The 36th 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 April 1, 1890, and was headquartered in Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland). The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XVII Army Corps (XVII. 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...

. The division was recruited primarily in West Prussia

West Prussia

West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773–1824 and 1878–1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish province of Royal Prussia...

.

Combat chronicle

The 36th Infantry Division began World War I on 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...

. It fought in the battles of Gumbinnen

Battle of Gumbinnen

The Battle of Gumbinnen, initiated by forces of the German Empire on August 20, 1914, was the first major German offensive on the Eastern Front during the First World War...

 and Tannenberg

Battle of Tannenberg (1914)

The Battle of Tannenberg was an engagement between the Russian Empire and the German Empire in the first days of World War I. It was fought by the Russian First and Second Armies against the German Eighth Army between 23 August and 30 August 1914. The battle resulted in the almost complete...

, and in the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes. In 1915, it participated in 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...

. In October 1915, it was transferred to 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...

. In 1916, it fought in the Battle of the Somme. In 1917, it participated in the Battle of Arras

Battle of Arras (1917)

The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....

 and the Battle of Passchendaele. In 1918, the division fought 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...

, including the Battle of St. Quentin, also known as the First Battle of the Somme 1918 (and occasionally as the Second Battle of the Somme, after the 1916 battle). It then fought 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 defended against various Allied offensives and counteroffensives, including the Hundred Days Offensive

Hundred Days Offensive

The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...

. Allied intelligence rated the division as an excellent combat division but considered it second class by 1918, mainly due to the losses it suffered during that year's battles.

Pre-World War I organization

The organization of the 36th Division in 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, was as follows:

• 69. Infanterie-Brigade
  • 3. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 129
  • 8. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 175
• 71. Infanterie-Brigade
  • Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich I (4. Ostpreußisches) Nr. 5
  • Danziger Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 128
• Leib-Husaren-Brigade
  • 1. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr. 1
  • 2. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Königin Victoria von Preußen Nr. 2
• 36. Feldartillerie-Brigade
  • 2. Westpreußisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 36
  • Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 72 Hochmeister

Order of battle on mobilization

On mobilization in August 1914 at the beginning of World War I, 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 36th Division was redesignated the 36th Infantry Division. Its initial wartime organization was as follows:

• 69. Infanterie-Brigade
  • 3. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 129
  • 8. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 175
• 71. Infanterie-Brigade
  • Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich I (4. Ostpreußisches) Nr. 5
  • Danziger Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 128
• Husaren-Regiment Fürst Blücher von Wahlstatt (Pommersches) Nr. 5
• 36. Feldartillerie-Brigade
  • 2. Westpreußisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 36
  • Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 72 Hochmeister
• 2.Kompanie/1. Westpreußisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 17
• 3.Kompanie/1. Westpreußisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 17

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 36th Infantry Division's order of battle on March 20, 1918 was as follows:

• 71.Infanterie-Brigade
  • Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich I (4. Ostpreußisches) Nr. 5
  • Danziger Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 128
  • 8. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 175
  • Maschinengewehr-Scharfschützen-Abteilung Nr. 64
• 4.Eskadron/Husaren-Regiment von Schill (1. Schlesisches) Nr. 4
• Artillerie-Kommandeur 36:
  • 2. Westpreußisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 36
  • I.Bataillon/Reserve-Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 4
• Stab Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 17
  • 3.Kompanie/1. Westpreußisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 17
  • 5.Kompanie/1. Westpreußisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 17
  • Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 36
• Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 36