The 20th 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 Hannover. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the X Army Corps (X. 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

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...

, the division was a mixed unit, with Hannoverian, Brunswick and Westphalian elements. It was subsequently reorganized so that it was recruited primarily from the former Kingdom of Hannover, which had become the Prussian Province of Hanover

Province of Hanover

The Province of Hanover was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to 1946.During the Austro-Prussian War, the Kingdom of Hanover had attempted to maintain a neutral position, along with some other member states of the German Confederation...

 after 1866, along with the Duchy of Brunswick

Duchy of Brunswick

Brunswick was a historical state in Germany. Originally the territory of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in the Holy Roman Empire, it was established as an independent duchy by the Congress of Vienna in 1815...

.

Combat chronicle

During the Franco-Prussian War, the 20th Infantry Division fought in the battles of Mars-la-Tour

Battle of Mars-La-Tour

The Battle of Mars-La-Tour was fought on 16 August 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War near the town of Mars-La-Tour in northeast France. Two Prussian corps encountered the entire French Army of the Rhine in a meeting engagement, and with the surprise entailed, successfully forced the Army of the...

 and Gravelotte

Battle of Gravelotte

The Battle of Gravelotte was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War named after Gravelotte, a village in Lorraine between Metz and the former French–German frontier.-Terrain and armies:...

, and then in the Siege of Metz

Siege of Metz

The Siege of Metz lasting from 19 August – 27 October 1870 was fought during the Franco-Prussian War and ended in a decisive Prussian victory.-History:...

. It then fought in the Loire Campaign, including the battles of Beaune-la-Rolande

Battle of Beaune-la-Rolande

The Battle of Beaune-la-Rolande on 28 November 1870 was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War, won by Prussia. In an attempt to relieve the Siege of Paris, French General Crouzat's XX Corps launched an attack against three Prussian brigades resting in Beaune-la-Rolande...

, 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...

, Beaugency-Cravant, 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 in 1914, the 20th Infantry Division fought in the Allied Great Retreat

Great Retreat

The Great Retreat, also known as the Retreat from Mons, is the name given to the long, fighting retreat by Allied forces to the River Marne, on the Western Front early in World War I, after their holding action against the Imperial German Armies at the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914...

, including the Battle of St. Quentin

Battle of St. Quentin (1914)

The Battle of St. Quentin was fought during World War I.On the night of 26 August 1914, the Allies withdrew from Le Cateau to St...

 and the First Battle of the Marne

First Battle of the Marne

The Battle of the Marne was a First World War battle fought between 5 and 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The battle effectively ended the month long German offensive that opened the war and had...

. It was 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...

 in 1915 and again twice more, seeing action 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...

 and the Russian Brusilov Offensive

Brusilov Offensive

The Brusilov Offensive , also known as the June Advance, was the Russian Empire's greatest feat of arms during World War I, and among the most lethal battles in world history. Prof. Graydon A. Tunstall of the University of South Florida called the Brusilov Offensive of 1916 the worst crisis of...

. It returned to the Western Front and after a period in the trenches saw action in the Battle of Passchendaele and the German 1918 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...

. The division was rated a first class division by Allied intelligence.

Order of battle in the Franco-Prussian War

During wartime, the 20th Division, like other regular German divisions, was redesignated an infantry division. The organization of the 20th Infantry Division in 1870 at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War was as follows:

• 39. Infanterie-Brigade
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 17
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 56
• 40. Infanterie-Brigade
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 70
  • Braunschweigisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 92
• Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 10
• Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 16

Pre-World War I organization

German divisions underwent various organizational changes after the Franco-Prussian War. As noted above, the 20th Division was reorganized to become primarily a Hannover/Brunswick unit. The organization of the 20th Division in 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, was as follows:

• 39. Infanterie-Brigade
  • Infanterie-Regiment von Voigts-Rhetz (3. Hannoversches) Nr. 79
  • 4. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 164
• 40.Infanterie-Brigade
  • 2. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 77
  • Braunschweigisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 92
• 20.Kavallerie-Brigade
  • 2. Hannoversches Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 16
  • Braunschweigisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 17
• 20. Feldartillerie-Brigade
  • Feldartillerie-Regiment von Scharnhorst (1. Hannoversches) Nr. 10
  • Niedersächsisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 46
• Landwehr-Inspektion Hannover

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 20th Division was again renamed the 20th Infantry Division and its initial wartime organization was as follows:

• 39. Infanterie-Brigade
  • Infanterie-Regiment von Voigts-Rhetz (3. Hannoversches) Nr. 79
  • 4. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 164
  • Hannoversches Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 10
• 40.Infanterie-Brigade
  • 2. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 77
  • Braunschweigisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 92
• Stab und "1/2"-Regiment/Braunschweigisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 17
• 20. Feldartillerie-Brigade
  • Feldartillerie-Regiment von Scharnhorst (1. Hannoversches) Nr. 10
  • Niedersächsisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 46
• 2.Kompanie/Hannoversches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 10
• 3.Kompanie/Hannoversches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 10

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

• 40. Infanterie-Brigade
  • 2. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 77
  • Infanterie-Regiment von Voigts-Rhetz (3. Hannoversches) Nr. 79
  • Braunschweigisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 92
  • Maschinengewehr-Scharfschützen-Abteilung Nr. 32
• 5.Eskadron/Braunschweigisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 17
• Artillerie-Kommandeur 20
  • Niedersächsisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 46
  • Fußartillerie-Bataillon Nr. 155
• Stab Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 10
  • 2.Kompanie/Hannoversches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 10
  • 3.Kompanie/Hannoversches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 10
  • Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 20
• Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 20