4th Division (German Empire)
Encyclopedia
The 4th Division was a unit of the Prussia
n/German
Army
. It was formed in Torgau
on September 5, 1818. The headquarters moved to Stargard (now Stargard Szczeciński
, Poland
) in 1820, where it stayed until 1852. In 1852, the headquarters moved to its final destination, Bromberg (now Bydgoszcz, Poland
). From the corps' formation in 1820, the division was subordinated in peacetime to the II Army Corps
(II. Armeekorps). The 4th Division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 4th Division and its regiments fought in the Austro-Prussian War
against Austria
in 1866, including the Battle of Königgrätz
. The division then fought in the Franco-Prussian War
against France
in 1870-71. It saw action in the Battle of Gravelotte
, the Siege of Metz
, and the Siege of Paris
, among other actions.
In World War I, the 4th Division served initially on the Western Front
, seeing action in the invasion of Belgium, the First Battle of the Marne
and the Race to the Sea
. The division was then transferred to the Eastern Front
, where it fought in several campaigns, including the recapture of Lemberg (Lviv
) in 1915. It then returned to the Western Front, where it saw action in the Battle of Verdun
. After Verdun, it occupied various positions on the line on the Western Front. In 1918, it took part in the German Spring Offensive
, including the Battle of Picardy and the Battle of the Lys (also known as the Lys Offensive or the Fourth Battle of Ypres).
in 1890. In 1914, the peacetime organization of the 3rd Division was as follows:
, most divisional cavalry, including brigade headquarters, was withdrawn to form cavalry divisions or split up among divisions as reconnaissance units.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 4th Division was again renamed the 4th Infantry Division. The 4th Infantry Division's initial wartime organization was as follows:
- 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 4th Infantry Division's order of battle on January 26, 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 in Torgau
Torgau
Torgau is a town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district Nordsachsen.Outside Germany, the town is most well known as the place where during the Second World War, United States Army forces coming from the west met with forces of the Soviet Union...
on September 5, 1818. The headquarters moved to Stargard (now Stargard Szczeciński
Stargard Szczecinski
Stargard Szczeciński is a city in northwestern Poland, with a population of 71,017 . Situated on the Ina River it is the capital of Stargard County and since 1999 has been in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship; prior to that it was in the Szczecin Voivodeship...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) in 1820, where it stayed until 1852. In 1852, the headquarters moved to its final destination, Bromberg (now Bydgoszcz, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
). From the corps' formation in 1820, the division was subordinated in peacetime to the II Army Corps
II Corps (German Empire)
The II Army Corps was a unit of the Imperial German Army that was stationed in Stettin. At the outbreak of World War I, the corps served on the Western Front.In 1914, the component units of the corps were:*3rd Division*4th Division...
(II. Armeekorps). The 4th Division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.
The 4th Division and its regiments fought in the Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
against Austria
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
in 1866, including the Battle of Königgrätz
Battle of Königgrätz
The Battle of Königgrätz , also known as the Battle of Sadowa, Sadová, or Hradec Králové, was the decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War, in which the Kingdom of Prussia defeated the Austrian Empire...
. The division then fought in 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...
against France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1870-71. It saw action in the Battle of 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:...
, 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:...
, and the Siege of Paris
Siege of Paris
The Siege of Paris, lasting from September 19, 1870 – January 28, 1871, and the consequent capture of the city by Prussian forces led to French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire as well as the Paris Commune....
, among other actions.
In World War I, the 4th Division served initially on 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...
, seeing action in the invasion of Belgium, 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...
and 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...
. The division was then transferred 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...
, where it fought in several campaigns, including the recapture of Lemberg (Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
) in 1915. It then returned to the Western Front, where it saw action 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...
. After Verdun, it occupied various positions on the line on the Western Front. In 1918, it took part 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 Picardy and the Battle of the Lys (also known as the Lys Offensive or the Fourth Battle of Ypres).
1870 organization
During wartime, the 4th Division, like other regular German divisions, was redesignated an infantry division. The organization of the 4th Infantry Division in 1870 at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War was as follows:- 7.Infanterie-Brigade:
- Colbergsches-Grenadier-Regiment (2. Pommersches) Nr. 9
- 6. Pommersches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 49
- 8.Infanterie-Brigade:
- 4. Pommersches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 21
- 8. Pommersches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 61
- Dragoner-Regiment von Wedel (Pommersches) Nr. 11
Pre-World War I organization
Many regiments were renamed and assigned to different divisions during the period from 1871 to 1914. Among other changes, the 3rd and 4th Divisions swapped the Colberg Grenadiers and the 14th Infantry Regiment, and the regiments of the 8th Infantry Brigade joined the newly formed 35. Division35th Division (German Empire)
The 35th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed on April 1, 1890, and was headquartered initially in Graudenz and from 1912 in Thorn . The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XVII Army Corps...
in 1890. In 1914, the peacetime organization of the 3rd Division was as follows:
- 7.Infanterie-Brigade:
- Infanterie-Regiment Graf Schwerin (3. Pommersches) Nr. 14
- 6. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 149
- 8.Infanterie-Brigade:
- 6. Pommersches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 49
- 4. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 140
- 4. Kavallerie-Brigade:
- Grenadier-Regiment zu Pferde Freiherr von Derfflinger (Neumärkisches) Nr. 3
- Dragoner-Regiment von Arnim (2. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 12
- 4. Feldartillerie-Brigade:
- 2. Pommersches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 17
- Hinterpommersches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 53
August 1914 organization
On mobilization in August 1914 at the beginning of World War IWorld 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 4th Division was again renamed the 4th Infantry Division. The 4th Infantry Division's initial wartime organization was as follows:
- 7.Infanterie-Brigade:
- Infanterie-Regiment Graf Schwerin (3. Pommersches) Nr. 14
- 6. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 149
- 8.Infanterie-Brigade:
- 6. Pommersches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 49
- 4. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 140
- Dragoner-Regiment von Arnim (2. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 12
- 4. Feldartillerie-Brigade:
- 2. Pommersches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 17
- Hinterpommersches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 53
- 2./Pommersches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 2
- 3./Pommersches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 2
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 4th Infantry Division's order of battle on January 26, 1918 was as follows:
- 8.Infanterie-Brigade:
- Infanterie-Regiment Graf Schwerin (3. Pommersches) Nr. 14
- 6. Pommersches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 49
- 4. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 140
- MG-Scharfschützen-Abteilung Nr. 9
- 2.Eskadron/Grenadier-Regiment zu Pferde Freiherr von Derfflinger (Neumärkisches) Nr. 3
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 4:
- Hinterpommersches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 53
- Fußartillerie-Bataillon Nr. 48
- Stab Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 114:
- 2./Pommersches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 2
- 5./Pommersches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 2
- Minenwerfer-Kompanie Nr. 4
- Divisions-Nachrichten-Kommandeur 4