14th Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 14th Division was a unit of the Prussia
n/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 (VII. Armeekorps). 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.
in 1866, seeing action in the Battle of Königgrätz
. In the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870-71, the division fought in several battles and engagements, including the Battle of Spicheren
, the Battle of Borny-Colombey
(also called the Battle of Colombey-Nouilly), and the Battle of Gravelotte
(also called the Battle of Gravelotte-St. Privat), as well as the Siege of Metz
.
During World War I
, the division served on the Western Front
. It participated in the initial German drive through Belgium and France, including the Battle of Liège
and culminating in the First Battle of the Marne
. After a period of trench warfare in various parts of the line, the division went to Verdun in 1916. During the 1918 German Spring Offensive
, the division fought in the Third Battle of the Aisne
. Allied intelligence rated it a second class division, noted for tenacity on the defense.
, most divisional cavalry, including brigade headquarters, was withdrawn to form cavalry divisions or split up among divisions as reconnaissance units.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 14th Division was again renamed the 14th Infantry Division and sent its 28th Infantry Brigade to the 14th 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 14th Infantry Division's order of battle on February 19, 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 November 1816 in Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
as a troop brigade and became the 14th Division on September 5, 1818, also relocating its headquarters to Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the VII Army Corps (VII. Armeekorps). 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
Province of Westphalia
The Province of Westphalia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946.-History:Napoleon Bonaparte founded the Kingdom of Westphalia, which was a client state of the First French Empire from 1807 to 1813...
and the Rhine Province
Rhine Province
The Rhine Province , also known as Rhenish Prussia or synonymous to the Rhineland , was the westernmost province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia, within the German Reich, from 1822-1946. It was created from the provinces of the Lower Rhine and Jülich-Cleves-Berg...
, primarily in the densely populated Lower Rhine region.
Combat chronicle
The 14th 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, seeing action in 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 1870-71, the division fought in several battles and engagements, including the Battle of Spicheren
Battle of Spicheren
The Battle of Spicheren, also known as the Battle of Forbach, was a battle during the Franco-Prussian War. The German victory compelled the French to withdraw to the defenses of Metz.- History :...
, the Battle of Borny-Colombey
Battle of Borny-Colombey
The Battle of Borny-Colombey was a minor battle of the Franco-Prussian War. It saw the escape route of the French army under François Bazaine blocked when they encountered the First Army under von Steinmetz...
(also called the Battle of Colombey-Nouilly), and the Battle of Gravelotte
Battle of Gravelotte
The Battle of Gravelotte was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War named after Gravelotte, a village in Lorraine between Metz and the former French–German frontier.-Terrain and armies:...
(also called the Battle of Gravelotte-St. Privat), as well as the Siege of Metz
Siege of Metz
The Siege of Metz lasting from 19 August – 27 October 1870 was fought during the Franco-Prussian War and ended in a decisive Prussian victory.-History:...
.
During 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 participated in the initial German drive through Belgium and France, including the Battle of Liège
Battle of Liège
The Battle of Liège was the opening engagement of the German invasion of Belgium, and the first battle of World War I. The attack on the city began on 5 August 1914 and lasted until the 16th when the last Belgian fort finally surrendered...
and culminating in the First Battle of the Marne
First Battle of the Marne
The Battle of the Marne was a First World War battle fought between 5 and 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The battle effectively ended the month long German offensive that opened the war and had...
. After a period of trench warfare in various parts of the line, the division went to Verdun in 1916. During the 1918 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...
, the division fought 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,...
. Allied intelligence rated it a second class division, noted for tenacity on the defense.
Order of battle in the Franco-Prussian War
During wartime, the 14th Division, like other regular German divisions, was redesignated an infantry division. The organization of the 14th Infantry Division in 1870 at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War was as follows:- 27. Infanterie Brigade
- Füsilier-Regiment Nr. 39
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 74
- 28. Infanterie Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 53
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 77
- Husaren-Regiment Nr. 15
Pre-World War I organization
German divisions underwent various organizational changes after the Franco-Prussian War. The organization of the 14th Division in 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, was as follows:- 27. Infanterie Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment Freiherr von Sparr (3. Westfälisches) Nr. 16
- 5. Westfälisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 53
- 28. Infanterie Brigade
- Niederrheinisches Füsilier-Regiment Nr. 39
- 8. Lothringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 159
- 79. Infanterie-Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment Vogel von Falckenstein (7. Westfälisches) Nr. 56
- Infanterie-Regiment Herzog Ferdinand von Braunschweig (8. Westfälisches) Nr. 57
- 14. Kavallerie-Brigade
- 2. Westfälisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 11
- Westfälisches Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 5
- 14. Feldartillerie-Brigade
- 1. Westfälisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 7
- Clevesches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 43
- Landwehr-Inspektion Düsseldorf
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 14th Division was again renamed the 14th Infantry Division and sent its 28th Infantry Brigade to the 14th Reserve Division
14th Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 14th 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:
- 27. Infanterie-Brigade:
- Infanterie-Regiment Freiherr von Sparr (3. Westfälisches) Nr. 16
- 5. Westfälisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 53
- 79. Infanterie-Brigade:
- Infanterie-Regiment Vogel von Falckenstein (7. Westfälisches) Nr. 56
- Infanterie-Regiment Herzog Ferdinand von Braunschweig (8. Westfälisches) Nr. 57
- 3.Eskadron/Ulanen-Regiment Hennigs von Treffenfeld (Altmärkisches) Nr. 16
- 14. Feldartillerie-Brigade:
- 1. Westfälisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 7
- Klevesches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 43
- 2. Kompanie/Westfälisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 7
- 3. Kompanie/Westfälisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 7
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 14th Infantry Division's order of battle on February 19, 1918 was as follows:
- 79. Infanterie-Brigade:
- Infanterie-Regiment Freiherr von Sparr (3. Westfälisches) Nr. 16
- Infanterie-Regiment Vogel von Falkenstein (7. Westfälisches) Nr. 56
- Infanterie-Regiment Herzog Ferdinand von Braunschweig (8. Westfälisches) Nr. 57
- Maschinengewehr-Scharfschützen-Abteilung Nr. 23
- 5.Eskadron/Ulanen-Regiment Hennigs von Treffenfeld (Altmärkisches) Nr. 16
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 14:
- Klevesches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 43
- I. Bataillon/Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 21 (from 09.04.1918)
- Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 124
- 3./Westfälisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 7
- 5./Westfälisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 7
- Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 14
- Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 14