200th Infantry Division (German Empire)

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200th Infantry Division
RJB18 - Kriegsgliederung 16.jpg
Active1916–1919
Allegiance German Empire
Branch Imperial German Army
TypeInfantry
Engagements World War I
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Ernst von Below

The 200th Infantry Division (German : 200. Infanterie-Division) was a division of the Imperial German Army during the First World War. It was formed in the summer of 1916 and remained in existence until after the end of the war, being disbanded in 1919 during the general demobilization of the German Army.

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Formation and structure

The division was established on 17 August 1916 as part of the sixth wave of new divisions raised by the Imperial German Army. Its original structure included:

Initially, the division was composed mostly of replacement and training units from across Germany, making it somewhat less cohesive compared to older divisions.

Combat history

The 200th Infantry Division spent much of its existence on the Eastern Front.

After its formation, the division was deployed to Romania as part of Feldmarschall August von Mackensen's forces during the Romanian campaign. It participated in the Battle of the Argeș and the subsequent occupation of southern Romania.

Following the stabilization of the Eastern Front and the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in 1918, the division was transferred to the Western Front. There, it served in a quiet sector along the Aisne River during the final months of the war and was not engaged in any major offensives.

According to Allied intelligence, the division was rated as a third-class formation, primarily due to its relatively late formation, lower cohesion, and limited combat experience on the Western Front.

Commanders

Fate

After the armistice of November 1918, the division was withdrawn to Germany, where it was disbanded in 1919 as part of the demobilization of the Imperial German Army.

See also

References