5th Jäger Division (Wehrmacht)

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 division, 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 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. ==Commanding officers==

• Generalmajor Eugen Hahn, 1 October 1934 – 10 August 1938 • Generalleutnant Wilhelm Fahrmbacher, August 1938 – 25 October 1940 • Generalmajor Karl Allmendinger, 25 October 1940 – renamed to 5. leichte Infanterie-Division • General der Infanterie Karl Allmendinger, November 1940 – June 1942 • Oberst Walter Jost, June 1942 – redesignated to 5. Jäger-Division • General der Infanterie Karl Allmendinger, July 1942 – 4 January 1943 • General der Infanterie Helmut Thumm, 4 January 1943 – 1 March 1944 • Generalmajor Johannes Gittner, 1 March 1944 – 30 June 1944 • General der Infanterie Helmut Thumm, 30 June 1944 – 1 November 1944 • Generalleutnant Friedrich Sixt, 1 November 1944 – 19 April 1945 • Generalleutnant Edmund Blaurock, 19 April 1945 – April 1945 ==See also==

• '''Hitler's Legions''', Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr., Briarcliff Manor: Stein and Day, 1985. • Burkhard Müller-Hillebrand: Das Heer 1933–1945. Entwicklung des organisatorischen Aufbaues. Vol. III: Der Zweifrontenkrieg. Das Heer vom Beginn des Feldzuges gegen die Sowjetunion bis zum Kriegsende. Mittler: Frankfurt am Main 1969, p. 285. • Georg Tessin: Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg, 1939–1945. Vol. II: Die Landstreitkräfte 1–5. Mittler: Frankfurt am Main 1966.