The Gebirgsäger (often called Alpine Riflemen in Poland) are a select Austrian and German light infantry unit designed for operations in the mountains. The history of the Gebirgsäger in the German army is believed to have begun in November 1914, when the first battalions of this type were formed. During World War II, the German army still had units of this type, forming a total of up to 10 divisions, which were used in combat operations with varying intensity. The equipment of Gebirgsäger units during World War II was similar to traditional infantry formations, but in general the Alpine Riflemen had more machine guns (light and heavy - for example, MG34 or MG42) and a larger number of light artillery and mortars. Their equipment was also adapted to operations in high altitudes and very low temperatures, and their training was much more complex than that of an ordinary infantryman. Gebirgsjäger units were widely used during the fighting in Norway in 1940, during the fighting in the Balkans and Crete in 1941, as well as in the Italian Campaign (1943-1945) and on the Eastern Front, especially in the Caucasus (1942-1943) and in its northern part, on the Finnish-Soviet border. It is worth adding that the distinctive feature of the German Gebirgsjäger is the insignia "edelweiss". It is worth adding that the traditions of the Gebirgsjäger are now continued in the German Bundeswehr.
