8th Mountain Division

157th Infantry Division 157th Mountain Division 8th Mountain Division
157. Infanterie-Division 157. Gebirgs-Division 8. Gebirgs-Division
Unit insignia
Active	1945
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	German Army
Type	Gebirgsjäger
Role	Mountain warfare
Size	Division
Engagements	World War II
Insignia
Identification symbol
Identification symbol	Division arm insignia, monk with beer mug

The 8th Mountain Division (German: 8. Gebirgs Division) was formed on 27 February 1945 by the redesignation of the 157th Mountain Division, which itself had been formed from the 157th Infantry Division in September 1944, and which had participated in operations against the maquis of Vercors. The division was stationed in France until the Italian surrender when it then moved to Italy taking 5,772 prisoners in two days during the disarmament of the Italian Army. The division remained in Italy for the rest of the war and surrendered to the Americans in April, 1945.

Commander

• Generalleutnant Paul Schricker

Order of battle

• Gebirgsjäger Regiment 296
  • 3 x Battalions
• Gebirgsjäger Regiment 297
  • 3 x Battalions
• Gebirgs Artillery Regiment 1057
• Feldersatz Battalion 1057
• Panzerjäger Battalion 157
• Reconnaissance Battalion 1057
• Gebirgs Pionier Battalion 1057
• Gebirgs Signals Battalion 1057
• Division Supply troop 1057

German Mountain troops with MG 42 Italy 1944

Further reading

• James Lucas - Hitler's Mountain Troops: Fighting at the extremes
• Veit Scherzer - 8. Gebirgs-Division
• Gordon Williamson - German Mountain & Ski Troops 1939-45