The fallschirmjger made the first airborne infantry assaults in history in 1940 in western europe they were used to take strategic positions with parachute and glider assaults in 1941 they stormed the island of crete in the biggest military airborne operation to that point the luftwaffe created the fallschirmjger in 1936 after general kurt student observed soviet airborne troop exercises in 1935 and student became their commander initially the formations started as a single battalion and