3rd Royal Bavarian Division (3. Königlich Bayerische Division); from August 2, 1914, 3rd Bavarian Infantry Division (3. Bayerische Infanterie-Division) | |
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Active | 1815–1919 |
Country | Bavaria, German Empire |
Branch | Army |
Type | Infantry (in peacetime included cavalry) |
Size | Approximately 18,000 (on mobilisation in 1914) |
Part of |
II Royal Bavarian Corps (II. Kgl. Bayer. Armeekorps) |
Garrison/HQ | Nuremberg (1815-1843, 1848-1901); Landau (1901-1918) |
Engagements |
Austro-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War:
The 3rd Royal Bavarian Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army which served alongside the Prussian Army as part of the Imperial German Army. The division was formed on November 27, 1815 as an Infantry Division of the Würzburg General Command (Infanterie-Division des Generalkommandos Würzburg). It was called the 3rd Army Division between 1822 and 1848, again between 1851 and 1859, and again from 1869 to 1872. It was called the 3rd Infantry Division from 1848 to 1851 (as well as during wartime) and was named the Nuremberg General Command from 1859 to 1869. From April 1, 1872 until mobilization for World War I, it was the 3rd Division. In 1901, it had swapped division numbers with the 5th Division. In Bavarian sources, it was not generally referred to as a "Royal Bavarian" division, as this was considered self-evident, but outside Bavaria, this designation was used for it, and other Bavarian units, to distinguish them from similarly numbered Prussian units. The division was headquartered in Nuremberg from 1815 to 1843, in Ansbach from 1843 to 1848, and then again in Nuremberg until 1901, when after the renumbering of divisions, it became the 3rd Division in Landau and the division in Nuremberg became the 5th Division. The division was part of the II Royal Bavarian Army Corps.
The division fought against Prussia in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, seeing action at Zella, Kissingen, and Helmstadt. In the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, the division fought alongside the Prussians. It saw action in battles of Wörth and Sedan, and in the siege of Paris.