The 35th Reserve Division (35. Reserve-Division) was a unit of the Imperial 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...

, in 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 formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914. The division was disbanded during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division began the war as part of the central reserve of Fortress Thorn (Hauptreserve/Festung Thorn). Although designated a reserve division, it was initially composed primarily of Landwehr

Landwehr

Landwehr, or Landeswehr, is a German language term used in referring to certain national armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large scale, low strength fortifications...

 units. In 1916, it was completely reorganized, receiving new brigade headquarters and newly formed regiments.

Combat chronicle

The 35th Reserve Division began the war 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 Battle of 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 the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes. In 1915, it was transferred from Poland to Hungary and saw 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...

. Thereafter, it remained in White Russia until the armistice on the Eastern Front, when it went to Ukraine. It remained in Ukraine until March 1919. Allied intelligence rated the division as fourth class.

Order of battle on mobilization

The order of battle of the 35th Reserve Division on mobilization was as follows:

• 5.Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade
  • Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 2
  • Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 9
• 20.Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade
  • Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 19
  • Kgl. Sächs. Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 107
• schweres Reserve-Reiter-Regiment Nr. 3
• Ersatz-Abteilung/Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 35
• Ersatz-Abteilung/Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 81
• 1.Reserve-Kompanie/1. Westpreußisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 17

Order of battle on April 1, 1916

The 35th Reserve Division was triangularized

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...

 in July 1915. The order of battle on April 1, 1916 was as follows:

• 5.Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade
  • Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 2
  • Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 9
  • Kgl. Sächs. Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 107
  • Landsturm-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 13
• schwere Reserve-Reiter-Regiment Nr. 3
• Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 35
• 1.Reserve-Kompanie/1. Westpreußisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 17
• Landsturm-Pionier-Kompanie Nr. 9
• Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 235

Order of battle on December 15, 1916

In November 1916, the 35th Reserve Division was completely reorganized. The 5th Landwehr Infantry Brigade and the 2nd and 9th Landwehr Infantry Regiments were sent to the 226th Infantry Division and the 167th Infantry Brigade headquarters was received from the 84th Infantry Division. Two newly raised infantry regiments, the 420th and 421st, replaced the lost Landwehr infantry regiments. The order of battle on December 15, 1916 was as follows:

• 167.Infanterie-Brigade
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 420
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 421
  • Kgl. Sächs. Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 107
  • Landsturm-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 13
• 2.Eskadron/Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 4
• Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 35
• 1.Reserve-Kompanie/1. Westpreußisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 17
• Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 235

Order of battle on March 9, 1918

Over the course of the war, other changes took place, including the formation of a signals command and a pioneer battalion. The remaining non-Prussian unit, the Saxon

Kingdom of Saxony

The Kingdom of Saxony , lasting between 1806 and 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. From 1871 it was part of the German Empire. It became a Free state in the era of Weimar Republic in 1918 after the end of World War...

 107th Landwehr Infantry Regiment, was replaced by a 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:...

unit, the 438th Infantry Regiment. The 13th Landsturm Infantry Regiment was transferred out of the division. The order of battle on March 9, 1918 was as follows:

• 167.Infanterie-Brigade
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 420
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 421
  • Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 438
• 2.Eskadron/Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 4
• Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 35
• Stab Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 335
  • 1.Reserve-Kompanie/1. Westpreußisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 17
  • Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 235
• Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 435