The 1st Guards Infantry Division (German: 1. Garde-Infanterie-Division) was a unit of the Prussian (and later)

Imperial German Army The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the leadership of Kingdom o ...

and was stationed in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

Origins

The division was created on September 5, 1818 when the guards brigades, which had been created in 1813 and were assigned to various commands, were grouped into a single formation.

Ernst Ludwig von Tippelskirch Lieutenant general Ernst Ludwig von Tippelskirch (26 July 1774 in Gut Görken, Prussia – 23 January 1840 in Berlin) was a Prussian Army officer during the Napoleonic wars. Later he was commandant of Berlin and commander of the Royal Prussian Sta ...

was appointed as the first commander of the division.

Austro-Prussian War

The division was active during the

Austro-Prussian War The Austro-Prussian War (German: ''Preußisch-Österreichischer Krieg''), also known by many other names,Seven Weeks' War, German Civil War, Second War of Unification, Brothers War or Fraternal War, known in Germany as ("German War"), ''Deutsc ...

. It was commanded by Generalmajor

Constantin von Alvensleben Reimar Constantin von Alvensleben (26 August 1809 – 28 March 1892) was a Prussian (and later Imperial German) general. Born at Eichenbarleben in the Province of Saxony, Alvensleben entered the Prussian Guards from the cadet corps as a se ...

and part of the Second Army.

Franco-Prussian War

During the

Franco-Prussian War The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...

, the division was commanded by Generalmajor Alexander August Wilhelm von Pape. It was part of the Second Army, commanded by Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia. Throughout the war 4 officers, 70 men, and 10 horses were killed. Order of Battle: 1870 * 1st Guards Infantry Brigade ** 1st Foot Guards ** 3rd Foot Guards ** Guards Fusilier Regiment * 2nd Guards Infantry Brigade **2nd Foot Guards ** 4th Foot Guards *Divisional Troops **Guards Jäger Battalion ** Guards Hussars **1st Foot Battalion, Guards Artillery

Imperial German Army

By 1914 the division was subordinate to the Guards Corps of the Imperial German Army. At the outbreak of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

it was commanded by Gen-Lt. Oskar von Hutier. In April of 1915

Prince Eitel Friedrich Prince Wilhelm Eitel Friedrich Christian Karl of Prussia (7 July 1883 – 8 December 1942) was the second son of Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany by his first wife, Princess Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. He was bo ...

took command of the division until October of 1918, when he was relieved by Eduard von Jena. Order of Battle: 1914 * 1st Guards Infantry Brigade ** 1st Foot Guards ** 3rd Foot Guards * 2nd Guards Infantry Brigade ** 2nd Foot Guards ** 4th Foot Guards * 1st Guards Field Artillery Brigade ** 1st Guards Field Artillery ** 2nd Guards Field Artillery * Guards Hussar Regiment (2nd, 3rd, and 5th Squadrons) * 1st Company, Guards Pioneer Battalion * 1st and 3rd Section, Guards Field Ambulance Company * 1st Guards Divisional Pontoon Train

References

External links

Prussian Army Units, by Michael Hughes
{{DEFAULTSORT:1st Guards Infantry Division (German Empire) Guards infantry divisions of Germany in World War I Military units and formations established in 1818 Military units and formations disestablished in 1919