The 34th Division (34. Division) was a unit of the
Prussian/
GermanArmy.[1] It was formed on April 1, 1890, and was headquartered in
Metz (now in France).[2] The division was subordinated in peacetime to the
XVI Army Corps (XVI. Armeekorps).[3] The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after
World War I. The division was recruited heavily in the densely populated
Rhine Province and in the
Province of Westphalia, as its primary recruiting and garrison area was
Lorraine,[4] whose German population was insufficient to support the divisions of the XVI Army Corps.
Combat chronicle
The 34th Infantry Division fought on the
Western Front in World War I. It participated in the initial German offensive and the Allied
Great Retreat. In 1916, it fought in the
Battle of Verdun. In 1917, it participated in the
Second Battle of the Aisne, also known as the Third Battle of Champagne (and to the Germans, as the Double Battle of Aisne-Champagne). It also saw action in the tank battle at
Cambrai. In 1918, the division fought in the
German spring offensive, including the
First Battle of the Somme, 1918, also known as the Second Battle of the Somme (after the 1916 battle), and the Battle of St. Quentin. It then fought in the subsequent Allied counteroffensives, including the
Oise-Aisne offensive. Allied intelligence rated the division as a good division, one of the best of the second class divisions, and the XVI Army Corps as one of the best in the German Army.[5][6]
Pre–World War I organization
The organization of the 34th Division in 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, was as follows:[7]
68. Infanterie-Brigade
4. Magdeburgisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 67
Königs-Infanterie-Regiment (6. Lothringisches) Nr. 145
86. Infanterie-Brigade
Infanterie-Regiment Graf Werder (4. Rheinisches) Nr. 30
9. Lothringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 173
34. Kavallerie-Brigade
2. Hannoversches Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 14
Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 12
45. Kavallerie-Brigade
Husaren-Regiment König Humbert von Italien (1. Kurhessisches) Nr.13
Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 13
34. Feldartillerie-Brigade
3. Lothringisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 69
4. Lothringisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 70
Order of battle on mobilization
On mobilization in August 1914, at the beginning of World War I, most divisional cavalry, including brigade headquarters, was withdrawn to form cavalry divisions or split up among divisions as reconnaissance units.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 34th Division was redesignated the 34th Infantry Division. Its initial wartime organization was as follows:[8]
68. Infanterie-Brigade
4. Magdeburgisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 67
Königs-Infanterie-Regiment (6. Lothringisches) Nr. 145
86. Infanterie-Brigade
Infanterie-Regiment Graf Werder (4. Rheinisches) Nr. 30
9. Lothringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 173
2. Hannoversches Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 14
34. Feldartillerie-Brigade
3. Lothringisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 69
4. Lothringisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 70
2.Kompanie/1. Lothringisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 16
3.Kompanie/1. Lothringisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 16
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 - 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 34th Infantry Division's order of battle on March 12, 1918, was as follows:[9]
68. Infanterie-Brigade
Infanterie-Regiment Graf Werder (4. Rheinisches) Nr. 30
4. Magdeburgisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 67
Königs-Infanterie-Regiment (6. Lothringisches) Nr. 145
MG-Scharfschützen-Abteilung Nr. 44
5.Eskadron/Jäger-zu-Pferd-Regiment Nr. 12
Artillerie-Kommandeur 34:
4. Lothringisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 70
III. Bataillon/Fußartillerie-Regiment von Dieskau (Niederschlesisches) Nr. 6
Stab Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 132:
2.Kompanie/1. Lothringisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 16
3.Kompanie/1. Lothringisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 16
Claus von Bredow, bearb., Historische Rang- und Stammliste des deutschen Heeres (1905)
Hermann Cron et al., Ruhmeshalle unserer alten Armee (Berlin, 1935)
Hermann Cron, Geschichte des deutschen Heeres im Weltkriege 1914-1918 (Berlin, 1937)
Günter Wegner, Stellenbesetzung der deutschen Heere 1815-1939. (Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1993), Bd. 1
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 (1920,
online)
Footnotes
^From the late 1800s, the Prussian Army was effectively the German Army as, during the period of German unification (1866-1871), the states of the
German Empire entered into conventions with Prussia regarding their armies and only the Bavarian Army remained fully autonomous.
^Günter Wegner, Stellenbesetzung der deutschen Heere 1815-1939. (Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1993), Bd. 1, p.130; Claus von Bredow, bearb., Historische Rang- und Stammliste des deuschen Heeres (1905), p.687.
^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 (1920), pp. 409-412 (
online).
^Rangliste der Königlich Preußischen Armee (1914), pp. 100-101
^Hermann Cron et al., Ruhmeshalle unserer alten Armee (Berlin, 1935)