The 1st Division was a unit of the ''

Reichswehr ''Reichswehr'' (; ) was the official name of the German armed forces during the Weimar Republic and the first two years of Nazi Germany. After Germany was defeated in World War I, the Imperial German Army () was dissolved in order to be reshaped ...

'', the armed forces of Germany during the

Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic, officially known as the German Reich, was the German Reich, German state from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history; hence it is also referred to, and unofficially proclai ...

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 Versailles The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919. As the most important treaty of World War I, it ended the state of war between Germany and most of the Allies of World War I, Allied Powers. It was signed in the Palace ...

), it was determined that in every ''Wehrkreis'' ( military district) a division would be established by 1 October 1920. The 1st Division was formed in January 1921 out of the ''Reichswehrs 1st and 20th Brigades, both part of the former ''Übergangsheer'' (Transition Army). It consisted of 3 infantry regiments, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (Prussian) Infantry Regiments. It also included the 1st (Prussian) Artillery Regiment, an engineering battalion, a signals battalion, a transportation battalion, and a medical battalion. It was subordinated to ''Gruppenkommando'' 1. The commander of ''Wehrkreis'' I was simultaneously the commander of the 1st Division. For the leadership of the troops, an ''Infanterieführer'' and an ''Artillerieführer'' were appointed, both subordinated to the commander of the division. The unit ceased to exist as such after October 1934, and its subordinate units were transferred to the 11 new divisions created in that year. The 1st (Prussian) Infantry Regiment provided the personnel for the infantry regiments of the 1st Infantry Division of the newly created ''

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...

''.

Organization

* 1st (Prussian) Infantry Regiment * 2nd (Prussian) Infantry Regiment * 3rd (Prussian) Infantry Regiment * 1st (Prussian) Artillery Regiment * Pioneer Battalion * Signals Battalion * Transportation Battalion * Medical Battalion

Divisional commanders

* ''General der Infanterie'' Johannes von Dassel (1 October 1920 - 31 October 1923) * ''

Generaloberst A ("colonel general") was the second-highest general officer rank in the German '' Reichswehr'' and ''Wehrmacht'', the Austro-Hungarian Common Army, the East German National People's Army and in their respective police services. The rank w ...

'' Wilhelm Heye (1 November 1923 - 31 October 1926) * ''General der Infanterie'' Friedrich Freiherr von Esebeck (1 November 1926 - 30 September 1929) * ''General der Infanterie''

Werner von Blomberg Werner Eduard Fritz von Blomberg (2 September 1878 – 13 March 1946) was a German general and politician who served as the first Minister of War in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1938. Blomberg had served as Chief of the ''Truppenamt'', equivalent ...

(1 October 1929 - 30 January 1933) * ''

Generalleutnant () is the German-language variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO ...

Walther von Brauchitsch Walther Heinrich Alfred Hermann von Brauchitsch (4 October 1881 – 18 October 1948) was a German ''Generalfeldmarschall'' (Field Marshal) and Commander-in-Chief (''Oberbefehlshaber'') of the German Army during the first two years of World War ...

(1 February 1933 - 1 October 1934)

''Infanterieführers''

* ''Generalleutnant'' Johannes Ehrhardt (1 October 1920 - 1 January 1922) * ''Generalleutnant'' Hugo van den Bergh (11 January 1922 - 31 January 1924) * ''

Generalmajor is the Germanic languages, Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central Europe, Central and Northern European countries. Austria Belgium Denmark is the second lowest general officer rank in the Royal Danish Army and R ...

'' Robert Bürkner (1 February 1924 - 19 March 1925) * ''Generalmajor'' Hermann Niethammer (19 March 1925 - 31 January 1928) * ''Generalmajor'' Albert Fett (1 February 1928 - 31 January 1929) * ''Generalmajor'' Kurt Fischer (1 February 1929 - 31 October 1930) * ''Generalleutnant'' Karl Held (1 November 1930 - 30 September 1931) * ''Generalleutnant''

Karl von Roques Karl von Roques (7 May 1880 – 24 December 1949) was a German general and war criminal during the Second World War, who commanded the Army Group Rear Area behind Army Group South. Following the war, Roques was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment ...

(1 October 1931 - 31 January 1933) * ''Generalmajor'' Günther von Niebelschütz (1 February 1933 - 15 October 1935)Axis history
/ref>

Garrison

The divisional headquarters was in

Königsberg Königsberg (; ; ; ; ; ; , ) is the historic Germany, German and Prussian name of the city now called Kaliningrad, Russia. The city was founded in 1255 on the site of the small Old Prussians, Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teuton ...

References

Feldgrau.com
{{Divisions of the Reichswehr Infantry divisions of Germany Military units and formations established in 1920 Military units and formations disestablished in 1934