An army division or division ( or Fördelning) was during the 1900s in the Swedish Army a designation for a larger military unit, comprising two or more brigades, an artillery regiment, an engineer battalion, an anti-aircraft battalion, a signal battalion and a transport battalion. An arméfördelning corresponds to a division in many countries' armies, and it has been common to also use the word "division" in Swedish when referring to foreign rather than Swedish military units. History
The concept of arméfördelning ("army division"), originally only fördelning ("division") began to be used after the beginning of the 19th century, and was introduced in 1889 as a term also in the peace-time organization. Through the 1892 and 1897 changes made in the organization of the army, the artillery was also placed under the commanding officers of the army divisions. An army division then, apart from some exceptions, consisted of four infantry, one cavalry and one artillery regiment, and one service corps, for which at war, engineer troops were added. The army division was intended for independent operations, but lacks complete administrative bodies in peacetime. Sweden was divided into six army division areas in 1904, with command offices in Helsingborg (1st), Linköping (2nd), Skövde (3rd), Stockholm (4th and 5th) and Härnösand (6th).
The army divisions replaced the peacetime subdivision of military districts that was used in the years 1833–1888. In 1889–1892, the territorial territory of the army division was called military district, but this was abolished from 1893 when the territorial territory of an army division was named army division area (arméfördelningsområde).
Through the Defence Act of 1942, the I-IV Military Districts came to mobilize two divisions each, while the V and VI Military Districts each mobilized one army division. On 1 October 1966, the Roman numerals in the designation of the army divisions was changed to Arabic numerals. Through the Defence Act of 1977, the army divisions were reduced by two staffs. Through 1988 Defense Investigation, the army divisions were reduced by two staffs. Through the Defence Act of 1996, the army divisions were reduced by three staffs, since the three military districts would mobilize one army division each. The last three army divisions were disbanded and replaced by the 1st Mechanized Division (1. mekaniserade divisionen) through the Defence Act of 2000, and the 1st Mechanized Division disbanded through the Defence Act of 2004.
Divisions 1893–1901 The 1893 subdivision was operational from 1 October of that year. From 1898, Roman numerals was used.
English name Swedish name Location Active 1st Army DivisionI Army Division 1. arméfördelningenI. arméfördelningen Helsingborg Garrison 1893–1901 2nd Army DivisionII Army Division 2. arméfördelningenII. arméfördelningen Eksjö GarrisonLinköping Garrison 1893–18941894–1901 3rd Army DivisionIII Army Division 3. arméfördelningenIII. arméfördelningen Skövde Garrison 1893–1901 4th Army DivisionIV Army Division 4. arméfördelningenIV. arméfördelningen Stockholm Garrison 1893–1901 5th Army DivisionV Army Division 5. arméfördelningenV. arméfördelningen Stockholm Garrison 1893–1901 6th Army DivisionVI Army Division 6. arméfördelningenVI. arméfördelningen Gävle GarrisonHärnösand Garrison 1893–18941894–1901
1902–1927 The 1902 subdivision was operational from 1 January of that year.
English name Swedish name Location Active I Army Division I. arméfördelningen Helsingborg Garrison 1902–1927 II Army Division II. arméfördelningen Linköping Garrison 1902–1927 III Army Division III. arméfördelningen Skövde Garrison 1902–1927 IV Army Division IV. arméfördelningen Stockholm Garrison 1902–1927 V Army Division V. arméfördelningen Stockholm Garrison 1902–1927 VI Army Division VI. arméfördelningen Härnösand GarrisonÖstersund Garrison 1902–19101910–1927
1928–1936 The 1928 subdivision was operational from 1 January of that year.
English name Swedish name Location Active Northern Army Division Norra arméfördelningen Östersund Garrison 1928–1936 Eastern Army Division Östra arméfördelningen Stockholm Garrison 1928–1936 Western Army Division Västra arméfördelningen Skövde Garrison 1928–1936 Southern Army Division Södra arméfördelningen Helsingborg Garrison 1928–1936
1937–1942 The 1937 subdivision was operational from 1 January of that year.
English name Swedish name Location Active I Army Division I. arméfördelningen Helsingborg GarrisonKristianstad Garrison 1937–19391939–1942 II Army Division II. arméfördelningen Östersund Garrison 1937–1942 III Army Division III. arméfördelningen Skövde Garrison 1937–1942 IV Army Division IV. arméfördelningen Stockholm Garrison 1937–1942
1943–1966 The 1943 subdivision was operational from 7 February of that year.
Designation English name Swedish name Military district Location Active I. förd I Army Division I. arméfördelningen I Military District Kristianstad Garrison 1942–1966 II. förd II Army Division II. arméfördelningen II Military District Östersund Garrison 1942–1966 III. förd III Army Division III. arméfördelningen I Military District Skövde Garrison 1942–1966 IV. förd IV Army Division IV. arméfördelningen IV Military District Strängnäs Garrison 1942–1966 XI. förd XI Army Division XI. arméfördelningen I Military District Ystad Garrison 1942–1966 XII. förd XII Army Division XII. arméfördelningen II Military District Östersund Garrison 1942–1966 XIII. förd XIII Army Division XIII. arméfördelningen I Military District Kristianstad Garrison 1942–1966 XIV. förd XIV Army Division XIV. arméfördelningen IV Military District Linköping Garrison 1942–1966 XV. förd XV Army Division XV. arméfördelningen VI Military District Boden Garrison 1942–1966 XVI. förd XVI Army Division XVI. arméfördelningen V Military District Karlstad Garrison 1942–1966
1966–1994 Designation English name Swedish name Military district Location Active 1. förd 1st Army Division 1. arméfördelningen Southern Military District 2. förd 2nd Army Division 2. arméfördelningen 3. förd 3rd Army Division 3. arméfördelningen Southern Military District 4. förd 4th Army Division 4. arméfördelningen Middle Military District 11. förd 11th Army Division 11. arméfördelningen Southern Military District 12. förd 12th Army Division 12. arméfördelningen Lower Norrland Military District 13. förd 13th Army Division 13. arméfördelningen Southern Military District 14. förd 14th Army Division 14. arméfördelningen Middle Military District 15. förd 15th Army Division 15. arméfördelningen Upper Norrland Military District 16. förd 16th Army Division 16. arméfördelningen Bergslagen Military District
1994–2000 Designation English name Swedish name Military district Location Active 2. förd Northern Military District 3. förd Western Army Division Västra arméfördelningen Southern Military District 4. förd Eastern Army Division Östra arméfördelningen Middle Military District 6. förd Northern Military District 6. förd Northern Army Division Norra arméfördelningen Northern Military District 13. förd Southern Army Division Södra arméfördelningen Southern Military District 14. förd Central Army Division Mellersta arméfördelningen Middle Military District
See also Military district (Sweden)
References
Notes
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