Fallschirmjäger (Pronunciation listen) is the German term, both singular and plural, for a military paratrooper. "Fallschirm" means parachute and "Jäger" a hunter or light infantry unit.
During World War II, Germany began to create military parachute battalions. Unlike the British Army and the US Army, these units were dependent on the Luftwaffe (Air Force) and not the Wehrmacht (Army).
In 1940, several parachute drops over Norway.
On May 22, 1941 during the Battle of Crete, Fallschirmjäger units, commanded by Kurt Student, were the first to successfully attempt an airborne invasion.
They participated in the Battle of Mount Cassin in 1943 and in the defense of Carentan during the Battle of Normandy in 1944.
More than 54,449 paratroopers will be killed in action and 8,000 are still missing.
Equipment
These elite units had a wide choice at their disposal. They were the first to use rifles without recoil in combat. The FG-42 submachine gun and the M1935 helmet, derived from the Stahlhelm, were even specially designed for them. They also sported a specific camouflage.
Their parachutes were however less efficient than those of the Allies, with a single strap, the landing had to be done on the hands and knees, preventing the carrying with either, in a non-risky way, of heavier weapons. Very often, part of the equipment was parachuted into special crates which could end up scattered on the battlefield.