17th Army (German Empire)

*17. Armee*
17th Army
17. Armee; 17th Army
	Flag of the staff of an Armee Oberkommando (1871–1918)
Active	1 February 1918 – 19 January 1919
Country	German Empire
Type	Army
Engagements	World War I Narew Offensive Spring Offensive Operation Michael
Insignia
Abbreviation	A.O.K. 17

Last updated August 28, 2024

The 17th Army (German : 17. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 17 / A.O.K. 17) was an army-level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed in France on 1 February 1918 from the former 14th Army command. It served exclusively on the Western Front and was dissolved on 19 January 1919.^[1]

History

17th Army was one of three armies (along with 18th Army and 19th Army) formed in late 1917 / early 1918 with forces withdrawn from the Eastern Front. They were in place to take part in Ludendorff's German spring offensive. The Germans had realised that their only remaining chance of victory was to defeat the Allies before the overwhelming human and matériel resources of the United States could be deployed. They also had the temporary advantage in numbers afforded by nearly 50 divisions freed by Russia's withdrawing from the war (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk).

At the end of the war it was part of Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht .^[2]

The Headquarters was at St Amand until 6 April 1918, Douai until 1 May 1918, Denain until 18 October 1918 and Mons until start of the march back, reaching Zülpich for disbandment on 19 January 1919.

Order of Battle, 30 October 1918

By the end of the war, the 17th Army was organised as:

Organization of 17th Army on 30 October 1918^[3]
Army	Corps	Division
17th Army	I Bavarian Reserve Corps	187th Division
		26th Reserve Division
		10th Ersatz Division
		208th Division
	II Bavarian Corps	234th Division
	II Bavarian Corps	25th Division
	XVIII Corps	220th Division
		35th Division
		6th Division
	XIV Reserve Corps	214th Division
		111th Division
		48th Reserve Division
		206th Division
		12th Division
		28th Reserve Division

Commanders

17th Army had the following commanders:^[4]

17th Army
From	Commander	Previously	Subsequently,
1 February 1918	General der Infanterie Otto von Below	14th Army	1st Army
12 October 1918	General der Infanterie Bruno von Mudra	1st Army

Glossary

Armee-Abteilung or army detachment in the sense of "something detached from an army". It is not under the command of an army so is in itself a small army.^[5]
Armee-Gruppe or army group in the sense of a group within an army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a specific task.
Heeresgruppe or army group in the sense of a number of armies under a single commander.

Related Research Articles

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Armee-Abteilung Strantz / Armee-Abteilung C was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the Western Front throughout its existence.

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This is the German Army order of battle on the Western Front at the close of the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army of the Bug</span> Military unit

The Army of the Bug was an army level command of the German Army in World War I named for the Bug River. It was formed against Russia on 8 July 1915 and served exclusively on the Eastern Front. It was dissolved on 31 March 1918.

The Guards Reserve Corps was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.

The 54th Corps was a corps formation of the German Army in World War I. It was formed in September 1916 and was still in existence at the end of the war.

The 66th Corps was a corps formation of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on 9 May 1917 and was still in existence at the end of the war.

References

↑ Cron 2002 , p. 82
↑ Ellis & Cox 1993 , p. 187
↑ Ellis & Cox 1993 , pp. 186–187
↑ Cron 2002 , p. 398
↑ Cron 2002 , p. 84

Bibliography

Cron, Hermann (2002). Imperial German Army 1914–18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle [first published: 1937]. Helion & Co. ISBN 1-874622-70-1.
Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.

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[1] Cron 2002 , p. 82

[2] Ellis & Cox 1993 , p. 187

[3] Ellis & Cox 1993 , pp. 186–187

[4] Cron 2002 , p. 398

[5] Cron 2002 , p. 84

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