117th Jäger Division
Encyclopedia
117th Jäger Division was a German Infantry
Division
of World War II
. The division was formed in April 1943 by the reorganization and redesignation of the 717th Infantry Division. The 717th Division had been formed in April 1941. It was transferred to Yugoslavia
in May 1941, to conduct anti partisan and Internal security
operations.
It was the posted to Greece
to guard the Peloponnesus until summer 1944, when it took part in the general withdrawal through the Balkans
and suffered heavy losses during fighting with the partisans in September.
The division ended the war fighting on the Eastern front
and surrendered to the US Army in Austria
in May 1945.
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.
known as Massacre of Kalavryta
in a revenge operation in the Kalavryta
area in Greece
following the capture and murder of 81 soldiers from the division by Greek ELAS
partisans in October 1943. During following operations several villages were burned down and 677 civilians killed according to the most recent estimates.
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...
. The division was formed in April 1943 by the reorganization and redesignation of the 717th Infantry Division. The 717th Division had been formed in April 1941. It was transferred 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 1941, to conduct anti partisan and Internal security
Internal security
Internal security, or IS, is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other self-governing territories. generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats...
operations.
It was the posted to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
to guard the Peloponnesus until summer 1944, when it took part in the general withdrawal through the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and suffered heavy losses during fighting with the partisans in September.
The division ended the war fighting on 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 surrendered to the US Army 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...
in May 1945.
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.
Known war crimes
Men from the division took part in a war crimeWar crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
known as Massacre of Kalavryta
Massacre of Kalavryta
The Holocaust of Kalavryta , or the Massacre of Kalavryta , refers to the extermination of the male population and the subsequent total destruction of the town of Kalavryta, in Greece, by German occupying forces during World War II on 13 December 1943...
in a revenge operation in the Kalavryta
Kalavryta
Kalavryta is a town and a municipality in the eastcentral part of the peripheral unit of Achaea, Greece. It is the southern terminus of the Kalavryta - Diakopto Road and the eastern terminus of the Patras - Kalavryta Road. It is located approx...
area in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
following the capture and murder of 81 soldiers from the division by Greek ELAS
ELAS
ELAS may refer to:*The Greek People's Liberation Army, World War II Greek Resistance group*The Equitable Life Assurance Society, a life insurance company in the United Kingdom...
partisans in October 1943. During following operations several villages were burned down and 677 civilians killed according to the most recent estimates.
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...
(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...
and CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , 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 ...
(May 1941 - April 1943) - GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
(May 1943 - September 1944) - BalkansBalkansThe Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and AustriaAustriaAustria , 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...
(September 1944 - May 1945)
Commanders
- Generalmajor Paul Hoffmann (17 May 1941 - 1 November 1941)
- Generalleutnant Dr. Walter Hinghofer (1 November 1941 - 1 October 1942)
- Generalleutnant Benignus Dippold (1 October 1942 - 1 April 1943)
- General der GebirgstruppeGeneral der GebirgstruppeGeneral der Gerbirgstruppe was a rank of German Army General introduced by the Wehrmacht in 1940....
Karl von Le SuireKarl von Le SuireKarl Hans Maximilian von Le Suire was a highly decorated General der Gebirgstruppe in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the XXXXIX. Gebirgs-Armeekorps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
(1 May 1943 - 10 July 1944) - Generalleutnant August Wittmann (10 July 1944 - 10 March 1945)
- Generalmajor Hans Kreppel (10 March 1945 - 8 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 737 - Jäger Regiment 749
- Reconnaissance Battalion 117
- Artillery Regiment 670
- Pionier Battalion 117
- 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 117 - Signals Battalion 117
- Reserve Battalion 117
- Supply Detachment 117
Further reading
- Hermann Frank Meyer - Von Wien nach Kalavryta: Die blutige Spur der 117. Jäger-Division durch Serbien und Griechenland
- Franzeska Nika - Kalavrita 1943: Augenzeugenbericht