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1.Gebirgs-Division The German 1st Mountain Division was created in April from the existing '''Mountain Brigade''' (''Gebirgsbrigade'' or ''Gebirgs-Brigade'' in German ), an unnumbered unit that was created in June 1935 as the sole asset for mountain operations in the original Wehrmacht . In recognition of the high standards of the World War I era mountain troops, the division was given the number "1" in order to start a series of mountain divisions outside the series of other Infantry -type divisions. (See List Of German Divisions In WWII .) The division fought in the Invasion Of Poland ( 1939 ) and the Battle Of France ( 1940 ). It was earmarked for assaults against England and Gibraltar , though neither operation was ever carried out. In the spring of 1941 the division took part in the Balkans Campaign , and in June it joined Army Group South for Operation Barbarossa . In 1942 it participated in the failed attempt to seize the Caucasus under Army Group A . In 1943 it was withdrawn to Montenegro and Greece where it was used for occupation and anti-partisan duties. In late 1944 it returned to the front line in Hungary . During the September Campaign in Poland the division took part in atrocities against the civilian population, including the rounding up and execution of Jewish civilians in the city of Przemyśl This has been also documented in the photo album of the division. [http://www1.yadvashem.org/about_holocaust/studies/ordinary/temp_levein_uziel_full.html In September 1943, after Italy turned over to the Allies, the division took part in the murder of 5,300 Italian soldiers on the Greek island of Cephalonia when the Italian forces fired upon German reinforcements after surrendering. Some of the solders murdered had their throats cut, while others were forced to dump bodies into the sea before being killed. [http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=2098 The division surrendered to the Americans in Austria at the end of the war. SEE ALSO REFERENCES Note: The Web references may require you to follow links to cover the unit's entire history.
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