| 21st Division (21. Division); in 1870-71 and from August 2, 1914, 21st Infantry Division (21. Infanterie-Division) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1866-1919 |
| Country | Prussia/Germany |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry (in peacetime included cavalry) |
| Size | Approx. 15,000 |
| Part of | XI. Army Corps (XI. Armeekorps) (1866-1899); XVIII. Army Corps (XVIII. Armeekorps) (1899-1919) |
| Garrison/HQ | Frankfurt am Main |
| Engagements | Franco-Prussian War: Woerth, Sedan, Paris World War I: Great Retreat, 1st Marne, Race to the Sea, Verdun, Somme, 2nd Aisne, German spring offensive, 2nd Somme |
The 21st Division (21. Division) was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. [1] It was formed on October 11, 1866, and was headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. [2] The division was subordinated in peacetime initially to the XI Army Corps (XI. Armeekorps) and from 1899 to the XVIII Army Corps (XVIII. Armeekorps). [3]
The division was recruited in the formerly independent Duchy of Nassau and the Electorate of Hesse, which had been incorporated into Prussia after the Austro-Prussian War, and in the city of Frankfurt am Main.
The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
During the Franco-Prussian War, the 21st Infantry Division fought in the opening Battle of Woerth and the major Battle of Sedan. It subsequently participated in the Siege of Paris. [4]
In World War I in 1914, the 21st Infantry Division fought in the Allied Great Retreat, including the First Battle of the Marne, and in the Race to the Sea. In 1916, it saw action in the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme. In 1917, it fought in the Second Battle of the Aisne. It served in the German 1918 Spring Offensive, including the Second Battle of the Somme. Allied intelligence rated the division as first class. [5] [6]
During wartime, the 21st Division, like other regular German divisions, was redesignated an infantry division. The organization of the 21st Infantry Division in 1870 at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War was as follows: [7]
German divisions underwent various organizational changes after the Franco-Prussian War. As noted above, the 21st Division was reorganized to become primarily a Hannover/Brunswick unit. The organization of the 21st Division in 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, was as follows: [8]
On mobilization in August 1914 at the beginning of World War I, most divisional cavalry, including brigade headquarters, was withdrawn to form cavalry divisions or split up among divisions as reconnaissance units. Divisions received engineer companies and other support units from their higher headquarters. The 21st Division was again renamed the 21st Infantry Division and its initial wartime organization was as follows: [10]
Divisions underwent many changes during the war, with regiments moving from division to division, and some being destroyed and rebuilt. During the war, most divisions became triangular - one infantry brigade with three infantry regiments rather than two infantry brigades of two regiments (a "square division"). An artillery commander replaced the artillery brigade headquarters, the cavalry was further reduced, the engineer contingent was increased, and a divisional signals command was created. The 21st Infantry Division's order of battle on April 28, 1918, was as follows: [10]
The 7th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Magdeburg in November 1816 as a brigade and became a division on September 5, 1818. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the IV Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in the Province of Saxony, also known as Prussian Saxony.
The 8th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Erfurt in November 1816 as a brigade and became a division on September 5, 1818. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the IV Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in the Province of Saxony, also known as Prussian Saxony and the smaller states of the German Empire around Prussian Saxony.
The 3rd Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Stettin in May 1816 as a Troop Brigade (Truppen-Brigade). It became the 3rd Division on September 5, 1818. From the corps' formation in 1820, the division was subordinated in peacetime to the II Army Corps. The 3rd Division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 10th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Posen in November 1816 as a brigade, became the 9th Division on September 5, 1818, and was renumbered the 10th Division on February 28, 1820. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the V Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919, during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in the Province of Posen.
The 11th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Breslau in November 1816 as a brigade, and became the 11th Division on September 5, 1818. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the VI Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in the Province of Silesia, mainly in the region of Lower Silesia.
The 14th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in November 1816 in Trier as a troop brigade and became the 14th Division on September 5, 1818, also relocating its headquarters to Düsseldorf. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the VII Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited in the Prussian Province of Westphalia and the Rhine Province, primarily in the densely populated Lower Rhine region.
The 16th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed as the 15th Division on September 5, 1818, in Koblenz from a troop brigade. It became the 16th Division on December 14, 1818, and moved its headquarters to Trier. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the VIII Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. It was mainly recruited in the densely populated Prussian Rhine Province, mainly along the Rhine and the cities and towns along the Moselle River.
The 18th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 11, 1866, and was headquartered in Flensburg. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the IX Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in Schleswig-Holstein.
The 19th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 11, 1866, and was headquartered in Hannover. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the X Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919, during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 20th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 11, 1866, and was headquartered in Hannover. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the X Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 22nd Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 11, 1866, and was headquartered in Kassel. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XI Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 23rd Division, also known as the 1st Division No. 23 was a unit of the Saxon and then Imperial German Army. The division was headquartered in Dresden. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XII Army Corps.
The 25th Division, officially the Grand Ducal Hessian (25th) Division, was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was headquartered in Darmstadt, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. The division was subordinated in peacetime to XVIII Army Corps when that corps was formed in 1899. The division was disbanded in 1919, during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 27th Division, formally the 27th Division, was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was headquartered in Ulm in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Württemberg. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XIII Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was raised and recruited in the Kingdom of Württemberg. Among the most famous soldiers to serve in the division was Erwin Rommel who fought as a lieutenant with the division on the Western Front before being transferred to the Württemberg mountain battalion.
The 31st Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on March 20, 1871, and was headquartered in Straßburg until 1912, and then in Saarbrücken. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XV Army Corps until 1912, and then to the XXI Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in the southern part of the Rhine Province, but during World War I also drew replacements from Westphalia.
The 35th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1890, and was headquartered initially in Graudenz and from 1912 in Thorn. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XVII Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in the southern part of West Prussia, and included a relatively high percentage of Poles.
The 36th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1890, and was headquartered in Danzig. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XVII Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in West Prussia.
The 38th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1899, and was headquartered in Erfurt. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XI Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 2nd Royal Bavarian Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army which served alongside the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on November 27, 1815, as the Infantry Division of the Munich General Command. It was called the 2nd Army Division between 1822 and 1848, again between 1851 and 1859, and again from 1869 to 1872. It was called the 2nd Infantry Division from 1848 to 1851 and was named the Augsburg General Command from 1859 to 1869. From April 1, 1872, until mobilization for World War I, it was the 2nd Division. In Bavarian sources, it was not generally referred to as a "Royal Bavarian" division, as this was considered self-evident, but outside Bavaria, this designation was used for it, and other Bavarian units, to distinguish them from similarly numbered Prussian units. The division was headquartered in Ingolstadt from 1815 to 1817, in Regensburg from 1817 to 1822, and in Augsburg from 1822 to 1919, except for the period 1871-1873, when it was part of the German occupation forces in France. The division was part of the I Royal Bavarian Army Corps.
The 3rd Royal Bavarian Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army which served alongside the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on November 27, 1815, as an Infantry Division of the Würzburg General Command. It was called the 3rd Army Division between 1822 and 1848, again between 1851 and 1859, and again from 1869 to 1872. It was called the 3rd Infantry Division from 1848 to 1851 and was named the Nuremberg General Command from 1859 to 1869. From April 1, 1872, until mobilization for World War I, it was the 3rd Division. In 1901, it had swapped division numbers with the 5th Division. In Bavarian sources, it was not generally referred to as a "Royal Bavarian" division, as this was considered self-evident, but outside Bavaria, this designation was used for it, and other Bavarian units, to distinguish them from similarly numbered Prussian units. The division was headquartered in Nuremberg from 1815 to 1843, in Ansbach from 1843 to 1848, and then again in Nuremberg until 1901, when after the renumbering of divisions, it became the 3rd Division in Landau and the division in Nuremberg became the 5th Division. The division was part of the II Royal Bavarian Army Corps.