SS Paratroopers with Captured British and US Flags

Image size: 1600 x 750 pixel. 192 KB
Date: Thursday, 25 May 1944
Place: Drvar, Croatia, Yugoslavia
Photographer: Unknown

Paras of SS-Hauptsturmführer Kurt Rybka's SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500 posing with trophies flags captured during its daring but unsuccessful parachute assault on Marshal Josip Broz Tito's communist partisan headquarters in Drvar, Yugoslavia, on 25 May 1944. Tito and the communist partisans were financed and assisted primarily by the British and the USA. Over 700 of the 1,000 personnel who participated in this operation, known as Rösselsprung, were killed or wounded. The SS-Fallschirmjägerbataillon 500 was a parachute unit of the Waffen-SS made up of an equal percentage of volunteers from both regular Waffen-SS troops, and more specifically, from officially disgraced Waffen-SS officers and enlisted men who wished to redeem themselves under fire. In other words, it was a unit where dishonored officers and men convicted by courts-martial of minor infractions and currently in disciplinary straits could redeem their soldierly honor by participation in hazardous duties and operations. The first gathering of recruits was at Chlum in Czechoslovakia in October 1943. The SS paras wore standard Waffen-SS tunics and caps with Luftwaffe-issue jump smocks, trousers, boots and M38 helmets. Most of the volunteers appear to have removed the Luftwaffe breast eagles from their smocks. The training was completed at the beginning of 1944. The battalion often acted as a 'fire brigade' in the defense of the Baltic States. The brave paratroopers of the SS-Fallschirmjägerbataillon 500 who survived long enough to see the formation of the SS-Fallschirmjägerbataillon 600 were given back their previous ranks and the right to wear the SS sig rune on 9 November 1944. At least five Scandinavians are known to have served in this battalion. Two companies of the later battalion took part in the Ardennes offensive in December 1944 as a part of the Austrian SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny's 150.SS-Panzer-Brigade wearing American uniforms and using American equipment. Only 180 out of 3,500 Waffen-SS paratroopers survived the war!

Source :
https://feldgrau.info/waffen/64-2010-09-02-12-20-17/19365-podborka-foto-509
http://stabswache-de-euros.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2018-10-24T20:07:00%2B02:00&max-results=1&start=1&by-date=false

Fallschirmjäger Soldier during Operation Mercury

Image size: 1160 x 1600 pixel. 655 KB
Date: Tuesday, 20 May 1941
Place: Southern Greece
Photographer: Unknown

A German Fallschirmjäger (Paratrooper) with the rank of Gefreiter (Corporal) in his light olive green jump smock of the early version, armed to the teeth, during Unternehmen Merkur (Operation Mercury), German invasion of the Crete Island in Greece, May 1941. Unternehmen Merkur began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany began an airborne invasion of Crete. Greek and other Allied forces, along with Cretan civilians, defended the island. After one day of fighting, the Germans had suffered heavy casualties and the Allied troops were confident that they would defeat the invasion. The next day, through communication failures, Allied tactical hesitation and German offensive operations, Maleme Airfield in western Crete fell, enabling the Germans to land reinforcements and overwhelm the defensive positions on the north of the island. Allied forces withdrew to the south coast. More than half were evacuated by the British Royal Navy and the remainder surrendered or joined the Cretan resistance. The defence of Crete evolved into a costly naval engagement; by the end of the campaign the Royal Navy's eastern Mediterranean strength had been reduced to only two battleships and three cruisers. This picture was first published in a very heavily illustrated book, 'Fliegende Front' (Flying Front), as written by Hauptmann Walter Eberhard Freiherr von Medem, and published by Verlag Die Wehrmacht in Berlin, Germany, in 1942. The book must be regarded as typical propaganda material to show the German population how well the war was progressing. ‘Die Wehmacht’ published a series of other propaganda books during the war. They also released sets of photo postcards from the war.

Source :
https://ww2colorfarbe.blogspot.com/2019/02/german-fallschirmjager-during-operation.html

German Paratroopers Rests at Crete

Image size: 1600 x 1068 pixel. 538 KB
Date: Tuesday, 20 May 1941
Place: Crete Island, Greece
Photographer: Unknown

German Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers) rests after the Battle in Crete, 20 May 1941. Certainly a propaganda photo for the homeland, concealing the huge losses of the 'Green Devils'. They are wearing a light olive green jump smock of the early version, with the trousers that were darker than the smock. The Germans used colour-coded parachutes to distinguish the canisters carrying rifles, ammunition, crew-served weapons and other supplies. Heavy equipment like the Leichtgeschütz 40 was dropped with a special triple-parachute harness designed to bear the extra weight. The troopers also carried special strips of cloth which could be unfurled in pre-arranged patterns to signal low-flying fighters to coordinate air support and supply drops. In contrast with most nations' forces, who jumped with personal weapons strapped to their bodies, German procedure was for individual weapons to be dropped in canisters. This was a major flaw that left the paratroopers armed only with their fighting knives, pistols and grenades in the critical few minutes after landing. The poor design of German parachutes compounded the problem: the standard German harness had only a single riser to the canopy, and thus could not be steered. Even the 25% of paratroops armed with submachine guns were at a distinct disadvantage, given the weapon's limited range. Many Fallschirmjäger were shot attempting to reach their weapons canisters. The picture was taken from a very heavily illustrated book, "Fliegende Front" (Flying Front), as written by Hauptmann Walter Eberhard Freiherr von Medem and published by Verlag Die Wehrmacht in Berlin, Germany in 1942.

Source :
http://ww2colorfarbe.blogspot.com/2019/02/fallschirmjager-rests-at-crete.html

Three German Commanders in St.-Lô area

Image size: 1600 x 1094 pixel. 434 KB
Date: Sunday, 16 July 1944
Place: Villebaudon, St.-Lô, Normandy, France
Photographer: Unknown

Three senior German commanders in the Battle against Allied troops in St.-Lô area, Normandy, 16 July 1944. From left to right: General der Fallschirmtruppe Eugen Meindl (Kommandierender General II. Fallschirmkorps), SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Paul Hausser (Oberbefehlshaber 7. Armee), and Generalleutnant Dipl.Ing. Richard Schimpf (Kommandeur 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division). Behind Schimpf is SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl-Heinz Boska (Adjutant Oberbefehlshaber 7. Armee). In this meeting Meindl told his commander, Hausser, that the German defense position at St.-Lô was untenable any longer due to the superiority of the Allied forces on land and in the air. The next day Hausser forwarded this message to his commander, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B). Unknowingly, on the same day Rommel was badly wounded by Allied air strikes and went to the intensive treatment at the hospital! This photo is most likely taken at Villebaudon which is the base of II. Fallschirmkorps.

Source:

https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29879&p=2124764&hilit=schimpf#p2124764

http://www.specialcamp11.co.uk/General%20der%20Fallschirmtruppe%20Eugen%20Meindl.htm

Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Sturm-Abteilung "Koch"

Image size: 1600 x 1208 pixel. 572 KB
Date: Monday, 13 May 1940
Place: Führerhauptquartier "Felsennest" , Rodert near Bad Münstereifel, Nordrhein-Westfalen, germany
Photographer: Unknown

Adolf Hitler posed with Fallschirmjäger officers at a Ritterkreuz award ceremony for 12 member of Sturm-Abteilung "Koch" / 7.Flieger-Division of the Eben Emael raid. The ceremony was held at Führerhauptquartier "Felsennest" , Rodert near Bad Münstereifel, Euskirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, on 13 May 1945. First row from left to right : Leutnant Egon Delica (stellvertreter Führer Sturmgruppe "Granit". RK 12 May 1940), Hauptmann Walther Koch - RK 10.05.1940 (Kommandeur Sturm-Abteilung "Koch". RK 10 May 1940), Adolf Hitler (Führer und Reichskanzler), Leutnant der Reserve Joachim Meißner (stellvertreter Führer Sturmgruppe "Eisen". RK 12 May 1940), and Oberleutnant Gustav Altmann (Führer Sturmgruppe "Stahl". RK 12 May 1940). Second row from left to right : Oberleutnant Rudolf Witzig (Führer Sturmgruppe "Granit". RK 10 May 1940), Oberleutnant der Reserve Otto Zierach (Chef des Stabes Sturm-Abteilung "Koch". RK 15 May 1940), Leutnant der Reserve Helmut Ringler (MG-Halbzugführer in der Sturmgruppe "Stahl". RK 15 May 1940), Oberleutnant Walter Kiess (Chef Lastensegler-Kommando in der Sturm-Abteilung "Koch". RK 12 May 1940), and Oberarzt Dr. Rolf Jäger (Truppenarzt in der Sturm-Abteilung "Koch". RK 15 May 1940). Other three member of Sturm-Abteilung "Koch" that do not appear in the photograph : Feldwebel Helmut Arpke (Sturmgruppe "Stahl". RK 13 May 1940), Leutnant Martin Schächter (Führer Sturmgruppe "Eisen", wounded in action and at the hospital, RK 12 May 1945), and Leutnant Gerhard Schacht (Führer Sturmgruppe "Beton". RK 12 May 1940).

Source:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29879&start=2310

German Glider at Operation Rösselsprung

Image size: 1600 x 1113 pixel. 586 KB
Date: Thursday, 25 May 1944
Place: Near Drvar, south-west Banja-Luka, Yugoslavia
Photographer: Unknown

On 25 May 1944, “Unternehmen Rösselsprung” was started. The target of this operation was Josif Broz Tito’s communist Partisans. During this operation some 850 men of the reinforced SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500 were dropped from 40 Junkers Ju 52 of II./TG 4, or landed with 33 DFS 230 gliders near the Bosnian town of Drvar, south-west of Banja-Luka to attack the headquarters of the Partisans. The DFS 230 gliders belonged to II. and III./LLG 2 and 1. and 2.(DFS)/Schlepgruppe 1. The German paratroopers suffered heavy casualties and during the initial 24 hours of the operation were even threatened to be annihilated! Only the support of ground-attack aircraft and further reinforcements brought relief. On the picture you see DFS 230 “H4+3-6” of II. or III./LLG 1. This aircraft was lost on the morning of May 25th when it crash-landed near Drvar. DFS 230 gliders had basically no Swastika on the rudder.

Source;

Luftwaffe im Focus - Edition No.1 2002

German Fallschirmjäger on the Italian Front

Image size: 1186 x 1600 pixel. 512 KB
Date: Friday, 1 October 1943
Place: Italia
Photographer: Baitz (PK Fsjg. AOK)

German Paratroopers from Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5/Division Hermann Göring during the march on the Italian front. Some were carrying MG 42. They were the few remnants from the Tunisian campaign, during their short stay in Italy before leaving for the eastern front in early November 1943. Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5 was formed in May 1942 (Stab and I./FJR.5 new, while II. and III./FJR.5 from II. and III. /Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1). In July 1942 II.Bataillon/Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5 was sent to Africa and joined Brigade Ramcke, while the rest of the regiment transferred to Reims (training for Operation Hercules, attack on Malta). Stab, I. and III./FJR.5 were transferred to Tunisia in November 1942, joining Brigade Ramcke. II./FJR.5 was apparently disbanded shortly afterwards. On February 1943 FJR.5 was redesignated Jäger-Regiment Hermann Göring, now part of Division General Göring which destroyed on May 1943. Reformed in October 1943 (only II./FJR.5) and saw action in South Russia together with  2. Fallschirmjäger-Division (October 1943 Zhitomir, February 1944 Kirovograd), but was destroyed at Kirovograd. Only the Stab II./FJR.5 remained and on July 1944 became Stab / FJR.16. An entire new regiment began forming January 1944 in Reims, later Brest. When III./FJR.1  arrived in Brest in March 1944, it became the basis of the new FJR.5. The regiment was almost totally destroyed in Normandy, and had to be reformed in Oldenzaal, October 1944.

Source:

Zbiory NAC 2-2113

http://www.audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/1612/h:436/

American Soldiers of the 99th Infantry Division March Into Captivity

Image size: 1301 x 1600 pixel. 462 KB
Date: Monday, 18 December 1944
Place: Lanzerath, Liege, Belgium
Photographer: Unidentified German SS-Kriegsberichter (War Correspondent)

American soldiers of the 99th Infantry Division are accompanied to the rear by paratroopers of 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division. While this column was marched into captivity, they could see and hear the battle between German and American artillery not far away. The 99th Division had just begun combat operations on the Roer River on December 13, 1944 when three days later the Ardennes Offensive broke with a heavy concentration of artillery fire. Despite being an inexperienced unit and their lines pierced by many German armored columns, the small unit actions fought by the 99th would prevent the timely completion of the German timetable. At Lanzerath, a German speaking municipality in Belgium, The Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon of the 384th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division, under the command of First Lieutenant Lyle J. Bouck, Jr., comprised eighteen men but inflicted 400-500 casualties on the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 9, which failed to continue the assault. Bouck and his men were captured, but only one American was killed. This column of prisoners are lucky to have kept their winter coats and boots; some Americans were stripped of clothing. Many lost watches and jewelry when they were taken. The thousands of American prisoners from the 106th, 4th, 28th and 99th Divisions were marched through Northern Germany, where food and survival were constant concerns. Most men lost an average of fifty pounds during their five month captivity. Some men, like author Kurt Vonnegut of the 106th, were caught up in the firebombing of Dresden in February 1945. 

Source:

National Archives and Records Adminstration (NARA) NWDNS-111-SC-198240

http://www.worldwar2database.com/gallery3/index.php/wwii2005

Former German Heavyweight Boxer Max Schmeling as a Fallschirmjäger

Image size: 1065 x 1600 pixel. 316 KB
Date: Thursday, 13 March 1941
Place: Wolfenbüttel, Niedersachsen, Germany
Photographer: Unknown

Former German heavyweight boxer Max Schmeling (36 years old at the time of this picture was taken) posed as a jumping Fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) in the back door of transport aircraft Junkers Ju 52 "Tante". This famous person took part in Unternehmen "Merkur" (the assault on Crete) in 20 May 1941 while being a member of 4.Kompanie/1.Bataillon/Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3/7.Flieger-Division. He became sick and didn't see much combat at all. According to some accounts, Gefreiter (Corporal) Schmeling had dysentery before he jumped at Crete, informed his Bataillonskommandeur (Friedrich von der Heydte) the night before, but was still told to carry on. Schmeling arrived at Crete in a feverish state, with an injured head and stomach cramps. He was in no condition to be involved in operations there, only two days spent at the front, and then hospitalized in Athens for a month. Showing sympathies for the Allies, he will be ignored by the Nazi leaders. He was never sent again to the front. Quoted from Eric Queen's "Red Shines the Sun: A Pictorial History of the Fallschirm-Infanterie" page 100, tells the story of Louis Hedwig who served with Max: "..von der Heydte didn't want to take Max with us but was forced to by the top. As soon as we landed Max started losing it. He asked me, 'Leutnant am I allowed to shot?' even though I was just a corporal. He had sunstroke and the runs. Von der Heydte mentions in his book that Schmeling came to him before the left the airfields in Greece the night before. Schmeling told von der Heydte that he had dysentery. Von der Heydte told him to tighten up his smock and make the jump. This dysentery caused Schmeling to suffer from heat exhaustion quickly once on Crete, thus the pictures of him exist being supported by comrades walking to the aid station with a hankerchief on his head to help protect against the sun."

Source:
Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe (NAC) 2-15159

http://www.audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/50444/44bcc43b9633c0dbac29c4f491cadc5a/