The 52nd Infantry Division (52.Infanterie-Division) was a division of the Imperial German Army during World War I. The division was formed on March 6, 1915, from units taken from other divisions or newly raised. The division was initially mixed, with two infantry regiments from the Grand Duchy of Baden, one infantry regiment from Prussian Saxony, and Prussian and Baden support units (cavalry, artillery, engineers, and service and support units). While the infantry regiments and the divisional cavalry squadron were regular army units, the rest of the division was made up of reserve units and units formed during the war. The 66th Magdeburg Infantry Regiment was taken from the 7th Infantry Division, and the 169th and 170th Infantry Regiments were taken from Baden's 29th Infantry Division. The 52nd Infantry Division became more Baden as the war progressed, as the 66th Magdeburg Infantry Regiment, the regiment from Prussian Saxony, was replaced on April 6, 1917, by Baden's 111th Infantry Regiment "Margrave Ludwig Wilhelm". [1] [2]
Shortly after its formation, the division went into the line facing the British Army near Arras, France, on the Western Front. In 1916, the division fought in the Battle of the Somme. The division remained on the Western Front for the duration of the war, although it moved to various sectors. Allied intelligence rated it one of the best German divisions. [3]
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 13th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in November 1816 in Münster in Westphalia as a troop brigade and became the 13th Division on September 5, 1818. 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 primarily in the Prussian Province of Westphalia and two small principalities in the Westphalian region, Lippe-Detmold and Schaumburg-Lippe.
The 50th Infantry Division was a formation of the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army during World War I. The division was formed on March 10, 1915 from units taken from other divisions or newly raised. Its infantry core was from Westphalia: the 39th Lower Rhine Fusilier Regiment, taken from the 14th Reserve Division, the 53rd Westphalian Infantry Regiment, taken from the 14th Infantry Division, and the 158th Lorraine Infantry Regiment, taken from the 13th Infantry Division.
The 12th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Neiße 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 Upper 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 21st Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 11, 1866, and was headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. The division was subordinated in peacetime initially to the XI Army Corps and from 1899 to the XVIII Army Corps.
The 24th Division, also known as the 2nd Division No. 24 was a unit of the Saxon and then Imperial German Army. The division was headquartered in Leipzig. Until 1899, the division was subordinated in peacetime to the XII Army Corps ; thereafter, it was subordinated in peacetime to the XIX Army Corps.
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 30th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1887, as the 33rd Division and became the 30th Division on April 1, 1890, and was headquartered in Straßburg. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XV 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 Rhineland and Westphalia, with the 105th Infantry Regiment recruited in the Kingdom of Saxony.
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 40th Division, formally the 4th Division No. 40 was a unit of the Saxon Army, a component of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on April 1, 1899, and was headquartered in Chemnitz. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XIX 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 western part of the Kingdom of Saxony.
The 42nd Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on October 1, 1912, and was the last regular division created in the Imperial German Army. It was headquartered in Saarburg in Lothringen. The division was subordinated in peacetime 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 primarily recruited in the Rhine Province and the Province of Westphalia, as the German population in Alsace-Lorraine was insufficient to fill the division.
The 8th Landwehr Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. The division was formed on January 31, 1915, out of the formerly independent 56th Landwehr Infantry Brigade, which had been dissolved on January 25, 1915. The division spent the period from its formation to early 1917 mainly involved in positional warfare in Upper Alsace, after which it occupied the trenchlines near Verdun. It remained in positional warfare in this general region until the end of the war. It participated in no major battles, but was primarily suited to quieter sectors of the line. Allied intelligence rated the division as a fourth class division, though it noted that "in the attack it did fairly well, without heavy loss." The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 33rd Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army, in World War I. The division was formed on the mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was disbanded in August 1918. The division began the war as part of the central reserve of Fortress Metz.
The 28th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on the mobilization of the German Army in August 1914 as part of the XIV Reserve Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was raised primarily in the Grand Duchy of Baden.
The 58th Infantry Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on March 6, 1915, and organized over the next two months. It was part of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in the spring of 1915 and was originally formed from troops from the Kingdom of Saxony and the Kingdom of Württemberg, but became a fully Saxon division by 1916. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 107th Infantry Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on June 1, 1915, and organized over the next few weeks. It was part of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in 1915. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 83rd Infantry Division was a formation of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed in November 1914 as the "Division Posen 1", part of the Posen Corps, and became the 83rd Infantry Division in June 1915. It was initially formed from the garrison infantry regiments of Fortress Posen. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 86th Infantry Division was a formation of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed in November 1914 as the Wernitz Division, named after its commander General Theodor von Wernitz, and became the 86th Infantry Division in August 1915. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 5th Landwehr Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed in October 1914 as the Waldow Division, named after its commander. It was made up primarily of Landwehr soldiers from the garrison of Metz. It became the 5th Landwehr Division in January 1915. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.