1938 - Austria and the Sudetenland
On 12th March 1938, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment
98 took part in the annexation ("Anschluß") of Austria.
For the advance into Austria, Gebirgsjäger-
Regiment 98 was attached to Grenzschutz- Abschnittskommando 10 (Border-Defense
Section Command 10).
Assigned to Gebirgsjäger-Regiment
98 were reinforcements:
- the II. Abteilung / Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment
79
(2nd Battalion / 79th Mountain-Artillery
Regiment)
- the I. Sturmbann of SS-Totenkopfverband
"Oberbayern"
Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 98 only
had to march about 30 kilometers from Mittenwald near the Austrian border
to Innsbruck, the capitol of the Austrian province of Tyrol. Oberstleutnant
Schörner the commander of the regiment, who with his staff car drove
to the Italian Border on the Brenner Pass, and shook hands with Italian
officers about 13.00 on 12th March.
During the advance into Austria
there was among the officers of the Gebirgsjä gerregiment 98
a Leutnant Wego Chiang, son of the Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.
Gabriel Kopold later often told about the young chinese officer who - in
German uniform - served in his regiment. |
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| On 1st October 1938 Regiment 98
took part in the next step towards war, the annexation of the Sudetenland,
the border provinces of Czechoslovakia which to a great extent had been
inhabited by a German population.
For his participation in the "Campaigns"
into Austria and the Sudetenland which had also been called the "Blumenkriege"
(Flower Wars) Gabriel Kopold and all who took part got their first commemoration
medals. (see above)
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