Fallschirmjäger (
Fallschirmjaeger in
English) is the
German word for
paratroopers. They played an important role during
World War II, when, together with the
Gebirgsjäger they were perceived as the elite infantry units of the German military. After World War II, they were reconstituted as parts of postwar armed forces of both West and East Germany, mainly as
special ops troops.