Description
Unser Alpenkorps – Number 5, May 1940
Scanned pages: 16 | Instant PDF download
Historical German Wehrmacht newsletter of the XVIII Army Corps (Alpenkorps), digitized.
Cover
Mountain troops sharing a laugh with a sailor splicing rope aboard ship, captioned “Auf Fahrt nach Norwegen”. Photo: Atlantic. No war correspondent credited.
Main Articles
“Wie sie einen Zerstörer jagten”
An account of a stormy North Sea voyage in which seasick Styrian mountain troops aboard a German destroyer witness a heavy cruiser sink an English destroyer.
Author: PK (Propagandakompanie), unnamed. Photo: Presse-Hoffmann (embarkation of mountain troops for Narvik).
“Gebirgstruppen gen Norden”
A report, subtitled “Wie der Narvik-Fjord besetzt wurde”, on mountain troops sailing by destroyer to Narvik, the seizure of the fjord forts and the sinking of two Norwegian coastal defence ships.
Author: PK (Propagandakompanie), unnamed. Photos: Scherl-Bilderdienst; PK-Schröder – Presse-Bild-Zentrale.
“Auf Wacht im Westen – Aus dem Tagebuch eines Gebirgsjägers”
Diary extracts from a mountain soldier on the Western front, reflecting on waiting, comradeship and the longing for action.
Author: Gefr. Josef Welitschek.
“Der Gauleiter kommt …”
A report on a surprise visit by Gauleiter Hofer of Tyrol to a mountain company on the Western front, dated O.U., 4 April 1940.
Author: Feldw. Wilhelm Mößner. Photo: Presse-Hoffmann (Hitler receiving the newly appointed Reichsstatthalter of the Ostmark: Dr. Rainer, Hofer, Eigruber, Bürckel, with Reichsminister Dr. Lammers).
“Ewiger Lebenskampf”
A reflective piece on a sentry’s thoughts during a lonely night watch, on duty, homeland and the soldier’s place in the nation.
Author: Gefr. Josef Schönitzer. Photo: Scherl-Bilderdienst (Gebirgsjäger im Drontheimer Fjord).
“Appell”
A humorous sketch on the many kinds of inspections (Appelle) in army life, of which only the pay parade is welcome.
No author credited.
“Pferdebewegen”
A humorous account of the daily exercising of pack animals, during which the author daydreams of riding all the way home to the Alps.
Author: Tragtierführer Hans Oberhueber.
“… und die Kugeln hab’n nur so ‘zischt um uns!”
A Panzerjäger awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class in the Polish campaign recounts, in dialect, his anti-tank gun’s fight against a Polish armoured column near Lemberg and the death of his Oberleutnant.
Author: Panzerjäger Franz Fink, Graz. Includes the poem “Mutter im Alpenland” by R. Schmied, Uffz. in einer GebNachrAbt.
“Dienst in der Gebirgs-Maschinengewehr-Kompanie”
A description of the training of recruits in a mountain machine-gun company, from weapon handling and range-finding to caring for pack animals.
Author: Leutnant Dr. Schneevoigt. Photos (6): Nordhaus.
“Die Wehrpflicht”
An ideological essay presenting compulsory military service as the highest duty of the whole German nation.
Author: Gebirgsjäger Ingo Ruetz-Salzburg.
“Musik und Soldatentum”
A historical survey of soldiers’ songs and military music from the medieval Landsknechte to the current war.
Author: Leopold Kuntner.
“Wehrwille der alpenländischen Jugend”
A short piece praising the readiness of young men from the Alpine regions to volunteer for the Wehrmacht.
Author: Major A. Helff, Innsbruck. Photo: Scherl-Bilderdienst (first captured Englishmen in Lillehammer).
“Steirische Skimeisterschaft 1940”
A report on the Styrian wartime ski championships of 30–31 March on the Tauplitzalpe, where Leoben mountain troops placed well, led by Objg. Würgenschimmel.
No author credited. Photo: Archiv XVIII. A.K.
“Bergsteigen als Mittel allseitiger Sport- und Kameradschaftserziehung”
An essay promoting mountaineering as physical, moral and comradely education for German youth.
Author: SA-Obertruppführer Wallner, Gruppe Alpenland.
“Alles mal herhören!”
A call for troops to submit texts and melodies of their songs by 10 June for a planned songbook of Ostmark soldiers.
No author credited.
“Liederecke”
A song page with sheet music and lyrics for “Alpenkorpsmarsch” and “Gegen unsere Feinde …”.
“Alpenkorpsmarsch”: words and music by Lt. d. R. Heinz Schmidt. “Gegen unsere Feinde …”: text by Gefreiter Born, music by Gefreiter Neumann.
War Correspondents (Kriegsberichter) Named
- PK (Propagandakompanie) – unnamed author credited on “Wie sie einen Zerstörer jagten” and “Gebirgstruppen gen Norden”.
- PK-Schröder – photographer (Presse-Bild-Zentrale), “Gebirgstruppen gen Norden”.