Histories of Two Hundred and Fiftyone Divisions of the German Army Which Participated in the War 19141918

1004 Pages·1914·4.18 MB·English

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Title: Histories of two hundred and fifty-one divisions of the German army which participated in the war (1914-1918)

Author: United States Army

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Language: English

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*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF 251 DIVS OF GERMAN ARMY ***

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HISTORIES

OF

TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE DIVISIONS OF THE GERMAN ARMY

WHICH PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR (1914-1918)

COMPILED FROM RECORDS OF INTELLIGENCE SECTION OF THE GENERAL STAFF,

AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES, AT GENERAL HEADQUARTERS : : CHAUMONT,

FRANCE : : 1919

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

1920

War Department

Document No. 905

Office of The Adjutant General

ADDITIONAL COPIES

OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS GOVERNMENT

PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D. C.

AT

60 CENTS PER COPY

CONTENTS.

Page.

Introduction
7

Alpine Corps
8

Bavarian Cavalry Division
12

Bavarian Ersatz Division
13

Jaeger Division
16

1st
Guard Division
18

1st
Guard Reserve Division
22

Guard Ersatz Division
26

Guard Cavalry Division
29

1st
Division
30

1st
Reserve Division
33

1st
Landwehr Division
36

1st
Bavarian Division
39

1st
Bavarian Reserve Division
42

1st
Bavarian Landwehr Division
45

1st
Cavalry Division
47

1st
Naval Division
48

2d
Guard Division
50

2d
Guard Reserve Division
55

2d
Division
59

2d
Landwehr Division
62

2d
Bavarian Division
64

2d
Bavarian Landwehr Division
68

2d
Cavalry Division
69

2d
Naval Division
70

3d
Guard Division
72

3d
Division
76

3d
Landwehr Division
78

3d
Bavarian Division
80

3d
Reserve Division
83

3d
Naval Division
86

4th
Guard Division
88

4th
Division
92

4th
Ersatz Division
96

4th
Landwehr Division
99

4th
Bavarian Division
101

4th
Cavalry Division
104

5th
Guard Division
105

5th
Division
108

5th
Reserve Division
112

5th
Ersatz Division
115

5th
Landwehr Division
117

5th
Bavarian Division
120

5th
Bavarian Reserve Division
123

5th
Cavalry Division
126

6th
Division
127

6th
Reserve Division
131

6th
Bavarian Division
134

6th
Bavarian Reserve Division
138

6th
Bavarian Landwehr Division
142

6th
Cavalry Division
144

7th
Division
145

7th
Reserve Division
149

7th
Landwehr Division
153

7th
Cavalry Division
156

8th
Division
157

8th
Landwehr Division
160

8th
Bavarian Reserve Division
162

8th
Cavalry Division
166

9th
Division
167

9th
Reserve Division
171

9th
Landwehr Division
174

9th
Bavarian Reserve Division
176

9th
Cavalry Division
179

10th
Division
180

3

10th
Reserve Division
184

10th
Ersatz Division
188

10th
Landwehr Division
191

10th
Bavarian Division
194

11th
Division
197

11th
Reserve Division
201

11th
Landwehr Division
204

11th
Bavarian Division
206

12th
Division
211

12th
Reserve Division
215

12th
Landwehr Division
219

12th
Bavarian Division
222

13th
Division
225

13th
Reserve Division
229

13th
Landwehr Division
233

14th
Division
236

14th
Reserve Division
240

14th
Landwehr Division
244

14th
Bavarian Division
246

15th
Division
249

15th
Reserve Division
254

15th
Landwehr Division
258

15th
Bavarian Division
260

16th
Division
262

16th
Reserve Division
266

16th
Landwehr Division
271

16th
Bavarian Division
273

17th
Division
275

17th
Reserve Division
279

17th
Landwehr Division
283

18th
Division
285

18th
Reserve Division
289

18th
Landwehr Division
293

19th
Division
295

19th
Reserve Division
299

19th
Ersatz Division
303

19th
Landwehr Division
306

20th
Division
308

20th
Landwehr Division
312

21st
Division
314

21st
Reserve Division
318

21st
Landwehr Division
322

22d
Division
324

22d
Reserve Division
327

22d
Landwehr Division
332

23d
Division
333

23d
Reserve Division
337

23d
Landwehr Division
341

24th
Division
343

24th
Reserve Division
347

24th
Landwehr Division
350

25th
Division
351

25th
Reserve Division
355

25th
Landwehr Division
359

26th
Division
361

26th
Reserve Division
365

26th
Landwehr Division
369

27th
Division
370

28th
Division
374

28th
Reserve Division
378

29th
Division
382

29th
Landwehr Division
386

30th
Division
388

30th
Bavarian Reserve Division
392

31st
Division
395

32d
Division
399

33d
Division
402

33d
Reserve Division
405

34th
Division
409

35th
Division
413

35th
Reserve Division
416

36th
Division
418

36th
Reserve Division
422

37th
Division
425

38th
Division
429

38th
Landwehr Division
433

39th
Division
436

39th
Bavarian Reserve Division
440

40th
Division
442

41st
Division
446

42d
Division
451

43d
Reserve Division
454

44th
Reserve Division
458

44th
Landwehr Division
462

45th
Reserve Division
464

45th
Landwehr Division
468

46th
Reserve Division
469

46th
Landwehr Division
473

47th
Reserve Division
474

47th
Landwehr Division
477

48th
Reserve Division
479

48th
Landwehr Division
483

49th
Reserve Division
485

50th
Division
489

50th
Reserve Division
493

51st
Reserve Division
497

52d
Division
500

52d
Reserve Division
504

53d
Reserve Division
507

54th
Division
511

54th
Reserve Division
514

56th
Division
517

58th
Division
521

75th
Reserve Division
525

76th
Reserve Division
528

77th
Reserve Division
531

78th
Reserve Division
534

79th
Reserve Division
537

80th
Reserve Division
541

81st
Reserve Division
544

82d
Reserve Division
547

83d
Division
550

84th
Division
554

85th
Landwehr Division
558

86th
Division
560

87th
Division
563

88th
Division
566

89th
Division
569

91st
Division
571

92d
Division
573

93d
Division
575

94th
Division
577

95th
Division
579

96th
Division
580

101st
Division
582

103d
Division
584

105th
Division
589

107th
Division
592

108th
Division
595

109th
Division
598

111th
Division
600

113th
Division
603

115th
Division
606

117th
Division
609

119th
Division
612

121st
Division
616

123d
Division
620

183d
Division
623

185th
Division
627

187th
Division
630

192d
Division
633

195th
Division
636

197th
Division
639

199th
Division
642

200th
Division
645

201st
Division
648

202d
Division
651

203d
Division
654

204th
Division
657

205th
Division
660

206th
Division
662

207th
Division
665

208th
Division
668

211th
Division
671

212th
Division
674

213th
Division
676

214th
Division
679

215th
Division
682

216th
Division
684

217th
Division
687

218th
Division
689

219th
Division
691

220th
Division
693

221st
Division
696

222d
Division
699

223d
Division
702

224th
Division
705

225th
Division
707

226th
Division
710

227th
Division
712

228th
Division
715

231st
Division
717

232d
Division
719

233d
Division
721

234th
Division
723

235th
Division
725

236th
Division
727

237th
Division
729

238th
Division
731

239th
Division
733

240th
Division
735

241st
Division
737

242d
Division
739

243d
Division
741

255th
Division
744

301st
Division
746

302d
Division
748

INTRODUCTION.

The following pages contain the record of the organization and service of the 251 divisions of the German Army during the years 1914,
1915, 1916, 1917, and 1918, or during as many of these years as they existed—for a number of them were created after the war had
started. The record of each has been known as a “divisional history.”
The history of an enemy division is a summary of all the information obtained from all sources. It includes the latest composition—that is,
the regiments and other units that make up the division; a record of its past engagements; its recruitment and racial features; commanders;
present strength; and morale. On a basis of these factors the division’s fighting quality is rated on a standard of classes adopted by
General Headquarters and noted in the history. The data is collected and filed daily at various troop headquarters and eventually in the
Enemy Order of Battle subsection of the General Staff, Intelligence Section at the General Headquarters. The information comes chiefly
from the front-line troops, resulting from their observation, reconnaissance, and the interrogation of the prisoners they take. This evidence
is often fragmentary and inconclusive, being gathered as more or less disassociated items, here and there along the whole front. But when
it is consolidated and collated it becomes of great value and warrants deductions which may be depended upon.
Prisoners’ statements and captured documents are the source of almost all the information contained in a divisional history. The outline of
the past engagements of a division is known from the Battle-Order records. Prisoners add to this specific account of successes, citations,
failures, internal disturbance, etc. The divisional composition is established by prisoners, and in the case of the smaller divisional units
from addresses on captured letters. The effective strength is deduced from prisoners’ stories of recent losses incurred and drafts of new
men arriving. In estimating the quality of a division the Intelligence Section considers principally the conditions under which the enemy
command has used it in previous military operations.
All this information is kept posted up to date so that a history of present value can be written without delay and dispatched to our front-
line troops opposite whom a new or additional enemy unit has appeared or is about to appear.
The use to our troops of these histories is obvious. Much of the information contained is of direct value to our commanders. The strength,
morale, and fighting qualities of the opposing divisions are, of course, an important factor in our plans and operations. Other items, such
as the names of the enemy commanders, assist the examining officer in checking the veracity and accuracy of prisoners’ statements. It
has been often observed that the more the intelligence officer knows or appears to know of the prisoner’s organization the better results
he obtains from his questions. The uses to which information of the enemy may be put have proved so various and unexpected that the
principle is established that no fact about the enemy is too unimportant to be recorded.
In preparing this set of Histories of German Divisions the histories published by French General Headquarters have been used for the
years prior to 1918. For the last year of the war the histories were written by the Second Section of the General Staff, General
Headquarters, A. E. F., from the American records. These included all information from American sources and also that which was
received from Allied armies.

7

Alpine Corps.
8

COMPOSITION.

1915
1916
1917
1918

Brigade.
Regiment.
Brigade.
Regiment.
Brigade.
Regiment.
Brigade.
Regiment.

Infantry.
1 Bav.

Jag.

1 Bav. Jag.
1 Bav. Jag.
Body Inf.
1 Bav.

Jag.

Body Inf.
1 Bav. Jag.
Body Inf.

Body Inf.

1 Bav. Jag.

1 Bav. Jag.

1 Bav. Jag.

2 Jag.
2 Jag.
2 Jag.
2 Jag.

2 Jag.

2 Jag.

3 Jag.

3 Jag.

Cavalry.

3 Sqn. 4 Bav. Light Cav. Rgt.

Artillery.
203 F. A. Rgt.
2 Mountain F. A. Abt. Detch. of the

187, 203, and 204 F. A. Rgts.

Art. Command:
7 Art Command:

203 F. A. Rgt. (1

Abt.)

204 F. A. Rgt.

6 Mountain A. Abt.
1 Abt. 1 Bav. Res. Ft. A.

Rgt.

6th Mountain Art. Abt.

(Staff and 1, 2, and 17
Btries.).

1401 Light Am. Col.

1402 Light Am. Col.

1403 Light Am. Col.

Engineers and

102 Pion. Co.
Pion. Btn.:
9 Bav. Pion. Btn.:

105 Pion. Co.
102 Pion. Co.
102 Pion. Co.

106 Pion. Co.
283 Pion. Co.
283 Pion. Co.

175 Mountain T. M. Co.
175 T. M. Co.
175 Mountain T. M. Co.

204 Bav. T. M. Co.
102 Searchlight Section.

102 Bav.

Searchlight Section.

622 Signal Command:

622 Tel. Detch.
622 Tel. Detch.

88 Div. Wireless

Detch.

133 Bav. Wireless Detch.

Medical and

Veterinary.

201 Ambulance Co.
201 Ambulance Co.

239 Ambulance Co.
239 Ambulance Co.

202 Field Hospital.
201 Field Hospital.

203 Field Hospital.
44 Bav. Field Hospital.

18 Bav. Field Hospital.
18 Bav. Field Hospital.

Vet. Hospital.

Transport.

444 M. T. Col.
695 Bav. M. T. Col.

695 M. T. Col.

790 M. T. Col.

Odd units.
201 Mountain M. G.

Detch.

201 Mountain M. G. Detch.

202 Mountain M. G.

Detch.

202 Mountain M. G. Detch.

205 Mountain M. G.

Detch.

205 Mountain M. G. Detch.

209 Mountain M. G.

Detch.

209 Mountain M. G. Detch.

Attached.

Cyclist Btn. (dissolved in June).

10

HISTORY.

1915.

The Alpine Corps was formed in May, 1915.

ITALY.

1. At the end of May, 1915, it was sent by way of Innsbruck to the Trentino, where it remained until October 16 (vicinity of Campitello).
It took part in several smaller actions (particularly on Sept. 24).

FRANCE.

2. On October 17 it left Bozen and went to France by way of Innsbruck, Neu-Ulm, Stuttgart, Deux-Ponts, and detrained at Laonnois on
the Mezieres-Rethel line on October 19.
3. It remained in this area until October 25. At that time it was transferred to Serbia by way of Mezieres, Germershein, Augsburg,
Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Temesvar. It detrained at Weisskirchen on October 29.

SERBIA.

4. The Alpine Corps advanced in Serbia by way of Kragujevac and Kraljevo as far as Novipasar (near the Montenegrin frontier); from
that place to Mitrovica. Elements of the Alpine Corps remained south of Uskub until the end of March, 1916.

1916.

FRANCE.

1. On March 21, 1916, the Alpine Corps was taken to Hungary by way of Belgrade, and then to France. Itinerary: Budapest, Breslau,
Dresden, Leipzig, Cologne, Aix-la-Chapelle, Liege, Charleville.
2. It went into line on the front east of Rheims (the Leib Regiment at Cernay) on April 1.

VERDUN.

3. Relieved at the beginning of May, it went to rest in the vicinity of Charleville. About May 30 it went to the Spincourt area by way of
Sedan. At the beginning of June it went into action at Verdun north of the Vaux Fort, northeast of Fleury, and took part in the attacks
launched in this sector during the month of June (attack of June 23 upon Thiaumont).
4. After reorganization, at the end of June or the beginning of July, the Alpine Corps came back into line near Fleury on July 11.

ARGONNE.

5. After having lost 71 per cent of its Infantry in the various attacks at Verdun, the Alpine Corps was withdrawn on August 12 and took
over the sector Fontaine-aux-Charmes-Vauquois, in the Argonne. The 3d Jaeger Regiment was taken from it and entered into the
composition of the 200th Division (Carpathian Corps).
6. In the first half of September the Alpine Corps left the Argonne and entrained for Roumania.

ROUMANIA.

7. At the end of September it went into action in the vicinity of Hermannstadt, then in the vicinity of Brasso. On December 10 it reached
Ploesci; it was at Rimnicu-Sarat on the 24th. Upon the stabilization of the Roumanian front it occupied the front of Panciu-Focsani.
During the active period in Roumania the Leib Regiment lost heavily.

1917.

1. Relieved northwest of Focsani on April 6, 1917, the Alpine Corps was sent to Hungary, in the vicinity of Karlsburg. After a rest of
three weeks it was transferred to the western front. Itinerary: Karlsburg (May 10), Szegdin, Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, Rosenheim,
Munich, Strassburg, Colmar, Neu-Breisach.

UPPER ALSACE.

2. On June 15 it went into line on the Alsatian front (Rhone-Rhine Canal, Aspach).
3. On July 20 it was withdrawn from the front and sent to rest.

ROUMANIA.

4. At the beginning of August it was again sent to Roumania. It took over its old sector near Focsani and received the Russo-Roumanian
attacks launched between Briala and Panciu.

ITALY.

5. In September it was sent to the Italian front.

IZONZO.

6. On October 24 it attacked on both sides of the Tolmino and took possession of Mont Cucco on the 25th. It rested in November.

MONTE TOMBA.

7. On November 25 it was engaged at Monte Tomba, and on December 12 on the slopes of Monfenera, with the exception of the 1st
Jaeger Regiment, which was in reserve.
8. Relieved between December 15 and December 20, it remained behind the lines until the middle of January, 1918.

RECRUITING.

The Leib Regiment and the 1st Regiment of Jaegers are Bavarian, recruited principally from upper Bavaria. The 2d Regiment of Jaegers
is purely Prussian.

VALUE—1917 ESTIMATE.

The discipline and firmness of the commanding officers make the Alpine Corps an elite body, of a genuine combat value.

1918.

LORRAINE.

1. In January the Alpine Corps entrained for Alsace (itinerary Salzburg, Munich, Ulm, Friburg, Saverne); then went to rest in the region
of Sarreburg.
2. It remained here undergoing training until the 10th of April.
3. It was sent to Flanders, via Metz, Sedan, Namur, and detrained near Lille on the 12th.

BATTLE OF THE LYS.

4. The division was engaged northeast of Bailleul from the 14th to the 18th. It then rested east of Lille until the 23d. It reentered the line
on the Kemmel-Locre front, where it remained until about the 10th of May, when it was withdrawn, after having suffered heavy losses.
5. It moved then to the Ghent region, where it rested until the end of July. It then rested near Tourcoing until the 8th of August. It
entrained at Tourcoing and Tournai on the 8th and went to St. Quentin via Ham.

BATTLE OF PICARDY.

6. The division entered line in the Hallu-Fransart-Hattencourt sector north of Roye on the 11th. On the 27th it fell back along the Somme
Canal near Bethencourt. It was withdrawn from line the beginning of September.
7. It came back to line almost immediately north of Peronne in the Moislain sector; on the 7th it was thrown back upon Longavesnes-
Epehy-Villers-Guislain, where it was withdrawn on the 23d, after losing heavily (861 prisoners).
8. Elements of the Alpine Corps were identified at Walincourt in rear of the front on October 10.

BALKANS.

9. Sent to the eastern front, the Alpine Corps reinforced the troops in the Balkans near Nish in October.

VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.

The Alpine Corps was considered one of the best German units. It showed its worth by retaking the village of Hallu on the 11th of
August, and while counterattacking at Moislains on the 2d of September. Nevertheless, the morale was lowered. The Alpine Corps
comprised about 3,500 Infantry combatants early in August. It lost about 700 prisoners in August and September.

11

Bavarian Cavalry Division.
12

COMPOSITION.

1918

Brigade.
Regiment.

Cavalry.
1 Bav. Cav.
1 Heavy Reiter.

4 Bav. Cav.
1 Bav. Ulan.

2 Bav. Ulan.

5 Bav. Cav.
1 Bav. Light Cav.

6 Bav. Light Cav.

Artillery.
5 Bav. Horse Art. Abt.

Engineers and Liaisons.
Pion. Detch.

1 Bav. M. G. Btry.

300 Bav. T. M. Co.

Attached.
Glatz Landst. Inf. Btn. (VI/9).

HISTORY.

1918.

1. The units of this division were used on police duty in the Ukraine and in Roumania in the spring of 1918. A part of the division was
serving in the Crimea in the early summer. It continued in that general area through the year.

VALUE.

The division was rated as fourth class.