Return 
EASTERN FRONT
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3rd Regular Division (German Empire) - The division was then transferred to the Eastern Front, and remained there until the end of the war with Russia. It then served in occupation duty in Russia until October 1918, when it returned to the Western Front for the final few weeks of the war. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Division_(German_Empire) ]
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Four Armies (8, 10, Bug [Army of the Bug], Sūd [ Süd: South Army or Army Group South ]), four independent temporary armies ('D', Gronau, Scheffer, Woyrsch), and three temporary armies (Eben, Litzmann and Marwitz) fought on the Eastern Front. Bug Army comprised AG [Armeegruppe] Marwitz and Litzmann; AG Marwitz was disbanded on 22 August 1917; AA [Armeeabteilung] Scheffer on 17 September and AA Woyrsch on 15 December. Following the Russian armistice , Bug Army was disbanded on 23 January 1918, Sūd and AG Eben on 25 January, and AG Litzmann on 28 January; after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, AA Gronau was disbanded on 27 March 1918. This left 8th Army and AA 'D' in Lithuania, and 10th Army in Byelorussia and Ukraine. AA 'D' was disbanded on 2 October 1918 ...
All fighting on the Eastern Front ceased on 15 December 1917 with the conclusion of the Russo-German armistice. Following the breakdown in negotiations on 10 February 1918 the Germans unilaterally resumed their offensive on 18 February, forcing Lenin to sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on 3 March, thus buying time to to establish Soviet power in Russia by sacrificing Poland, the Baltic states, Byelorussia, (Belarus), Ukraine, Crimea and Transcaucasia to the Central Powers ...
Meanwhile 'Linsingen' [Gen d.lif Alexander von Linsingen] Army Group advance into western Ukraine ...
Following the terms of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, on 3 March 'Linsingen' (later 'Eichhorn-Kiew') commenced a brutal occupation of the Chernihiv, Kharkov, Kiev, Poltava, Taurida and Volhynia provinces of northern and eastern Ukraine ...
The Germans then contravened the treaty by advancing further east into the Cossack Don Republic, and occupied the Crimea on 1 May 1918 ...
[Source: Nigel Thomas and Ramiro Bujeiro, The German Army in World War I: 1917-18, (Osprey Publishing, 2004), pp. 7, 12, 13 - Note: AG=Armeegruppe; AA=Armeeabteilung --- (AA) operated independently under an army group, while an Armeegruppe (AG) always came under a field army.]
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Generaloberst Remus von Woyrsch [veteran German infantry officer Remus von Woyrsch was recalled from retirement in August 1914 to command a corps on the Eastern Front - His forces were attached to the Austro-Hungarian First Army for a short time before becoming part of Army Section Woyrsch on the Silesian sector of the front in October. Woyrsch remained in Poland until the end of the war on the Eastern Front, commanding Army Group Woyrsch, which covered the south of the country from August 1916 until its disbandment at the end of 1917. ] - [http://www.geocities.com/veldes1/woyrsch.html ]
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Generaloberst Alexander von Linsingen [His Army of the Bug won glorious victories along the river Bug in summer 1915 ...henceforth, all of the Eastern Front north of the Bukowina was to be under German military direction. This brought nearly all operations against Russia by Austria under German control. It was perhaps necessary under the circumstances, but it was not at all appreciated by the Austrians ... [http://www.geocities.com/veldes1/linsingen.html ]
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Eben Group, Gen. d. Inf. von Eben [Field Army Commander General Johannes von Eben] ... [http://www.geocities.com/veldes1/kosak.html ] General Johannes Karl Louis Richard von Eben (1855-1924) [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Johannes_von_Eben_(1855-1924).jpg ]
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Field Army Commander Gronau [http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/index.htm/aok/pixmil1.htm ] - Hans von Gronau (1850-1949), General der Artillerie [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gronau ]
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Field Army Commander Marwitz [http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/index.htm/aok/pixmil1.htm ] Georg von der Marwitz [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_von_der_Marwitz ]
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General der Infanterie Reinhard, Freiherr von Scheffer-Boyadel [ http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinhard_von_Scheffer-Boyadel ] - General Reinhard Gottlob Georg Heinrich Freiherr von Scheffer-Boyadel (1851-1925) [ http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Reinhard_von_Scheffer-Boyadel_(1851-1925).jpg ]
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In late April [1918] the German Supreme Commander in Ukraine, [was] Hermann von Eichhorn ... [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Brest-Litovsk_(February_9,_1918) ] Eichhorn became the commanding general of the 10th Army on January 21, 1915, which he would command until March 5, 1918 ... On July 30, 1916, while remaining in command of the 10th Army, Eichhorn became supreme commander of Army Group Eichhorn (Heeresgruppe Eichhorn) based around 10th Army, which he would command until March 31, 1918. ... On April 3, 1918, Field Marshal von Eichhorn became supreme commander of Army Group Kiev (Heeresgruppe Kiew) and simultaneously military governor of Ukraine. ... [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_von_Eichhorn ] On 4 March [1918] Eichhorn was appointed to command the German occupation forces in western Russian and the Ukraine (a new Army Group Eichhorn). His main job was to extract as much grain as possible from the Ukraine to break the British blockade. He used a combination of bribery and violence to achieve this aim, aided by his able chief of staff General Wilhelm Groener ...on 30 July he was murdered by a left wing social revolutionary who hoped to force the Bolsheviks to abandon their limited cooperation with the Germans. [http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/people_eichhorn_hermann.html ]
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Felix Graf von Bothmer ... Bothmer took leadership of the Südarmee [Deutsch Süd Armee] on 7 July 1915 and retained command until 1918. [http://www.geocities.com/veldes1/bothmer.html ] German South Army (Südarmee), [1n 1715] consist[ed] of two Austrian divisions and four German divisions ... [http://www.geocities.com/veldes1/bohm.html ]
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ARMIES THAT FOUGHT ON THE EASTERN FRONT
Army Groups in the East: 1914-1918
| Heeresgruppe Eichhorn - Kiew | |
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* HQ: Kiev (Ukraine) |
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| Generalfeldmarschall Hermann von Eichhorn | 31 Mar 1918 |
| * chief of staff Generalleutnant Wilhelm Groener | " |
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* renamed Army Group Kiev following Eichhorn's murder |
30 Jul 1918 |
| Heeresgruppe Kiew | |
| Generaloberst Günther Graf von Kirchbach | 30 Jul 1918 |
| * chief of staff Generalleutnant Wilhelm Groener | " |
| * chief of staff Generalmajor Emil Hell | 31 Oct 1918 |
| * chief of staff Oberst Rethe | 3 Dec 1918 |
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* end of Kirchbach's command |
7 Feb 1919 |
*German Army Group Commanders - East
ARMIES
8TH
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* disbanded |
22 Sep 1918 |
* German Field Army Commanders
[http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/index.htm/army/aok1.htm ]
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GO v. Prittwitz und Gaffron (27 November 1848 - 29 March 1917), 2 August 14 - 22 August 14.
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GdInf v. Beneckendorff u. v. Hindenburg, 22 August 1914 - 18 September 1914.
HQ: Posen
Generaloberst Max von Prittwitz und Gaffron 2 Aug 1914
* chief of staff Generalmajor Georg Graf von Waldersee " Generaloberst Paul von Hindenburg 23 Aug 1914 * chief of staff Generalmajor Erich Ludendorff " Gen.d.Art. Richard von Schubert 18 Sep 1914 * chief of staff Generalmajor Paul Grünert " Gen.d.Inf. Hermann von Francois 8 Oct 1914 * chief of staff Generalmajor Adolf Wild von Hohenborn 3 Nov 1914 Gen.d.Inf. Otto von Below 7 Nov 1914 * chief of staff Generalmajor Alfred von Böckmann 10 Nov 1914 * HQ transfers to Lyck
18 Feb 1915 Gen.d.Art. Friedrich von Scholtz 26 May 1915 * chief of staff Oberstleutnant Detlef Graf von Schwerin " * Scholtz heads provisional 8.AOK as CO of XX.AK
" * 8.AOK joins with troops in Courland to become Army of the Niemen " * disbanded
28 Sep 1915 8. Armee (neu)
Gen.d.Inf. Otto von Below 26 May 1915 * chief of staff Generalmajor Alfred von Böckmann " * renamed New Eighth Army
30 Dec 1915 * HQ transfers to Schaulen (Shaulyai, Lithuania)
4 Jan 1916 * HQ transfers to Mitau (Yelgava, Latvia)
1 Apr 1916 Gen.d.Inf. Max von Fabeck 3 Oct 1916 * Fabeck and cmd staff transferred from 12.AOK
" Gen.d.Inf. Bruno von Mudra 22 Oct 1916 * chief of staff Generalmajor Traugott Martin von Sauberzweig 16 Nov 1916 Gen.d.Art. Friedrich von Scholtz 2 Jan 1917 Gen.d.Inf. Oskar von Hutier 22 Apr 1917 * chief of staff Oberst Georg Frotscher 15 Sep 1917 * HQ transfers to Riga
" Gen.d.Inf. Günther Graf von Kirchbach 12 Dec 1917 * Kirchbach promoted Generaloberst
27 Jan 1918 * chief of staff Major Rudolf Frantz 16 Feb 1918 Gen.d.Inf. Hugo von Kathen 31 Jul 1918 -
GdArt v. Schubert, 18 September 1914 - 8 October 1914.
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GdInf v. Francois (31 January 1856 - 15 May 1933), 8 October 1914 - 7 November 1914.
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GdInf v. Otto v. Below, 7 November 1914 - 26 May 1915.
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GdArt v. Scholtz, 26 May 1915 - 28 September 1915.
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- 8th Army disbanded and turned into Njemen Army until 30 December 1915.
- Reconstituted
from the Njemen
Army:
- GdInf Otto v.
Below, 30 December
1915 - 3 October
1916.
- GdInf v. Fabeck, 3 October 1916 - 22 October 1916.
- GdInf v. Mudra, 22 October 1916 - 20 December 1916.
- GdArt v. Scholtz, 2 January 1917 - 22 April 1917.
- GdInf v. Hutier (27 August 1857 - 5 December 1934), 22 April 1917 - 12 December 1917.
- GdInf Graf v. Kirchbach, 12 December 1917 - 31 July 1918.
- GdInf v. Kathen (27 August 1855 - 3 April 1932), 31 July 1918 - 14 December 1918.
- GLT v. Estorff (1859-1943), 14 December 1918 - 14 January 1919.
[Source: http://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/German_Army_Groups_on_the_Eastern_Front ]
10TH
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HQ: Cologne |
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| Generaloberst Hermann von Eichhorn |
26 Jan 1915 |
| * chief of staff Oberst Emil Hell | " |
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* HQ transfers to Marggrabowa (Olecko, Poland) |
6 Mar 1915 |
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* HQ transfers to Vilna (Vilnius, Lithuania) |
29 Sep 1915 |
| * chief of staff Oberst Walter FH Schmidt von Schmidtseck | 17 Jul 1916 |
| * chief of staff Generalmajor Traugott Martin von Sauberzweig | 9 Sep 1917 |
| * chief of staff Generalmajor Walter FH Schmidt von Schmidtseck | 17 Dec 1917 |
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* Eichhorn promoted Generalfeldmarschall |
18 Dec 1917 |
| * chief of staff Oberst Georg Frotscher | 16 Feb 1918 |
| * chief of staff Oberstleutnant Max Stapff | 4 Mar 1918 |
| Gen.d.Inf. Erich von Falkenhayn | 4 Mar 1918 |
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* HQ transferred to Minsk (Belarus) |
12 June 1918 |
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* end of Falkenhayn's command |
25 Feb 1919 |
* German Field Army Commanders
[http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/index.htm/army/aok2.htm]
BUG (Bug-Armee)
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* formed from AOK South, HQ: Lemberg (Lvov, Ukraine) |
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| Gen.d.Inf. Alexander von Linsingen |
6 Jul 1915 |
| * chief of staff Generalmajor Paulus von Stolzmann | " |
| * chief of staff Oberst Emil Hell | 17 Jul 1916 |
| * chief of staff Oberstleutnant Victor Keller | 7 Dec 1916 |
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* disbanded |
31 Mar 1918 |
* German Field Army Commanders
[http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/index.htm/army/aok2.htm]
SOUTH (Süd-Armee)
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HQ: Munkacz (Mukachevo, Ukraine) |
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| Gen.d.Inf. Alexander von Linsingen |
11 Jan 1915 |
| * chief of staff Generalmajor Paulus von Stolzmann | " |
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* HQ transfers to Stryj (Ukraine) |
5 Jun 1915 |
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* AOK South transfers to Lemberg and becomes AOK Bug |
6 Jul 1915 |
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* AOK South immediately reformed from II. Bavarian Army Corps |
6 Jul 1915 |
| Generaloberst Felix Graf von Bothmer | 6 Jul 1915 |
| * chief of staff Oberst Hans Ritter von Hemmer | " |
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* HQ established at Brzezany (Ukraine) |
4 Sep 1915 |
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* HQ transfers to Chodorov (Ukraine) |
15 Jan 1916 |
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* HQ transfers to Czortkov (Ukraine) |
4 Aug 1917 |
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* disbanded |
3 Mar 1918 |
* German Field Army Commanders
[http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/index.htm/army/aok2.htm]
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* Army Detachment Commanders
GRONAU
| Armeeabteilung Gronau | |
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HQ: ?? |
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| Gen.d.Art. Hans von Gronau |
5 Aug 1916 |
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* disbanded |
31 Dec 1917 |
* Army Detachment Commanders
SCHEFFER
| Armeeabteilung Scheffer | |
| Gen.d.Inf. Reinhard von Scheffer-Boyadel |
4 Oct 1916 |
| * disbanded | 9 Sep 1917 |
* Army Detachment Commanders
WOYRSCH
| Armeeabteilung Woyrsch | |
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HQ: ?? |
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| Generaloberst Remus von Woyrsch |
3 Nov 1914 |
| * chief of staff Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Heye | " |
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* Woyrsch concurrently CO Army Grp Woyrsch through 31 Dec 1916 |
29 Aug 1916 |
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* disbanded |
31 Dec 1917 |
* Army Detachment Commanders
http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/index.htm/army/aabt.htm
TEMPORARY ARMIES
EBEN
General Johannes Karl Louis Richard von Eben
LITZMANN
Karl von Litzmann
MARWITZ
Georg Kornelius Adalbert von der Marwitz
Grandpa Dick [David Jakob Dick] .... described the events that preceded his departure for Canada in the April 15, 1977 edition of the MB Herald, the bi-monthly magazine of the Canadian Mennonite Brethren Church. He was quite at ease in English, and the words are wholly his own. One missing piece of context that you ought to have: from 1919 to 1923, Canada forbade all immigration of Doukhbours, Hutterites and Mennonites from Russia. The Canadian Mennonites lobbied Parliament - the first time they had ever been so deeply involved in politics anywhere - and eventually had the order overturned ...
... family lived on the beautiful plains of the Ukraine on an estate called Apanlee [Taurida Uezd, Berdyansk district - near the Molotschna Colony] ...
In the spring of 1918 the German army occupied the Ukraine and restored law and order. However small bands of terrorists frequently attacked isolated places and murdered whole families. A German officer, Lieutenant Reinhard, the commander of our district, visited ...
That fall the Germans had to leave, and the civil war began with all its horror ...
[Source: http://fistfulofeuros.net/pedantry/archives/000190.html ]
Alexander Adolf August Karl von Linsingen (1850-1935) was one of the best German field commanders during World War I.
Linsingen joined the Prussian Army in 1868 and rose to Corps Commander in 1909. He was one of the very few top German generals not to have served on the general staff ...
Transferred to the Eastern Front where German and Austrian armies were threatened by a Russian offensive in Galicia, Linsingen took command of Army Group South (1915).... In 1917-1918 he led the German offense to Ukraine.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_von_Linsingen ]
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Within days of the treaty's signing [Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (February 9, 1918) ], an army of over 450,000 men from the Central Powers entered Ukraine, and after only a month most of the Bolshevik troops had fled the country ... [http://infoism.net/wiki/Treaty_of_Brest-Litovsk_(February_9,_1918) ]
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The German Occupation ... April 1918 - November 1918 ... The summer of 1918 passed orderly and quietly ... The presence of German troops in the Ukrainian Mennonite settlements ... With the withdrawal of the German troops ...
[http://books.google.com/books?id=tnJhx2cnT70C&pg=PA26&lpg=PA26&dq=%22german+troops%22+Ukraine+1918&source=web&ots=9TlPWgEm29&sig=biLI-kWJhSqFpy22X70kKo10BE4&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA29,M1 - Lost Fatherland: The Story of the Mennonite Emigration from Soviet Russia: 1921-1927 By John B. Toews Published by Regent College Publishing, 1967 ISBN 1573830410, 9781573830416 264 pages ]
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The final capitulation of the Central Powers (11 November 1918) and the withdrawal of their armies [from the Ukraine] ...[ http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/pages/H/E/Hetmangovernment.htm ]
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No sooner had the German troops moved into the Molotschna colony than Peter Braun, on 24 April, 1918, wrote his brother Abraham in Germany ... Then, in the morning of 17 April, both the Reds and the anarchists had fled the scene in utter disarray ... Finally, on the nineteenth, the first Germans had appeared ... our [train] station has never - even during the first days of mobilization - seen a gathering of people as on that 19 April ... The entire cohort - some 700 to 800 men - was put up for night [in private homes] in Halbstadt, Neuhalbstadt, and Muntau ... The last German troops left on 27 November, 1918 ...
[http://books.google.com/books?id=CnA-xZ1vEswC&pg=PA278&lpg=PA278&dq=%22german+troops%22+Ukraine+1918&source=web&ots=WTdufIyLhM&sig=9lEcXWy8X9SUr0LrmEUwtvbdSzo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result#PPA277,M1 - In Defense of Privilege: Russian Mennonites and the State Before and During World War I By Abraham Friesen Published by Kindred Productions, 2006 ISBN 189479107X, 9781894791076 520 pages ]