The 64th Corps (Württemberg) (german: Generalkommando zbV 64 (Württemberg)) was a
corps
Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...
formation of the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. It was formed in January 1917 and was still in existence at the end of the war.
Chronicle
The 64th Corps (z.b.V.) was formed in January 1917.
With the onset of trench warfare, the German Army recognised that it was no longer possible to maintain the traditional Corps unit, that is, one made up of two divisions. Whereas at some times (and in some places) a Corps of two divisions was sufficient, at other times 5 or 6 divisions were necessary. Therefore, under the
Hindenburg regime (from summer 1916), new Corps headquarters were created without organic divisions. These new Corps were designated
''General Commands for Special Use'' (german: Generalkommandos zur besonderen Verwendung).
By the end of the war, the Corps was serving on the
Western Front as part of
''Armee-Abteilung'' B, ''
Heeresgruppe Herzog Albrecht von Württemberg
The Army Group Duke Albrecht or Army Group D (german: Heeresgruppe Herzog Albrecht) was an Army Group of the German Army, which operated on the Western Front under command of Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg, between 7 March 1917 and 11 November ...
'' with the following composition:
*
6th Bavarian ''Landwehr'' Division
*
4th Cavalry ''Schützen'' Division
*
7th Cavalry ''Schützen'' Division
The units assigned were lower quality ''Landwehr'' and Cavalry ''Schützen'' Divisions indicative of the relatively quiet sector that the ''Armee-Abteilung'' was operating in, on the extreme southern end of the
Western Front, to the north of
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
.
Commanders
The 64th Corps was commanded throughout its existence by
General der Kavallerie General of the Cavalry (german: General der Kavallerie) was a General officer rank in the cavalry in various states of which the modern states of German and Austria are successors or in other armies which used the German model. Artillery officers o ...
Wilhelm Karl, Duke of Urach
Prince Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg, 2nd Duke of Urach (''Wilhelm Karl Florestan Gero Crescentius''; German: '' Fürst Wilhelm von Urach, Graf von Württemberg, 2. Herzog von Urach''; 30 May 1864 – 24 March 1928), was a German prince ...
. Wilhelm was the head of the
morganatic
Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spous ...
Urach branch of the
House of Württemberg
The House of Württemberg is a German dynasty and former royal family from Württemberg.
History County
The House probably originated in the vicinity of the Salian dynasty. Around 1080 the ancestors of modern Württemberg, which was then called ...
. The corps was a part of the Army Group D commanded by Duke Wilhelm's cousin,
Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg
Albrecht, Duke and Crown Prince of Württemberg (Albrecht Maria Alexander Philipp Joseph; 23 December 1865 – 31 October 1939) was the last Kingdom of Württemberg, Württemberger crown prince, a German military commander of the First World War, a ...
.
Glossary
*''Armee-Abteilung'' or Army Detachment in the sense of "something detached from an Army". It is not under the command of an Army so is in itself a small Army.
*''Armee-Gruppe'' or Army Group in the sense of a group within an Army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a specific task.
*''Heeresgruppe'' or
Army Group
An army group is a military organization consisting of several field armies, which is self-sufficient for indefinite periods. It is usually responsible for a particular geographic area. An army group is the largest field organization handled by ...
in the sense of a number of armies under a single commander.
See also
*
German Army (German Empire)
The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (german: Deutsches Heer), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the l ...
*
German Army order of battle, Western Front (1918)
This is the German Army order of battle on the Western Front at the close of the war.
The overall commander of the Imperial German Army was Kaiser Wilhelm II, but real power resided with The Chief of the General Staff, Generalfeldmarschall Paul ...
References
Bibliography
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:64
Corps of Germany in World War I
Military units and formations established in 1917
Military units and formations disestablished in 1919