German Units in the Polish Frontier 1914

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Antonio Pena
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German Units in the Polish Frontier 1914

#1

Post by Antonio Pena » 07 May 2004, 20:24

I'm trying to know the exact composition of the German Army after mobilization and the first month of the war. The OOB for the French-Belgian Front is very easy to find and track, but the eastern front is more difficult, the Eight Army covers the East Preussen, but what about the remainder of the frontier? and there is any great unit in the reserve?.
The Germans never dread of an attack from Poland to Berlin?

Thanks to all

Antonio

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Peter H
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#2

Post by Peter H » 08 May 2004, 04:48

From what I can gather Germen defensive measures along the German-Russian frontier south of East Prussia always took into account the sparse Russian railway connections in that region.German doctrine was that a Corps could not operate when it had advanced more than 60kms from its supply railhead(an 80km allowance was made for a less heavily equipped Russian Corps).Hence the potential for a Russian build up was limited in threathening Berlin from that axis.The sole main Russian depot in central Poland,Lodz, played its part in this calculation as well as the sparseness of the frontier region,also incidentally left undeveloped by the Russians to also deter a German offensive from that direction.Russian plans to build up further railway infastructure ,by 1916, in central Poland should also be noted.


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Peter H
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#3

Post by Peter H » 08 May 2004, 05:31

The German 8th Army OOB is fairly easy to establish,although some sources ignore Morgen's 3rd Reserve Division and Brecht's 1st Cavalry Division.

My understanding is that the following(mainly Landwehr) units also conducted defensive operations along the German-Russian frontier in 1914,with a heavy reliance of fortress positions :

Konigsberg
1st Landwehr Korps consisting of the Jacobi(10th Landwehr) Division,Einem(11th Landwehr)Division.The Sommer Division(later 16th Landwehr) also acted as garrison.

Abteilung Unger
Deployed west of the 8th Army near Lautenburg-Neidenburg in East Prussia.If I'm correct the 35th Reserve Division formed the basis for this unit.

A mention of the Bredow Division(later 18th Landwehr Division) operating in East Prussia is also made.


Graudenz Korps
Breugel Division(later 85th Landwehr in 1915)
Woernitz Division(later 86th Division in 1915)

Thorn Korps
Abteilung Griepenkerl-Plantier(later 87th Division in 1915)
Westernhagen Division(later 89th Division in 1915)

Posen Korps
Four brigades of Landwehr,Ersatz,later forming the 83rd & 84th Divisions in June 1915.

Breslau Korps
Mixed Landwehr,Ersatz Brigades of the Menges Division(later 88th Division in 1915).

Woysrch's 2nd Landwehr Korps
Entrusted with the mobile defence of Silesia,consisting of the 3rd &4th Landwehr Divisions.

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Antonio Pena
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German Units in the Polish Frontier 1914

#4

Post by Antonio Pena » 08 May 2004, 23:12

Thankyou Moulded. Have you a list of auxiliary units (Pioneer, Train, Foot artillery,etc.) on this front? Please, if yes, incklude that ones allocated to the 8th Army, and the garrison of Könisberg.

Thankyou

Antonio

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