Landwehr Corps

The Landwehr Corps () was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.

Formation The Landwehr Corps was formed on the outbreak of war in August 1914 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. Accessed: 23 March 2012 It was still in existence at the end of the war.

Structure on formation 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 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 With 2 machine gun platoons (4 machine guns) 17th Brigade Ersatz Battalion Formed with two companies of 19th Infantry Regiment and two companies of 58th Infantry Regiment (17th Infantry Brigade, 9th Division, V Corps). 18th Brigade Ersatz Battalion Formed with two companies of 7th Grenadier Regiment and two companies of 154th Infantry Regiment (18th Infantry Brigade, 9th Division, V Corps). 19th Brigade Ersatz Battalion Formed with two companies of 6th Grenadier Regiment and two companies of 46th Infantry Regiment (19th Infantry Brigade, 10th Division, V Corps). 20th Brigade Ersatz Battalion Formed with two companies of 47th Infantry Regiment and two companies of 50th Infantry Regiment (20th Infantry Brigade, 10th Division, V Corps). 77th Brigade Ersatz Battalion Formed with two companies of 37th Fusilier Regiment and two companies of 155th Infantry Regiment (77th Infantry Brigade, 10th Division, V Corps). 1st Landwehr Cavalry Regiment1st, 2nd and 3rd Landwehr Cavalry squadrons of V Corps 1st Landwehr Battery of V CorpsRobinson & Robinson 2009, p.248 says 1st Landsturm Bty, V Corps 2nd Landwehr Battery of V CorpsRobinson & Robinson 2009, p.248 says 2nd Landsturm Bty, V Corps Reserve Company, 5th Pioneer BattalionRobinson & Robinson 2009, p.248 says Ersatz Co., 5 Pi Btn 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 With two machine gun platoons (four machine guns) 21st Brigade Ersatz Battalion Formed with two companies of 10th Grenadier Regiment and two companies of 38th Fusilier Regiment (21st Infantry Brigade, 11th Division, VI Corps). 22nd Brigade Ersatz Battalion Formed with two companies of 11th Grenadier Regiment and two companies of 51st Infantry Regiment (22nd Infantry Brigade, 11th Division, VI Corps). 23rd Brigade Ersatz Battalion Formed with two companies of 22nd Infantry Regiment and two companies of 156th Infantry Regiment (23rd Infantry Brigade, 12th Division, VI Corps). 24th Brigade Ersatz Battalion Formed with two companies of 23rd Infantry Regiment and two companies of 62nd Infantry Regiment (24th Infantry Brigade, 12th Division, VI Corps). 78th Brigade Ersatz Battalion Formed with two companies of 63rd Infantry Regiment and two companies of 157th Infantry Regiment (78th Infantry Brigade, 12th Division, VI Corps). 2nd Landwehr Cavalry Regiment1st, 2nd and 3rd Landwehr Cavalry squadrons of VI Corps Ersatz Cavalry RegimentThree squadrons 1st Landwehr Battery of VI CorpsRobinson & Robinson 2009, p.249 says 1st Landsturm Bty, VI Corps 2nd Landwehr Battery of VI CorpsRobinson & Robinson 2009, p.249 says 2nd Landsturm Bty, VI Corps Reserve Company, 6th Pioneer BattalionRobinson & Robinson 2009, p.249 says Ersatz Co., 6 Pi Btn 2nd Landwehr Divisional Pontoon Train Reserve Telephone Section Corps Troops Landwehr Munitions Column Section2 Infantry and 2 Artillery Munition Columns Four Landwehr Telephone Columns Two LoCLines of Communication Motor Vehicle Columns Two Landwehr Bakery Columns Two Magazine Supply Parkssupplied through four Lines of Communication Train Squadrons

Combat chronicle 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. 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

The Landwehr Corps joined the 9th Army on 24 September 1914.

Commanders The Landwehr Corps had the following commanders during its existence:German War History Accessed: 13 April 2012 From Rank Name2 August 1914 General der Infanterie Remus von Woyrsch Accessed: 13 April 201223 September 1916 General der Infanterie Günther Graf von KirchbachThe Prussian Machine Accessed: 13 April 2012 Subsequently commander of Armee-Abteilung D23 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,The Prussian Machine Accessed: 13 April 2012 took command of the Landwehr Corps on 3 December 1914.

Landwehr Corps

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