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Finnish Jger TroopsThe Jger troops were volunteers from Finland in Germany trained as Jgers (elite light infantry) during World War I. It was one of many means by which Germany intended to weaken Russia and to cause Russia's loss of western provinces and dependencies. The recruitment of the Jger volunteers from the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland had to be secret, and was dominated by Germany-influenced circles, such as university students and the upper middle class. The recruitment was however in no way exclusive. The recruits were transported across Finland's western border via Sweden to Germany, where the volunteers were formed into the Royal Prussian 27th Jger Battallion. The Jger Battallion participated in the ranks of the German Army from 1916 in the battles on the northern flank of the eastern front. After the outbreak of the Civil War in Finland Jgers who intended to engage on the "White" (non-Socialist) side in the war were released. In Finland, these 2,000 volunteers were simply called The Jgers. Their contribution to the White victory was crucial, not least through improving morale. Educated as elite troops they were also fit to assume command as officers over the untrained and uneducated troops of the Civil War. Immediately after the Civil War, they were afforded the right to use the word Jger in their military ranks. Many of the Jgers continued their military careers. In the 1920s a long feud between officers with Jger-background and Finnish officers who had served in the Russian Imperial army was concluded in favor of the Jgers: Most of the commanders of army corps, divisions and regiments in the Winter War were Jgers. The Jger March composed by Jean Sibelius to the words written by the Jger Heikki Nurmio, was the honorary march of many army detachments.
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