8th Division (German Empire)
| 8th Division (8. Division); in 1870-71 and from August 2, 1914, 8th Infantry Division (8. Infanterie-Division) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1818–1919 |
| Country | Prussia/Germany |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry (in peacetime included cavalry) |
| Size | Approx. 15,000 |
| Part of | IV. Army Corps (IV. Armeekorps) |
| Garrison/HQ | Erfurt (1818–1901), Halle an der Saale (1901–1919) |
| Engagements |
Austro-Prussian War: Königgrätz |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Maximilian von Prittwitz, Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg |
Austro-Prussian War: Königgrätz
Franco-Prussian War: Beaumont, Sedan, Paris
The 8th Division (8. Division) was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed in Erfurt in November 1816 as a brigade and became a division on September 5, 1818. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the IV Army Corps (IV. Armeekorps). The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. The division was recruited primarily in the Province of Saxony, also known as Prussian Saxony and the smaller states of the German Empire around Prussian Saxony.
The division fought in the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, including the Battle of Königgrätz. In the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, the division saw action in the battles of Beaumont and Sedan, and in the Siege of Paris.
The division was mobilized as the 8th Infantry Division in August 1914 and sent to the west for the opening campaigns of the war. It fought in the Battle of the Marne and then participated in the Race to the Sea. The division then spent time in the trenches, and fought in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. During the German Spring Offensive of 1918, the division fought in the Battle of the Lys. The division was rated a first-class division with high morale by Allied intelligence.
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