101st Infantry Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 101st Infantry Division (101. Infanterie-Division) was a unit of the Imperial German
Army
in World War I
. The division was formed on May 3, 1915 and organized over the next few weeks. It was part of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in the spring of 1915. The division was reduced to a division staff for special purposes (Divisions-Stab z.b.V.) without troops in July 1917 and dissolved in January 1918.
The division was formed primarily from the excess infantry regiments of existing divisions which were being triangularized
. The division's 201st Infantry Brigade was formerly the 75th Infantry Brigade of the 37th Infantry Division
, and came to the division with the 146th Infantry Regiment. The 8th Infantry Regiment came from the 2nd Infantry Division
and the 59th Infantry Regiment came from the 41st Infantry Division
.
, seeing its first action in the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive
. It crossed the Dnestr in June 1915, participated in the battles on the Galician and Russian Poland border, and advanced to the Bug by August. The division was then transferred south to participate in the Serbian Campaign
. It reached Priština
in late November and advanced to the Greek border in December. For most of 1916 and into 1917, the division remained on the Macedonian front
. It underwent several changes, losing units to other divisions and receiving various replacements, and in July 1917, the division was dissolved as a tactical headquarters, with its subunits sent to other units. Its headquarters remained as a division staff for special purposes, administering Bulgarian units, until it was dissolved. Allied intelligence rated the division as third class.
. The order of battle of the division on May 15, 1915 was as follows:
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
Army
German Army (German Empire)
The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The division was formed on May 3, 1915 and organized over the next few weeks. It was part of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in the spring of 1915. The division was reduced to a division staff for special purposes (Divisions-Stab z.b.V.) without troops in July 1917 and dissolved in January 1918.
The division was formed primarily from the excess infantry regiments of existing divisions which were being triangularized
Triangular division
A triangular division is a designation given to the way divisions are organized. In a triangular organization, the division's main body is composed of three regimental maneuver elements. These regiments may be controlled by a brigade headquarters or directly subordinated to the division commander...
. The division's 201st Infantry Brigade was formerly the 75th Infantry Brigade of the 37th Infantry Division
37th Division (German Empire)
The 37th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed between March 25 and April 1, 1899 in Allenstein . The division was initially subordinated in peacetime to the I Army Corps . In 1912, it was transferred to the newly formed XX Army Corps...
, and came to the division with the 146th Infantry Regiment. The 8th Infantry Regiment came from the 2nd Infantry Division
2nd Division (German Empire)
The 2nd Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Danzig in March 1816 as a Troop Brigade . It became the 2nd Division on September 5, 1818. In 1890, the headquarters of the division was relocated to Königsberg , then the capital of East Prussia...
and the 59th Infantry Regiment came from the 41st Infantry Division
41st Division (German Empire)
The 41st Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was established on October 1, 1912 in Deutsch Eylau . The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XX Army Corps . The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I...
.
Combat chronicle
The 101st Infantry Division served on the Eastern FrontEastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...
, seeing its first action in the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive
Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive
The Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive during World War I started as a minor German offensive to relieve Russian pressure on the Austro-Hungarians to their south on the Eastern Front, but resulted in the total collapse of the Russian lines and their retreat far into Russia...
. It crossed the Dnestr in June 1915, participated in the battles on the Galician and Russian Poland border, and advanced to the Bug by August. The division was then transferred south to participate in the Serbian Campaign
Serbian Campaign (World War I)
The Serbian Campaign was fought from late July 1914, when Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia at the outset of the First World War, until late 1915, when the Macedonian Front was formed...
. It reached Priština
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
in late November and advanced to the Greek border in December. For most of 1916 and into 1917, the division remained on the Macedonian front
Macedonian front (World War I)
The Macedonian Front resulted from an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. The expedition came too late and in insufficient force to prevent the fall of Serbia, and was complicated by the internal...
. It underwent several changes, losing units to other divisions and receiving various replacements, and in July 1917, the division was dissolved as a tactical headquarters, with its subunits sent to other units. Its headquarters remained as a division staff for special purposes, administering Bulgarian units, until it was dissolved. Allied intelligence rated the division as third class.
Order of battle
The 101st Infantry Division was formed as a triangular divisionTriangular division
A triangular division is a designation given to the way divisions are organized. In a triangular organization, the division's main body is composed of three regimental maneuver elements. These regiments may be controlled by a brigade headquarters or directly subordinated to the division commander...
. The order of battle of the division on May 15, 1915 was as follows:
- 201. Infanterie-Brigade
- 8. Ostpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 45
- Infanterie-Regiment Freiherr Hiller von Gaertringen (4. Posensches) Nr. 59
- 1. Masurisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 146
- 1.Eskadron/Dragoner-Regiment König Albert von Sachsen (Ostpreußisches) Nr. 10
- 2.Eskadron/Dragoner-Regiment von Wedel (Pommersches) Nr. 11
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 201
- Fußartillerie-Batterie Nr. 101
- Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 201