28th Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 28th Division was a unit of the Prussia
n/German
Army
, almost entirely made up of troops from the Grand Duchy of Baden
. It was formed in Karlsruhe
on July 1, 1871. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XIV Army Corps
(XIV. Armeekorps). The 28th Division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I
.
The division, along with the other division of the XIV Army Corps, the 29th Division
, was formed in the Grand Duchy of Baden, a member state of the German Empire
. Both divisions grew out of the Grand Ducal Baden Division (Großherzoglich Badische Division), the army of the grand duchy. The Grand Ducal Baden Division had fought against Prussia in the Austro-Prussian War
, but after Prussia's victory Baden and most other German states had entered into conventions subordinating their armies to Prussia's.
The Grand Ducal Baden Division served in the Franco-Prussian War
against France
in 1870-71, where its regiments saw action in the Siege of Strasbourg
and the Battle of the Lisaine
.
In peacetime, the 28th Division was stationed in northern Baden (the 29th covered southern Baden), with garrisons in Karlsruhe
, Mannheim
, Heidelberg
and Rastatt
, among other cities.
In World War I, the division served primarily on the Western Front
, seeing action at the Battle of the Frontiers
and then moving north during the Race to the Sea
. It participated in some of the most well-known battles and campaigns of the Western Front, including the 1916 Battle of the Somme, the later phases of the Battle of Verdun
, the tank battle of Cambrai in 1917, the German Spring Offensive
of 1918, the Third Battle of the Aisne
, the Battle of Belleau Wood
, the Second Battle of the Marne
and the Battle of Soissons
. When the Armistice took effect, the division was occupying defensive positions on the right bank of the Meuse, in the northern part of the Argonne Forest.
, most divisional cavalry, including brigade headquarters, was withdrawn to form cavalry divisions or split up among divisions as reconnaissance units.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 28th Division was renamed the 28th Infantry Division. Its initial wartime organization (major units) 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, and the engineer contingent was increased. The 28th Infantry Division's order of battle on May 26, 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...
, almost entirely made up of troops from the Grand Duchy of Baden
Grand Duchy of Baden
The Grand Duchy of Baden was a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918.-History:...
. It was formed in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
on July 1, 1871. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XIV Army Corps
XIV Corps (German Empire)
The XIV Army Corps was a corps of the Imperial German Army. It was, effectively, also the army of the Grand Duchy of Baden, which had been integrated in 1871 into the Prussian Army command structure, as had the armies of most German states. Both divisions and the bulk of the corps' support units...
(XIV. Armeekorps). The 28th 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...
.
The division, along with the other division of the XIV Army Corps, the 29th Division
29th Division (German Empire)
The 29th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army, almost entirely made up of troops from the Grand Duchy of Baden. It was formed in Karlsruhe on July 1, 1871. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XIV Army Corps...
, was formed in the Grand Duchy of Baden, a member state of the German Empire
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...
. Both divisions grew out of the Grand Ducal Baden Division (Großherzoglich Badische Division), the army of the grand duchy. The Grand Ducal Baden Division had fought against Prussia in 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...
, but after Prussia's victory Baden and most other German states had entered into conventions subordinating their armies to Prussia's.
The Grand Ducal Baden Division served 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...
against France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1870-71, where its regiments saw action in the Siege of Strasbourg
Siege of Strasbourg
The Siege of Strasbourg took place during the Franco-Prussian War, and resulted in the French surrender of the fortress on 28 September 1870.-Background:...
and the Battle of the Lisaine
Battle of the Lisaine
The Battle of the Lisaine was fought from 15 January to 17 January 1871 between Prussian and French forces. The French were led by Charles Denis Bourbaki, and were attempting to relieve the Siege of Belfort. Early in the morning the French forces under Bourbaki with only a few thousand men against...
.
In peacetime, the 28th Division was stationed in northern Baden (the 29th covered southern Baden), with garrisons in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
and Rastatt
Rastatt
Rastatt is a city and baroque residence in the District of Rastatt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the Murg river, above its junction with the Rhine and has a population of around 50'000...
, among other cities.
In World War I, the division served primarily 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...
, seeing action at the Battle of the Frontiers
Battle of the Frontiers
The Battle of the Frontiers was a series of battles fought along the eastern frontier of France and in southern Belgium shortly after the outbreak of World War I. The battles represented a collision between the military strategies of the French Plan XVII and the German Schlieffen Plan...
and then moving north during the Race to the Sea
Race to the Sea
The Race to the Sea is a name given to the period early in the First World War when the two sides were still engaged in mobile warfare on the Western Front. With the German advance stalled at the First Battle of the Marne, the opponents continually attempted to outflank each other through...
. It participated in some of the most well-known battles and campaigns of the Western Front, including the 1916 Battle of the Somme, the later phases of 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...
, the tank battle of Cambrai in 1917, 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...
of 1918, 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,...
, the Battle of Belleau Wood
Battle of Belleau Wood
The Battle of Belleau Wood occurred during the German 1918 Spring Offensive in World War I, near the Marne River in France. The battle was fought between the U.S...
, 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 Battle of Soissons
Battle of Soissons (1918)
The Battle of Soissons was a World War I battle, waged during 18 July to 22 July 1918, between the French and the German armies....
. When the Armistice took effect, the division was occupying defensive positions on the right bank of the Meuse, in the northern part of the Argonne Forest.
Pre-World War I organization
- 55th Infantry Brigade (55. Infanterie-Brigade)
- 109th Baden Life Grenadier Regiment (Badisches Leib-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 109)
- 110th Baden Grenadier Regiment "Kaiser Wilhelm I" (2. Badisches Grenadier-Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm I. Nr. 110)
- 56th Infantry Brigade (56. Infanterie-Brigade)
- 40th Fusilier Regiment "Prince Karl-Anton von Hohenzollern" (Füsilier-Regiment Fürst Karl-Anton von Hohenzollern (Hohenzollernsches) Nr. 40)
- 111th Infantry Regiment "Margrave Ludwig Wilhelm" (Infanterie-Regiment Markgraf Ludwig Wilhelm (3. Badisches) Nr. 111)
- 28th Cavalry Brigade (28. Kavallerie-Brigade)
- 20th Baden Life Dragoon Regiment (1. Badisches Leib-Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 20)
- 21st Baden Dragoon Regiment (2. Badisches Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 21)
- 28th Field Artillery Brigade (28. Feldartillerie-Brigade)
- 14th Baden Field Artillery Regiment "Grand Duke" (Feldartillerie-Regiment Großherzog (1. Badisches) Nr. 14)
- 50th Baden Field Artillery Regiment (3. Badisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 50)
August 1914 organization
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 28th Division was renamed the 28th Infantry Division. Its initial wartime organization (major units) was as follows:
- 55th Infantry Brigade (55. Infanterie-Brigade)
- 109th Baden Life Grenadier Regiment (Badisches Leib-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 109)
- 110th Baden Grenadier Regiment "Kaiser Wilhelm I" (2. Badisches Grenadier-Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm I. Nr. 110)
- 56th Infantry Brigade (56. Infanterie-Brigade)
- 40th Fusilier Regiment "Prince Karl-Anton von Hohenzollern" (Füsilier-Regiment Fürst Karl-Anton von Hohenzollern (Hohenzollernsches) Nr. 40)
- 111th Infantry Regiment "Margrave Ludwig Wilhelm" (Infanterie-Regiment Markgraf Ludwig Wilhelm (3. Badisches) Nr. 111)
- 5th Horse JägerJäger (military)Jäger is a term that was adopted in the Enlightenment era in German-speaking states and others influenced by German military practice to describe a kind of light infantry, and it has continued in that use since then....
Regiment (Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 5) - 28th Field Artillery Brigade (28. Feldartillerie-Brigade)
- 14th Baden Field Artillery Regiment "Grand Duke" (Feldartillerie-Regiment Großherzog (1. Badisches) Nr. 14)
- 50th Baden Field Artillery Regiment (3. Badisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 50)
- 2nd Company, 14th Baden Engineer Battalion (2./Badisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 14)
- 3rd Company, 14th Baden Engineer Battalion (3./Badisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 14)
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, and the engineer contingent was increased. The 28th Infantry Division's order of battle on May 26, 1918 was as follows:
- 55th Infantry Brigade (55. Infanterie-Brigade)
- 40th Fusilier Regiment "Prince Karl-Anton von Hohenzollern" (Füsilier-Regiment Fürst Karl-Anton von Hohenzollern (Hohenzollernsches) Nr. 40)
- 109th Baden Life Grenadier Regiment (Badisches Leib-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 109)
- 110th Baden Grenadier Regiment "Kaiser Wilhelm I" (2. Badisches Grenadier-Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm I. Nr. 110)
- 37th Machine Gun Sharpshooter Detachment (MG-Scharfschützen-Abteilung Nr. 37)
- 2nd Squadron, 5th Horse JägerJäger (military)Jäger is a term that was adopted in the Enlightenment era in German-speaking states and others influenced by German military practice to describe a kind of light infantry, and it has continued in that use since then....
Regiment (2.Eskadron/Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 5) - Artillery Commander No. 28 (Artillerie-Kommandeur 28)
- 14th Baden Field Artillery Regiment "Grand Duke" (Feldartillerie-Regiment Großherzog (1. Badisches) Nr. 14)
- 55th Foot Artillery Battalion (Fußartillerie-Bataillon Nr. 55) - from June 12, 1918)
- 14th Baden Engineer Battalion Staff (Stab Badisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 14)
- 2nd Company, 14th Baden Engineer Battalion (2./Badisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 14)
- 3rd Company, 14th Baden Engineer Battalion (3./Badisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 14)
- 28th Mortar Company (Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 28)
- Divisional Signals Commander No. 28 (Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 28)
Notable commanders
- Paul von Hindenburg (1900-1903) - Later a GeneralfeldmarschallGeneralfeldmarschallField Marshal or Generalfeldmarschall in German, was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used...
and President of Germany. - Max von Fabeck (1906-1910) - later commander of the 1st Army (1915-1916)