97th Jäger Division (Wehrmacht)

The 97th Jäger Division was a light infantry Division of the German Army during World War II. It can trace its origins to the 97th Light Infantry Division which was formed in December 1940. It was then redesignated the 97th Jäger Division in July 1942. It fought in the Battle of Kursk and suffered heavy losses. It was then transferred to the lower Dnieper river area and fought well during the retreat through Ukraine. It was transferred to Slovakia in October 1944 and surrendered to the Red Army near Deutschbrod in May 1945.[1][2]

97th Jäger Division
Insignia of the 97th Jäger Division
Active1941–1945
Country Nazi Germany
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry
Rolelight infantry
SizeDivision
Nickname(s)Spielhahn Division
Spielhahnfeder
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Walter Weiß

Background

The main purpose of the German Jäger Divisions was to fight in adverse terrain where smaller, coordinated units were more facilely combat-capable than the brute force offered by the standard infantry divisions. The Jäger divisions were more heavily equipped than mountain divisions, 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 plains. The Jägers (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.[3]

In 1943, Adolf Hitler declared that all infantry divisions were now Grenadier Divisions except for his elite Jäger and Mountain Jäger divisions.[3]

Commanders

Area of operations
The 97th JD Memorial to the Victims of Wars, Krzanowice
As 97th Light Division
  • Germany (Dec 1940 – June 1941)
  • Eastern front, southern sector (June 1941 – July 1942)
As 97th Jäger Division

Order of battle
  • Jäger Regiment 204
  • Jäger Regiment 207
  • Reconnaissance Battalion 97
  • Artillerie Regiment 81
  • Pionier Battalion 97
  • Panzerjäger Battalion 97
  • Signals Battalion 97
  • Feldersatz Battalion 81
  • Versorgungseinheiten 97 [1]
  • Schlächterei-Kompanie 97
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References
  1. Wendal, Marcus. "Heer Units". Axis History. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
  2. "97. Jäger-Division". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 4 January 2009.
  3. Mcoy, Breaker (2009). German Army 101st Light Division, 101st Jager Division 1941 – 42. Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2009.

Further reading
  • Ernst Ludwig Ott – Die Spielhahnjäger 1940–1945: Bilddokumentation der 97. Jäger Division (German)
  • Ernst Ott – Jäger am Feind: Geschichte und Opfergang der 97.Jäger Division 1940–1945 (German)
  • Ernst Ludwig Ott – Spielhahnjäger tapfer und Pflichtbewußt bis zum Ende: Fortsetzung bzw. Ergänzung der Div.Geschichte der 97. Jäger Division (German)


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