| 3. Armee 3rd Army | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the Staff of an Armee Oberkommando (1871–1918) | |
| Active | 2 August 1914 – 30 January 1919 |
| Country |  German Empire |
| Type | Army |
| Engagements | World War I |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | A.O.K. 3 |
The 3rd Army (German : 3. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 3 / A.O.K. 3) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 seemingly from the II Army Inspectorate. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war. [1]
Upon the mobilization Max von Hausen (Saxon War Minister) was given command of the 3rd Army which mainly consisted of Saxons. The army participated in the Battle of the Frontiers, mainly in the Battle of Dinant and the Battle of Charleroi and the army were responsible for the destruction of Reims in September 1914. When the 2nd Army retreated after the First Battle of the Marne, Hausen saw his flank exposed and ordered a retreat. Upon the stabilization of the front on the river Aisne, Hausen was relieved of his command and replaced by General Karl von Einem.
Repulsing the French First Battle of Champagne (the Champagne-Marne offensive) from February–March and Second Battle of Champagne (September–November) 1915 respectively, the 3rd Army took part in all three battles of the Aisne and defeated the Fourth Army (General Anthoine) part of Groupe d'armées du Centre (General Philippe Petain) during the Second Battle of the Aisne as part of the Nivelle Offensive from 16 April – 15 May 1917.
Einem's right flank units participate in the Champagne-Marne offensive on 15–17 July 1918 supporting the east flank of the 1st Army. After suffering severe casualties in battle with the American Expeditionary Force (General of the Armies John J. Pershing) from 26 September – 11 November in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, the army was forced to retreat northwards shortly before the war ended, when it was part of Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz . [2]
| Organization of 3rd Army on 30 October 1918 [3] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Army | Corps | Division |
| 3rd Army | XXV Reserve Corps | 9th Landwehr Division |
| 199th Division | ||
| 3rd Guards Division | ||
| 1st Guards Division | ||
| XVI Corps | 213th Division | |
| 242nd Division | ||
| 1st Bavarian Division | ||
| I Reserve Corps | 202nd Division | |
| 14th Reserve Division | ||
| 203rd Division | ||
| 195th Division | ||
| 76th Reserve Division | ||
| 42nd Division | ||
| 103rd Division | ||
| XXXVIII Reserve Corps | No units assigned | |
| Moving to Bavaria | 4th Bavarian Division | |
The 3rd Army had the following commanders during its existence: [4]
| From | Commander | Previously | Subsequently |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 August 1914 | Generaloberst Max von Hausen | Saxon Minister of War | Adjutant to his Majesty the King of Saxony [5] |
| 12 September 1914 | General der Kavallerie Karl von Einem | VII Corps | Retired |
| 27 January 1915 | Generaloberst Karl von Einem |
The IV Army Corps / IV AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th Century to World War I.
The XII Army Corps / XII AK was a Saxon corps level command of the Saxon and German Armies before and during World War I.
The XIX Army Corps / XIX AK was a Saxon corps level command of the German Army, before and during World War I.
The 10th Reserve Division was a unit of the Prussian Army, part of Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914 as part of V Reserve Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was formed with a regular infantry brigade from the Province of West Prussia and a reserve infantry brigade from West Prussia and the Province of Posen.
The X Army Corps / X AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and German Armies before and during World War I.
The 1st Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the VIII Army Inspectorate. The army was dissolved on 17 September 1915, but reformed on 19 July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. It was finally disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 2nd Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the III Army Inspection. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 4th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilisation in August 1914 from the VI Army Inspection. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
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The 7th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the II Army Inspection. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 6th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the IV Army Inspectorate. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.
The 17th Army 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.
The 18th Army was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed against France on 27 December 1917 from the former Heeresgruppe Woyrsch command. It served exclusively on the Western Front and was dissolved on 2 January 1919.
Armee-Abteilung Gaede / Armee-Abteilung B was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the Western Front throughout its existence and formed the extreme left wing.
Armee-Abteilung Falkenhausen / Armee-Abteilung A was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the left (southern) wing of the Western Front throughout its existence.
This is the German Army order of battle on the Western Front at the close of the war.
The Guards Reserve Corps was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.
The XI Army Corps / XI AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and German Armies before and during World War I.
The VII Army Corps / VII AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th Century to World War I.
The V Army Corps / V AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th century to World War I.
