39th Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 39th Division was a unit of the Prussia
n/German
Army
. It was formed on April 1, 1899, and was headquartered in Colmar
(now in France). The division was subordinated in peacetime initially to the XIV Army Corps (XIV. Armeekorps) and then to the XV Army Corps (XV. Armeekorps). The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I
.
and the Province of Westphalia
, as the Alsatian German population was insufficient to support all the units stationed there. The 126th Infantry Regiment was from the Kingdom of Württemberg
. The 66th Field Artillery was from the Grand Duchy of Baden
. The 14th Jäger Battalion, attached on mobilization from the XIV Army Corps, was from the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
, and then fought in the Race to the Sea
, culminating in the Battle of the Yser
. The division remained on the Yser front until January 1916, when it was transferred to the vicinity of Verdun. It then fought in the Battle of Verdun
and also saw action in the later phases of the Battle of the Somme. It spent the first half of 1917 in the trenches of the Champagne and served in the Second Battle of the Aisne
, also known as the Third Battle of Champagne (and to the Germans as the Double Battle Aisne-Champagne). It then moved to Flanders and saw action in the Battle of Passchendaele. In 1918, it fought in the German Spring Offensive
and remained in the Flanders region during the subsequent Allied offensives. Allied intelligence rated the division as second class.
- 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 39th Infantry Division's order of battle on February 20, 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 on April 1, 1899, and was headquartered in Colmar
Colmar
Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....
(now in France). The division was subordinated in peacetime initially to the XIV Army Corps (XIV. Armeekorps) and then to the XV Army Corps (XV. 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 a mixed unit: its Prussian elements, although designated Upper Alsatian, were mainly raised in the more densely-populated Rhine ProvinceRhine 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...
and the 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...
, as the Alsatian German population was insufficient to support all the units stationed there. The 126th Infantry Regiment was from the Kingdom of Württemberg
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...
. The 66th Field Artillery was 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:...
. The 14th Jäger Battalion, attached on mobilization from the XIV Army Corps, was from the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
Combat chronicle
The division began World War I fighting in the Battle of the FrontiersBattle 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 fought in 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...
, culminating in the Battle of the Yser
Battle of the Yser
The Battle of the Yser secured part of the coastline of Belgium for the allies in the "Race to the Sea" after the first three months of World War I.-Strategic Context:As part of the execution of the Schlieffen Plan, Belgium had been invaded by Germany...
. The division remained on the Yser front until January 1916, when it was transferred to the vicinity of Verdun. 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...
and also saw action in the later phases of the Battle of the Somme. It spent the first half of 1917 in the trenches of the Champagne and served in the Second Battle of the Aisne
Second Battle of the Aisne
The Second Battle of the Aisne , was the massive main assault of the French military's Nivelle Offensive or Chemin des Dames Offensive in 1917 during World War I....
, also known as the Third Battle of Champagne (and to the Germans as the Double Battle Aisne-Champagne). It then moved to Flanders and saw action in the Battle of Passchendaele. In 1918, it 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...
and remained in the Flanders region during the subsequent Allied offensives. Allied intelligence rated the division as second class.
Pre-World War I organization
The organization of the 39th Division in 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, was as follows:- 61. Infanterie-Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 126 Großherzog Friedrich von Baden (8. Württembergisches)
- 1. Unter-Elsässisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 132
- 82. Infanterie-Brigade
- 2. Ober-Elsässiches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 171
- 3. Ober-Elsässiches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 172
- 39. Kavallerie-Brigade
- Kurmärkisches Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 14
- Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 3
- 39. Feldartillerie-Brigade
- 4. Badisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 66
- 3. Ober-Elsässisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 80
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 39th Division was redesignated the 39th Infantry Division. Its initial wartime organization was as follows:- 61. Infanterie-Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 126 Großherzog Friedrich von Baden (8. Württembergisches)
- 1. Unter-Elsässisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 132
- 82. Infanterie-Brigade
- 2. Ober-Elsässiches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 171
- 3. Ober-Elsässiches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 172
- Großherzoglich Mecklenburgisches Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 14
- Kurmärkisches Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 14
- 39. Feldartillerie-Brigade
- 4. Badisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 66
- 3. Ober-Elsässisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 80
- 2.Kompanie/1. Elsässisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 15
- 3.Kompanie/1. Elsässisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 15
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 39th Infantry Division's order of battle on February 20, 1918 was as follows:
- 61. Infanterie-Brigade
- Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 126 Großherzog Friedrich von Baden (8. Württembergisches)
- 1. Unter-Elsässisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 132
- 3. Ober-Elsässiches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 172
- Maschinengewehr-Scharfschützen-Abteilung Nr. 19
- 1. Eskadron/Reserve-Husaren-Regiment Nr. 8
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 39
- 3. Ober-Elsässisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 80
- Fußartillerie-Bataillon Nr. 406
- Stab Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 136:
- 2.Kompanie/1. Elsässisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 15
- 3.Kompanie/1. Elsässisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 15
- Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 39
- Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 39