The 3. Gebirgs-Division, formed on 1 April 1938 in Graz from elements of the former Austrian Army's 5th and 7th Divisions following the Anschluss, was an elite mountain warfare formation of the German Wehrmacht specializing in high-altitude and arctic operations. Composed primarily of Austrian Gebirgsjäger troops trained for rugged terrain, the division first saw action during the 1939 Invasion of Poland as part of Army Group South before shifting to the West Wall. In 1940 it distinguished itself in Norway, particularly in the fierce fighting around Narvik under extreme conditions, and later participated in Operation Barbarossa with attempts to seize Murmansk in the Arctic sector. Transferred to the southern Eastern Front, it fought in defensive battles, including efforts to relieve Stalingrad, and endured grueling retreats through Ukraine, Hungary, and Slovakia amid the collapsing German lines. Throughout its campaigns, numerous soldiers of the 3. Gebirgs-Division earned high decorations such as the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes with Eichenlaub and Schwerter for their bravery in mountain combat, until the unit's remnants surrendered in southern Silesia in May 1945.
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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER
Generalleutnant Eduard Dietl (Kommandeur 3. Gebirgs-Division). During the German invasion of Norway in April 1940, Divisionskommandeur Dietl led his mountain troops in the audacious seizure and prolonged defense of Narvik against superior Allied forces that included British, French, Polish, and Norwegian units supported by naval power. Isolated after heavy naval losses and facing relentless attacks in harsh Arctic conditions, Dietl's men conducted a skillful fighting withdrawal into the surrounding mountains while maintaining pressure on the port, ultimately recapturing Narvik on 28 May 1940 as the Allies evacuated. For this remarkable feat of endurance and leadership under extreme adversity, Dietl was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 9 May 1940, becoming one of the early recipients of Germany's highest military honor for his pivotal role in securing this strategically vital objective.
Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=106376
https://www.tracesofwar.com/search.asp?q=3+gebirgs+division
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