20th Division (German Empire)

20th Division (20. Division); in 1870-71 and from August 2, 1914, 20th Infantry Division (20. Infanterie-Division)
Active1866-1919
CountryPrussia/Germany
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry (in peacetime included cavalry)
SizeApprox. 15,000
Part ofX. Army Corps (X. Armeekorps)
Garrison/HQHannover
EngagementsFranco-Prussian War: Mars-la-Tour, Gravelotte, Metz, Beaune-la-Rolande, Orléans, Le Mans
World War I: Great Retreat, St. Quentin, 1st Marne, Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive, Brusilov Offensive, Passchendaele, German spring offensive

The 20th Division (20. Division) was a unit of the Prussian/German Army.[1] It was formed on October 11, 1866, and was headquartered in Hannover.[2] The division was subordinated in peacetime to the X Army Corps (X. Armeekorps).[3] The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.

  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.117; Claus von Bredow, bearb., Historische Rang- und Stammliste des deuschen Heeres (1905), p.558.
  3. ^ Bredow, p. 555.