10th Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 10th Division was a unit of the Prussia
n/German
Army
. It was formed in Posen
(now Poznań, Poland) 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 (V. Armeekorps). 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
.
in 1866, including the Battle of Königgrätz
. In the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870–1871, the division saw action in the opening battles of Weissenburg and Wörth, in the Sedan
, and in the Siege of Paris
.
In World War I
, the division served on the Western Front
. It initially occupied the Woëvre
region of France and later fought in the Verdun
in late 1916. In 1918, it participated in the German Spring Offensive
, seeing action in the Third Battle of the Aisne
and the Second Battle of the Marne
. Allied intelligence rated it a first class division.
, most divisional cavalry, including brigade headquarters, was withdrawn to form cavalry divisions or split up among divisions as reconnaissance units.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 10th Division was again renamed the 10th Infantry Division and lost the 77th Infantry Brigade to the 10th Reserve Division
. Its initial wartime organization was as follows:
- 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 10th Infantry Division's order of battle on May 3, 1918 was as follows:
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n/German
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...
. It was formed in Posen
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
(now Poznań, Poland) 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 (V. Armeekorps). 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
Province of Posen
The Province of Posen was a province of Prussia from 1848–1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918. The area was about 29,000 km2....
.
Combat chronicle
The division fought in the Austro-Prussian WarAustro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
in 1866, including the Battle of Königgrätz
Battle of Königgrätz
The Battle of Königgrätz , also known as the Battle of Sadowa, Sadová, or Hradec Králové, was the decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War, in which the Kingdom of Prussia defeated the Austrian Empire...
. In the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
of 1870–1871, the division saw action in the opening battles of Weissenburg and Wörth, in the Sedan
Battle of Sedan
The Battle of Sedan was fought during the Franco-Prussian War on 1 September 1870. It resulted in the capture of Emperor Napoleon III and large numbers of his troops and for all intents and purposes decided the war in favour of Prussia and its allies, though fighting continued under a new French...
, and in the Siege of Paris
Siege of Paris
The Siege of Paris, lasting from September 19, 1870 – January 28, 1871, and the consequent capture of the city by Prussian forces led to French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire as well as the Paris Commune....
.
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 served on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. It initially occupied the Woëvre
Woëvre
The Woëvre is a natural region of Lorraine in northeastern France. It forms part of Lorraine plateau and lies largely in the department of Meuse....
region of France and later fought in the Verdun
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
in late 1916. In 1918, it participated in the German Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
, seeing action in the Third Battle of the Aisne
Third Battle of the Aisne
The Third Battle of the Aisne was a battle of the German Spring Offensive during World War I that focused on capturing the Chemin des Dames Ridge before the American Expeditionary Force could arrive completely in France. It was one of a series of desperate offensives, known as the Kaiserschlacht,...
and the Second Battle of the Marne
Second Battle of the Marne
The Second Battle of the Marne , or Battle of Reims was the last major German Spring Offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The German attack failed when an Allied counterattack led by France overwhelmed the Germans, inflicting severe casualties...
. Allied intelligence rated it a first class division.
Order of battle in the Franco-Prussian War
During wartime, the 10th Division, like other regular German divisions, was redesignated an infantry division. The organization of the 10th Infantry Division in 1870 at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War was as follows:- 19. Infanterie Brigade
- Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 6
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 46
- 20. Infanterie Brigade
- Füsilier-Regiment Nr. 37
- Füsilier-Regiment Nr. 50
- Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 14
Pre-World War I organization
German divisions underwent various organizational changes after the Franco-Prussian War. The organization of the 10th Division in 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, was as follows:- 19. Infanterie Brigade
- Grenadier-Regiment Graf Kleist von Nollendorf (1. Westpreußisches) Nr. 6
- Infanterie-Regiment Graf Kirchbach (1. Niederschlesisches) Nr. 46
- 20. Infanterie Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment König Ludwig III. von Bayern (2. Niederschlesisches) Nr. 47
- 3. Niederschlesisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 50
- 77. Infanterie-Brigade
- Füsilier-Regiment von Steinmetz (Westpreußisches) Nr. 37
- 7. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 155
- 10. Kavallerie-Brigade
- Ulanen-Regiment Kaiser Alexander III. von Rußland (Westpreußisches) Nr. 1
- Regiment Königs-Jäger zu Pferde Nr. 11st King's Mounted RiflesThe 1st King's Mounted Rifles were a light cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army from 1901 to 1918. When the Imperial German Army was reorganized as the Reichsheer, A Squadron/10th Horse became bearer of the regiment's tradition....
- 10. Feldartillerie-Brigade
- 1. Posensches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 20
- 2. Posensches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 56
- Landwehr-Inspektion Posen
Order of battle on mobilization
On mobilization in August 1914 at the beginning of World War IWorld 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...
, 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 10th Division was again renamed the 10th Infantry Division and lost the 77th Infantry Brigade to the 10th Reserve Division
10th Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 10th Reserve Division was a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I. The division was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I...
. Its initial wartime organization was as follows:
- 19. Infanterie-Brigade
- Leib-Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich Wilhelm III (1. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 8
- Infanterie-Regiment Graf Kirchbach (1. Niederschlesisches) Nr. 46
- 20.Infanterie-Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment König Ludwig III von Bayern (2. Niederschlesisches) Nr. 47
- 3. Niederschlesisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 50
- Regiment Königs-Jäger zu Pferde Nr. 1
- 10. Feldartillerie-Brigade
- 1. Posensches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 20
- 2. Posensches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 56
- 2.Kompanie/Niederschlesisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 5
- 3.Kompanie/Niederschlesisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 5
Late World War I organization
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 triangularTriangular 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...
- one infantry brigade with three infantry regiments rather than two infantry brigades of two regiments (a "square division
Square division
A square division is a designation given to the way military divisions are organized. In a square organization, the division's main body is composed of four regimental elements. Since a regiment could be split into separate battalions for tactical purposes, the natural division within a 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 10th Infantry Division's order of battle on May 3, 1918 was as follows:
- 20. Infanterie-Brigade:
- Grenadier-Regiment Graf Kleist von Nollendorf (1. Westpreußisches) Nr. 6
- Infanterie-Regiment König Ludwig III von Bayern (2. Niederschlesisches) Nr. 47
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 398
- Maschinengewehr-Scharfschützen-Abteilung Nr. 17
- 3.Eskadron/Regiment Königs-Jäger zu Pferde Nr. 1
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 10
- 2. Posensches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 56
- II.Bataillon/1. Westpreußisches Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 11
- Niederschlesisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 5
- Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 10