Fallschirmjäger height smaller?

[Forward00]

Is it just me who thinks it? Or are 'most' Fallschirmjäger small in height or smaller than soldiers of other branches, I say this as I watch a lot of YouTube footage and they tend to 'look' smaller in stature compared to watching videos of Heer and other branches of the army..

Any information on this would be interesting

[Revenant66]

It's probably just in your head because of their smaller helmets making a smaller profile

[1813]

I think (have read somwere) that there was a maximum of weight depending of the performance of the parachute. This did not prewent Max Schmelling to join, due to propaganda reason.

[Revenant66]

Yeah it's a safety thing. I was a paratrooper in Canada - you already hit the ground basically at the speed of gravity. If you're too heavy, the parachute wont be enough and you'll just plain die when you hit the ground or best case, just break your legs. Either way, you're useless if you can't fight when you get on the ground.

[Revenant66]

There's also things like the dimensions of the aircraft and how big the door is, how close the propellers are etc that would have an impact on the maximum safety height/weight etc.

[jemano]

Hi. My father was 178-180 cm if i dont remember wrong. And when I look at him in uniform when he was 18 years old he looks rather small He was in battle many places.

[Forward00]

Hi. My father was 178-180 cm if i dont remember wrong. And when I look at him in uniform when he was 18 years old he looks rather small He was in battle many places.

Does he look small compared to others that he is standing next to?

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

Maybe the uniform. It tends to be rather
baggy and looks like a size or two too big.
This would make the user look optically
small. Try find images of paras alongside
regular troops for comparison.

w

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

According to this link /viewtopic.php?t=95841
Hitler was about 170-175 cm, so I would say average. Compared to this line I would say
they're average too... some taller and some
smaller

w

[Doktor Krollspell]

I think (have read somwere) that there was a maximum of weight depending of the performance of the parachute. This did not prewent Max Schmelling to join, due to propaganda reason.

I have quite a few books on the Fallschirmjäger but have found just one detailed weight requirement for would-be Fallschirmjäger in the early days. It's the original order from Der Reichsminister der Luftfahrt und Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe and dated "Berlin, den 29. Januar 1936.

An Luftkreiskommando II Berlin

Zur Vorbereitung einer Ausbildung des Regiments "General Göring" im Fallschirmabspringen wird befohlen:

Als zukünftiges Lehrpersonal sind 15 Offiziere, Unteroffiziere und Unterführer des Regiments auf Grund freiwilliger Meldungen bereitzustellen und auszubilden. Es kommen hierfür Perschönlichkeiten mit eimen Gewicht unter 85 kg (einschl. Kleidung) in Frage, die körperlich gut durchgebildet und ärztlich auf Fliegertauglichkeit untersucht sein müssen.

Beginn der Ausbildung vor aussichtlich 1. 4. 1936

Source: Erich Busch; "Die Fallschirmjäger-Chronik 1935-1945" (1983)


Regards,

Krollspell (Who could never have been a Fallschirmjäger... )


P.S. Hello, Waleed! Long time no see, my old Feldgrauian friend.. D.S.

[Doktor Krollspell]

When Max Schmeling fought Joe Louis in a rematch on June 22, 1938 in Yankee Stadium, New York, he weighted 193 Ibs, that is 87,5 kg. Schmeling lost the fight in front of over 70.000 spectators. He could very well have lost a few kg's during wartime, although I don't know how hard weight recuirement was upheld during wartime and mounting losses...

Max Schmeling was 1,85 m in height.


Regards,

Krollspell

[Doktor Krollspell]

Gentlemen,

I found some more information about the height and also age requirement for volunteering to the Fallschirmtruppe, assumingly prewar/the early war years...

Das Aufnahmealter sollte zwischen 17 und 22 Jahre betragen. - Ein "militärisches Gutakten" und eine psychologische Eignungsprüfung sollten bestätigen, dass der Freiwillige "fallschirmschützentauglich" war. - Die jungen Freiwilligen sollten vor ihrer Einstellung den Reichsarbeitsdienst durchlaufen haben. - Die Körpergrösse sollte 160-180 cm betragen (es gab jedoch Ausnahmen). - Ein Lebenslauf war einzureichen, für den es besondere Hinweise gab.

Source: Hans-Martin Stimpel; "Die deutsche Fallschirmtruppe 1942-1945 - Einsätze auf Kriegsschauplätzen im Süden" (2. Auflage 2006)


Regards,

Krollspell