Finnish Jäger troops
Encyclopedia
The Jäger Movement were volunteers from Finland
trained in Germany
as Jägers
(elite light infantry
) during World War I
. Supported by Germany to enable a Finnish sovereign state, it was one of many means by which Germany intended to weaken Russia
and to cause Russia's loss of western provinces and dependencies.
The recruitment of the Jäger volunteers from the Grand Duchy of Finland
were clandestine, and was dominated by Germany-influenced circles, such as university students and the upper middle class. The recruitment was however in no way exclusive.
The recruits were transported across Finland's western border via Sweden
to Germany, where the volunteers were formed into the Royal Prussia
n 27th Jäger Battalion. The Jäger Battalion fought in the ranks of the German Army from 1916 in the battles on the northern flank of the eastern front.
After the outbreak of the Civil War in Finland the Jägers were engaged on the "White
" (non-socialist) side in the war and formed the nucleus of the new Finnish Army. In Finland, these 2,000 volunteers were simply called The Jägers (Finnish pl. Jääkärit).
Their contribution to the White victory was crucial, not least through improving morale. Educated as elite troops they were also fit to assume command as officers over the untrained troops of the Civil War.
Immediately after the Civil War, they were given the right to use the word Jäger in their military ranks. Many of the Jägers continued their military careers. In the 1920s a long feud between officers with Jäger-background and Finnish officers who had served in the Russian Imperial army was concluded in favor of the Jägers: Most of the commanders of army corps, divisions and regiments in the Winter War
were Jägers. The Jäger March
composed by Jean Sibelius
to the words written by the Jäger Heikki Nurmio, was the honorary march of many army detachments.
. Baron Mannerheim and the Swedish officers of the Finnish Army left Finland as a direct cause of this conflict; the Finnish senate elected a German prince as King of Finland and would have made Finland a Monarchy
. When the World War ended and the Kaiser fled, the Finnish monarchy was replaced by the Finnish Republic and Baron Mannerheim returned.
in the Finnish Army
are designated either as infantry or Jäger troops, specifically mechanized infantry
or motorised infantry
using APCs
or vehicles such as Sisu Nasu
. Mechanized infantry using IFVs
are called panssarijääkäri or Armoured Jäger. Several other variations exist, including Finnish Navy
Coastal Jäger(Marine), Guard's Jäger of the Guard Jaeger Regiment
, in special forces (Para) Jäger, Special Jäger, and in the Border Guard
border jäger and special border jäger.
Jääkäri "Jäger" is also the lowest basic rank in the infantry of the Finnish Army
and the Uusimaa Brigade
(marines
) of the Finnish Navy
. Also, a driver, medic, military police or mortar man may hold the rank of Jaeger. In other troops, special ranks such as tykkimies "Gunner" are equivalent (see Finnish military ranks
). The older rank of sotamies "Private" is no longer used in peace time educational units but remains in war time infantry use.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
trained in Germany
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...
as Jägers
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....
(elite 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...
) during World War I
World 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...
. Supported by Germany to enable a Finnish sovereign state, it was one of many means by which Germany intended to weaken Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and to cause Russia's loss of western provinces and dependencies.
History
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
were clandestine, and was dominated by Germany-influenced circles, such as university students and the upper middle class. The recruitment was however in no way exclusive.
The recruits were transported across Finland's western border via Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
to Germany, where the volunteers were formed into the Royal 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 27th Jäger Battalion. The Jäger Battalion fought in the ranks of the German Army from 1916 in the battles on the northern flank of the eastern front.
After the outbreak of the Civil War in Finland the Jägers were engaged on the "White
Whites (Finland)
The Whites is the name used to the refugee government and forces under Pehr Evind Svinhufvud's first senate during the Finnish civil war. The forces were initially formed by the paramilitary White Guard and other recruitees and draftees...
" (non-socialist) side in the war and formed the nucleus of the new Finnish Army. In Finland, these 2,000 volunteers were simply called The Jägers (Finnish pl. Jääkärit).
Their contribution to the White victory was crucial, not least through improving morale. Educated as elite troops they were also fit to assume command as officers over the untrained troops of the Civil War.
Immediately after the Civil War, they were given the right to use the word Jäger in their military ranks. Many of the Jägers continued their military careers. In the 1920s a long feud between officers with Jäger-background and Finnish officers who had served in the Russian Imperial army was concluded in favor of the Jägers: Most of the commanders of army corps, divisions and regiments in the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
were Jägers. The Jäger March
The Jäger March
The Jäger March Op. 91a was composed by Jean Sibelius in 1917 to the words written by the Finnish Jäger, Hilfsgruppenführer Heikki Nurmio who served in Libau, in the Royal Prussian 27th Jäger Battalion of the Imperial German Army. This unit was fighting against the Russian Empire, of which the...
composed by Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
to the words written by the Jäger Heikki Nurmio, was the honorary march of many army detachments.
Conflict with Mannerheim
The Jäger conflict derived from the German-influenced Jägers and politicians who saw Germany as their ally in conflict with the faction oriented towards the Swedish Entente, centering on the former Russian General and Finnish Commander-in-Chief Baron Gustaf MannerheimCarl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was the military leader of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War, Commander-in-Chief of Finland's Defence Forces during World War II, Marshal of Finland, and a Finnish statesman. He was Regent of Finland and the sixth President of Finland...
. Baron Mannerheim and the Swedish officers of the Finnish Army left Finland as a direct cause of this conflict; the Finnish senate elected a German prince as King of Finland and would have made Finland a Monarchy
Kingdom of Finland (1918)
The Kingdom of Finland was an abortive attempt to establish a monarchy in Finland, following Finland's independence from Russia. Had the German Empire endured, Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse would have been installed as King of Finland.-History:...
. When the World War ended and the Kaiser fled, the Finnish monarchy was replaced by the Finnish Republic and Baron Mannerheim returned.
Today
At the present time, infantryInfantry
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...
in the Finnish Army
Finnish Army
The Finnish Army is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces.Today's Army is divided into six branches: the infantry , field artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, engineers, signals, and materiel troops.-History of the Finnish Army:Between 1809 and 1917 Finland was an autonomous part of...
are designated either as infantry or Jäger troops, specifically mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
or motorised infantry
Motorised infantry
In NATO and most other western countries, motorised infantry is infantry which is transported by trucks or other motor vehicles. It is distinguished from mechanized infantry, which is carried in armoured personnel carriers, infantry combat vehicles, or infantry fighting vehicles...
using APCs
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
or vehicles such as Sisu Nasu
Sisu Nasu
The Nasu is a tracked articulated, all-terrain transport vehicle developed by Sisu Auto for the Finnish Army. It consists of two units, with all four tracks powered. It can carry up to 17 people, although the trailer unit can be adapted for different applications...
. Mechanized infantry using IFVs
Infantry fighting vehicle
An infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them...
are called panssarijääkäri or Armoured Jäger. Several other variations exist, including Finnish Navy
Finnish Navy
The Finnish Navy is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS" simply short for "Finnish Navy Ship"...
Coastal Jäger(Marine), Guard's Jäger of the Guard Jaeger Regiment
Guard Jaeger Regiment
The Guard Jaeger Regiment is a Finnish Army unit located in Santahamina, an island district of Helsinki. The regiment trains Guard jaegers for fighting in an urban environment...
, in special forces (Para) Jäger, Special Jäger, and in the Border Guard
Border guard
The border guard, frontier guard, border patrol, border police, or frontier police of a country is a national security agency that performs border control, i.e., enforces the security of the country's national borders....
border jäger and special border jäger.
Jääkäri "Jäger" is also the lowest basic rank in the infantry of the Finnish Army
Finnish Army
The Finnish Army is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces.Today's Army is divided into six branches: the infantry , field artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, engineers, signals, and materiel troops.-History of the Finnish Army:Between 1809 and 1917 Finland was an autonomous part of...
and the Uusimaa Brigade
Uusimaa
Uusimaa, or Nyland in Swedish, is a region in Finland. It borders the regions Finland Proper, Tavastia Proper, Päijänne Tavastia and Kymenlaakso...
(marines
Marines
Marines may refer to :* The plural of Marine , a member of a naval infantry force* Chiba Lotte Marines, a Japanese professional baseball team* "The Marines", an episode of the Adult Swim animated television series, Aqua Teen Hunger Force'People...
) of the Finnish Navy
Finnish Navy
The Finnish Navy is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS" simply short for "Finnish Navy Ship"...
. Also, a driver, medic, military police or mortar man may hold the rank of Jaeger. In other troops, special ranks such as tykkimies "Gunner" are equivalent (see Finnish military ranks
Finnish military ranks
Finnish military ranks form a system that incorporates features from Swedish, German, and Russian armed forces. In addition, the system has some typically Finnish characteristics that are mostly due to the personnel structure of the Finnish Defence Forces. The ranks have official names in Finnish...
). The older rank of sotamies "Private" is no longer used in peace time educational units but remains in war time infantry use.