5th Mountain Division (Wehrmacht)

The 5th Mountain Division (German: 5. Gebirgs-Division) was a mountain infantry (Gebirgsjäger) formation of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. It was established in the Wehrkreis XVIII in October 1940, out of units taken from the 1st Mountain Division and the 10th Infantry Division. The unit surrendered to the U.S. Army near Turin in May 1945.

5th Mountain Division
German: 5. Gebirgs-Division
Unit insignia
Active	1940–45
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	German Army
Type	Mountain infantry (Gebirgsjäger)
Role	Anti-tank warfare Armoured reconnaissance Armoured warfare Artillery observer Bayonet charge Bomb disposal Close-quarters battle Cold-weather warfare Combined arms Counter-battery fire HUMINT Indirect fire Intelligence assessment Military engineering Military intelligence Mountain warfare Patrolling Raiding Reconnaissance Trench warfare Urban warfare
Size	Division
Garrison/HQ	Salzburg
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	General Julius Ringel

The Balkans

Following months of inactivity in Germany, the unit formed XVIII Mountain Corps^[1] with the 6th Mountain Division, and in spring 1941 was designated to take part in Operation Marita, the invasion of Greece, as part of the Balkans Campaign.

The unit then took part in the invasion of Crete, codenamed Operation Merkur. Here the unit was used in an air-landing role where it fought against British forces which had retreated from Greece. The units role in securing the islands was significant, and in November 1941, the unit returned to Germany for refitting.^[2]

Eastern Front

In March 1942 it was deployed to the Eastern Front, where it joined Army Group North on the Volkhov Front, and took part in operations against the city of Leningrad. The unit remained on the Eastern Front until November 1943, during which time it was used primarily for firefighting for the 18th Armee in operations near Mga, Shlisselburg, and Kolpino.^[3]

Italy

Representation of the 5th Gebirgsjäger in Venafro

Following its year on the Eastern Front the unit was redeployed to the Gustav Line in December 1943, arriving near Cassino. The unit fought out the remainder of the war in Italy and the Western Alps before surrendering to American forces near Turin in May 1945.^[4]

War crimes

The division was implicated in the Grugliasco massacre, Piedmont, alongside the 34th Infantry Division, where, on 30 April 1945, 67 civilians were executed.^[5][6] Shortly after the division was also implicated in another massacre in the town of Santhià, on the way to Milan, resulting in 48 deaths.^[7]

Commanders

• Julius Ringel (1 November 1940 – 10 February 1944)
• Max-Günther Schrank (10 February 1944 – 18 January 1945)
• Hans Steets (18 January 1945 – 2 May 1945)

Order of battle

1941

• Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 85
• Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 100
• Gebirgsjäger-Artillerie-Regiment 95
• Gebirgs-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 95
• Gebirgs-Aufklarüng-Abteilung 95
• Gebirgs-Pionier-Abteilung 95
• Gebirgs-Nachrichten-Abteilung 95
• Gebirgs-Sanitäts-Abteulung 95
• Gebirgs-Feldersatz-Bataillon 95

Source:^[8]