17th Division (German Empire)

17th Division (17. Division); in 1870–71 and from August 2, 1914, 17th Infantry Division (17. Infanterie-Division)
Active1866–1919
CountryPrussia/Germany
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry (in peacetime included cavalry)
SizeApprox. 15,000
Part ofIX. Army Corps (IX. Armeekorps)
Garrison/HQKiel (1866-1871), Schwerin (1871-1919)
EngagementsFranco-Prussian War: Metz, Paris, Loigny-Poupry, 2nd Orléans, Le Mans
World War I: Liège, Great Retreat, 1st Marne, Somme, Passchendaele, German spring offensive, Hundred Days Offensive

The 17th Division (17. Division) was a unit of the Prussian/German Army.[1] It was formed on October 11, 1866, and initially headquartered in Kiel.[2] It moved its headquarters to Schwerin in 1871. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the IX Army Corps (IX. Armeekorps).[3] The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after the First World War.

  1. ^ From the late C19th, the Prussian Army was synonymous the German Army, as during the period of German unification (1866–1871) the states of the German Empire entered into conventions with Prussia regarding their armies and only the Bavarian Army remained fully autonomous.
  2. ^ Günter Wegner, Stellenbesetzung der deutschen Heere 1815–1939. (Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1993), Bd. 1, p. 114; Claus von Bredow, bearb., Historische Rang- und Stammliste des deuschen Heeres (1905), p. 524.
  3. ^ Bredow, p. 523.