Jäger vs Skijäger vs Gebirgsjäger

[leebrandt]

I don't see a specific forum category for general unit questions, so I thought I would start here. I'm interested in the difference between Jäger, Skijäger und GebirgsJäger.

Intuition tells me that the difference between Skijäger and Gebirgsjäger is that Ski Jäger were only trained in ski mobility, whereas the GJs were trained in mountain climbing and skiing. Both are otherwise light infantry. Their patch insignias were, of course, the oak leaves with skis and edelweiss, respectively.

What then is a Jäger? Obviously there are different types of Jäger (Hochgebirgs-Jäger Fallschirmjäger, Panzerjäger, etc), but I'm curious about the garden-variety Jäger that wore the oakleaf patch (sans skis).

Any info you can provide would be appreciated.

danke-

Lee

[Glenn McInnes]

Jaeger with oakleaf patch = Light Infantry (rifles)





Glenn

[Johnny R]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A4ger_(military)

[leebrandt]

Jagers

That link doesn't work...and I'm really no closer to understanding the difference between the different types of Jagers.

[Schulterklappen]

Jaeger

One explanation of the Jaeger units, that I saw, said they were for low mountain warfare.

[mambo]

a jager by definition is "a hunter"

so

ski jager = ski hunter
gebirgsjager = mountain hunter
panzer jager = tank hunter
Fallschirmjager = parachute hunter

etc

[Schulterklappen]

Jaeger Divisions

Jaeger divisions were also organized like Gebirgsjaeger divisions in that they consisted of two Jaeger Regiments of three battalions each per division. The earlier Infanterie dvisions, of the Heer, were organized with three regiments to a divsion each with three battalions per regiment.

The Jaeger divisions were a specialized fighting force that got used as regular Infanterie many times. This also happened to the Gebirgsjaeger and Fallschirmjaeger. I think "Light Infantry" is another descrption.

Here is a good link:

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...Gliederung.htm

[JPhilip]

A Jäger is an infantryman
before 1942, Jäger units were part of Infantry Regiments
then in 1942 Jägerdivisionen were created from former Infantry Divisions.

[Johnny R]

a jager by definition is "a hunter"

so

ski jager = ski hunter
gebirgsjager = mountain hunter
panzer jager = tank hunter
Fallschirmjager = parachute hunter

etc

Hunter is one definition directly translated into to English, but it is not the same really. In English "light infantry" is better for FJ or GJ etc. When Jager is used for Nachtjager or panzerjager it is more for "hunter". When it was originally developed it was used for skirmishers and lightly armed scouts etc. They are sort of like Rangers.

[RobertE]

To illustrate John's point, here is a tunic from a Jaeger from the 17th Inf Regt. It's pre-war, and as he was assigned to a Jaeger Bn instead of one of the infantry Bns, shows the green jaeger piping instead of white infantry.

s/f Robert

[RobertE]

An example of a Jaeger Bn's subordination to an infantry Regiment. I am not sure what skills training was required of a qualified Jaeger, but light mountaineering was part of the qualification.

[Schulterklappen]

Jaeger Btl Waffenrock

To illustrate John's point, here is a tunic from a Jaeger from the 17th Inf Regt. It's pre-war, and as he was assigned to a Jaeger Bn instead of one of the infantry Bns, shows the green jaeger piping instead of white infantry.

s/f Robert

Beautiful Waffenrock, congratulations! If I remember correctly, the Jaeger battalions of Inf. Regiments such as (2, 4, 15, 17 etc) did not wear the Jeager insignia on the sleeve.

[Schulterklappen]

I/108 (Jaeger) Panzergreandier Rgt.

Then there is this strange creature, tracing its lineage back to the 10 Infanterie Rgt, the I Battalion (Jaeger) of the 108. Panzergrenadier Regiment. This was part of the 14. Panzer Divsion.

[Johnny R]

Beautiful Waffenrock, congratulations! If I remember correctly, the Jaeger battalions of Inf. Regiments such as (2, 4, 15, 17 etc) did not wear the Jeager insignia on the sleeve.

We do not know the regs but that appears correct. This misunderstanding has sadly caused some original battalion tunics to have sleeve badges added and in a worse case scenario which almost caused me to faint I saw an officers example that was stipped and restored as HV "because it did not have a sleeve badge" .

[Schulterklappen]

Hv

We do not know the regs but that appears correct. This misunderstanding has sadly caused some original battalion tunics to have sleeve badges added and in a worse case scenario which almost caused me to faint I saw an officers example that was stipped and restored as HV "because it did not have a sleeve badge" .

Desecration and sacrilege!