The 5th Division was a unit of the German ''

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 ...

from 1921 to 1934''.

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 Military districts (also called military regions) are formations of a state's armed forces (often of the Army) which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters ...

) a division would be established by 1 October 1920. The 5th Division was formed out of the ''Reichswehrs 11 and 13th Brigades, both of the former ''Übergangsheer'' (Transition Army). It consisted of 3 infantry regiments: the 13th (Württemberger) Infantry Regiment, the 14th (Baden) Infantry Regiment, and the 15th Infantry Regiment. It also included an artillery regiment, an engineering battalion, a signals battalion, a transportation battalion, and a medical battalion. It was subordinated to ''Gruppenkommando'' 2. The commander of ''Wehrkreis'' V was simultaneously the commander of the 5th Division. For the leadership of the troops, an ''Infanterieführer'' and an ''Artillerieführer'' were appointed, both subordinated to the commander of the division. In the course of the expansion of the army in 1934, the divisional staff was transferred and renamed to the ''Generalkommando'' of the V Army Corps.

Divisional commanders

* ''General der Infanterie''

Walther Reinhardt Walther Gustav Reinhardt (; 24 March 1872 in Stuttgart – 8 August 1930 in Berlin) was a German officer who served as the last Prussian Minister of War and the first head of the army command (''Chef der Heeresleitung'') within the newly created ...

(1 October 1920 - 1 January 1925) * ''General der Infanterie'' Ernst Hasse (1 January 1925 - 1 February 1927) * ''General der Infanterie'' Hermann Reinicke (1 February 1927 - 30 September 1929) * ''General der Infanterie'' Hans Freiherr Seutter von Lötzen (1 October 1929 - 1 December 1931) * ''

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 ...

Curt Liebmann Kurt is a male given name in Germanic languages. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Konrad/Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. Like Conrad, it can also a surname an ...

(1 December 1931 - 1 August 1934)

''Infantrieführers''

* ''

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 ...

Hermann Geyer __NOTOC__ Hermann Geyer (7 July 1882 – 10 April 1946) was a German general during World War II who commanded the IX Army Corps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Geyer retired in 1943 and committed suici ...

(1 October 1931 - 30 September 1932)

''Artillerieführers''

* ''

Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German language, German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the Army, ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, a ...

Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb Wilhelm Josef Franz Ritter von Leeb (5 September 1876 – 29 April 1956) was a German ''Generalfeldmarschall'' (Field marshal, Field Marshal) of the ''Wehrmacht'' during the Second World War, who was subsequently convicted of war crimes. Leeb w ...

(1 March 1928 - 31 January 1929) * ''Generalmajor''

Leonhard Kaupisch Leonhard Kaupisch (1 September 1878 – 26 September 1945) was a German general during World War II who served as Supreme Military Commander of occupied Denmark. World War I and interwar period Kaupisch entered the army in 1898; from 1907 to 190 ...

(1 February 1930 - 30 September 1932)

Garrisons

The divisional headquarters was in Stuttgart. The subordinate units were located in

Württemberg Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart. Together with Baden and Province of Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern, two other histo ...

and

Hesse Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...

References

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