Russia 1942/43 ▶ Battle of Caucasus / Elbrus - Gebirgsjäger Mountain Troops Gebirgsjäger 1. und 4. Gebirgs-Division Kaukasus

Russia 1942/43 ▶ Battle of Caucasus / Elbrus - Gebirgsjäger Mountain Troops Gebirgsjäger 1. und 4. Gebirgs-Division Kaukasus / Elbruskompanie Hauptmann Heinz Groth (Ritterkreuzträger) 5630m German History Archive ▶ On August 14, 1942, German mountain troops of the 1st and 4th Mountain Division crossed the 4000 m high pass Khotiutau and surprised the surprised Red Army crew of the Elbrus hut, which left without a fight. On the orders of Major General Hubert Lanz, commander of the 1st Mountain Division, a group of mountain troops under Captain Gämmerle climbed the West Peak despite bad weather conditions and raised the imperial war flag there, which, however, did not withstand the prevailing snowstorm for long. When the weather improved, a second ascent by an eight-man group led by Lieutenant Leupold took place on 23 August. Originally Major General Lanz had planned to rename the mountain “Adolf-Hitler-Spitze“ after the successful conquest