104th Jäger Division
Encyclopedia
104th Jäger Division was a German Infantry
Division
of World War II
. It was formed in April 1943, by the redesignation of the 704th Infantry Division, which was itself formed in April 1941. The division served in Yugoslavia
in May 1941 where it took part in anti-partisan and security operations in the Independent State of Croatia
. In April 1943, it was reorganized and redesignated the 104th Jäger Division and took part in the Battle of the Sutjeska in June 1943.
Following the Italian surrender, elements from the division took part in the murder of thousands of Italians
from the 33 Infantry Division Acqui in September 1943, on the Greek
island of Cefalonia in one of the largest-scale German atrocities
to be committed by German Army troops instead of the Waffen SS.
The division surrendered to the Yugoslav Army at Celje
in Slovenia
in May 1945. Many of the division's survivors, including the commander General Friedrich Stephan, were murdered by the Yugoslavs after they had surrendered.
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.
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, by the redesignation of the 704th Infantry Division, which was itself formed in April 1941. The division served in 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 1941 where it took part in anti-partisan and security operations in the Independent State of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia
The 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...
. In April 1943, it was reorganized and redesignated the 104th Jäger Division and took part in the Battle of the Sutjeska in June 1943.
Following the Italian surrender, elements from the division took part in the murder of thousands of Italians
Massacre of the Acqui Division
The Massacre of the Acqui Division , also known as the Cephalonia Massacre , was the mass execution of the men of the Italian 33rd Acqui Infantry Division by the Germans on the island of Kefalonia, Greece, in September 1943, following the Italian armistice during the Second World War. About 5000...
from the 33 Infantry Division Acqui in September 1943, on the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
island of Cefalonia in one of the largest-scale German atrocities
War crimes of the Wehrmacht
War crimes of the Wehrmacht were those carried out by the German armed forces during World War II. While the principal perpetrators of the Holocaust amongst German armed forces were the Nazi German 'political' armies , the regular armed forces represented by the Wehrmacht committed war crimes of...
to be committed by German Army troops instead of the Waffen SS.
The division surrendered to the Yugoslav Army at Celje
Celje
Celje is a typical Central European town and the third largest town in Slovenia. It is a regional center of Lower Styria and the administrative seat of the Urban Municipality of Celje . The town of Celje is located under Upper Celje Castle at the confluence of the Savinja, Ložnica, and Voglajna...
in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
in May 1945. Many of the division's survivors, including the commander General Friedrich Stephan, were murdered by the Yugoslavs after they had surrendered.
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.
Commanders
- Generalmajor Heinrich Borowski (22 April 1941 – 15 August 1942)
- Generalleutnant Hans Juppe (15 August 1942 – 20 February 1943)
- Generalleutnant Hartwig von LudwigerHartwig von LudwigerGottlob Hartwig Alfred Michael von Ludwiger was a German high-ranking officer during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or...
(20 February 1943 – 30 April 1943) - OberstOberstOberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
Ludwig Steyrer (May 1943) - General der InfanterieGeneral of the Infantry (Germany)General of the Infantry is a rank of general in the Imperial Army, Reichswehr or Wehrmacht - the second-highest regular rank. The same rank spread to the Imperial Russian Army and the Defence forces of Finland between the world wars...
Hartwig von Ludwiger (May 1943 – 29 Apr 1945) - Generalleutnant Friedrich Stephan 29 Apr 1945 – 8 May 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...
(April 1941 – May 1941) - SerbiaSerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
(May 1941 – June 1943) - GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
(June 1943 – September 1944) - YugoslaviaYugoslaviaYugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
(September 1944 – May 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 724 - Jäger Regiment 734
- Reconnaissance Battalion 104
- Artillery Regiment 654
- Pionier Battalion 104
- 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 104 - Signals Battalion 104
- Reserve Battalion 104
- Versorgungseinheiten 104
Further reading
- Rudy D'Angelo – Cefalonia 1943: Massacre of the Royal Italian Acqui Division (in The Military Advisor, Vol 8 No 2)