121st Infantry Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 121st Infantry Division (121. Infanterie-Division) was a unit of the Imperial German
Army
in World War I
. The division was formed on March 25, 1915 and organized over the next several weeks. It was part of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in the spring of 1915. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The division was formed primarily from the excess infantry regiments of regular infantry divisions which were being triangularized
. The 60th Infantry Regiment was formerly part of the 10th Infantry Division
, the 7th Reserve Infantry Regiment came from the 9th Reserve Division
, and the 56th Reserve Infantry Regiment came from the 13th Reserve Division
. The division was mainly composed of Westphalians.
in World War I, entering the line in the Woëvre
region at the beginning of May 1915 and remaining in that area until March 1916. It then fought in the Battle of Verdun
. It was transferred to the Eastern Front
in July 1916, where it went into the line on the Styr River
until the end of the year. It then went into the line near Lake Narač
until May 1917, when it returned to the Western Front. It fought in the Battle of Passchendaele in late 1917 and saw action in the Second Battle of the Marne
and the Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
, also known as the Third Battle of the Somme, in 1918. It remained in the line until the end of the war. Allied intelligence rated the division as third class.
. The order of battle of the division on March 25, 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 March 25, 1915 and organized over the next several weeks. It was part of a wave of new infantry divisions formed in the spring of 1915. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The division was formed primarily from the excess infantry regiments of regular infantry 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 60th Infantry Regiment was formerly part of the 10th Infantry Division
10th Division (German Empire)
The 10th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Posen 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...
, the 7th Reserve Infantry Regiment came from the 9th Reserve Division
9th Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 9th 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 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I...
, and the 56th Reserve Infantry Regiment came from the 13th Reserve Division
13th Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 13th 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...
. The division was mainly composed of Westphalians.
Combat chronicle
The 121st Infantry Division initially fought on the Western FrontWestern 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...
in World War I, entering the line in 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 at the beginning of May 1915 and remaining in that area until March 1916. It then fought in the Battle of 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...
. It was transferred to the Eastern Front
Eastern 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...
in July 1916, where it went into the line on the Styr River
Styr River
The Styr River is right tributary of the Pripyat River, with a length of 494 km. Its basin area is 13,100 km².The Styr River begins near Brody, in the Ukrainian Oblast of Lviv, then flows into the Rivne Oblast, Volyn Oblast, then into the Belarusian voblast of Brest where it finally...
until the end of the year. It then went into the line near Lake Narač
Lake Narac
Lake Narach is a lake in North-West Belarus . The lake is located in the northern part of the country, in the basin of the Vilija river. It is the largest lake in Belarus .Narach is a part of Narach lake group...
until May 1917, when it returned to the Western Front. It fought in the Battle of Passchendaele in late 1917 and saw action in 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...
and the Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
During the First World War, the Second Battle of the Somme of 1918 was fought on the Western Front from the end of the summer, in the basin of the Somme River...
, also known as the Third Battle of the Somme, in 1918. It remained in the line until the end of the war. Allied intelligence rated the division as third class.
Order of battle on formation
The 121st 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 March 25, 1915 was as follows:
- 241. Infanterie-Brigade
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 7
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 56
- Infanterie-Regiment Markgraf Carl (7. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 60
- 2.Eskadron/Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 1212th Mounted RiflesThe 12th Mounted Rifles were a light cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army. The regiment was formed 1 October 1913 in Metz....
- 3.Eskadron/Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 1212th Mounted RiflesThe 12th Mounted Rifles were a light cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army. The regiment was formed 1 October 1913 in Metz....
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 241
- Fußartillerie-Batterie Nr. 121
- Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 241
Late-war order of battle
The division underwent relatively few organizational changes over the course of the war. Cavalry was reduced, artillery and signals commands were formed, and combat engineer support was expanded to a full pioneer battalion. The order of battle on April 1, 1918 was as follows:- 241. Infanterie-Brigade
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 7
- Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 56
- Infanterie-Regiment Markgraf Carl (7. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 60
- 2.Eskadron/Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 1212th Mounted RiflesThe 12th Mounted Rifles were a light cavalry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army. The regiment was formed 1 October 1913 in Metz....
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 121
- Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 241
- Fußartillerie-Bataillon Nr. 85
- Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 121
- Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 241
- Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 260
- Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 121
- Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 121