Reichswehr Unit Organizations for Command Decision

1. Introduction
The Reichswehr was the product of the Treaty of Versailles, which limited its size to 6 infantry divisions and 1 cavalry division, and of a cadre of forward-thinking German officers who were determined to draw on the best in Germany's tactical and operational thinking of the WW1 period. Significantly, the Reichswehr's most influential chief, Gen. Hans von Seeckt, made his name largely in the campaigns on the Eastern front, where the lower troop density prevented the front from becoming static. Whereas on the Western front the highly developed defensive systems made breakthroughs extremely difficult to accomplish, it was not the case in the East. As a result, Germany's campaigns against Russia and other foes retained a much more mobile character.

Von Seeckt was determined to use the Reichswehr both as a testbed for new doctrines and as a nucleus of a future, larger German army not bound by the Versailles restrictions. He and his successors achieved these goals. In view of the futility of attritional doctrines for a country like Germany which faced a potential coalition far superior in resources, the Reichswehr was molded into a highly mobile and agile military force, in stark contrast to the post-WW1 French army which embraced positional, firepower-reliant doctrines. The doctrines initially developed by the Reichswehr in the 1920s would provide a solid ground for the development of the so-called "blitzkrieg" doctrine. The Reichswehr also proved to be a very good nucleus for the Wehrmacht. Although the Treaty of Versailles placed strict limits on the number of commissioned officers, it placed no limits at all on the number of NCOs. Moreover, the Allies banned the Reichswehr from using short-term conscripts, in order to prevent Germany from creating a large trained manpower pool that could be recalled to service in an emergency. The result of these two impositions was to make individual soldier quality in the Reichswehr extremely high. Most of its junior enlisted soldiers were perfectly capable of functioning as NCOs, and the NCOs were well versed in the duties of officers. It is doubtful if the Wehrmacht could have been expanded so quickly, and produced such a large number of effective divisions had the Reichswehr been a force of short-term conscripts.

Although the Treaty of Versailles prevented Germany from owning heavy artillery, tanks, and aircraft, the Reichswehr was busy developing doctrines for their use. Thanks to the improved relations between Germany and Soviet Union, German armor and aviation specialists were able to use Soviet military bases to acquire skills in their respective areas, safe from being discovered by Allied arms control inspectors. In addition, Reichswehr maneuvers frequently featured plywood replicas of tanks and other armored vehicles.  Whereas the first two organizational charts reflect Reichswehr divisions as actually fielded, subsequent unit organizations represent units that the Reichswehr planned to deploy once the Versailles restrictions were lifted. Had Germany become involved in a conflict in the 1920s or a 1930s, it is likely at least some of these divisional organizations might have been implemented.

2. Reichswehr Divisional Organizations

Reichswehr Infantry Division

Division Headquarters, with:
1 Command Stand, 1 Staff Car, 1 Staff Radio Van

3 Infantry Regiments, each with:
Regimental HQ, with: 1 Command Stand, 1 Staff Car, 1 Trench Mortar Stand.
3 Infantry Battalions, each with:
Battalion HQ, with: 1 Command Stand
3 Infantry Companies, each with: 1 Command Infantry Stands, 2 Infantry Stands
1 Machine Gun Company, with: 3 MMG Stands

Divisional Artillery Regiment, with:
Regimental HQ, with: 1 Command Stand
3 Artillery Battalions, each with:
Battalion HQ, with: 1 Command Stand, 1 FO Stand
1 Medium Battery, with: 1 105mm howitzer, 1 Gun Crew, 1 Limber, 1 Supply Wagon
2 Light Batteries, each with: 1 77mm field gun, 1 Gun Crew, 1 Limber, 1 Supply Wagon

Cavalry Company, with: 1 Command Cavalry Stand, 2 Recon Cavalry Stands

Engineer Battalion, with:
1 Bridge Company
1 Pioneer Company

Reichswehr Cavalry Division
Division HQ, with:
1 Command Stand, 1 Staff Car, 1 Radio Staff Van

6 Cavalry Regiments, each with:
Regiment HQ, with: 1 Mounted Command Stand
4 Cavalry Companies, each with: 1 Command Cavalry Stand, 2 Recon Cavalry Stands
1 Machine Gun Company, with: 3 Mounted MMG Stands

1 Artillery Regiment, with: 1 Mounted Command Stand, 1 Mounted FO Stand
3 Light Batteries, each with: 1 77mm field gun, 1 Gun Crew, 1 Limber, 1 Supply Wagon

Notes:
1. In view of the high level of professionalism prevalent in the Reichswehr, Unit Quality ought to be at least Veteran, Morale 10.
2. One battery per artillery regiment was motorized.
3. In the late 1920s, trench mortars begun to be replaced by 75mm infantry guns.
4. All weapons are WW1-era models.

3. Hypothetical or Testbed Reichswehr Divisional Organizations
The organizational charts represent units that were developed by the Reichswehr staff officers and/or tested during field maneuvers, using simulated weapons and equipment when necessary.

"Modern Infantry Division", 1923
As Infantry Division above, with following changes:
Divisional Headquarters has a squadron (4 aircraft stands) of scout aircraft and a Recon Cavalry Stand.
Each infantry regiment has a light artillery battery.
Artillery Regiment is replaced by an Artillery Brigade of two regiments. The first regiment has 3 battalions, each with 1 medium (105) and 1 heavy (155) batteries). The second regiment has 1 moborized medium battalion of 3 batteries, 1 motorized AT gun battalion, and 1 light artillery battalion.
Divisional cavalry company is replaced by a Reconnaissance Battalion, with 2 cavalry companies, 1 bicycle company, and 1 armored car company.
A Flak Battalion is added, with 1 motorized heavy (88mm) battery and 2 motorized light batteries.

"Modern Cavalry Division", 1923
As Cavalry Division above, with following changes:
Division HQ has a scout aircraft squadron and a Recon Motorcycle Stand attached.
The 6 cavalry regiments are grouped into 3 brigades.
Each cavalry regiment has an two-gun artillery section (treat as Infantry Gun).
Division is reinforced with a Bicycle Battalion, with 3 bicycle companies and 1 AT gun stand, and a Machine-Gun Battalion (organization uknown).
The division has an armored car battalion, with 1 Command Armored Car, 2 Armored Cars.
The Artillery Regiment has 1 battalion with 3 light batteries, 1 battalion with 2 motorized medium batteries and 1 motorized AT gun battery, and 1 motorized Flak battalion with 1 heavy and 2 light batteries.

Motorized Division, 1925/26 Winter Maneuvers
As "Modern Infantry Division", with following changes:
All infantry and artillery are transported or towed by medium trucks.
The Reconnaissance Battalion has 2 Armored Car Companies (each with 1 Command Armored Car, 2 Armored Cars), 1 Light Tank Company, 1 Motorcycle Company, 1 Bicycle Company, 2 Infantry Companies (mounted on halftracks), and 2 motorized AT batteries.
Light Tank Battalion is added, organization unknown.
Artillery Brigade's first regiment has 2 motorized battalions, each with 2 105mm and 1 150mm batteries. The second regiment has 1 motorized battalion (as first regiment's), and 1 motorized AT battalion with 3 batteries.

Motorized Brigade, 1926/27 Winter Maneuvers.
As 1925/26 Motorized Division, with following changes:
Only two motorized Infantry Regiments.
No tank battalion
Recon Battalion has 1 Armored Car Company, 1 Motorcycle Company, 1 Motorized Infantry Company, and 1 AT gun section.
Only 1 Artillery Regiment, with 2 battalions, each with 2 105mm batteries and 1 150mm battery.

Mike J.
=====
The J-8 Shop
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“War is a series of catastrophes which result in victory.”
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