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The 24th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Karstjäger was a German mountain
infantry division of the Waffen-SS, the armed wing of the German Nazi Party that
served alongside but was never formally part of the Wehrmacht during World War II.
At the post-war Nuremberg trials, the Waffen-SS was declared to be a criminal
organisation due to its major involvement in war crimes and crimes against
humanity. Named Karstjäger ("Karst Hunter"), the formation was one of the 38
divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS. Formed on 18 July 1944 from the SS Volunteer
Karstwehr Battalion, its nominal strength was never more than theoretical and the
division was soon reduced to the Waffen Mountain (Karstjäger) Brigade of the SS.
Throughout its existence as a battalion, division and brigade, it was primarily
involved in fighting partisans in the Karst Plateau on the frontiers of Yugoslavia,
Italy, and Austria; the mountainous terrain required specialised mountain troops
and equipment.
Founded in 1942 as a company, the unit consisted mainly of Volksdeutsche (ethnic

Germans/Austrians) from Yugoslavia and the South Tyrol province of Italy. Although
focused on anti-partisan operations, it also saw action in the wake of the Italian
surrender when it moved to disarm Italian troops in Tarvisio and protect ethnic
German communities in Italy. In addition, at the end of the war it successfully
fought to keep passes into Austria open, allowing German units to escape the
Balkans and surrender to British forces. The remnants of the unit became some of
the last Germans to lay down their arms when they surrendered to the British 6th
Armoured Division on 9 May 1945. A joint Italian–German study implicated the
division in 23 war crimes involving the killing of a total of 277 people between
the Italian surrender and the end of the war.
History
Origins
a black and white photograph of a building with a mountain behind it
The training centre for the SS-Freiwilligen-Karstwehr Battalion was located in
Pottenstein, Bavaria
In mid-1942, the Waffen-SS formed a company intended for anti-partisan operations
in the rugged and high-altitude border region between Italy, Austria and Yugoslavia
known as the Karst.[4] SS-Standartenführer (Colonel) Hans Brand, a geologist and
speleologist, suggested the creation of the unit.[5] The company was formed at the
SS training centre in Dachau on 10 July 1942 from soldiers of the supply services
training and replacement battalion of the 23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS
Kama (2nd Croatian).[6]
It was expanded to battalion strength of around 500 troops in November 1942, and as
the SS-Freiwilligen-Karstwehr Battalion,[7] it spent the first six months of 1943
training in Austria.[4] The unit drew its recruits mainly from among the Germans of
Yugoslavia (Volksdeutsche) and South Tyroleans,[8] with the officer cadre being
drawn from SS geological detachments.[5] The battalion-strength Waffen-SS
Geological Corps (German: SS-Wehrgeologenkorps), from which such detachments were
drawn, was formed in April 1941 and consisted mainly of engineers with a few
geologists. They examined caves and natural obstacles, and determined whether off-
road terrain was suitable for tanks.[9] They were also responsible for locating
sources of fresh water.[10] Following the Armistice of Cassibile in September 1943,
the battalion was tasked with disarming Italian troops around Tarvisio on the
border between the three countries. It then moved on to protective duties for
nearby Volksdeutsche communities. From October 1943 until June 1944, the battalion
was based at Gradisca d'Isonzo in Italy, and participated in anti-partisan
operations in the areas of Trieste, Udine and the Istrian peninsula.[4] On 10
October, a column of the battalion was ambushed at the Predil Pass, suffering three
killed and eight wounded. The following day the battalion burned down the village
of Strmec and killed 16 local men in retaliation. Up to 19 October 1943, the
battalion suffered a total of 18 killed and 45 wounded in a series of engagements
near the village of Bovec (Flitsch). During the same period, the battalion captured
two Italian 75 mm mountain guns, which significantly increased its firepower.[11]
Men of the Karstwehr Battalion, 1942

During late October and November 1943, the battalion was engaged in anti-partisan
operations around Žaga (Saga) and Kobarid (Karfreit), including Operation Traufe
(Eaves).[11] In late November, it was placed under the command of the Supreme SS
and Police Leader, Italy, SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS
(Lieutenant General) Karl Wolff for an operation.[12] In February 1944, the
battalion conducted Operation Ratte (Rat), during which it burned down the villages
of Komen and Branik (Rihenberg), and interned the population of both villages in
labour camps. Early in 1944, Brandt suggested that Slovene nationalists be
recruited into the battalion, but the idea was rejected by SS headquarters who
feared that such a policy would allow the infiltration of the unit by Yugoslav
Partisans. At this stage, it was estimated that there were about 20,000 communist
partisans operating in the Gorizia region. During March 1944, the battalion was
involved in a rapid series of operations, including Zypresse (Cypress),
Märzveilchen (Violet), Maulwurf (Mole) and Hellblau (Light Blue), resulting in
significant guerrilla casualties, as well as executions of captured partisans. In
March and April, Operation Osterglocke (Daffodil) was conducted over 12 days,
followed by Operation Liane in late May, and the long-running Operation Annemarie
which covered the period 7 May to 16 July 1944.[13] In June 1944, a patrol from the
battalion failed to return from a task in the vicinity of Cividale del Friuli. Two
days later, they were found naked with their severed heads impaled on bayonets.[11]
The unit became known for shooting suspected partisans.[5] While engaged in anti-
partisan work, the battalion grew to a strength of around 1,000.[4]

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The 24th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Karstjäger was a German mountain

Founded in 1942 as a company, the unit consisted mainly of Volksdeutsche (ethnic

Men of the Karstwehr Battalion, 1942

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