1st Landwehr Division (German Empire)
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| 1st Landwehr Division (1. Landwehr-Division) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1914-1919 |
| Country | Germany |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Landwehr infantry |
| Size | Approx. 15,000 |
| Engagements | World War I: Gumbinnen, Tannenberg, 2nd Masurian Lakes, Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive |
The 1st Landwehr Division (1. Landwehr-Division) was an infantry division of the Imperial German Army during World War I. It was formed on the mobilization of the German Army in August 1914 under the "Higher Landwehr Commander 1" (Höherer Landwehr-Kommandeur 1) and, initially, also referred to as the "Landwehr-Division Goltz" after its commander. The Landwehr was the third category of the German Army, after the regular Army and the reserves. Thus Landwehr divisions were made up of older soldiers who had passed from the reserves, and were intended primarily for occupation and security duties rather than heavy combat.
On mobilization, the 1st Landwehr Division was created by aggregating four mixed Landwehr brigades (gemischte Landwehr-Brigaden), each of which generally included its own infantry, cavalry and artillery. Its initial wartime organization was as follows:[1]
- 33rd Mixed Landwehr Brigade
- Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 75
- Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 76
- 2nd Guard Landwehr Squadron
- 1st Landwehr Squadron/IX Corps
- 1st Landwehr Battery/IX Corps
- 34th Mixed Landwehr Brigade
- Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 31
- Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 84
- 3rd Guard Landwehr Squadron
- 2nd Landwehr Squadron/IX Corps
- 2nd Landwehr Battery/IX Corps
- 37th Mixed Landwehr Brigade
- Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 73
- Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 74
- 2nd Landwehr Squadron/X Corps
- II. Landwehr Field Artillery Battalion/X Corps
- 38th Mixed Landwehr Brigade
- Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 77
- Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 78
- 3rd Landwehr Squadron/X Corps
The 33rd and 34th Mixed Landwehr Brigades were raised in the IX Corps area (the Province of Schleswig-Holstein, part of the Province of Hanover, the Grand Duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and the Hanseatic Cities of Bremen, Hamburg, and Lübeck). The 37th and 38th Mixed Landwehr Brigades were raised in the X Corps area (the Province of Hanover, the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, and the Duchy of Brunswick).
On 27 August, the division was ordered to reinforce the eastern front; however, the 37th and 38th Mixed Landwehr Brigades were left behind to guard the northern coast and later transferred to the western front.
Combat chronicle
The 1st Landwehr Division began the war on the Eastern Front. In 1914-15, it participated in the battles of Gumbinnen, Tannenberg, and 2nd Masurian Lakes. It then took part in the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive. The division was then primarily employed in positional warfare until the armistice on the Eastern Front. In early 1918, it was transferred to the Western Front, where it was primarily employed in positional warfare in Flanders and Alsace-Lorraine.[2]