German Mountain & Ski Troops, 1939-45 (Elite) (Paperback)

~ Gordon Williamson (Author), Stephen Andrew (Illustrator) "Although reference to the elite units of the German armed forces in the Second World War usually brings to mind troops such as the Fallschirmjager,..." (more)
Key Phrases: edelweiss insignia, aluminium braid, mountain trousers, Iron Cross, Main Constituent Units, Red Army (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

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.

From the Publisher

An unrivalled illustrated reference source on fighting men and commanders, past and present. Each volume is packed with full colour artwork, making military history uniquely accessible to enthusiasts of all ages.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (May 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855325721
• ISBN-13: 978-1855325722
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,059,490 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rather Better than Warrior 74, January 30, 2007

By	Pardus Amicus "Alexander" (Lake Superior, USA) - See all my reviews

Although covering the same subject as Warrior 74: Gebirgsjager, German Mountain Trooper 1939-45, I found this Elite volume to be somewhat more focused and less repetitive, although both volumes are neccessarily brief.

Elite, extremely fit, and highly motivated but lightly equipped infantry troops mostly from Southern Germany and Austria Gebirgsjager fought in all theatres of World War 2, proving extremely effective in Norway and Greece until their eventual stop-gap employment and destruction in the Western Front.

This volume covers the main Gebirgs divisions and corps, the SS and ethnic Gebirgs formations, major campaigns, decorations and insignia, uniforms, and has the usual excellent Osprey color plates and period illustrations. However weapons, tactics, and general unit structure are not covered to a great extent, my only complaint about this otherwise excellent general reference.


Both Osprey volumes mentioned make good companions to;
Seven Days in January; With the 6th SS-Mountain Division in Operation Nordwind, 0-9666389-5-6