bruno Bräuer, and the 15th Engineer Company/RGG and were transferred to training area Döberitz
Dallgow-Döberitz
Dallgow-Döberitz is a municipality in the Havelland district, in Brandenburg, Germany.-Geography:It consists of the villages Dallgow-Döberitz, Rohrbeck and Seeburg. To the east it shares border with the Spandau borough of Berlin. Neighbouring Brandenburg municipalities are Falkensee in the north...
for jump training while the rest of the regiment was sent to Altengrabow. Germany's parachute arm was officially inaugurated on 29 January 1936 with an Order of the Day calling for recruits for parachute training at the Stendal Parachute Training School located 96 km (59.7 mi) west of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. The school was activated several months after the first parachute units were established in January 1936 and was open to active and reserve Luftwaffe personnel. NCOs, officers and other ranks of the Luftwaffe were required to successfully complete six jumps in order to receive the Luftwaffe Parachutist's Badge (instituted on 5 November 1936).
World War II
During World War IIWorld 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...
, the German Air Force (Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
) raised a variety of airborne light infantry (Fallschirmjäger) units. Unlike the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the British Commonwealth, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the German paratroopers were part of the Luftwaffe rather than the Heer (German Army). Starting from a small collection of Fallschirmjäger battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s at the beginning of the war, the Luftwaffe built up a division-sized
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...
unit of three Fallschirmjäger regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s plus supporting arms and air assets, known as the 7th Flieger 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...
(7th Air Division).
Fallschirmjäger units made the first airborne invasion
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
when invading Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
on the 9 April 1940. In the early morning hours of Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
, they attacked and took control of Aalborg Air Base
Aalborg Air Base
Aalborg Air Base is a military base for the Danish Air Force . It is located near Aalborg, Denmark.Aalborg Air Base shares its runway system as well as some services with Aalborg Lufthavn.Residing Royal Danish Air Force units are:...
which played a key role as a refueling station for the Luftwaffe in the subsequent invasion of Norway. In the same assault the bridges around Aalborg were taken. Other airborne attacks during the Battle of Denmark
Battle of Denmark
The Battle of Denmark was the fighting that followed the German army crossing the Danish border on 9 April 1940 by land, sea and air. The German ground campaign against Denmark was the briefest on record in military history.-Motivation for invading Denmark:...
were also carried out, including one on a fort on the island Masnedø
Masnedø
Masnedø is a Danish island between Zealand and Falster. The island covers an area of 1.68 km² and has 156 inhabitants. Masnedø can be reached by the Masnedsund Bridge from Zealand or the Storstrøm Bridge from Falster...
.
The first opposed airborne attacks occurred during the Norwegian Campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
, first during the initial invasion when Fallschirmjäger captured the defended air base of Sola
Sola Air Station
Sola Air Station in Sola municipality in Norway is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Air Wing 134 is stationed at Sola along with helicopter Squadron 330....
, near Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
. The Fallschirmjäger also had their first defeat in Norway, when a company was dropped on the village and railroad junction of Dombås
Dombås
The village of lies in the Dovre municipality and serves as an administrative center in the upper Gudbrandsdal, Norway. It lies at an important junction of roads: south leading to the current capital of Norway, Oslo, west via Lesja leading to Åndalsnes on the sea and north to the old capital,...
on 14 April 1940 and was destroyed by the Norwegian Army
Norwegian Army
Norway achieved full independence in 1905, and in the first century of its short life has contributed to two major conflicts, the Cold War and the War on Terror. The Norwegian Army currently operates in the north of Norway and in Afghanistan as well as in Eastern Europe. The Army is the oldest of...
in a five day battle
Battle of Dombås
The Battle of Dombås was fought between Norwegian Army infantry forces and German Fallschirmjäger paratroops in mid-April 1940. As part of their conquest of Norway south of Trondheim, and as a countermeasure against reported allied landings in the Romsdal area of south western Norway, the Germans...
.
Later in the war, the 7th Air Division's Fallschirmjäger assets were re-organised and used as the core of a new series of elite Luftwaffe Infantry divisions, numbered in a series beginning with the 1st Fallschirmjäger Division
German 1st Fallschirmjäger Division
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...
. These formations were organized and equipped as motorized infantry divisions, and often played a "fire brigade" role on the western front. Their constituents were often encountered on the battlefield as ad hoc battle group
Battle group
Battle group may refer to:* Battlegroup , the basic building block of an army's fighting force* Battleship battle group, a battleship and its escorts* Carrier battle group, a carrier and its escorts...
s (Kampfgruppe
Kampfgruppe
In military history and military slang, the German term Kampfgruppe can refer to a combat formation of any kind, but most usually to that employed by the German Wehrmacht and its allies during World War II and, to a lesser extent, in World War I...
n) detached from a division or organized from miscellaneous available assets. In accord with standard German practice, these were called by their commander's name, such as Group Erdmann in France and the Ramcke Parachute Brigade
Ramcke Parachute Brigade
Fallschirmjäger-Brigade AfrikaFallschirmjäger-Brigade RamckeLuftwaffen-Jäger-Brigade 1The Fallschirmjäger-Brigade Ramcke was an elite German Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger Brigade which saw action in the Mediterranean Theatre during World War II.-History:Following the costly success of Operation...
in North Africa.
After mid-1944, Fallschirmjäger were no longer trained as paratroops due to the realities of the strategic situation, but retained the Fallschirmjäger honorific. Near the end of the war, the series of new Fallschirmjäger divisions extended to more than 12, with a concomitant reduction in quality in the higher-numbered units of the series. Among these divisions was the 9th Fallschirmjäger Division, which was the last parachute division to be raised by Germany 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...
. The division was destroyed during the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
in April 1945. (These divisions should not be confused with the Luftwaffe Field Division
Luftwaffe Field Division
The Luftwaffe Field Divisions were German military formations which fought during World War II.-History:...
s, a poorly organised and managed series of light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
divisions raised from excess Luftwaffe personnel early in the war.)
Over 54,449 paratroops were killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
and over 8,000 are still listed as missing in action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
.
Fallschirmjäger were awarded a total of 134 Knight's Crosses
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
between 1940 and 1945. Twenty-four KC were awarded in the west and 27 were awarded after Crete. Out of the 134 KC, 15 were with oak leaves, five with oak leaves and swords, and one with oak leaves, swords and diamonds.
Operations
Vanguard (military tactics)
The vanguard is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force.- Medieval origins :...
of attacks and as the bulwark
Bulwark
Bulwark may refer to:*A bastion or fortifications in general*In naval terminology, an extension of a ship's sides above deck level*HMS Bulwark, any of several Royal Navy ships*USS Bulwark, any of several US Navy ships...
of a defence. They would see action in the Norway and Denmark
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
campaign and in Belgium
Battle of Belgium
The Battle of Belgium or Belgian Campaign formed part of the greater Battle of France, an offensive campaign by Germany during the Second World War...
, Holland
Battle of the Netherlands
The Battle of the Netherlands was part of Case Yellow , the German invasion of the Low Countries and France during World War II. The battle lasted from 10 May 1940 until 14 May 1940 when the main Dutch forces surrendered...
and France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in 1940. Major actions in the Balkans Campaign, Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
, Italy
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
, and on both the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
and later the Western Front
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
would follow.
Notable operations
The skillful airborne seizure of Fort Eben-EmaelBattle of Fort Eben-Emael
The Battle of Fort Eben-Emael was a battle between Belgian and German forces that took place between 10 May and 11 May 1940, and was part of the Battle of the Netherlands, Battle of Belgium and Fall Gelb, the German invasion of the Low Countries and France...
permitted the early capture of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and, alongside successful operations in Holland
Battle of the Netherlands
The Battle of the Netherlands was part of Case Yellow , the German invasion of the Low Countries and France during World War II. The battle lasted from 10 May 1940 until 14 May 1940 when the main Dutch forces surrendered...
, was crucial for the speed of the German victories in 1940. The major airdrops in Norway and Denmark
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
in May 1940 was also vital to the success of the campaign there.
The Battle of Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
in 1941 saw large scale airdrops in which the entire 7th Air Division was deployed with the German 5th Mountain Division
German 5th Mountain Division
The German 5th Mountain Division was established in the Austrian Tirol in October 1940, out of regiments taken from the 1. Gebirgs-Division and the 10. Infanterie Division. Its first action was in the 1941 Balkans Campaign, when it took part in Operations Marita and Merkur ; in the latter it was...
as the follow-up. Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
was captured, along with many enemy troops and weapons, but the high casualties suffered by the Fallschirmjäger as they parachuted in convinced Hitler that such mass airdrops were no longer feasible. Unknown to the Germans, the element of surprise had been lost before the drops started due to British cracking of the Enigma
Enigma machine
An Enigma machine is any of a family of related electro-mechanical rotor cipher machines used for the encryption and decryption of secret messages. Enigma was invented by German engineer Arthur Scherbius at the end of World War I...
cipher.
Fallschirmjäger also played a key role defending positions in France against much larger forces during the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
in 1944. The Battle of Carentan
Battle of Carentan
The Battle of Carentan was an engagement in World War II between airborne forces of the United States Army and the German Wehrmacht during the Battle of Normandy. The battle took place between 10 and 15 June 1944, on the approaches to and within the city of Carentan, France.The objective of the...
, as depicted in Band of Brothers saw Fallschirmjäger fight American paratroopers in a short but intense engagement. The defense of Fortress Brest
Battle for Brest
The Battle for Brest was one of the fiercest battles fought during Operation Cobra, the Allied breakout of Normandy which began on 27 July 1944, during the Battle of Normandy during World War II....
, at which the core of the defending forces were Fallschirmjäger including the commander Generalleutnant Ramcke
Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke
Hermann-Bernhard "Gerhard" Ramcke was a German general. He was a recipient of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Swords, Oak Leaves, and Diamonds, one of only 27 people in the German military so decorated...
, delayed the American advance through 99 days of combat.
The Battle of Monte Cassino
Battle of Monte Cassino
The Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
was one of the finest displays of the courage, tenacity and skill that the Fallschirmjäger became known for. The 1st Fallschirmjäger Division held the ground near the Monastery of Monte Cassino but did not occupy the building itself. The historical significance of the Benedictine monastery caused the German commander-in-chief in Italy, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring
Albert Kesselring
Albert Kesselring was a German Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. In a military career that spanned both World Wars, Kesselring became one of Nazi Germany's most skilful commanders, being one of 27 soldiers awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords...
, to order German units not to include the monastery in German defensive positions and informed the Allies accordingly. The Allied high command refused to believe that the German forces would not use such a valuable position in their defences and orders were duly given for the 1500 year old building to be bombed to rubble. After the bombing, the Germans moved into positions among the bricks, remnants of walls and still intact cellar
Basement
__FORCETOC__A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Basements are typically used as a utility space for a building where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, car park, and air-conditioning system...
s which provided excellent protection for the troops. This enabled the Fallschirmjäger to hold out for months against repeated assaults and heavy bombardment. Here they gained the nickname of the "Green Devils" from the Allied forces for their distinctive ¾-length splinter pattern camouflage jackets and their tenacious defence of the ruined town and monastery on the mountain above against far superior numbers. Inflicting huge losses on the allied forces, they ultimately retreated from their positions only to avoid being outflanked. After their withdrawal, Polish, Indian, Senegalese, Moroccan and Brazilian forces finally occupied the ruins of the monastery.
Also in Italy, a smaller but equally fierce battle occurred as the 3rd battalion, 3rd Regt, 1st Fallschirmjäger Division fought against elements of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division
1st Canadian Infantry Division
The 1st Canadian Infantry Division was a formation mobilized on 1 September 1939 for service in the Second World War. The division was also reactivated twice during the Cold War....
and the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade during the Battle of Ortona
Battle of Ortona
The Battle of Ortona was a small, yet extremely fierce, battle fought between a battalion of German Fallschirmjäger from the German 1st Parachute Division under Generalleutnant Richard Heidrich, and assaulting Canadian forces from the 1st Canadian Infantry Division under Major General Chris Vokes...
, Italy, from December 20, 1943 to December 28, 1943. The battle was dubbed "Little Stalingrad" for the deadliness of its close-quarters combat.
Uniforms and equipment
A special version of the German armed forces' (Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
's) modernized steel helmet (Stahlhelm
Stahlhelm
Stahlhelm is German for "steel helmet". The Imperial German Army began to replace the traditional boiled-leather Pickelhaube with the Stahlhelm during World War I in 1916...
), the M1935, called the Fallschirmhelm, was designed and issued to Fallschirmjäger units. It did away with the projecting visor and deep, flared rim of the standard-issue helmet, and added further improvements. The modified shell incorporated a completely different and more substantial leather liner and chinstrap design that provided far more protection for German airborne troops; this model was known as the "M1938".
The style of parachute harness used by the Fallschirmjäger, however, is generally considered inferior to those used by the war's British and American paratroopers. Unlike the British and American models, which connected the chute at each shoulder, the German design connected the parachute to the trooper's body via a single strap in the center of the back, an Irving-type harness. Paratroopers had to throw themselves forward out of the aeroplane, and in the resulting face-down position when the chute opened, control was nearly impossible. The necessity of landing on knees and elbows reduced the amount of equipment the trooper could carry and, even with pads, significantly increased the chance of injury. As a result, they jumped armed only with a holstered pistol and a small "gravity knife
Gravity knife
A gravity knife is a knife with a blade contained in its handle, and which opens its blade by the force of inertia or gravity. As the gravity knife requires gravity or inertia to propel the blade out of the handle, it differs fundamentally from the switchblade, which opens its spring-propelled...
". Rifles and other weapons were dropped in separate containers and, until these were recovered, the soldiers were relatively poorly armed (by comparison, Allied paratroopers were dropped armed with rifles or submachine guns). The Japanese copied the German system.
Fallschirmjäger units were usually very well equipped; they had access to the best weapons of the German military. They were among the first combat units to use assault rifle
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
s and recoilless weapons
Recoilless rifle
A recoilless rifle or recoilless gun is a lightweight weapon that fires a heavier projectile than would be practical to fire from a recoiling weapon of comparable size. Technically, only devices that use a rifled barrel are recoilless rifles. Smoothbore variants are recoilless guns...
in combat. Fallschirmjäger also readily employed the best of several foreign-made small arms, including the Italian Beretta Modello 38 9 mm submachine gun, and the FN Browning P-35
Browning Hi-Power
The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
9 mm pistol.
A universal weapon was developed specifically for the paratroopers that could replace rifles, submachine guns and light machine gun
Light machine gun
A light machine gun is a machine gun designed to be employed by an individual soldier, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. Light machine guns are often used as squad automatic weapons.-Characteristics:...
s but was also light enough to be carried during a jump. These efforts resulted in the FG 42
FG 42
The FG 42 was a selective fire battle rifle produced in Nazi Germany during World War II...
automatic rifle
Automatic rifle
Automatic rifle is a term generally used to describe a semi-automatic rifle chambered for a rifle cartridge, capable of delivering both semi- and full automatic fire...
which combined the firepower of a machine gun with the lightweight handling characteristics of a standard infantry rifle. The FG 42 was built and deployed in small numbers from 1943 until the end of the war. Though an extremely advanced weapon, the design had some drawbacks. The lightweight frame was subject to considerable muzzle rise when in automatic fire and had to be fired prone to guarantee accuracy. This meant that the FG 42 was not entirely compatible with the more universal role it was supposed to play, as both a light machine gun and assault rifle. The FG 42's advanced design also meant that the weapon could not be mass-produced in a cost efficient manner, and use of certain precious metals in the gun's construction placed it in competition with other wartime projects for increasingly scarce resources.
The Parachutist's "Ten Commandments"
A revealing document captured from a German paratrooper who was taken prisoner in Greece reveals much of the Fallschirmjägers elite attitude. Titled the Ten Commandments it listed the following instructions:- You are the elite of the Wehrmacht. For you, combat shall be fulfillment. You shall seek it out and train yourself to stand any test.
- Cultivate true comradeship, for together with your comrades you will triumph or die.
- Be shy of speech and incorruptible. Men act, women chatter; chatter will bring you to the grave.
- Calm and caution, vigor and determination, valour and a fanatical offensive spirit will make you superior in attack.
- In facing the foe, ammunition is the most precious thing. He who shoots uselessly, merely to reassure himself, is a man without guts. He is a weakling and does not deserve the title of paratrooper.
- Never surrender. Your honour lies in Victory or Death.
- Only with good weapons can you have success. So look after them on the principle—First my weapons, then myself.
- You must grasp the full meaning of an operation so that, should your leader fall by the way, you can carry it out with coolness and caution.
- Fight chivalrously against an honest foe; armed irregulars deserve no quarter.
- Keep your eyes wide open. Tune yourself to the top most pitch. Be nimble as a greyhound, as tough as leather, as hard as Krupp steel and so you shall be the German warrior incarnate.
Army and corps
- Fallschirmjägerarmee
- 1. Fallschirmarmee
- Fallschirmjägerkorps
- I. Fallschirmkorps
- II. FallschirmkorpsGerman 2nd Parachute Corps-History:The II Fallschirmkorps was created in 1943 from Division Meindl an experienced division on the Eastern Front. In the wake of this new Corps, the 3rd and 5th Fallschirmjägerdivision were raised and attached to the Corps. A year later the Corps was almost completely annihilated while...
Divisions
- 1. Fallschirmjägerdivision1st 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...
, Fallschirmjägerregimenter (FJR).1, FJR.3, FJR.4 , 1st FJAR- (as 7th Flieger Division1st 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...
with FJR.1, FJR.2, FJR.3, FJR.4, FJR.5)
- (as 7th Flieger Division
- 2. Fallschirmjägerdivision, FJR.2, FJR.6, FJR.7, FJR.23, 2nd FJAR
- 3. Fallschirmjägerdivision3rd Parachute Division (Germany)The 3rd Parachute Division was a German military unit that was active during World War II. Its formation began in October 1943 in France near Reims. From February 1944 near Brest...
, FJR.5, FJR.8, FJR.9 - 4. Fallschirmjägerdivision4th Parachute Division (Germany)The 4th Parachute Division, , was a formation in the Luftwaffe during World War II. It was formed in Venice, Italy, in November 1943, from elements of 2 Fallschirmjäger Division and volunteers from the Italian 184 and 185 Airborne Division Folgore parachute divisions...
, (formed from the Italian 184th Nembo Parachute Division (Italy); destroyed at AnzioAnzioAnzio 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...
.) FJR.10, FJR.11, FJR.12 - 5. Fallschirmjägerdivision5th Parachute Division (Germany)The 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division was a fallschirmjäger division of the German military during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945.The division was formed in France in early 1944, commanded by Gustav Wilke...
, (the last parachute trained unit) FJR.13, FJR.14, FJR.15, 5th FJAR - 6. Fallschirmjägerdivision, FJR.16, FJR.17, FJR.18
- 7. Fallschirmjägerdivision7th Parachute Division (Germany)The 7. Fallschirmjäger-Division was a fallschirmjäger division of the German military during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945....
, (only some of its units were parachute trained) FJR.19, FJR.20, FJR.21- (as Fallschirm-Jäger-Division Erdmann: FJR.Menzel, Grossmehl, Greve, Hübner, Laytved-Hardegg)
- 8. Fallschirmjägerdivision8th Parachute Division (Germany)The 8. Fallschirmjäger-Division was a fallschirmjäger division of the German military during the Second World War, active in 1945....
, FJR.22, FJR.24, FJR.32 - 9. Fallschirmjägerdivision, FJR.25, FJR.26, FJR.27
- 10. Fallschirmjägerdivision10th Parachute Division (Germany)The 10. Fallschirmjäger-Division was a fallschirmjäger division of the German military during the Second World War, active in 1945....
, FJR.28, FJR.29, FJR.30, 10th FJAR - 11. Fallschirmjägerdivision11th Parachute Division (Germany)The 11. Fallschirmjäger-Division was a fallschirmjäger division of the German military during the Second World War, active in 1945....
, FJR.37, FJR.38, FJR.39, 11th FJAR - 20. Fallschirmjägerdivision20th Parachute Division (Germany)The 20. Fallschirmjäger-Division was a fallschirmjäger division of the German military during the Second World War, active in 1945....
, (never finished forming) FJR.58, FJR.59, FJR.60, 20th FJAR - 21. Fallschirmjägerdivision21st Parachute Division (Germany)The 21. Fallschirmjäger-Division was a fallschirmjäger division of the German military during the Second World War, active in 1945....
, (never finished forming) FJR.61, FJR.62, FJR.63 formed from Sturm-Brigade Gericke and Fallschirmjäger-Ausbildungs-und-Ersatz-Division - Fallschirmjäger-Ausbildungs-und-Ersatz-Division, formed basis for 20. Fallschirmjägerdivision20th Parachute Division (Germany)The 20. Fallschirmjäger-Division was a fallschirmjäger division of the German military during the Second World War, active in 1945....
and 21. Fallschirmjägerdivision21st Parachute Division (Germany)The 21. Fallschirmjäger-Division was a fallschirmjäger division of the German military during the Second World War, active in 1945....
Regiments and brigades
- Brigades
- Ramcke Parachute BrigadeRamcke Parachute BrigadeFallschirmjäger-Brigade AfrikaFallschirmjäger-Brigade RamckeLuftwaffen-Jäger-Brigade 1The Fallschirmjäger-Brigade Ramcke was an elite German Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger Brigade which saw action in the Mediterranean Theatre during World War II.-History:Following the costly success of Operation...
aka Luftwaffen-Jäger-Brigade 1 - Luftlande-Sturm-RegimentLuftlande-Sturm-RegimentThe Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1 was a Nazi German Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger Regiment which captured the Belgian Fort Eben-Emael during the Battle of Belgium, assaulted Crete, and fought on the Eastern Front during World War II.-History:Research Battalion Friedrichshafen was formed at Hildesheim...
with Battalions I, II, III, and IV. - Barenthin Regiment- formed from drafts from other units
- Fallschirmjäger-SturmgeschützSturmgeschützSturmgeschütz is a German word for "assault gun", usually abbreviated StuG. The vehicle was a leading weapon of the Sturmartillerie, a branch of the German artillery tasked with close fire support of infantry in infantry, panzer, and panzergrenadier units...
-Brigaden - Assault gun Units equipped with StuG III's and StuG IV's- Fallschirmjäger-Sturmgeschütz-Brigade XI - StuG III's only
- Fallschirmjäger-Sturmgeschütz-Brigade XII
- Ramcke Parachute Brigade
- Regiments
- Heerestruppe (Army Troops) FJR.6, FJR.31, FJR. z.b.V., FJR. Schellmann, FJR. Jungwirth
- Fallschirmjäger-Regiment Hübner aka Fallschirmjäger Regiment (FJR) 24 and subordinated to the 8. Fallschirmjäger Division.
Waffen-SS
- 500th SS Parachute Battalion500th SS Parachute BattalionThe 500th SS-Parachute Battalion was the parachute unit of the Waffen-SS.The idea to form a paratrooper unit within the Waffen-SS allegedly came directly from Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler.-Creation:...
- 600th SS Parachute Battalion
Army
- Schweres-Fallschirm-Infanterie Battalion
- Brandenburger Regiment aka Panzergrenadier-Division Brandenburg
- Fallschirm-Battalion Brandenburg
- German 22nd Air Landing Division
- German 91st Air Landing Division
Luftwaffe
Para-trained commandos of II/KG200 (also known as the 3rd Staffel of Kampfgeschwader 200), were a Luftwaffe special forces unit who were para-trained commandos. II./KG 200 remain a mostly unheard of arm of Germany's World War II parachute forces due to the nature of their role and were listed on II./KG 200's ORBAT as the 3rd Staffel.In popular culture
In the Jack HigginsJack Higgins
Jack Higgins is the principal pseudonym of UK novelist Harry Patterson. Patterson is the author of more than 60 novels. As Higgins, most have been thrillers of various types and, since his breakthrough novel The Eagle Has Landed in 1975, nearly all have been bestsellers...
book and movie adaption The Eagle Has Landed
The Eagle Has Landed
The Eagle Has Landed is a book by Jack Higgins set during World War II. It first published in 1975. It was made into a film of the same name in 1976 starring Michael Caine...
, a group of Fallschirmjäger are featured in a fictional operation where they covertly land in England in an attempt to kidnap Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
. Within the book and movie, the Fallschirmjäger are portrayed as professional soldiers and heroic as one sacrifices his life to rescue a British girl, and the commanding officer, throws his career away in an attempt to save a Jewish girl.
In the video game Turning Point: Fall of Liberty, the main attack force in the initial Nazi invasion of New York city
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, are Fallschirmjäger troops. They are first seen when they land on the skyscraper the player character is working on.
In the massively multiplayer online game World War II Online
World War II Online
Also known as "World War 2 Online", "WW2OL", "WWIIOL", "Battleground Europe", "BE".World War II Online: Battleground Europe is a massively multiplayer online first-person shooter computer game. It was released was on June 6, 2001 for Windows, with the Apple Macintosh version being released in 3Q...
, it is possible for Axis players to play as Fallschirmjäger. Parachute drops are possible.
In World War II real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
game Company of Heroes
Company of Heroes
Company of Heroes is a real-time strategy computer game developed by Relic Entertainment. It was released on September 12, 2006, and was the first title to make use of the Games for Windows label. A standalone expansion, Opposing Fronts, was released on September 25, 2007. A second standalone...
, Fallschirmjäger are portrayed as stealthy units, able to hide in cover and infiltrate the battlefield unseen, and as extremely lethal to enemy infantry when equipped with their FG42.
In the strategy game R.U.S.E they can be researched and used when playing as Germany. They are the best paratroopers in game, given the moniker of elite infantry , and can defeat any other infantry unit (except other elite infantry) in battle.
In the World War II first-person shooter Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
Brothers In Arms: Earned in Blood
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood is a video game and sequel to Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 and the second game in the Brothers in Arms series, developed by Gearbox Software for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox...
, a number of Fallschirmjäger units meet the 101st Airborne in combat. Only the Waffen-SS are comparable to them as the most skilled enemy soldiers in the game.
Notable World War II German paratroopers
- Max SchmelingMax SchmelingMaximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in the late 1930s transcended boxing, and became worldwide social events because of their national associations...
, boxing heavyweight champion of the worldHeavyweight Champion of the World"Heavyweight Champion of the World" is the "top ten" debut single by Reverend and The Makers, as well as the first single from their debut album The State Of Things. The single was released on May 6, 2007 on download only and was subsequently released on CD and 7" vinyl on May 28 that year...
1930-32, remembered for being defeated by Joe LouisJoe LouisJoseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
in 1938 whom he had previously beaten. - Bert TrautmannBert TrautmannBernhard Carl "Bert" Trautmann, OBE is a German former professional footballer who played for Manchester City from 1949 to 1964. Brought up during times of inter-war strife in Germany, Trautmann joined the Luftwaffe early in the Second World War, serving as a paratrooper...
, taken prisoner of warPrisoner of warA prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
by the British as one of only 90 survivors of his 1000 man regiment, he remained in Britain and became a professional footballer who played for Manchester City from 1949 to 1964 - Major-General Bruno BräuerBruno BräuerBruno Bräuer was a German paratrooper from Willmannsdorf, Prussian Silesia. In 1905 he joined the army cadets and started his military career. In World War I he received the Iron Cross first and second class whilst serving in the 7th West Prussian Infantry regiment...
, was the first German paratrooper to jump from a plane in 1936 and later was military commander of occupied CreteCreteCrete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. - General der FallschirmtruppeGeneral der FallschirmtruppeGeneral der Fallschirmtruppe was a General’s rank of the German Luftwaffe.The rank was equivalent to the long established General der Kavallerie, General der Artillerie and General der Infanterie...
Eugen MeindlEugen MeindlEugen Meindl was a highly decorated German Fallschirmjäger and general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
, survived a chest wound that removed him as first commander of the invasion of Crete and was one of 160 recipients of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. - General der FallschirmtruppeGeneral der FallschirmtruppeGeneral der Fallschirmtruppe was a General’s rank of the German Luftwaffe.The rank was equivalent to the long established General der Kavallerie, General der Artillerie and General der Infanterie...
Hermann-Bernhard RamckeHermann-Bernhard RamckeHermann-Bernhard "Gerhard" Ramcke was a German general. He was a recipient of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Swords, Oak Leaves, and Diamonds, one of only 27 people in the German military so decorated...
, a pre-WWI cabin boy who rose through the ranks as a naval gunnery chief and then marine in the trenches of Flanders, fought the Bolsheviks as an infantryman, and earned his paratroopers badge at age 51, serving on every German front during WWII. One of only 27 recipients of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords and Diamonds. - Generaloberst Kurt StudentKurt StudentKurt Student was a German Luftwaffe general who fought as a fighter pilot during the First World War and as the commander of German Fallschirmjäger during the Second World War.-Biography:...
, was the commander of German paratroopers throughout WWII and the chief architect of their airborne assault strategies.
External links
- 5thfjr.com 5th FJR - World War II Reenactment Unit
- U.S. World War II intelligence report on Fallschirmjäger
- Weapons and equipment of the Fallschirmjäger
- hist2004 Fallschirmjäger on the Eastern Front 1941-1945 24 May 2004
- GermanParatrooper.org FJR 5 - World War II Reenactment Unit.
- The Frontline Association World War II re-enactment group, mainly portraying Fallschirmjäger Regiment 9
- WW2 uniform of the fallschirmjäger
- Fallschirmjäger 1 Parachute Division Information on 1st Fallschirmjäger Division
- Green Devils of Carentan FJR 6 - World War II Fallschirmjäger Reenactment
