1st Division (Reichswehr)


The 1st Division was a unit of the Reichswehr, the armed forces of Germany during the Weimar Republic.

Creation

In the Order of 31 July 1920 for the Reduction of the Army, it was determined that in every Wehrkreis a division would be established by 1 October 1920. The 1st Division was formed in January 1921 out of the Reichswehr-Brigaden 1 and 20, both part of the former Übergangsheer.
It consisted of 3 infantry regiments, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Infantry Regiments Infanterie-Regiment; 2. Infanterie-Regiment; 3.. It also included the 1st Artillery Regiment, an engineering battalion, a signals battalion, a transportation battalion and a medical battalion. It was subordinated to Gruppenkommando 1.
The commander of the 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.

Divisional commanders

The unit ceased to exist as such after October 1934, and its subordinate units were transferred to the 11, 21 Divisions newly created in that year. The 1. Infanterie-Regiment provided the personnel for the infantry regiments of the 1st Infantry Division of the new Wehrmacht.

Garrisons

The divisional headquarters was in Königsberg.