| Page Created |
| May 10th, 2022 |
| Last Updated |
| May 16th, 2022 |
| Additional Information |
| Fallschirmjäger Order of Battle Commanders Operations Equipment Multimedia Resources Interactive Page |
| Badge |
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| Founded |
| February 23rd, 1933 |
| Disbanded |
| May 9th, 1944 |
| Theater of Operations |
| Poland Denmark Norway The Netherlands Belgium Greece Crete North Africa Soviet Union Italy Yugoslavia France Germany |
| Organisational History |
It is fair to say the Hermann Göring is one of the main initiators of the German Fallschirmjäger. During the 1930’s Göring witnessed a Soviet Paratrooper Demonstration in 1931 and a few years later in 1935. In 1931 the Versailles Treaty was still prohibiting the Germans from developing a new modern army. However, in January 1941 Adolf Hitler was elected as the German Chancellor. A month later Göring ordered the foundation of the Polizeiabteilung z.b.V. Wecke. This special police unit under command of Major der Schutzpolizei Wecke was expected to be completely loyal to the new regime. It was responsible for attacking enemies of the Nazi’s and was especially active against the communists. The unit included a small detachment parachute trained policemen known as the Luftaufsicht that was intended for special operations. On September 16th, 1933, the unit was renamed to Landespolizeigruppe Wecke z.b.V. Later that year, on December 22nd, the unit is renamed to Landespolizeigruppe General Göring. On June 30th, 1934, the unit is together with the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. responsible for what will become known as the Night of the Long Knives. On this night, the leaders of the SturmAbteilung (SA) like Ernst Röhm are assassinated by command of Adolf Hitler. Major der Schutzpolizei Wecke In February 1935 Germany starts ignoring the Versailles treaty and Reichsmarshall Hermann Göring becomes the commander of the Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe was built in secret in the years before 1935 under the name of the Deutscher Luftsportverband. In 1935 it already had over 1,800 aircraft and more than 20,000 officers. In that movement on April 1st, 1935, the Landespolizeigruppe General Göring is renamed to Regiment General Göring. Later that same year Göring is again a witness of a Soviet airborne demonstration. During this demonstration he watches a full regiment of 1,000 paratroopers drop near a specific target. The paradrop was followed by the landing of 5,000 reinforcements by aircraft. Göring is obviously impressed by the demonstration and plans are made to reform the Regiment General Göring to a full parachute regiment. Training starts at Altengrabow in October. After a demonstration, sometime later enough volunteers enlist for the regiment to fill all positions.  Reichsmarshall Hermann Göring The I. Jäger Bataillon under Major Bruno Bräuer is established in January 1936. Parts of this I. Jäger-Bataillon (RGG) and 15. Pionier-Kompanie (RGG) are transferred to Döberitz in that same month for parachute training. These troops were to be the cadre of the future German Fallschirmjäger. After the parachute training, the I. Jäger-Bataillon (RGG) is redesignated as the Fallschirmschützen-Bataillon (RGG) and the 15. Pionier-Kompanie (RGG) as the 15. Fallschirm-Pionier-Kompanie. On January 29th, 1936, General de Luftwaffe Erhard Milch officially inaugurates the Fallschirmjäger. Later that year the order is also given to raise a Schwere-Fallschirm-Infanterie-Kompanie at the training area in in Stendal, in the West of Berlin. This unit is raised under the Wehrmacht. In 1937, the Fallschirmschule (Parachute Training Center) in Stendal, is created. In March 1938, the Fallschirmschützen-Bataillon (RGG) is redesignated as I. / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 and detached from the Regiment General Göring. The Schwere-Fallschirm-Infanterie-Kompanie is upgraded to a battalion size. In July Generalmajor Kurt Student is given the order to raise the 7. Flieger Division at Stendal with headquarters at Tempelhof. All German parachute units are united within this division. On September 1st, Student declares that the Division is Combat ready.  Generalmajor Kurt Student In January 1939, Kurt Student is appointed to be Inspekteur de Fallschirm-und-Luftlandetruppen. He incorporates the Schwere-Fallschirm-Infanterie-Bataillon of the Whermacht into the 7. Flieger Division as the second Battalion. In August, the raise of a third Battalion is approved for the 7. Flieger Division. In September parts of the Division become operational during the invasion of Poland. In October Student orders the creation of the Sturmabteilung under Hauptman Walter Koch. Members are drawn from the I. Bataillon FJR 1. On December 19th, 1940, the XI Fliegerkorps is raised with Generaloberst Kurt Student as commander. The intention is to unite all units that are involved in the upcoming airborne operations within this Corps. After the invasion of Crete, in May 1941, the Fallschirmjäger are no longer used for airborne assaults but more as an elite infantry unit. One of the main reasons were the high casualties among the Fallschirmjäger during airborne operations. From 1942 on the organisation of the Fallschirmjäger becomes a bit messy. Units are shifted around to form new Units, Brigades and Divisions. Early 1942 a new Fallschirm Brigade is formed for the invasion of Malta, known as Fallschirmjäger-Brigade Ramcke. When this invasion is cancelled, it is sent to North-Africa. In November 1942 it renamed as the Fallschirm-Jäger-Brigade 2. In July 1942 Regiment General Göring is upgraded to Brigade Hermann Göring with the intention to become a Fallschirm unit. In October that same year it is upgraded to a division with the addition of 5.000 Luftwaffe volunteers and members of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5. These men are the remnants of the men that fought in Crete and the Soviet Union. Meanwhile the 7. Flieger Division is renamed to 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division in October 1942.  General der Fallschirmtruppe Bernhard-Hermann Ramcke From February 1943 on, 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division is formed from Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment 2 of the Fallschirm-Jäger-Brigade 2. In October, the 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division is formed in Reims, France around a nucleus of the Cadre of the Lehr Bataillon of the XI Fliegerkorps. In that same month, the 4. Fallschirmjäger-Division was raised around the remnants of the 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division in Venice Italy. Volunteers from the Italian parachute divisions 184. Parachutist Division Nembo and 185. Parachutist Division Folgore were added to the division to complete it. Also, in October the SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500 was formed at Chlum, Czechoslovakia. None of the members had previous parachute experience and the men were drawn from the Waffen SS. In January 1944 I. Fallschirmkorps is raised in Italy. The 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division and 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division are placed under its command. In March, the 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division was formed at Reims, France. The 6. Fallschirmjäger-Division was formed at Amiens, France, in June 1944. The Fallschirmjäger-Division Erdmann was formed in August 1944 from various training units and surviving elements from other units. In October 1943 it was redesignated 7. Fallschirmjäger-Division. The 8. Fallschirmjäger-Division, 9. Fallschirmjäger-Division and 10. Fallschirmjäger-Division were ordered to form in September 1944, but they were all cancelled soon afterwards. In October 1944, Waffen SS raised another parachute unit, the SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 600 was formed around a cadre from the Feldausbildungs-Kompanie of SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500 and the remnants of that unit that survived battle. The 9. Fallschirmjäger-Division was eventually ordered to form in December 1944 in the Szczecin area in Poland. The 8. Fallschirmjäger-Division was again ordered to form in January 1945. The 10. Fallschirmjäger-Division was formed in March 1945 in the Graz area in Poland from the remnants of a large number of units. In the same way the 11. Fallschirmjäger-Division was formed that very same month. Also, in March the 20. Fallschirmjäger-Division was formed in Assen, the Netherlands, from the Fallschirmjäger-Ausbildungs- und Ersatz-Division but the formation was never completed, and the division never came into action. On month later in April 1945 the 21. Fallschirmjäger-Division was formedin the Netherlands from Sturm-Brigade Gericke and parts of the Fallschirmjäger-Ersatz und Ausbildungs-Division. This was the last Fallschirmjäger Division to be formed. The war ended a few weeks later. |