18th Division (German Empire)

18th Division (18. Division); in 1870–71 and from August 2, 1914, 18th Infantry Division (18. Infanterie-Division)
Active1866–1919
CountryPrussia/Germany
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry (in peacetime included cavalry)
SizeApprox. 15,000
Part ofIX. Army Corps (IX. Armeekorps)
Garrison/HQFlensburg
EngagementsFranco-Prussian War: Colombey, Gravelotte, Metz, Noiseville, 2nd Orléans, Le Mans
World War I: Liège, Great Retreat, 1st Marne, 1st Aisne, Somme, Arras, Passchendaele, German spring offensive, Hundred Days Offensive

The 18th Division (18. Division) was a unit of the Prussian/German Army.[1] It was formed on October 11, 1866, and was headquartered in Flensburg.[2] 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 World War I. The division was recruited primarily in Schleswig-Holstein.

  1. ^ From the late 1800s, the Prussian Army was effectively 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.115; Claus von Bredow, bearb., Historische Rang- und Stammliste des deuschen Heeres (1905), p.526.
  3. ^ Bredow, p. 523.