6th Division (Reichswehr)
Encyclopedia
Creation
In the Order of 31 July 1920 for the Reduction of the Army (to comply with the upper limits on the size of the military contained in the Treaty of VersaillesTreaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
), it was determined that in every Wehrkreis (military district
Military district (Germany)
During World War II Germany used the system of military districts to relieve field commanders of as much administrative work as possible and to provide a regular flow of trained recruits and supplies to the Field Army...
) a division would be established by 1 October 1920. The 6th Division was formed in January 1921 out of the Reichswehr-Brigaden 7 and 10, both part of the former Übergangsheer (Transition Army).
It consisted of 3 infantry regiments, the 16th, 17th and 18th Infantry Regiments. It also included the 6th (Prussian) Artillery Regiment, an engineering battalion, a signals battalion, a transportation battalion and a medical battalion. It was subordinated to Gruppenkommando 2.
The commander of the Wehrkreis VI was simultaneously the commander of the 6th Division. Its commanders were:
- General of the Infantry Friedrich von Lossberg 1 October 1920 - 1 January 1925
- General of the Infantry Leopold Freiherr von Ledebur 1 January 1925 - 28 February 1928
- General of the Artillery Max Föhrenbach 1 March 1928 - 1 May 1931
- Generalleutnant Wolfgang Fleck 1 May 1931 - 30 September 1934
The unit ceased to exist as such after October 1934, and its subordinate units were transferred to the 21 Divisions newly created in that year.