Description
Unser Alpenkorps – Number 8, December 1939
Scanned pages: 20 | Instant PDF download
Historical German Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops) magazine, XVIII Army Corps newsletter, digitized.
Cover
A snow-laden fir tree against a winter mountain backdrop. Photo credit: Aufn. Meerkämper-Mauritius. No war correspondent credited by name.
Main Articles
“Die Brücke zu euch”
A reservist reflects on love of homeland as the bond between soldiers at the front and the people at home, describing the mobilization of workers and reservists in Leoben.
Author: Gefreiten ROA Herbert Gras, Leoben. Includes an embedded poem, “Dem deutschen Alpenkorps,” signed by Schmied, Gefr. in einer Geb. Nachr. Abt. No photo credits given.
“Auf deutschen Spuren im Osten”
A soldier’s travel account through Poland following the invasion, reflecting on encounters with ethnic German villagers and farmsteads he finds during the advance.
Author: Franz Anderl. Photo credits: Scherl-Bilderdienst (captioned “Deutsches Dorf in Polen” and “Deutsches Gehöft”).
“In den Morgenstunden über die Grenzen”
Describes German troops crossing the border into the Olsa region (Teschen area) at the start of the Polish campaign and encounters with local ethnic-German and Czech populations.
No individual author credited. Photo credits: Presse-Hoffmann (captioned “Kradschützen überfahren die Grenze”); Scherl-Bilderdienst (captioned “Überall steckten die Polen vor ihrem Rückzug die Städte und Dörfer in Brand”).
“Melder im Polenkrieg”
A dispatch runner’s (Melder’s) nighttime account of searching through unfamiliar terrain to deliver a message to his battalion command post during combat in Poland.
Author: Gefr. Ploder. Photo credit: Scherl-Bilderdienst.
“Eine gestörte Mittagsrast”
A short anecdote about a company’s midday meal being interrupted by a Polish reconnaissance aircraft during the Polish campaign.
Author: Oberjäger Karafiat. No photo credits given (accompanying photo captioned “Einer der vielen Baumschützenstände,” credited to Scherl-Bilderdienst).
“Steirische Gebirgsjäger in einem Nachtgefecht bei Kasina (Galizien)”
Account of a night engagement fought by Styrian mountain-jäger troops against entrenched Polish forces near Kasina in Galicia, including a successful assault under moonlight.
Author: Oberjäger Hans May, Grazer Geb. Jäg. Btl. Photo credits: Scherl-Bilderdienst (2 photos).
“Das Ersatzheer übt in Eis und Schnee”
Describes winter training exercises of the replacement army’s mountain artillery units, including a multi-day march with pack animals over the Tyrolean mountains to the Lizumer Alm.
Author: Oberleutnant d. R. Menzel. Photo credits: Scherl-Bilderdienst (2 photos).
“Übung im Hochgebirge mit der 1. Gebirgsjäger-Ersatzkompanie”
Recounts a high-mountain training exercise conducted by a mountain-jäger replacement company near Salzburg, including a mock attack on the summit of the Untersberg.
Author: Jäger Willi Coldner, Salzburg. Photo credits: Archiv XVIII. A.K.; Scherl-Bilderdienst.
“Vier Wochen Rekrut”
A recruit’s personal reflections on his first four weeks of military training, from the day of enlistment through basic drill, discipline, and the oath of loyalty to the Führer.
Author: Jg. Dr. Otto Oeggl, Kufstein. Photo credit: Scherl-Bilderdienst (captioned “Abmarsch einer Gebirgsjägerabteilung aus der Kaserne zur Uebung”).
“Freizeitgestaltung der Bregenzer Soldaten”
Describes a “Kraft durch Freude” variety-show evening organized for soldiers stationed in Bregenz, featuring acrobats, dancers, and comedic performers.
Author: credited only as “Von einem Unteroffizier” (by an NCO, unnamed). No photo credits given.