26th Division (1st Royal Württemberg)

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The 26th Division (1. Königlich Württembergische) was a large association of the Württemberg Army in association with the Army of the German Empire .

history

Surname

A 1st Infantry Division was set up in the Kingdom of Württemberg on March 31, 1817 (Foundation Day) . On July 27, 1848, it was combined with the then 2nd Infantry Division to form an infantry division. This included all infantry regiments of the Württemberg Army. The division was divided into three brigades . On May 11, 1868, this division command was dissolved and the brigades were directly subordinated to the corps command.

On December 18, 1871, the 26th Division (1st Royal Württembergische) was rebuilt, but without a division staff. This was only set up on March 4, 1872.

Garrisons

The division command was in Stuttgart from 1817 until it was dissolved in 1919 .

Advance to the Meuse and through the Argonne 1914

Advance through the Argonne, September 1914

At the beginning of the war (August 1914), the 26th Division was part of the 5th Army on the Western Front and was part of the XIII. Army Corps ( von Fabeck ) through Luxembourg to France. The division, led by the Duke of Urach, took part in the Battle of Longwy on August 22nd . The division advanced alongside the 27th division on Ville Houdlemont. Before Baranzy it encountered strong enemy forces early on - the 52nd Brigade (Major General Karl Gottlob von Teichmann) suffered heavy losses from flanking fire from the French 4th Corps. The villages of Bleid and Baranzy were stormed and the line Grandcourt and Tellancourt reached. On August 23, the Othain section between Villette - Colmy was forced. On August 24, the troops were advancing to the Chiers sector via Vilette and Comey and, together with the 11th Reserve Division, led the attack on Longuyon . On August 30, 1914, the crossing over the Meuse and the storming of Mont-Montigny followed, then the division fought west of Verdun and through the Argonne, advancing over Varennes to Montfaucon. While the battle of the Marne was being fought out on the right wing of the German army , the 26th Division advanced via Vaubécourt to Sommaisne. From September 9th to 10th, 1914, the division carried out a night attack south of Sommaisne, according to the incoming general order to withdraw, rearguard battles followed in the Argonne until September 16th . Between September 17th and 24th the division fought in the second battle at Varennes for the new front line on the eastern edge of the Argonne Forest. Until October 7th, the troops were in the beginning war of positions in the Argonne Forest and on the eastern Aisne front.

In Flanders

Division battles in Flanders

At the beginning of October 1914, the XIII. Corps and the 26th Division to the 6th Army were transported to the newly formed front in Flanders . In mid-October 1914, the division fought in the Battle of Lille , then on October 21st for Château de Flandres. During the battle of La Bassée the division supported the counterattacks of the 14th division , on October 22nd the capture of Le Maisnil succeeded , between October 23rd and 27th they fought for Fromelles . On October 26, 1914, the position of the 119 Infantry Regiment on the Layes Bach was reinforced - as far as the enemy fire permitted. The 52nd Brigade succeeded only slowly in working its way up to the enemy position with heavy losses. The opposing positions turned out to be too strong that they could have been taken in the manner of the previous field attack. Between October 30 and November 26, 1914, the division fought in the section of Gruppe Fabeck in the First Battle of Flanders . On October 31, the storming managed by Messines where the trench warfare began. At the end of November the division was transported to the Eastern Front .

On the northern eastern front 1914/15

From December 1, 1914, the 26th Division and the 25th Reserve Division (with subordinate field artillery regiment "King Karl" (1st Württembergisches) No. 13, previously 27th Division) formed the Fabeck Corps in the 9th Army ( von Mackensen ) in the Łowicz area in Poland. Until December 17, 1914, the division wrestled at Sanniki. On December 5, Ilow was attacked, followed by a storming of Wszeliwy Park on December 12, followed by the enemy to Giszyce until December 13. Between December 18, 1914 and March 15, 1915, the division was in trench warfare on the Bzura .

Situation on the Eastern Front in October 1915

After the Bzura transition, positional battles followed at Zylin and Dachowo on December 19. From February 14, 1915, there was major fighting near Kenszyce, and on March 12 the advance to the Rawa took place. In mid-March 1915 the division was assigned to the same section of the newly formed 12th Army ( von Gallwitz ) and was again part of the XIII. Corps. This was followed by position battles north of Przasnysz until July 12, 1915 . In May 1915 the 52nd Infantry Brigade was disbanded, the Fusilier Regiment No. 122 was added to the 209th Infantry Brigade of the newly established Prussian 105th Division , and the Infantry Regiment No. 121 to the remaining 51st Infantry Brigade. Between July 13th and 24th, the division took part in the breakthrough battle at Przasnysz carried out by General Gallwitz , successfully pursued to the Narew sector from July 17th and participated in the battle for the Różan fortress from July 18th , succeeded on July 24th the capture of the fortress and the passage there over the Narew.

At the end of July to August 3, 1915, the 26th Division fought together with the 3rd and 4th Guard Divisions in the Battle of the Narew. Fighting on the Oßbach followed until August 6, at Ostrow until August 10 and at Tschischew until August 12. Between August 13 and 18 the troops pursued the Biala, then the division fought in the battle of Bielsk until August 25. Thereafter, the enemy was pursued through the Svislotsch and the Naumka until September 5 and thrown back on September 7 and 8 at Wolkowysk and on the Zelwianka.

Serbia campaign 1915

Campaign in Serbia, autumn 1915

Relocated to Syrmia on the Danube with the 12th Army in October , the division took part in the fight against Serbia . On November 1, 1915 the XXII. Reserve Corps ( von Falkenhayn ) assigned to the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army ( Kövess ), the 26th Division forced the crossing over the Save near Belgrade between October 11 and 14 . Between October 15 and 17, 1915, the division wrestled on the Avala section and on October 29 reached the storming of the Rudnik Pass. The division then pursued the enemy over Green. Milanovac to Kraljevo until November 8th .

Again in Flanders, on the Somme and in Artois 1916/17

On December 27, 1915, the 26th Infantry Division with Field Artillery Regiment 13 arrived in the section of the 4th Army in Flanders and remained in position in the area west of Ypres until July 31, 1916. Between June 2 and June 15, 1916, there was heavy fighting for double height 60.

Summer battle in autumn 1916

Between August 5 and 29, 1916, the division was part of the 1st Army on the Somme . During the Battle of the Somme , the division defended under the XIII. Corps at Longueval , the subsequent 27th Division wrestled at Guillemont. This was followed by defensive battles on the new front in the Delville Forest and at Ginchy. At the end of August 1916, the worn-out corps was replaced by the Bavarian II Corps , and the general command was transferred to Flanders. Between September 3 and November 14, 1916, the division was again with the 4th Army in the position battle on the Wytschaete-Bogen and then returned to the Somme. At the end of November 1916, the general command of the 1st Army took over the command of the 185th and 222nd divisions and led the defense on the Le Transloy line to Sailly-Saillisel .

At the beginning of 1917 General von Hofacker took command of the division. The troops remained in position battles on the Somme until March 15, 1917 and, after the Alberich Movement, remained in front of the newly captured Siegfried line until April 9 . Between April 9 and May 20, 1917, the 6th Army division was in the spring battle near Arras in the section of the "Arras Group" (General Command IX. RK ). Between May 21 and August 2, she remained in trench warfare in the Artois. and switched back to the 4th Army on August 15 to be used in the Third Battle of Flanders . On August 16, 1917, a British offensive began between the Yser and Lys, also known as the Battle of Langemark . The British managed to break through in the area of ​​the group "Ypres" (Gen.Kdo. Bayerisches III. AK ) near Langemark and fight their way to Poelcapelle. On August 22nd, the division had another day of major fighting in the Poelcapelle area, and from September 6th it was transported to Italy.

From the Isonzo to the Piave in 1917

Breakthrough on the Isonzo, October 1917

After arriving in northern Italy in mid-September 1917, the division was prepared for the attack in the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo . On October 24th, the 26th Division on the left wing of the 14th Army was assigned to the Berrer Group ( General Command z. B. V. 51 ) behind the 200th Division as a second meeting in the southern section of the Tolmein bridgehead against the Italian lines. Between October 25th and 27th the breakthrough over the Jeza massif and on October 27th the capture of Monte Purgesio and Cividale . On October 28th the division penetrated Udine and on October 30th they penetrated Codroipo . On November 7th they made the crossing over the Tagliamento and continued the advance on the Piave between November 14th and December 6th . After the resumption of trench warfare in Italy, the division was transported back to the Western Front from January 4, 1918 for the Great Battle of France.

End of the war on the Western Front in 1918

Between January 8 and March 11, 1918, the division spent in preparation for the spring offensive with Army Divisions A and B in Upper Alsace. Between March 12 and 20, 1918, the division was deployed in the area of ​​the 17th Army in order to be used as a second line for the "Mars attack". On March 21, 1918, Operation Michael began the great German attack on the Western Front. After the 17th Army got stuck, the 26th Division was assigned to the old Group Command XIII. AK subordinated to the 2nd Army. On March 28, the division fought at Moyenneville on April 5 at Serres. After the failure of the breakthrough, new trench warfare began in the Albert area from April 7th . On June 11th, the division was transferred to the 18th Army , standing south, to take part in the trench warfare on the Avre and Matz until June 30th . At the beginning of July 1918, the division transferred to the 1st Army on the Aisnefront, led position battles at Reims until July 14th and then stood in the unsuccessful attack battle in Champagne from July 15th to 17th , which resulted from the counterattacks of the French 5th Army had to be canceled.

Retreat fighting of the division, autumn 1918

On July 18, assigned to the 7th Army , the division fought in the battle between Soissons and Reims until July 25 and returned to Vesle fighting on July 26. This was followed by positional battles on the Vesle until August 23, and then defensive battles on the old Aisne position until September 27. The division stayed behind the Aisne Canal until October 9, and then fought defensive battles in the Ailette position from October 10 , and in the newly occupied Hunding position at Braye between October 12 and 21. After heavy defensive battles in the Vesles area between October 21 and November 4, the withdrawal to the Antwerp-Maas position became necessary. After the armistice the evacuation of the French territories became necessary, the division carried out the march back to the area south and west of Marburg an der Lahn between November 13th and December 6th, 1918 . On December 17, the division began to be transported to the demobilization sites at home.

structure

Peace formation from August 1, 1914

  • 51st Infantry Brigade (1st Royal Württemberg) in Stuttgart
Brigade commanders:
Major General von Stein from August 2, 1914 to July 20, 1916
Major General Otto Haas from July 20, 1916 to March 16, 1918
Major General Glück from March 16 to October 18, 1918
Colonel Max von Gemmingen from October 18, 1918 until the end of the war
Subordinated
Grenadier Regiment "Queen Olga" (1st Württembergisches) No. 119 in Stuttgart
Infantry Regiment "Kaiser Friedrich, King of Prussia" (7th Württembergisches) No. 125 in Stuttgart
  • 52nd Infantry Brigade (2nd Royal Württemberg) in Ludwigsburg
Brigade commanders:
Major General von Teichmann 1914
Subordinated
Infantry Regiment "Alt-Württemberg" (3rd Württembergisches) No. 121 in Ludwigsburg
Fusilier regiment "Emperor Franz Josef of Austria, King of Hungary" (4th Württembergisches) No. 122 in Heilbronn and Mergentheim (2nd battalion)
  • 26th Cavalry Brigade (1st Royal Württemberg) in Stuttgart
Brigade commanders:
(Kgl. Pruss.) Colonel von Saviati from July 9, 1872 to October 1877
Colonel Prince Wilhelm of Württemberg, who later became King Wilhelm II , from October 14, 1877 to 1882
Subordinated
Dragoon Regiment "Queen Olga" (1st Württembergisches) No. 25 in Ludwigsburg
Dragoon Regiment "König" (2nd Württemberg) No. 26 in Cannstatt
  • 26th Field Artillery Brigade (1st Royal Württemberg) in Ludwigsburg
2 Württemberg Field Artillery Regiment No. 29 Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria in Ludwigsburg
4. Württemberg Field Artillery Regiment No. 65 in Ludwigsburg

Division of war 1914–1917

The 26th Cavalry Brigade (1st Royal Württemberg) joined the 7th Cavalry Division after mobilization in 1914 . The division stayed with the XIII. Army Corps.

Division of War 1914:

From December 1, 1914, the 26th (Württemberg) Infantry Division and the 25th Reserve Division (with subordinate field artillery regiment "King Karl" (1st Württemberg) No. 13 , previously the 27th Division ) formed the "XIII . Corps Fabeck ”with the 9th Army ( Mackensen ) in Poland. In March 1915 the XIII. Corps of the 12th Army ( Gallwitz ), on November 1, 1915 the XXII. Reserve Corps (Falkenhayn), 3rd Austro-Hungarian Army (Köveß), subordinated.

Structure 1915:
In May 1915 the 52nd Infantry Brigade was disbanded, the Fusilier Regiment No. 122 was added to the 209th Infantry Brigade of the newly established 105th Division , and the Infantry Regiment No. 121 to the remaining 51st Infantry Brigade .

  • 51st Infantry Brigade (1st Royal Württemberg)
Grenadier Regiment "Queen Olga" (1st Württembergisches) No. 119
Infantry Regiment "Alt-Württemberg" (3rd Württembergisches) No. 121
Infantry Regiment "Kaiser Friedrich, King of Prussia" (7th Württembergisches) No. 125
  • 26th Field Artillery Brigade (1st Royal Württemberg)

Division of war from 1917

In the winter of 1916/1917 a new combat regulation “Principles for leadership in defensive battles” with a new general structure of a division came into force. From December 1917 the division was divided into

  • 51st Infantry Brigade
Grenadier Regiment "Queen Olga" (1st Württembergisches) No. 119
Infantry Regiment "Alt-Württemberg" (3rd Württembergisches) No. 121
Infantry Regiment "Kaiser Friedrich, King of Prussia" (7th Württembergisches) No. 125
Machine Rifle Sniper Division No. 40
2. Württemberg Field Artillery Regiment No. 29 Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria
2nd Battalion Lower Silesian Foot Artillery Regiment No. 5
  • Staff Pioneer Battalion No. 143 with 1st and 5th Company Württemberg Pioneer Battalion No. 13 and Mine Thrower Company 26
  • 2nd field squadron of the Uhlan regiment "King Wilhelm I." (2nd Württembergisches) No. 20
  • Division News Commander No. 26

From October 7, 1917 the division with the 200th (Prussian) Jäger Division belonged to the General Command z. b. V. (for special use) 51 in Veneto .

From March 1918 the division was again subordinate to Group Command XIII of the 2nd Army .

Commanders

Rank Surname date
Lieutenant General Johann Georg von Schéler 1817
unoccupied 1826 to 1828
Lieutenant General Karl Friedrich Ludwig zu Hohenlohe-Kirchberg 1828 to February 2, 1837
Lieutenant General Ernst Eugen von Hügel 1837
Lieutenant General Ludwig Friedrich von Stockmayer 1837
Lieutenant General Joseph Konrad von Bangold 1838
Lieutenant General Karl von der Lippe-Falkenflucht 1842
Lieutenant General Moriz von Miller 1849
Major general Ernst Meisrimmel from Weissenau 1850
Lieutenant General Ernst von Baumbach 1852
Lieutenant General Julius von Hardegg 1859
Lieutenant General Kuno von Wiederhold 1864
Lieutenant General Oskar von Hardegg 0September 8, 1865 to September 1, 1866
Lieutenant General Karl von Fischer September 13, 1866 to October 3, 1868
unoccupied 1868 to 1872
Lieutenant General Karl Bernhard von Reitzenstein 0March 4, 1872 to June 29, 1874
Lieutenant General Hugo von Kottwitz July 14, 1874 to December 21, 1876
Lieutenant General Walter von Gottberg December 22, 1876 to March 27, 1881
Lieutenant General Karl von Knoerzer March 28, 1881 to May 20, 1884
Lieutenant General Friedrich Pergler from Perglas May 21, 1884 to August 17, 1888
Lieutenant General Wilhelm von Woelckern August 18, 1888 to October 26, 1890
Lieutenant General Oskar von Lindequist October 27, 1890 to April 21, 1895
Lieutenant General Johannes von Dettinger March 22, 1895 to March 21, 1897
Lieutenant General Rudolf von Caemmerer March 22, 1897 to February 21, 1900
Lieutenant General Albert von Schnürlen February 22, 1900 to April 12, 1901
Lieutenant General Albrecht of Württemberg April 13, 1901 to September 23, 1906
Lieutenant General Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski September 24, 1906 to January 26, 1910
Lieutenant General Franz von Soden January 27, 1910 to March 21, 1911
Lieutenant General Friedrich von Gerok March 22, 1911 to September 20, 1912
Lieutenant General Wilhelm Karl von Urach September 21, 1912 to January 5, 1917
Lieutenant General Eberhard von Hofacker 0January 6 to November 2, 1917
Major general Ulrich of Württemberg 0November 3, 1917 to December 14, 1918
Major general Otto Haas December 14, 1918 to January 1, 1919
Major general Hermann von Stein 0January 2 to May 8, 1919

See also

swell

  • Main State Archives Stuttgart, holdings M 38, M 410, M 433/2 M 457

literature

  • Royal War Ministry (Ed.): Military Manual of the Kingdom of Württemberg, large edition, as of May 6, 1913. Stuttgart 1913.
  • Otto von Moser : The Wuerttembergians in the World War. Second expanded edition. Chr.Belser, Stuttgart 1928.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Crown Prince Wilhelm: My memories. ES Mittler & Sohn, Berlin 1923, pp. 20-88.
  2. ↑ Dermot Bradley (ed.), Günter Wegner: Occupation of the German Army 1815-1939. Volume 1: The higher command posts 1815–1939. Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1990, ISBN 3-7648-1780-1 , p. 122f.

Remarks

  1. ↑ Only one infantry brigade belonged
    to a division, but with three infantry regiments
    as division cavalry only one squadron
  2. ↑ The 4th Württemberg Field Artillery Regiment No. 65 became Army Artillery on June 9, 1917.