Fighting in every theatre from the burning sands of North Africa to the icy wastes above the arctic circle the German Army's Gebirgstruppen troops were some of the most effective in the whole of the Wehrmacht. Their esprit de corps and morale were extremely high and their commanders, men such as Eduard Dietl, the 'Hero of Narvik', and Julius 'Papa' Ringel, were idolised by their men. Dietl himself was the first soldier of the Wehrmacht to be awarded the coveted Oakleaves to the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross. In this book Gordon Williamson details the uniforms, organisation and combat histories of these elite troops.

A pictorial history of the Nazi military’s elite Gebirgstruppen during World War II. Fifteen elite mountain divisions and a multitude of small units fought for the Wehrmacht during World War II. They fought on all fronts, operating in hostile environments ranging from the far north to Libya, the Atlantic to the Caucasus—serving in all the “hot spots.” This book, the culmination of some four decades of research and the support of many veterans and collectors, describes the life, operations and equipment of these specialist units. “A very illuminating study on some of WWII Germany’s finest combat troops in their most successful actions of the early war period.” —AMPS “Supported by a great collection of colour and monochrome photographs - one with the men wearing patterned tablecloths to stave off the cold in Norway is my favourite. . . . It will appeal to readers interested in the German army in the early phases of World War II.” —Wargames Illustrated

"The author does a terrific job of outlining the many campaigns and areas where the German Mountain troops fought throughout the war, and the unique challenges that some of these areas brought." — AMPS When World War II began, the Wehrmacht had fifteen mountain divisions and a multitude of small units, including some Austrian units that had been incorporated into the German army after the Anschluss. These mountain units would operate in hostile environments on all fronts during World War II. Due to their training, equipment and adaptability, the Gebirgstruppen would be deployed to fight in almost every theater. In the last years of the war they would see action in North Africa, Italy, the Balkans, Norway and Finland, and in the West as the Allies pushed German forces back toward Berlin. This book, the culmination of four decades of research and the support of many veterans and collectors, describes the uniform, equipment, and operations of these specialist units during the later years of World War II. The text is complemented by period photographs taken at the front, including many color photographs, and modern photographs of uniform details.

Under the emblem of the Edelweis, the soldiers of the German mountain corps fought on every front in the Second World War - in the tundra of Lapland, in the gorges of the Balkans, on Crete, in the High Caucasus, at Monte Cassino and finally in Upper Italy and the Western Alps, at the Semmering, in Bavaria and Tyrol. Mountain troops even formed part of Rommel's famed Afrikakorps. During the war, the army alone formed a total of eleven mountain divisions, plus independent battalions and units. The accomplishments of the "Men of the Edelweis" are still held in high regard by historians and military experts. Armed forces and special units worldwide use their alpine and combat abilities as an example, for in mountain fighting the weather and the terrain often caused more casualties than the enemy. Through impressive photographs and brief, insightful text, this chronicle offers the reader and extraordinary view into the world of these elite troops, who were always committed where the outcome hung in the balance.

"The epic story of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division, whose elite soldiers broke the last line of German defenses in Italy's mountains in 1945, spearheading the Allied advance to the Alps and final victory."--Provided by publisher.

The Gebirgsjäger were officially formed in 1935 following Hitler’s rejection of the Treaty of Versailles, although the required skills had been fostered in preparation through civilian climbing clubs. They were recruited predominantly from the southern mountainous parts of Germany – Wurtemburg and Bavaria – and from Austria, where Alpinism and mountain warfare had a long tradition. Rigorously trained in skiing, climbing and other demanding skills of mountain survival and combat, they formed an elite within the German army, distinguished by the distinctive Eidelweiss cap badge adopted in 1939. Jean-Denis Lepage gives a concise history of the Gebirgsjäger’s employment, which saw them in action on every front, from Lapland in the North to Tunisia in the south, and throught the war, from the invasion of Poland to the final defense of Germany. He then gives a detailed description of their uniforms and insignia, equipment, organization, training and tactics. The book is clearly illustrated throughout with over 170 of the author’s own line drawings.