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3rd Division (Reichswehr)

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The 3rd Division was a unit of the Reichswehr.

Contents

Creation

In the Order of 31 July 1920 for the Reduction of the Army (to comply with the upper limits on the size of the military contained in the Treaty of Versailles), it was determined that a division would be established in every Wehrkreis (military district) by 1 October 1920. The 3rd Division was formed in January 1921 out of the Reichswehr-Brigaden 3, 6 and 15, all part of the former Übergangsheer (Transition Army).

It consisted of 3 infantry regiments, an artillery regiment, an engineering battalion, a signals battalion, a transportation battalion, and a medical battalion.

The commander of the Wehrkreis III was simultaneously the commander of the 3rd Division.

The unit ceased to exist as such after October 1934 and its subordinate units were transferred to one of the 21 Divisions newly created in that year.

Commanding officers

  • General der Artillerie Hermann Rumschöttel, 1 October 1920 – 16 June 1921
  • General der Infanterie Richard von Berendt, 16 June 1921 – 3 August 1921
  • General der Kavallerie Rudolf von Horn, 3 August 1921 – 31 January 1926
  • General der Infanterie Otto Hasse, 1 February 1926 – 1 April 1929
  • General der Infanterie Rudolf Schniewindt, 1 April 1929 – 1 October 1929
  • General der Infanterie Joachim von Stülpnagel, 1 October 1929 – 1 February 1932
  • General der Infanterie Gerd von Rundstedt, 1 February 1932 – 1 October 1932
  • Generalleutnant Werner Freiherr von Fritsch, 1 October 1932 – 1 February 1934

    • Garrisons

    The divisional headquarters was in Berlin.

    References

    3rd Division (Reichswehr) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA