The 22nd Division was a unit of the Prussia

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 on October 11, 1866 and was headquartered in Kassel

Kassel

Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...

. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XI Army Corps (XI. Armeekorps). The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after 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...

.

Recruitment

The division was recruited in the formerly independent Electorate of Hesse (Kurhessen), which had been incorporated into Prussia after the Austro-Prussian War

Austro-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 the Principality of Waldeck, and in the Thuringian states

Thuringian states

The Thuringian states refers to the following German federal states within the German Reich:*The Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach *The duchies of Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Saxe-Meiningen...

. Until 1899, including during 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...

, it was predominantly from Thuringia, but many Thuringian units went to the 38th Division

38th Division (German Empire)

The 38th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1899, and was headquartered in Erfurt. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XI Army Corps...

 when that division was formed in 1899.

Combat chronicle

During the Franco-Prussian War, as the 22nd Infantry Division it fought in the opening battle of Woerth and the major battle of 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...

. It then participated 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....

. Subsequently, it saw action in the Loire campaign, including the battles of 1st Orléans, Loigny-Poupry

Battle of Loigny-Poupry

The Battle of Loigny-Poupry was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War. It took place on 2 December 1870 during the Loire Campaign near the town of Loigny...

, 2nd Orléans

Second Battle of Orléans (1870)

The Second Battle of Orléans was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. It took place on December 3 and 4, 1870 and was part of the Loire Campaign...

, and Le Mans

Battle of Le Mans

The Battle of Le Mans was a Prussian victory during the Franco-Prussian War which ended French resistance in western France.-Background:After the victory at the Battle of Orleans , Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia marched his army further to the west towards Le Mans. Antoine Chanzy had under his...

.

In World War I, again as the 22nd Infantry Division, it fought initially 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...

, including in 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...

. It was soon sent 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...

, where it remained until October 1917. It fought in the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes and 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...

, and then participated in the Romanian Campaign

Romanian Campaign (World War I)

The Romanian Campaign was part of the Balkan theatre of World War I, with Romania and Russia allied against the armies of the Central Powers. Fighting took place from August 1916 to December 1917, across most of present-day Romania, including Transylvania, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian...

. After returning to the Western Front, it saw action in 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...

, including the Second Battle of the Somme

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...

 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 noted that the division had good morale, but in 1918 rated it third class, albeit better on the defensive.

Order of battle in the Franco-Prussian War

During wartime, the 22nd Division, like other regular German divisions, was redesignated an infantry division. The organization of the 22nd Infantry Division in 1870 at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War was as follows:

• 43. Infanterie-Brigade
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 32
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 95
• 44. Infanterie-Brigade
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 83
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 94
• Husaren-Regiment Nr. 13

The 32nd, 94th and 95th Infantry Regiments were from the Thuringian states, while the 83rd Infantry Regiment was from Electoral Hesse and included a battalion from Waldeck.

Pre-World War I organization

German divisions underwent various organizational changes after the Franco-Prussian War. With the creation of the 38th Division, most Thuringian elements were transferred to the new division and replaced with Electoral Hesse units (the 167th Upper Alsatian Infantry Regiment, despite its name, was recruited in Electoral Hesse and Prussian Saxony). The organization of the 22nd Division in 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, was as follows:

• 43. Infanterie-Brigade
  • 2. Kurhessisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 82
  • Infanterie-Regiment von Wittich (3. Kurhessisches) Nr. 83
• 44.Infanterie-Brigade
  • 2. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 32
  • 1. Ober-Elsässiches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 167
• 22. Kavallerie-Brigade
  • Dragoner-Regiment Freiherr von Manteuffel (Rheinisches) Nr. 5
  • Husaren-Regiment Landgraf Friedrich II. von Hessen-Homburg (2. Kurhessisches) Nr. 14
• 22. Feldartillerie-Brigade
  • 1. Kurhessisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 11
  • 2. Kurhessisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 47

Order of battle on mobilization

On mobilization in August 1914 at the beginning of 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...

, 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 22nd Division was again renamed the 22nd Infantry Division and its initial wartime organization was as follows:

• 43. Infanterie-Brigade
  • 2. Kurhessisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 82
  • Infanterie-Regiment von Wittich (3. Kurhessisches) Nr. 83
• 44.Infanterie-Brigade
  • 2. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 32
  • 1. Ober-Elsässiches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 167
  • Kurhessisches Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 11
• 1.Halbregiment/Kürassier-Regiment Kaiser Nikolas I. von Rußland (Brandenburgisches) Nr. 6
• 22. Feldartillerie-Brigade
  • 1. Kurhessisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 11
  • 2. Kurhessisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 47
• 1.Kompanie/Kurhessisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 11

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 triangular

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...

 - 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 22nd Infantry Division's order of battle on May 29, 1918 was as follows:

• 43. Infanterie-Brigade
  • 2. Kurhessisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 82
  • Infanterie-Regiment von Wittich (3. Kurhessisches) Nr. 83
  • 1. Ober-Elsässiches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 167
• 6.Eskadron/Kürassier-Regiment Kaiser Nikolas I. von Rußland (Brandenburgisches) Nr. 6
• Artillerie-Kommandeur 22
  • 1. Kurhessisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 11
  • Fußartillerie-Bataillon Nr. 50
• Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 128
  • 1.Kompanie/Kurhessisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 11
  • 2.Kompanie/Kurhessisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 11
  • Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 22
• Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 22