6th Army (German Empire)

6. Armee 6th Army
Flag of the Staff of an Armee Oberkommando (1871–1918)
Active	2 August 1914 – 29 January 1919
Country	German Empire
Type	Army
Engagements	World War I Western Front Battle of the Frontiers Battle of Lorraine Battle of Grand Couronné Race to the Sea Battle of Albert (1914) Battle of Arras (1914) First Battle of Ypres Battle of Festubert Third Battle of Artois Battle of Arras (1917) Battle of Hill 70 Battle of Vimy Ridge Spring Offensive Battle of the Lys (1918)

World War I

The 6th Army (German: 6. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 6 / A.O.K. 6) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from the IV Army Inspectorate. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.

At the outbreak of World War I, command of the army was given to Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria (Kronprinz Rupprecht von Bayern). The 6th Army initially consisted of the units of the Bavarian Army (which had retained military sovereignty after the unification of Germany), with some additional Prussian units. During the execution of Plan XVII, the 6th Army was stationed in the Central sector, covering Lorraine.

In August 1914, in the Battle of Lorraine, Rupprecht's 6th Army managed to hold against the French offensive, using a feigned withdrawal to lure the advancing armies onto prepared defensive positions.

After the Western Front turned to stalemate and the opposing forces formed lines of trenches, the 6th Army was based in Northern France. Most of the Bavarian units were gradually dispersed to other commands, with units from outside Bavaria joining the 6th Army. Nevertheless, command of the 6th Army remained with the Bavarian Crown Prince, who would eventually come to be regarded as one of Germany's most able generals.

On 24 September 1915 the 6th Army was the target for the British Army's first chlorine gas attack of the war. Despite the horrific casualties inflicted, the British offensive became bogged down after several days.