Landwehr Corps
| Landwehr Corps Landwehrkorps | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918) | |
| Active | 2 August 1914 - post November 1918 |
| Country |  German Empire |
| Type | Corps |
| Size | Approximately 38,000 (on formation) |
| Engagements | World War I |
The Landwehr Corps (German: Landwehrkorps) was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.
Formation
[edit]The Landwehr Corps was formed on the outbreak of war in August 1914[1] as part of the mobilisation of the Army. It was initially commanded by General der Infanterie Remus von Woyrsch, who had been recalled from retirement.[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war.
Structure on formation
[edit]On formation, in August 1914, the Landwehr Corps consisted of two divisions, which were made up of 3rd line units. The Senior Landwehr Commander 3 was formed with units drawn from V Corps District (Province of Posen and Lower Silesia) and Senior Landwehr Commander 4 was formed with units drawn from VI Corps District (Province of Silesia, particularly Upper Silesia). It mobilised with 34 infantry battalions (considerably above the norm), just four machine gun platoons (eight machine guns), nine cavalry squadrons, four field artillery batteries (24 guns) and two pioneer companies.
| Corps | Division | Brigade | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landwehr Corps[3] | Senior Landwehr Commander 3 (3rd Landwehr Division) |
17th Landwehr Infantry Brigade | 6th Landwehr Infantry Regiment |
| 7th Landwehr Infantry Regiment | |||
| 18th Landwehr Infantry Brigade | 37th Landwehr Infantry Regiment | ||
| 46th Landwehr Infantry Regiment | |||
| 17th Ersatz Infantry Brigade[4] | 17th Brigade Ersatz Battalion[5] | ||
| 18th Brigade Ersatz Battalion[6] | |||
| 19th Brigade Ersatz Battalion[7] | |||
| 20th Brigade Ersatz Battalion[8] | |||
| 77th Brigade Ersatz Battalion[9] | |||
| 1st Landwehr Cavalry Regiment[10] | |||
| 1st Landwehr Battery of V Corps[11] | |||
| 2nd Landwehr Battery of V Corps[12] | |||
| Reserve Company, 5th Pioneer Battalion[13] | |||
| 1st Landwehr Divisional Pontoon Train | |||
| Reserve Telephone Section | |||
| Senior Landwehr Commander 4 (4th Landwehr Division) |
22nd Landwehr Infantry Brigade | 11th Landwehr Infantry Regiment | |
| 51st Landwehr Infantry Regiment | |||
| 23rd Landwehr Infantry Brigade | 22nd Landwehr Infantry Regiment | ||
| 23rd Landwehr Infantry Regiment | |||
| 21st Ersatz Infantry Brigade[14] | 21st Brigade Ersatz Battalion[15] | ||
| 22nd Brigade Ersatz Battalion[16] | |||
| 23rd Brigade Ersatz Battalion[17] | |||
| 24th Brigade Ersatz Battalion[18] | |||
| 78th Brigade Ersatz Battalion[19] | |||
| 2nd Landwehr Cavalry Regiment[20] | |||
| Ersatz Cavalry Regiment[21] | |||
| 1st Landwehr Battery of VI Corps[22] | |||
| 2nd Landwehr Battery of VI Corps[23] | |||
| Reserve Company, 6th Pioneer Battalion[24] | |||
| 2nd Landwehr Divisional Pontoon Train | |||
| Reserve Telephone Section | |||
| Corps Troops | Landwehr Munitions Column Section[25] | ||
| Four Landwehr Telephone Columns | |||
| Two LoC[26] Motor Vehicle Columns | |||
| Two Landwehr Bakery Columns | |||
| Two Magazine Supply Parks[27] |
Combat chronicle
[edit]On mobilisation, the Landwehr Corps was assigned to the 8th Army on the Eastern Front. Whilst the 8th Army was concentrated in East Prussia, the Landwehr Corps was detached to Upper Silesia. On 4 September 1914, it came under the command of 1st Austro-Hungarian Army.[28] Due to losses suffered by the 4th Landwehr Division in the Battle of Tarnawka (7–9 September 1914), the 11th and 51st Landwehr Infantry Regiments were reduced to a single battalion each; the 22nd and 23rd Landwehr Infantry Regiments were reduced to two battalions each.
On 14 September 1914, the Brigade Ersatz Battalions of the 21st Ersatz Infantry Brigade were dissolved and their manpower used to replace combat losses in the following battalions:
- 21st Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into II Battalion, 51st Landwehr Infantry Regiment
- 22nd Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into II Battalion, 11th Landwehr Infantry Regiment
- 23rd Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into II Battalion, 51st Landwehr Infantry Regiment
- 24th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into II Battalion, 11th Landwehr Infantry Regiment
- 78th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into II Battalion, 78th Landwehr Infantry Regiment
On 25 September 1914, the Brigade Ersatz Battalions of the 17th Ersatz Infantry Brigade were likewise dissolved:
- 17th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into III Battalion, 23rd Landwehr Infantry Regiment
- 18th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into III Battalion, 51st Landwehr Infantry Regiment
- 19th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into III Battalion, 22nd Landwehr Infantry Regiment
- 20th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into III Battalion, 22nd Landwehr Infantry Regiment
- 77th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into III Battalion, 11th Landwehr Infantry Regiment[29]
The Landwehr Corps joined the 9th Army on 24 September 1914.[30]
Commanders
[edit]The Landwehr Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[31]
| From | Rank | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 August 1914 | General der Infanterie | Remus von Woyrsch[32] |
| 23 September 1916 | General der Infanterie | Günther Graf von Kirchbach[33] |
| 23 April 1917 | General der Infanterie | Artur von Brietzke |
From 3 November 1914, von Woyrsch was assigned to concurrently command Armee-Abteilung Woyrsch. A deputy, Generalleutnant Götz Freiherr von König,[34] took command of the Landwehr Corps on 3 December 1914.[35]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ Cron 2002, p. 88
- ^ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 23 March 2012
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 325
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 328 With 2 machine gun platoons (4 machine guns)
- ^ Busche 1998, p. 76 Formed with two companies of 19th Infantry Regiment and two companies of 58th Infantry Regiment (17th Infantry Brigade, 9th Division, V Corps).
- ^ Busche 1998, p. 76 Formed with two companies of 7th Grenadier Regiment and two companies of 154th Infantry Regiment (18th Infantry Brigade, 9th Division, V Corps).
- ^ Busche 1998, p. 76 Formed with two companies of 6th Grenadier Regiment and two companies of 46th Infantry Regiment (19th Infantry Brigade, 10th Division, V Corps).
- ^ Busche 1998, p. 76 Formed with two companies of 47th Infantry Regiment and two companies of 50th Infantry Regiment (20th Infantry Brigade, 10th Division, V Corps).
- ^ Busche 1998, p. 78 Formed with two companies of 37th Fusilier Regiment and two companies of 155th Infantry Regiment (77th Infantry Brigade, 10th Division, V Corps).
- ^ 1st, 2nd and 3rd Landwehr Cavalry squadrons of V Corps
- ^ Robinson & Robinson 2009, p.248 says 1st Landsturm Bty, V Corps
- ^ Robinson & Robinson 2009, p.248 says 2nd Landsturm Bty, V Corps
- ^ Robinson & Robinson 2009, p.248 says Ersatz Co., 5 Pi Btn
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 329 With two machine gun platoons (four machine guns)
- ^ Busche 1998, p. 77 Formed with two companies of 10th Grenadier Regiment and two companies of 38th Fusilier Regiment (21st Infantry Brigade, 11th Division, VI Corps).
- ^ Busche 1998, p. 77 Formed with two companies of 11th Grenadier Regiment and two companies of 51st Infantry Regiment (22nd Infantry Brigade, 11th Division, VI Corps).
- ^ Busche 1998, p. 77 Formed with two companies of 22nd Infantry Regiment and two companies of 156th Infantry Regiment (23rd Infantry Brigade, 12th Division, VI Corps).
- ^ Busche 1998, p. 77 Formed with two companies of 23rd Infantry Regiment and two companies of 62nd Infantry Regiment (24th Infantry Brigade, 12th Division, VI Corps).
- ^ Busche 1998, p. 78 Formed with two companies of 63rd Infantry Regiment and two companies of 157th Infantry Regiment (78th Infantry Brigade, 12th Division, VI Corps).
- ^ 1st, 2nd and 3rd Landwehr Cavalry squadrons of VI Corps
- ^ Three squadrons
- ^ Robinson & Robinson 2009, p.249 says 1st Landsturm Bty, VI Corps
- ^ Robinson & Robinson 2009, p.249 says 2nd Landsturm Bty, VI Corps
- ^ Robinson & Robinson 2009, p.249 says Ersatz Co., 6 Pi Btn
- ^ 2 Infantry and 2 Artillery Munition Columns
- ^ Lines of Communication
- ^ supplied through four Lines of Communication Train Squadrons
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 52
- ^ Busche 1998, p. 131
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 52
- ^ German War History Accessed: 13 April 2012
- ^ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 13 April 2012
- ^ The Prussian Machine Archived 2012-06-30 at archive.today Accessed: 13 April 2012 Subsequently commander of Armee-Abteilung D
- ^ The Prussian Machine Archived 2012-06-30 at archive.today Accessed: 13 April 2012
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 400
Bibliography
[edit]- Cron, Hermann (2002). Imperial German Army 1914-18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle [first published: 1937]. Helion & Co. ISBN 1-874622-70-1.
- Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.
- Busche, Hartwig (1998). Formationsgeschichte der Deutschen Infanterie im Ersten Weltkrieg (1914 bis 1918) (in German). Institut für Preußische Historiographie.
- Robinson, Janet; Robinson, Joe (2009). Handbook of Imperial Germany. Authorhouse.
- Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Divisions of the German Army which Participated in the War (1914-1918), compiled from records of Intelligence section of the General Staff, American Expeditionary Forces, at General Headquarters, Chaumont, France 1919. The London Stamp Exchange Ltd (1989). 1920. ISBN 0-948130-87-3.
- The German Forces in the Field; 7th Revision, 11th November 1918; Compiled by the General Staff, War Office. Imperial War Museum, London and The Battery Press, Inc (1995). 1918. ISBN 1-870423-95-X.