Battle of Hartmannswillerkopf
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The Battle of Hartmannswillerkopf (french: bataille du Vieil-Armand) was a series of engagements during the
First World War 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 ...
fought for the control of the
Hartmannswillerkopf Hartmannswillerkopf, also known as the Vieil Armand (French) or Hartmannsweiler Kopf (German; English: Hartmansweiler Head) is a pyramidal rocky spur in the Vosges mountains of the Grand Est region, France. The peak stands at overlooking the Rhine ...
peak in
Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
in 1914 and 1915. The peak is a pyramidal rocky spur in the
Vosges mountains The Vosges ( , ; german: Vogesen ; Franconian and gsw, Vogese) are a range of low mountains in Eastern France, near its border with Germany. Together with the Palatine Forest to the north on the German side of the border, they form a single ...
, about north of Thann, standing at and overlooking the Alsace Plain,
Rhine valley ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , source ...
and the Black Forest in Germany. Hartmanswillerkopf was captured by the French army during the
Battle of Mulhouse The Battle of Mulhouse (german: Mülhausen), also called the Battle of Alsace (french: Bataille d'Alsace), which began on 7 August 1914, was the opening attack of the First World War by the French Army against Germany. The battle was part of a ...
1914). From the vantage point, Mulhouse and the Mulhouse–Colmar railway could be seen and the French railway from Thann to Cernay and Belfort shielded from German observation. The two French invasions and captures of Mulhouse by the French VII Corps (
Louis Bonneau Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis (d ...
) and then the Army of Alsace (General
Paul Pau Paul Marie Cesar Gerald Pau, (29 November 1848, Montélimar – 2 January 1932) was a French soldier and general who served in the Franco-Prussian War and in World War I. He took part in the Franco-Prussian War, suffering the loss of his lower ...
), were repulsed by the German 7th Army (
Josias von Heeringen Josias von Heeringen (9 March 1850 – 9 October 1926) was a German general of the imperial era who served as Prussian Minister of War and saw service in the First World War. Early life Heeringen was born in Kassel in the Electorate of Hesse. ...
). Both sides then stripped the forces in Alsace to reinforce the armies fighting on the Marne, Aisne and further north. For the rest of 1914 and 1915, both sides made intermittent attempts to capture Hartmanswillerkopf. The operations were costly and eventually after another period of attack and counter-attack that lasted into the new year of 1916, both sides accepted a stalemate, with a fairly stable front line along the western slopes that lasted until 1918.


Background

A few border skirmishes took place after Germany declared war on France; after 5 August, more German patrols were sent out as French attacks increased. French troops advanced from
Gérardmer Gérardmer (; or archaic ''Geroldsee'', and ''Giraumoué'' in local Vosgian) is a commune in the Vosges department in Grand Est in northeastern France. Population Culture The Festival international du film fantastique de Gérardmer (literally ...
to the
Col de la Schlucht The Col de la Schlucht (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the Vosges Mountains of France. On the west side lies the historical region of Lorraine (Lothringen in German), on the east side lies the historical region of Alsace (Elsass in German). T ...
(Schlucht Pass), where the Germans retreated and blew up the tunnel. The French VII Corps (
Louis Bonneau Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis (d ...
) comprising the 14th and 41st divisions, advanced from Belfort to
Mulhouse Mulhouse (; Alsatian language, Alsatian: or , ; ; meaning ''Mill (grinding), mill house'') is a city of the Haut-Rhin Departments of France, department, in the Grand Est Regions of France, region, eastern France, close to the France–Switzerl ...
and
Colmar Colmar (, ; Alsatian: ' ; German during 1871–1918 and 1940–1945: ') is a city and commune in the Haut-Rhin department and Grand Est region of north-eastern France. The third-largest commune in Alsace (after Strasbourg and Mulhouse), it is ...
to the north-east, suffered supply difficulties but seized the border town of
Altkirch Altkirch (, ; gsw, label= Alsatian, Àltkìrech) is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. The town is traditionally regarded as the capital of Sundgau. Etymology The name of the commune means ''old church'' ( ...
, south of Mulhouse, with a bayonet charge. On 8 August, Bonneau cautiously continued the advance and occupied Mulhouse, shortly after its German defenders had left. In the early morning of 9 August, parts of the XIV and XV Corps of the German 7th Army arrived from
Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
and counter-attacked at Cernay; Mulhouse was liberated by German troops on 10 August and Bonneau withdrew towards
Belfort Belfort (; archaic german: Beffert/Beffort) is a city in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Northeastern France, situated between Lyon and Strasbourg, approximately from the France–Switzerland border. It is the prefecture of the Territo ...
.
Paul Pau Paul Marie Cesar Gerald Pau, (29 November 1848, Montélimar – 2 January 1932) was a French soldier and general who served in the Franco-Prussian War and in World War I. He took part in the Franco-Prussian War, suffering the loss of his lower ...
was put in command of a new to re-invade Alsace on 14 August, as part of a larger offensive by the First Army and the Second Army into Lorraine. The began the new offensive against four German brigades, which fought a delaying action as the French advanced from Belfort, two divisions on the right passing through Dannemarie at the head of the valley of the Ill river. On the left flank, two divisions advanced with several battalions, which had moved into the Fecht valley on 12 August. On the evening of 14 August, Thann was captured and the most advanced French troops reached the western outskirts of the city by 16 August. On 18 August, VII Corps attacked Mulhouse and captured Altkirch on the south-eastern flank. By the evening of 19 August, the French had occupied the city, having captured and considerable amounts of equipment. With the capture of the Rhine bridges and valleys leading into the plain, the French had gained control of Upper Alsace but on 26 August the French withdrew from Mulhouse to a more defensible line near Altkirch, to provide reinforcements for the French armies closer to Paris.


Prelude

The was dissolved on 26 August and many of its units distributed among the remaining French armies. In September 1914, the German 7th Army was transferred to the Aisne and left three brigades in (Upper Alsace). On 19 September 1914, (An was an improvised force larger than a corps and smaller than an army, subordinate to an army headquarters.) named after its commander Hans Gaede (formerly the chief of staff of the
XIV Corps 14 Corps, 14th Corps, Fourteenth Corps, or XIV Corps may refer to: * XIV Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XIV Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World ...
) and renamed (Army Detachment Gaede) on 30 January 1915.


Battle


1914–1915

On 25 December, the French 66th Division and a battalion of attacked through deep snow and woods, to improve the French position on the peak of Hartmannswillerkopf. The French attack succeeded but the German defenders were pushed back only a short distance. Division of attacked on a line from Hartmannswillerkopf to the Herrengluh ruins, Wolfskopf and Amselkopf in thick fog from 18 to 21 January 1915 and managed to surround the French positions, recapturing the summit of Hartmannswillerkopf and Hirzstein to the south, a French counter-attack being repulsed. The main German attack on 30 January, near Wattwiller, made early progress then bogged down against the French defences. French attacks against Division from 19 to 27 February were repulsed but on 26 February, a French attack gained . On 5 March, the French captured a blockhouse and a German counter-attack by two regiments was defeated. The 152nd Infantry Regiment arrived to reinforce the ; after a four-hour artillery preparation, the infantry and captured two trench lines and took 250 prisoners but failed to penetrate new German trench lines close to the peak. The French attacked again on 17 and from 23 March – 6 April; on 26 March, after a preparatory bombardment, the 152nd Regiment captured the summit of Hartmannswillerkopf in ten minutes, taking 400 prisoners and finding that the ground had been stripped of trees by the artillery exchanges. The Germans suspended the offensive at Wattwiller and Steinbach to concentrate all reserves in the Hartmannswillerkopf area but on 17 March, the German army chief of staff, General
Erich von Falkenhayn General Erich Georg Sebastian Anton von Falkenhayn (11 September 1861 – 8 April 1922) was the second Chief of the German General Staff of the First World War from September 1914 until 29 August 1916. He was removed on 29 August 1916 after t ...
, ordered offensive operations in Alsace to cease. The French success had enabled artillery-observers to direct their guns onto the Colmar–Mulhouse railway and local German attacks on 25 April took back the peak; the French recaptured it the next day the 152nd Regiment suffering 825 casualties.


1915–1916

In December 1915,
Augustin Dubail Augustin Yvon Edmond Dubail (15 April 1851 – 7 January 1934) was a French Army general. He commanded the First Army and Army Group East during World War I. Biography Augustin Dubail was born in Belfort on April 15, 1851. He graduated from ...
commanding (GAE: Eastern Army Group) planned a larger operation to consolidate the French position in the region by capturing Mulhouse. An attack on Hartmannswillerkopf by the 66e Division (General ), which had been fighting in the area all year was to be the prelude to the larger attack. The division was given another 250 guns for the attack, two of which were super-heavy 370 mm Filloux mortars, an average of one gun per of German front. After several postponements, the French bombardment began on 21 December from Hartmannswillerkopf to Wattwiller. In the afternoon the 66e Division attacked, taking the peak and trenches at Hirtzstein to the north-west of Wattwiller as German reserves established a new front line on the eastern slopes. Next day, Brigade 82 of the 12th Division counter-attacked with reinforcements and re-took the peak, except for trenches on the north slope, which fell on 23 December. The French 152e was almost annihilated, suffering 1,998 casualties from 21 to 22 December, along with Serret who was mortally wounded, the Germans taking 1,553 prisoners. On the afternoon of 24 December, Brigade 82 tried to re-gain the lost trenches at Hirtzstein, with the assistance of flame thrower teams but achieved only a partial success. During the evening of 28 December, French attacks captured several positions between Hartmannswillerkopf and Hirzstein, followed by German counter-attacks during the night; from 29 to 30 December and on 1 January 1916. The original front line was restored and on 8 January, Brigade 187 re-captured the trenches at Hirzstein that had been lost on 21 December.


Aftermath


Casualties

The fighting from 20 December 1915 to 8 January 1916 cost the French 7,465 casualties, about 50 per cent of the attacking force, of whom 1,103 were taken prisoner, along with thirty machine-guns. The Germans suffered 4,513 casualties, 1,700 men being taken prisoner. Dubail stopped offensive operations to rest the survivors and to avoid French resources being drained away to little purpose; in (4 January 1916) Dubail recommended that such enterprises be avoided.


Gallery

File:Map of the Sundgau 1914-1918.png,
Sundgau Sundgau ( or ; ) is a geographical territory in the southern Alsace region (Haut Rhin and Belfort), on the eastern edge of France. The name is derived from Alemannic German ''Sunt- gowe'' ("South shire"), denoting an Alemannic county in the Old Hi ...
, front line, 1914–1918 File:French attack, Hartmannswillerkopf, 22 Mar 15.png, French attack, 22 March 1915 File:French attack at Hartmannswillerkopf, 26 Mar 15.png, French attack, 26 March 1915 File:German attack, Hartmanswillerkopf, 25 Apr 15.png, German attack, 25 April 1915 File:French attack, Hartmannswillerkopf 21 Dec 15.png, French attack, 21 December 1915 File:German counter-attack, Hartmannswillerkopf, 22 Dec 15.png, German counter-attack, 22 December 1915 File:French and German positions at Vieil-Armand during the stalemate, 1916-1918.png, French and German positions at Vieil-Armand, 1916–1918


Notes


Footnotes


References

Books * * * * * * * * Websites *


Further reading

* * * * *


External links


Vieil Armand


{{DEFAULTSORT:Hartmannswillerkopf Battles of World War I involving Germany Battles of World War I involving France Battles of the Western Front (World War I) Conflicts in 1915 1915 in Germany
Battle of Hartmannswillerkopf The Battle of Hartmannswillerkopf (french: bataille du Vieil-Armand) was a series of engagements during the First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts ...