The 100th Jäger Division (German: 100. Jäger-Division), initially designated 100th (Light) Infantry Division (100. (leichte) Infanterie-Division), was a light infantry division of the German Army during World War II. As such, it was provided with partial horse or motor transport and lighter artillery. Light divisions were reduced in size compared to standard infantry divisions. The Walloon Legion was briefly attached to this division from January 1942 to May 1942.[1] During the latter stages of the war, the division was composed of members from most of Germany's geographic areas and many German-speaking Walloons (Belgian/French) and the People from Upper Silesia
Background
Unit Logo of the 100th Jaeger Division
The main purpose of the German Jäger Divisions was to fight in adverse terrain where smaller, coordinated formations were more facilely combat capable than the brute force offered by their standard infantry counterparts. The Jäger divisions were more heavily equipped than the mountain Gebirgsjäger equivalents, but not as well armed as a larger infantry division. In the early stages of the war, it was 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 downsized, the Jäger structure of divisions with two infantry regiments, became the standard table of organization.[2]
In 1944, Adolf Hitler declared that all infantry divisions were now Volksgrenadier Divisions except for his elite Jäger and Mountain Jäger divisions.[2]
Operational history
Initially established in December 1940 as the 100th Light Infantry Division, the unit was raised in Upper Austria, and based in Ried. The 54th Jäger Regiment was detached from the 18th Infantry. The division comprised two-thirds Austrian and one-third Silesian men.
The 100th Light Infantry Division's first campaign as a fighting force was Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, where it served with the 17th Army in the Southern Sector. Its first campaign was in the Battle of Uman, followed by action at Kiev and Odessa.[3]
After the destruction of the division at Stalingrad, it was reformed in March 1943. During the period of restoration, the division was moved to Albania, where it was tasked with combating partisan groups. The situation became more complicated when Italy switched sides in September 1943. The division had to secure the coast from the Italians. In December 1943 the division received a new tactical sign.
A green oak leaf and a white sign.
At the beginning of January 1944, the division was moved to Hungary, where it was supposed to take part in Operation Margarethe alongside other Axis forces. After a regime change in Hungary, the division should be relocated to southern France. However, in early March, the division was instead tasked with relieving the encircled 2nd Army in the Zlotyky and Podajec area.
At the Strypa,
the division was positioned defensively at the river Styrpa. After the initial battles in March, the unit was instructed to dig in and hold their position. The unit received reinforcements and new officers. In early May, the division was supplied with new anti-tank weapons Panzerfaust to defend against the mass of Russian tanks. During Operation Bagration, the division saw little action. However, at 19 July, the division was forced to retreat to the Carpathian Mountains.
Carpathian Mountains and Slovakia
During this time, the division had time to rest again. The tank destroyer battalion was sent to Mlawa for training. After losing the Carpathian position, the division had to retreat to the ridge area, where it received a large number of defensive fighters. When the front stabilized, the division was transported to the Ludwig position in Slovakia on October 10th.
In the new position, the division received new recruits. On October 3rd, the trained tank destroyer units returned with new weapons, including the Panzerjäger IV. In the final battle in Slovakia, the division had its first encounter with IS-2 tanks, which it destroyed in combat.
On 1 January 1945, the 100th Jäger Division, then under Army Group Heinrici of Army Group A had a strength of 9,669 men.[5]: 504 On January 18th, the division was moved to Upper Silesia. On the first day, it was involved in heavy fighting in the Cosel area. After defending and launching counterattacks, the division had to stabilize the front in the Krappitz area, where the Russians had crossed the Oder bridge. On January 25th, the Jaegers captured the city without heavy fighting. Since then, the German forces in the paper factory had to defend themselves against Russian forces. On February 9th, the division surrendered its position in the Strelitz area to the Russians. The division continued to fight in the Lower Silesia area until the last day of the war. The division's final deployment took place on April 24th, when it was deployed in the Jauer area. On May 5th, the division began to move west, where it eventually surrendered in the Czech Republic.
Divisional order of battle
54th Jäger Regiment (moved from 18th Infantry Division)
^Lakowski, Richard (2008). "Der Zusammenbruch der deutschen Verteidigung zwischen Ostsee und Karpaten". In Müller, Rolf-Dieter (ed.). Die Militärische Niederwerfung der Wehrmacht. Das Deutsche Reich und der Zweite Weltkrieg (in German). Vol. 10/1. München: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt. pp. 491–681. ISBN9783421062376.
Bibliography
Hanns Neidhardt, Mit Tanne und Eichenlaub— Kriegschronik der 100. Jäger Division vormals 100. leichte Infanterie Division, Leopold Stocker Verlag Graz-Stuttgart, ISBN3-7020-0373-8.
