This page presents some organizational tables and general information on the German army in Italy.  I've collected a few examples of how the German units were organized for various times, including the Cassino front and the Gothic Line.  Since the units were constantly being moved to counter the Allied advance, there is no way to accurately represent the command structure. This information is only meant to give an idea of the general organization.
   
Officially named the 29 Waffen-Grenadier der SS (Italienische Nr: 1).  One unit of this division fought at Anzio front in May 1944, but operated mostly as a police and anti-partisan unit.
 

German Organization Main Menu:

Army Group C at Cassino, Feb 1944.

Army Group C at GOTHIC Line, Sept 1944.

German Winter Attack in December 1944.

Army Group C  - Spring 1945.

Unit History - A Brief History of each Division, August 1944 to May 1945.

Commanders  -  A brief list of commanders.

For info on the Italian Waffen-SS Division  ( See Italian Organizations )

For a cross-reference of units within each German division, see German Divisions.

By the end of 1943, a reinforced German army consisted of 23 divisions; 215,000 troops engaged in the south and 265,000 in reserve in the north.  This table represents the organization in February 1944, which was just after the II Corps of the 5th US Army landed on Anzio beaches and  6 months after the intial landing in Italy.  So, the Germans had time to strengthen their forces to oppose both the Anzio attack and the 5th US Army at Cassino and the 8th British Army in eastern Italy.
   This list represents a general order of battle.  Since the units were constantly being moved to either Cassino or Anzio front, as needed, there is no way to accurately represent the command structure.  For example, one division was listed in both German Armies.  Only active combat units are listed.

ARMY GROUP C
Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring
February 1944

TENTH ARMY Generaloberst Heinrich von Vietinghoff XIV Panzer Corps General der Panzertruppen Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin  15TH PANZER GRENADIER DIVISION   104th Panzer Grenadier Regiment   115th Panzer Battalion   115th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion    33d Engineer Battalion    33d Artillery Regiment    315th AAA Battalion    33d Antitank Battalion 94TH INFANTRY DIVISION    267th, 274th, and 276th Infantry Regiments    194th Engineer Battalion    194th Artillery Regiment    194th Antitank Battalion    194th Field Deployment Battalion 71ST INFANTRY DIVISION.    191st, 194th, and 211th Infantry regiments    171st Fusilier Battalion    171st Engineer Battalion    171st Artillery Regiment    171st Antitank Battalion    171st Field Deployment Battalion LI Mountain Corps General der Gebirgstruppen Vaentin Feuerstein  44TH INFANTRY DIVISION    131st, 132d, and 134th Infantry regiments    44th Reconnaissance Battalion    46th Antitank Battalion (SP)    96th Artillery Regiment 1ST PARACHUTE DIVISION    1st, 3d, and 4th Parachute Infantry Regts    1st Parachute Machine gun Battalion    1st Parachute Antitank Battalion    1st Parachute Artillery Regiment 5TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION    85th and 100th Mountain Infantry Regiment    85th Reconnaissance Battalion    85th Antitank Battalion    95th Mountain Artillery Regiment 114TH LIGHT DIVISION    721st and 74lst Light Regiments    114th Reconnaissance Battalion    114th Antitank Battalion    661st Artillery Regiment Group Hauck Generalleutnant Friedrich Wilhelm Hauck  334TH INFANTRY DIVISION   754th, 755th, and 756th Infantry regiments   334th Fusilier Battalion   334th Antitank Battalion (self-propelled)     334th Artillery Regiment 305TH INFANTRY DIVISION     578th, 577th, and 578th Infantry regiments     305th Fusilier Battalion     305th Antitank Battalion (self-propelled)     305th Artillery Regiment

FOURTEENTH ARMY Generaloberst Eberhard von Mackensen I Parachute Corps General der Fallschirmtruppen Alfred Schlemm  4TH PARACHUTE DIVISION  10th, 11th, and 12th Parachute Infantry regiments   4th Parachute AAA Battalion (motorized) 29TH PANZER GRENADIER DIVISION   15th Panzer Grenadier Regiment (3 motorized btln)    71st Panzer Grenadier Regiment (3 motorized btln)   129th Panzer Assault Battalion (assault guns)    129th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion      313th AAA Battalion (motorized)     29th Artillery Regiment (3 motorized btln) 65TH INFANTRY DIVISIONS     145th, l46th, and 147th Infantry regiments     165th Fusilier Battalion     165th Antitank Battalion (motorized)     165th Artillery Regiment          (4 battalions, including 1 motorized) 715TH INFANTRY DIVISION (MOTORIZED)     725th and 735th Infantry regiments     671st Artillery Regiment 114TH JAGER DIVISION     (Formerly 714th Infantry Division)     721st & 741st Jager regiments     661st Artillery Regiment     114th Reconnaissance Battalion     114th Antitank Battalion     114th Engineer Battalion     114th Signal Battalion    LXXVI Panzer Corps General der Panzertruppen Traugott Herr  3D PANZER GRENADIER DIVISION    8th Panzer Grenadier Regiment (3 motorized btln)   29th Panzer Grenadier Regiment (3 motorized btln)   103d Panzer Battalion (assault guns)   103d Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion   312th AAA Battalion (motorized)     3d Artillery Regiment (2 motorized battalions,                       1 self-propelled battalion) 26TH PANZER DIVISION     9th Panzer Grenadier Regiment     67th Regiment     26th Panzer Regiment     26th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion     304th AAA Battalion (self-propelled)     93rd Panzer Artillery Regiment           (2 motorized btln 1 self-propelled btln) HERMAN GORING PANZER DIVISION     1st Parachute Panzer Grenadier Regiment            (2 motorized btln, 1 mechanized btln)     2nd Parachute Panzer Grenadier Regiment             (3 motorized btln)     Parachute Panzer Regiment H.G.             (1 tank battalion, 1 assault gun btln)     Parachute Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion H.G.     Parachute AAA Regiment H.G.              (3 motorized btln)

INDEPENDENT REGIMENTS    Infantry Lehr Regiment    1027th Reinforced Panzer Grenadier Regiment (2 btln)    1028th Reinforced Panzer Grenadier Regiment (2 btln)

---

By February 16, the Fourteenth Army consisted of
                 2 Armored divisions
                 4 Infantry divisions
                 1 Motorized divisions
                 1 Parachute divisions
Total           8 Divisions
Including the independent units, there were 9 full divisions operating within Anzio beachhead by Feb 16, 1944.

After the fall of Rome, the Germans pulled back into the natural defenses of the Appenine Mountains.  They were able to hold the Allied advance and prevent them from entering the Po Valley before the fall rains and winter came.  This is the organization of the Corps and Divisions during the fall of 1944.  The commanders names are listed in (paranthesis).

ARMY GROUP C (Kesselring)
TENTH ARMY (von Vietinghoff) LXXVI PANZER CORPS  (Herr)    1ST PARACHUTE DIVISION  (Heidrich)    71ST INFANTRY DIVISION  (Raapke)    5TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION  (Schrank)    162ND INFANTRY DIVISION    278TH INFANTRY DIVISION  (Hoppe) LI MOUNTAIN CORPS    (Feurstein)    114TH JAEGER DIVISION  (Ehlhert)    44TH INFANTRY DIVISION    308TH INFANTRY DIVISION  (Hauck)    334TH INFANTRY DIVISION  (Bohlke)    715TH INFANTRY DIVISION	FOURTEENTH ARMY (Lemelsen) I PARACHUTE CORPS    356TH INFANTRY DIVISION (Faulenbach)    4TH PARACHUTE DIVISION    362TH INFANTRY DIVISION (Greiner) XIV PANZER CORPS    (von Senger und Etterlin)    26th PANZER DIVISION    (Crasemann)    65TH INFANTRY DIVISION    (Pfeiffer)    16TH SS PANZER GRENADIER DIVISION
ARMY RESERVE    29TH PANZER GRENADIER DIVISION (Polack)    20th LUFTWAFFE DIVISION      (Crisolli)    98TH INFANTRY DIVISION  (Reinhardt)

         

   The Germans launched an attack on the west coast against the US 92nd "Buffalo" Infantry Division.  This division had arrived in Italy in August 1944 and was still untested.  The German attack was scheduled about the same time as their Ardene Offensive at Bastogne (aka, Battle of the Bulge).  The attack hit the 92nd Division hard with a total of 529 killed, wounded and missing.
    When the offensive began, the 92nd Division was holding a front along a line of towns of Vergemoli, Calomini, Gallicano, Barga and Bebbio.  The Americans fell back through Pedona valley to San Romano. The German advance was halted at Fornaci. The Germans claimed that their objective was to relieve pressure off of the Bologna front.   The advance was stopped only a few miles beyond Barga.
    The Allies reinforced the front with troops from the IV Corps: the 19th & 21st Indian Brigades of the 8th Indian Division, 135th Regimental Combat Team of the US 34th Infantry Division and the 337th Regimental Combat Team of the US 85th Infantry Division.

GERMAN UNITS
  285th Grenadier Regiment of the 148th Grenadier Division
  Brescia Alpine Battalion of the Italian Monta Rosa Division
  286th Grenadier Regiment of the 148th Grenadier Division
  4th Mountain Battalion
  Austro-German 'Mittenwald' Battalion

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By end of 1944, the Germans had 27 divisions in Itlay, including the re-organized Italian units under their control.  But in the beginning of 1945, four divisions were pulled out of Italy:  356th, 710th, & 715th Infantry Divisions and the 16th SS Panzer Grenadier Division.  During this same period, just prior to the Spring Offensive, the Allies moved the 1st Canadian Corps to France in February.  However, by April the Allies had reinforced with more fresh troops from various countries.

Just before the Spring Offensive, the total number of troops available were 24 normal German divisions and Marshal Graziani's Ligurian Army, consisting of 5 Italian Divisions.  Some divisions were placed in reserve and others, such as the Italians, were used to guard the coast and police the partisans.  The following is a list of units that were at the front lines on April 1, 1945, listed from West coast to East coast.  This list was researched from several references; the primary source being the first one listed below

ARMY GROUP C
FOURTEENTH ARMY         [ WESTERN ITALY - OPPOSING US 5TH ARMY] LI MOUNTAIN CORPS   (Feuerstein)     232TH INFANTRY RESERVE DIVISION        (old men and convalescents)     714TH (or 114TH) JAEGER DIVISION     (ethnic Germans from Poland & Czech & Alsace)      334TH INFANTRY DIVISION     148TH INFANTRY DIVISION XIV PANZER CORPS   (Etterlin)     94TH INFANTRY DIVISION  (Steinmetz)     8TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION  (was the 157th Mtn Div)     65TH INFANTRY DIVISION    (all under strength except 8th Mtn with 3000) Reserve    90th Panzer Grenadier Division     (Baade)    24th SS Division    Italian SS Division	TENTH ARMY (Herr)       [ EASTERN ITALY - OPPOSING BRIT 8TH ARMY] I PARACHUTE CORPS      305TH INFANTRY DIVISION      1ST PARACHUTE DIVISION      278TH INFANTRY DIVISION      4TH  PARACHUTE DIVISION      26TH PANZER DIVISION LXXVI PANZER CORPS (von Schwerin)      362ND INFANTRY DIVISION      98TH VOLKSGRENADIER DIVISION      42ND JAEGER DIVISION     162ND TURKOMEN INFANTRY DIVISION   LXXIII ARMY CORPS (Dostler)    (For Special Employment-- Mentioned in one     source but can not find anything about it.)
LIGURIAN ARMY (Graziani)  LXXV Corps (Jahn)    42nd Jaeger Division     34th Infantry Division      5th Mountain Division    ITALIA Division (anti-partisan, location unknown)    Littoria Division(elements) Lombardy Corps - Italian     Monte Rosa (Italian) Mountain Division    San Marco (Italian) Infantry Division (Farina)    135 Fortress Brigade	Other Formations XCVII CORPS  [Moved into Yugoslavia]    155 Field Training Division     Prince Borchese     2433 Mountain Division     719th Infantry Division Adriatic Coast Command    188th Reserve Mountain Division    237th Infantry Division

     One Reference reports that a 10th Parachute Division was formed late in the war in Italy.

References:
     "15th Army Group History: 16 December 1944 - 2 May 1945" - Battery Press, 1989.
     "Cassino to the Alps"- Official US Army History Series
     [Caution:  "The Gothic Line" by Douglas Orgill has incorrect information. ]

     A photo from YANK magazine showing German PW's under escort of 85th Division "infantryman".

 

Paratroopers - Fallschirmjäger
  After the German paratroopers suffered high casaulties at Crete, the Germans stopped using paratroopers for airborne operations.  Several paratrooper units were used in Italy and one was in Normandy in the area of the drop zones of the 101st US Division.  The paratroopers held the defense of Cassino(the town) until they were ordered to pull out.
    
Luftwaffe Field Division   See Luftwaffe Field Divison.
    The Luftwaffe Field Divisions were infantry units made up of Luftwaffe personnel.  They lacked the training, equipment and motivation of the paratroopers.   Many of the officers and NCO's were transferred from the Army.  A total of 21 Luftwaffe Field Divisions were organized in 1942 and 1943. This was about the time of the height of the Allied bombing and the decline of the Luftwaffe.  Most of these divisions were either sent to Russia where they suffered greatly or were used as occupation forces.
    The 19th and 20th Luftwaffe Field Division were sent to Italy. The 20th arrived first, in May 1944 followed by the 19th the following month. Kesselring transferred the newly arrived 16th SS Panzer Grenadier Division and the 19th Lw Field  Division to the XIV Panzer Corps. The 19th Lw Field Division replaced the 20th Lw FD, which went to the X ARMY. Both were used in combat. The US 34th Division inflicted heavy casualties on the 19th Lw Field  Division just north of Rome at Cecina, where they were a delaying force in this town that featured a massive stone castle. Losses in the 19th Division led to most of the remaining troops being absorbed into the 20th (July 1944).
    Another item of interest is that Generalmajor Wilhelm Crisolli was commander of the 20th Luftwaffe Field Division and he was killed in a partisan ambush near Bologna on September 12, 1944.

    My website includes a Death Card of a soldier who served in the Luftwaffe Field Division.

For more info on the Luftwaffe infantry units, see  Luftwaffe Ground Troops .  This includes more details organization and history of the Herman Goring Panzer Division.
 

ORDER OF LIST:  Infantry, Jaeger, Panzer, Mountain, Paratrooper, Other --- numeric order

34th INFANTRY DIVISION  -  Formed in November 1939, this division saw service on the Russian front.  In the summer of 1944, it ceased to be operational.  It was reformed in Northern Italy and assigned to as a reserve unit in the Ligurian Army.  In the winter, it was attached to LXXV Corps in the Bologna area. Surrendered to the US 34th Division.  CG Major-Gen Lieb.

44th INFANTRY DIVISION -  Formed in 1938 from units of Austrian descent. Participated in the invasions of Poland, France and Russia. At Stalingrad in 1942, it ceased to exist.  It was reformed with the honorary title, Reichs- Grenadier- Division Hoch und Deutschmeister" in recognition of its "heroic performance" in combat. It was deployed around Rome and fought continually in Italy, most notably against the US 88th Division at Monte Battaglia in September 1944.  It was sent to Hungary in February 1945.  Units:  44 Fus Bn, 131, 132 & 134 Regts, 96 Arty.  Lt.-Gen Franck.

65th INFANTRY DIVISION  -  Formed in June of 1942. It was stationed in the region of Antwerp until the summer of 1943 when it was transfered to Italy. It fought the rest of the war in Italy, notably at the Anzio-Nettuno bridgehead. The division served most of its time in the XIV Army and was overcome in the last weeks of the war.  Units:  65 Fus Bn, 145, 146 & 147 Regts, 165 Arty.  CG Major-General Pfeiffer.

71st INFANTRYDIVISION -  Formed in 1939 and served in the XVI  & XVII Armies in France and and fought at Stalingrad with VI Army.  Arrived in Italy in 1943 with the XIV  Army where it suffered heavy casualties at Anzio.   It was deployed along the Gargaliono River in route of the advance of the US 88 Division and French Expeditionary Corps. Transferred to X Army in the British sector until moved to reserve in October 1944.  Later, transferred out of Italy.   Units: 171 Fusilier Recon Bn, 191, 194 & 211 Regt, 171 Arty.  Lt.-Gen Raapke.

74th INFANTRY DIVISION -  Formed in 1939 and fought in Belgium and France.  After suffering defeat in Stalingrad, it reformed in Denmark.  It arrived in Italy late in 1943 and fought at Anzio and Cassino with both XIV  & X Armies.  It served in Rimini area until being transferred out of Italy in September 1944.

92nd INFANTRY DIVISION -  TBD.  Served with the XIV Army. 

94th INFANTRY DIVISION -  Formed in 1940 and fought at Stalingrad with VI Army.  After reforming it served a brief time with XVI Army before going to Genoa, Italy in September 1943.  Served at Cassino with X Army and in the fall of 1944 it was again in XIV Army before going back to Bologna with the X Army.    Lt.-Gen Steinmetz.

98th INFANTRY DIVISION -   Organized in 1939 and served in France and Russia.  Transferred to Italy into the X Army in August 1944. During defense of GOTHIC Line, the division was relieved on 15 September.  Returned to front line on 12 December with the 73rd Corps near Futa Pass.  Held their position with the loss of 2000 prisoners taken in 2 weeks.  CO Lt.-General Alfred Reinhardt.

148th INFANTRY DIVISION  -  Formed about October 1944.  Served with XIV Army on the Ligurien Coast and in Reserves. Participated in the offense in the Serchio Valley against the US 92nd Division.  CG Brig-General Otto Fretter-Pico.

162nd INFANTRY DIVISION  -  Formed in November 1940 and surrendered with the IX Army in 1942. Reformed in September 1943 and assigned to XIV Army.  Served with X Army from August 1944 until end of the war.   Units:  236 Recon, 303, 314 & 329? Regt, 236 Arty. 

232nd INFANTRY DIVISION  -  Formed about November 1944.  Assigned as part of Reserves in Genoa.  Fought with XIV Army in the Po Valley.

237th INFANTRY DIVISION  -  Formed about November 1944.  Assigned to XIV Army in the Adriatic Coast sector.

278th INFANTRY DIVISION  -  Formed in November 1943 until May 1944.  Assigned to X Army and served at Ancona, Rimini, Forli and Po Valley.  Units:  278 Fus Bn, 992, 993 & 994 Regt, 278 Arty. 

305th INFANTRY DIVISION -  Formed in November 1940 and was suffered heavy losses in the attack of the factory in Stalingrad in February 1942.  Re-organized in Italy and served with the X Army. During the Po Valley Campaign, the 305th Division defended positions east of Bolgona and on April 20, 1945, the division was caught in a pincher.  The US 88th Division captured the commander General Fredrich von Schellwitz and took many prisoners on the south side of the Po River.  Units:  305 Fus Bn, 576, 577 & 578 Regts, 305 Arty

334th INFANTRY DIVISION -  Formed in fall of 1942 and sent into service at Bizerta, N. Africa.  On May 8, 1943 it surrendered to the British Army.  Reformed in Southern France in July of 1943, it was sent to Italy.  remained engaged on the Gothic-Line continuously through September of 1944, bearing the brunt of the Allied push throught the Futa Pass.  It fought later along the Florence-Bologna Road as part of the XIV Panzerkorps, being briefly relieved and shifted to the Adriatric sector for a short period of rest in December 1944. Still understrength, the division was employed in the defense of Bologna in Feburary of 1945 with an effective strength of only some 2600 troops. The division was finally decimated in late April of 1945, many surrendering to the US 1st Armored Division.  While in North Africa, this division formed a Battalion of Vichy French troops grandly named the "Phalange Africaine" that consisted of 300 Frenchmen and 150 Algerian Moslems.  Units:  334 Fus Bn,  754, 755 & 756 Regts, 334 Arty

356th INFANTRY DIVISION -  Formed in June of 1943. It was stationed in peaceful Italian Riveria from November 1943 until August 1944.  Served in X Army until it was transferred out of Italy to Hungary in January 1945.  Units:  356 Fus, 869, 870 & 871 Regt, 356 Arty.

362nd INFANTRY DIVISION -  aka Kampfschule 362 Division.  Formed in November 1943 and assigned to Adriatic Coast.  Served with XIV Army in Italy until November 1944 and then assigned to X Army during remainder of Italian Campaign.

715th INFANTRY DIVISION  -  Formed as a security and costal defense unit in May 1941.  It arrived in Italy in January 1944 and fought with the LXXVI Corps, XIV Army, at Anzio defenses at Campoleone, Aprilia, and Cisterna.  The division was sent to reserve in Genoa for refurbrishing in June.  In September 1944 it was assigned to the X Army at Ravenna.  Fought defensive positions in the region of San Giovanni, Santerno and at Monte Battaglia and Monte Cece.  In February of 1945, the division was transfered to the Eastern Front.  Units:  715 Fus Recon, 725 & 735 Regt, 671 Arty. Generalleutnant Hans-Georg Hildebrandt.

719th INFANTRY DIVISION * -  Formed in May, 1941 as a unit of the Replacement Army.  Served as occupation army in the Netherlands until it was transferred to Antwerp for fought the Normany breakout.  The division took part in defensive in the Pfalz region to the Rhine River where it was destroyed in April of 1945.  ( * One reference included this division.  Most references do not list this division in Italy but as part of the XCVII Corps which transferred to Army Group E in Yugoslavia in April 1945.)

42nd JAEGER DIVISION  -  Fromed in Croatia in December 1943 from the 187 Replacement Division (the 187 Division was designated 187 Jaeger Division for a short period).  Fought in Operation "Margarethe" in Hungary in 1944.  Moved to Italy in June 1944 where took part in security operations along the Italian Coast near the French border.  Assigned to the X Army in November for the defense of Bologna and in February 1945 was moved to Ravenna and Ferrara area.  Units:  142 Recon, 25 & 40 Jg Regt, 142? Arty.  CG Major-General Jost

114th JAEGER DIVISION  -  Transferred from the Balkans to reinforce the Anzio front.  One source infers that this unit was renamed the 714th Infantry Division by April 1945.  Units:  114 Recon, 721 & 741 Jg Regt, 661 Arty.

3rd PANZER-GRENADIER DIVISION -  (Just found this unit mentioned in a reference source.  Still researching.)  Units:  103 Panzer Bn, 103 Recon, 8 & 29 Pz-Gr Regt, 3 Arty.

16th PANZER DIVISION -  Formed in August 1940 from the 16th Infantry Division.  It was destroyed at Stalingrad and reformed in March 1943 and assigned to the X Army.  One of the first divisions to react to the American landing at Salerno. It was transferred out of Italy to the Eastern Front in November 1943. 
Units:  2 Pnz Regt, 64 & 79 Pnz-Grenadier Regiments, 16 Pnz Recon Btn, 16 Artillery Regt.
{Not to be confused with the 16 SS Panzer-Grenadier Division, which arrived in Italy later(see below).}

26th PANZER DIVISION -  Formed in 1943, it served in Croatia.  In January 1944, it was sent to Italy, where it fought at Anzio with the XIV Army.  From April to September 1944, it fought at Cassino with the X Army.  Then it transferred to the Rimini and Ravenna area to defend against the British 8th Army.  Transferred back to XIV Army Reserve in March 1945 and then to the LI Mountain Corps.

29th PANZER-GRENADIER DIVISION -  Originally known as the 29th Infantry Division(motorized).  This unit was raised in 1937 and was destroyed at Stalingrad.  In March of 1943, it was reformed from its few survivors and remnants of the 345th Infantry Division.  It fought in the defense of Sicily and retreated to mainland of Italy where they fought at Salerno and the Cassino front.  This division continued service in Italy at the GOTHIC Line in October 1944.  Another source said it was disolved absorbed by the 305 Infantry Regiment at this time.  Units:  129 Tank Bn, 129 Recon, 15 & 71 P-G Regt, 29 Arty.   (Still looking for more info on this unit.)

90th PANZER-GRENADIER DIVISION -  Originally the 90th Light Division.  General Baade lead this division during the North African campaign and it was one of the outstanding divisions of the Africa Korps. Served under XIV Army.  Opposed the Americans at the Rappido and the Canadians near Ortona, which required the division to be pulled out of the line.  After re-building their strenght over the summer of 1944, they entered the lines opposite the British 8th Army.  During Spring Offensive of 1945, the division was located west of Bologna and was moved to oppose the US 10th Mountain Division's advance across the Po River.  Commander(1945) Col. Hans F. Wunderlich.

16th SS PANZER-GRENADIER DIVISION  "RIEICHSFUHRER-SS" - This Waffen-SS unit arrived in Italy about August 1944 and was assigned to the 1st Parachute Corps of the XIV Army. From October 1944 to January 1945 it served in the area around Bologna under the X Army.  On August 12, 1944, about 300 soldiers from this unit massacred 560 civilians in the Tuscany town of Sant'Anna di Stazzema. In January 1945, the division was transfered to Hungary for the remainder of the war.  Consisted of the 35th and 36th SS-Panzer Regiments and other units designated with 16th; i.e., 16th SS-Panzer Artillery Regiment, 16th SS-Panzer Pioneer Battalion.   Brigadeführer Otto Baum (Oct 1944 - May 1945).

24th SS MOUNTAIN DIVISION  "KARSTJAGER" - This Waffen-SS unit consisted mainly of volunteers from Italy but also of volunteers from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and the Ukraine.  It was upgraded to an SS division in August 1944, but was later down-graded from December to February 1945.  Consisted of the 59th and 60th SS- Mountain Regiments.  Commanders: Karl Marx (Aug 1944 - 5 Dec 1944), Werner Hahn (5 Dec 1944 - 10 Feb 1945), Adolf Wagner (10 Feb 1945 - 8 May 1945).

29th SS GRENADIER DIVISION (ITALIENISCHE NO. 1)  - This 29th Waffen-SS Division was organized into a division in September 1944.  It was formed from an SS battalion of Italian soldiers which fought at Anzio front in May 1944.  The division operated mostly as a police and anti-partisan unit behind the lines.  Consisted of SS Regiments 81st & 82nd.  Commander: Constantin Heldmann (February 1945 - ? 1945). 
( See Italian Organizations )

5th MOUNTAIN DIVISION -   Unit was Austrian-Tyrolian origin and took part in the Crete invasion in 1941.  Served with XVII Army in the Leningrad sector then moved to Italy at the end of November 1943 where it participated in the Cassino defenses under the X Army.  Later transferred to the Ligurian Army in August 1944.  Units 85 & 100 Mountain Regiments, 35 Recon, 95 Mtn Arty.  Interesting to note that this division had an 85th Mountain Regiment, just like the US 10th Division.  CG Col. Steets.

HIGH-MOUNTAIN BATTALIONS -   "Hochgebirgsjaeger Battalions" or high-mountain troops were smaller battalions formed for use in the Alps Mountains.  Their service was never required and these units were dissolved or merged into other units that were in Italy. 
     HochGebirgsjaeger Btn No 1 - distributed within 1st Mountain Div in Italy
     HochGebirgsjaeger Btn No 2 - merged with 1st Mountain Div in Italy
     HochGebirgsjaeger Btn No 3 - became 3rd Btn, 296th Mountain Jaeger Btn No 98.
     HochGebirgsjaeger Btn No 3 - became 114th Jaeger Division.
             {Source:  "Hitler's Mountain Troops" by James Lucas, Arms and Armour Press, 1992}

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1st  PARACHUTE DIVISION -   Formed in 1943 from the 7.Flieger-Division in France. Part of the division arrived in Sicily in July 1943.  They earned the title "The Green Devils of Cassino" for its excellent performance during the Battle of Monte Cassino.  Their emblem is a green devil. The division ended the war in northern Italy in 1945.  Units: 1, 3, 4 Para-Regt, 1 Arty.  Maj-Gen Richard Heidrich replaced by Maj-Gen Karl-Lothar Schulz after November 1944.

4th PARACHUTE DIVISION -  Formed in 1943 from a large number of paratroopers of the Italian "Dembo" and "Folgore" Parachute Divisions. The division earned a reputation for toughness and reliability while fighting in Italy. In May 1945 it surrendered between Vicenza and Bozen, in Northern Italy. Units: 10, 11, 12 Para-Regt, 4 Arty.    Lt-Gen Heinrich Trettner.

19th & 20th LUFTWAFFE FIELD DIVISION  -   The Luftwaffe Field Divisions were infantry units organized from air force personel after the decline of the German air force.  The 20th LFD arrived first, in May 1944 followed by the 19th LFD the following month.  By end of 1944, both units had been disbanded and absorbed into other units. Units: 19LFD- 37 & 38, 45(?) Regt, 19 Arty ; 20LFD- 39 & 40 Regt, 20 Arty. 
20th LFD- Generalmajor Wilhelm Crisolli was killed by partisans.

Other Units
504th & 508th Heavy Panzer Detachment or  Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 504. -   These were two Tiger Tank units that served in Italy.  The sPzAbt 504 was originally sent to Tunisia while one company remained in Sicily. It fought at Anzio and Arno Line and surrendered in Italy.  The sPzAbt 508  served in Italy at Anzio in March 1944 until February 1945.  This Tiger tank unit was composed of 45 Tiger Tanks; 3 companies of 14 Tigers each, plus 3 command vehicals.  The massive "Hunting Tiger" self-propelled artillery, built on the chasis of the Tiger Tank, also served in Italy, possibly with these units.
Tigergruppe Meyer  - A small unit of 8 Tiger tanks that served briefly at Anzio.

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German Commanders

Albert K. Kesselring Field marshal - Commander-in-Chief, German Armed Forces in Italy (OBSW) Wilhem Meendsen-Bohlken Admiral of the German Mediterranean Fleet Wolfram von Richthofen Commander of German Air Force in Italy Heinrich von Veitinghoff Commander of German 10th Army Eberhard von Mackensen Commander of German 14th Army Group Frido von Senger und Etterlin Commander of 14th Panzer Corps Ernst-Guenther Baade Commander of German 90th Armored Division Paul Conrath Commander of Herman Goering Division

German Rank Equivalents
 

- Wehrmacht -	- Waffen SS -	- US Army -
Grenadier Obergrenadier  Gefreiter  Obergefreiter Unteroffizier Unterfeldwebel  Fähnrich  Feldwebel Oberfeldwebel Oberfähnrich Stabsfeldwebel	Schütze  Oberschütze  Sturmann  Rottenführer Unterscharführer Scharführer  Standartenjunker  Oberscharführer  Hauptscharführer Standarten-Oberjunker Sturmscharführer	Private  Private First Class  *  Corporal  Sergeant  Staff Sergeant * Technical Sergeant  Master Sergeant  *  Sergeant Major
Leutnant Oberleutnant Hauptmann Major Oberstleutnant Oberst *	Untersturmführer Obersturmführer Hauptsturmführer Sturmbannführer Obersturmbannführer Standartenführer Oberführer	Second Lieutenant  First Lieutenant  Captain  Major  Lieutenant-Colonel  Colonel *
Generalmajor Generalleutnant General der..(Infanterie, etc.)  Generaloberst Generalfeldmarschall	Brigadeführer Gruppenführer  Obergruppenführer Oberstgruppenführer Reichsführer	Brigadier General  Major General  Lieutenant General  General  General of the Army

Anzio
  January 30 - German losses during an assault over 2 days
        188 KIA   465 WIA  443 MIA  (mostly from Herman Goering Division)

Operation DIADEM - Allied attack on 11 May 1944
 German losses were 38,000, for X Army & XIV Army, not including 15,606 PW.

German combat losses, suffered  wholly by the Fourteenth Army, were estimated at 27,500 (5,500 killed, 17,500 wounded, and 4,500 prisoners or missing) - figures very similar to Allied losses.

German Dead
   Pomezia German Cemetery      27,432 buried
   Cassino Cemetery                     20,043 German dead
 

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