https://www.axishistory.com/books/150-germany-heer/heer-divisionen/3859-100-jaeger-division
100. Jäger-Division
Published: 17 November 2011Last Updated: 15 June 2013
The 100. Jäger-Division was formed when
100. Leichte Infanterie-Division was redesignated in July 1942 and fought in the encirclement and Battle of Staryyogkol, the advance across the Don, the drive to the Volga and the street fighting in Stalingrad. It was encircled with
6. Armee in November 1942 and destroyed in January 1943.
It was reformed in the Belgrade area in April 1943 and was transferred to Albania in July. It was transferred to the eastern front in March 1944 and joined the forces fighting to break the encirclement of
1. Panzer-Armee. It took part in the withdrawal from Russia and the fighting in Hungary before surrendering to the Soviet Red Army at the end of the war in Silesia.
Commanders
Generalleutnant Werner Sanne (6 July 1942 - 31 Jan 1943) (POW)
Generalleutnant Willibald Utz (25 Apr 1943 - 1 Jan 1945)
Oberst Hans Kreppel (1 Jan 1945 - 31 Jan 1945)
Generalmajor Otto Schury (1 Feb 1945 - May 1945)
Operations Officers (Ia)
Major Wolfgang Henkel (6 July 1942 - 31 Jan 1943) (POW)
Oberstleutnant Jürgen Bennecke (25 Mar 1943 - 30 Sep 1944)
Oberstleutnant Karl Krückeberg (30 Sep 1944 - 24 Jan 1945) (KIA)
Major Johann Schmidt (10 Feb 1945 - May 1945)
Area of operations
Eastern front, southern sector (July 1942 - Oct 1942)
Stalingrad (Oct 1942 - Jan 1943)
Yugoslavia (Apr 1943 - July 1943)
Albania (July 1943 - Mar 1944)
Eastern front, southern sector (Mar 1944 - Sep 1944)
Hungary, Silesia (Sep 1944 - May 1945)
Holders of high awards
(100. Leichte Infanterie-Division & 100. Jäger-Division)
Holders of the Close Combat Clasp in Gold (1)
- Bermond, Georg, 09.02.1945, Hauptmann d.R., Jäg.Rgt. 54
Holders of the Commendation Certificate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army (3)
- Heinzel, [first name not listed], 20.08.1941 (220), Leutnant, 16./Inf.Rgt. 54
- Holzmann, [first name not listed], 20.08.1941 (221), Feldwebel, Zugführer i. d. 15./Inf.Rgt. 54
- Rock, Gottfried, 17.10.1944 (4201), Oberfeldwebel, Zugführer i. d. 8./Jäg.Rgt. 227
Holders of the German Cross in Gold (46)
Holders of the Honor Roll Clasp of the Heer (16)
Holders of the Knight's Cross (13) (12 RK + 1 EL)
Order of battle (1942)
Jäger-Regiment 54
Jäger-Regiment 227
verstärktes Infanterie-Regiment 369 (kroatisch) (1)
Radfahr-Abteilung 100
Artillerie-Regiment 83
Pionier-Bataillon 100
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 100
Nachrichten-Abteilung 100
Feldersatz-Bataillon 100
Versorgungseinheiten 100
Order of battle (1944-1945)
Jäger-Regiment 54
Jäger-Regiment 227
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 100
Artillerie-Regiment 83
Pionier-Bataillon 100
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 100
Nachrichten-Abteilung 100
Feldersatz-Bataillon 83
Versorgungseinheiten 100
Heer Jäger Sleeve Badge
(Courtesy of The Ruptured Duck)
Notable members
Jürgen Bennecke (recipient of the German Cross in both Gold and Silver)
Friedrich Pein (sniper credited with 200+ kills)
Footnotes
1. The
verstärktes Infanterie-Regiment 369 (kroatisch) was attached to the division on 2 July 1941. It was destroyed with the 100. Jäger-Division at Stalingrad in January 1943. Reformed in March 1943 by the redesignation of Grenadier-Regiment 969 (kroatisch), Grenadier-Regiment 369 (kroatisch) and assigned to the
369. Infanterie-Division (kroatische).
Sources used
Georg Tessin - Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht 1933-1945
Reference material on this unit
Hanns Neidhardt - Mit Tanne und Eichenlaub: Kriegschronik der 100. Jäger Division, vormals 100. leichte infanterie Division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100th_Jäger_Division_(Wehrmacht)
100th Jäger Division (Wehrmacht)
The
100th Jäger Division, formerly the
100th Light Infantry Division (German:
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).
Background
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]
In October, the
369th Reinforced Croatian Infantry Regiment was attached to the division to bolster its size when attacking the
Eastern Front.
[4]
The formation was the only German
Jäger Division that fought at the
Battle of Stalingrad. The 100th Light Infantry Division, along with the
369th Reinforced Croatian Infantry Regiment, was virtually destroyed at Stalingrad.
The 100th
Jäger Division was reestablished and fought partisans in the
Balkans,
Croatia,
Albania, and was deployed on coastal protection duties in the
Strait of Otranto.
Divisional order of battle
- 54th Jäger Regiment (moved from 18th Infantry Division)
- 227th Jäger Regiment
- 83rd Artillery Regiment
- 100th Reconnaissance Battalion
- 100th Panzerjäger Battalion
- 100th Engineer Battalion
- 100th Signal Battalion
- 100th Field Replacement Battalion
- 100th Divisional Supply Troops
- 369th (Croatian) Reinforced Infantry Regiment (attached from October 1941)
Commanding officers
- Lieutenant General Werner Sanne (10 October 1940 – 31 January 1943)
- Lieutenant General Willibald Utz (25 April 1943 – 1 January 1945)
- Major General Otto Schury (1 February 1945 – May 1945)
References
Notes
- ^ De Bruyne, Eddy. For Rex and for Belgium: Leon Degrelle and Walloon Political & Military Collaboration 1940-45.
- ^ Jump up to:a b Mcoy, Breaker (2009). German Army 101st Light Division, 101st Jäger Division 1941 – 42. Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2009.
- ^ Mitcham, 2012, pp. 247–248
- ^ Muller, 2012, pp. 97–98