Landwehr Corps

The Landwehr Corps (Landwehrkorps) was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.

Formation
The Landwehr Corps was formed on the outbreak of the war in August 1914 as part of the mobilisation of the Army. It was initially commanded by General der Infanterie Remus von Woyrsch, recalled from retirement. It was still in existence at the end of the war.

Structure on formation
On formation in August 1914, Landwehr Corps consisted of two divisions, made up of 3rd line units. Senior Landwehr Commander 3 was formed of units drawn from V Corps District (Province of Posen and Lower Silesia) and Senior Landwehr Commander 4 was formed of units drawn from VI Corps District (Province of Silesia, particularly Upper Silesia). It mobilised with 34 infantry battalions (considerably above the norm), just 4 machine gun platoons (8 machine guns), 9 cavalry squadrons, 4 field artillery batteries (24 guns) and 2 pioneer companies.

Combat chronicle
On mobilisation, the Landwehr Corps was assigned to the 8th Army on the Eastern Front. Whilst the 8th Army was concentrated in East Prussia, the Landwehr Corps was detached in Upper Silesia. On 4 September 1914 it came under the command of 1st Austro-Hungarian Army. Due to losses suffered by the 4th Landwehr Division in the Battle of Tarnawka (7-9 September 1914), the 11th and 51st Landwehr Infantry Regiments were reduced to a single battalion each; the 22nd and 23rd Landwehr Infantry Regiments were reduced to two battalions each.

On 14 September 1914, the Brigade Ersatz Battalions of the 21st Ersatz Infantry Brigade were dissolved
 * 21st Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into II Battalion, 51st Landwehr Infantry Regiment
 * 22nd Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into II Battalion, 11th Landwehr Infantry Regiment
 * 23rd Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into II Battalion, 51st Landwehr Infantry Regiment
 * 24th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into II Battalion, 11th Landwehr Infantry Regiment
 * 78th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into II Battalion, 78th Landwehr Infantry Regiment

On 25 September 1914, the Brigade Ersatz Battalions of the 17th Ersatz Infantry Brigade were likewise dissolved
 * 17th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into III Battalion, 23rd Landwehr Infantry Regiment
 * 18th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into III Battalion, 51st Landwehr Infantry Regiment
 * 19th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into III Battalion, 22nd Landwehr Infantry Regiment
 * 20th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into III Battalion, 22nd Landwehr Infantry Regiment
 * 77th Brigade Ersatz Battalion absorbed into III Battalion, 11th Landwehr Infantry Regiment

The Landwehr Corps joined 9th Army on 24 September 1914.

Commanders
Landwehr Corps had the following commanders during its existence: von Woyrsch was assigned to concurrently command Armee-Abteilung Woyrsch from 3 November 1914. A deputy, Generalleutnant Götz Freiherr von König, took command of Landwehr Corps on 3 December 1914.