Falkenhausen / A (Army Detachment A) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It served on the left (southern) wing of the Western Front throughout its existence.
History Falkenhausen was set up in the southern part of the Western Front in Alsace-Lorraine on 17 September 1914 from the parts of 6th Army that remained in Lorraine after it marched north to participate in the Race to the Sea. The Staff of the dissolved Ersatz Corps under General der Infanterie Ludwig von Falkenhausen took command. It was established as A on 15 April 1916. It was still in existence when the war ended, serving on the Western Front as part of Heeresgruppe Herzog Albrecht von Württemberg.
Order of Battle on formation The following Orders of Battle illustrate the progression of the during the war.
+ Organization of Falkenhausen on 10 December 1914 Army Corps Division Falkenhausen Former Ersatz Corps 10th Ersatz Division Guards Ersatz Division 8th Ersatz Division 61st Reserve Infantry Brigade 1st Bavarian Landwehr Division 19th Ersatz Division XV Reserve Corps 30th Reserve Division 39th Reserve Division Under Army command 2 Landwehr Brigades
Order of Battle, 30 October 1918 By the end of the war, the majority of the units assigned were lower quality Reserve and Landwehr Divisions indicative of the relatively quiet sector that the was operating in.
+ Organization of A on 30 October 1918 Army Corps Division A 59th Corps (z.b.V.) 96th Division 21st Landwehr Division 75th Reserve Division VII Corps 82nd Composite Reserve Infantry Brigade 301st Division XV Bavarian Reserve Corps 39th Bavarian Reserve Division 61st Landwehr Brigade IX Corps (Austria-Hungary) 37th Division (Austria-Hungary) 4th Landwehr Division
Commanders A had the following commanders during its existence: + Falkenhausen / A From Commander Previously Subsequently 17 September 1914 General der Infanterie Ludwig von Falkenhausen Ersatz Corps High Command of Coastal Defence 24 December 1914 Generaloberst Ludwig von Falkenhausen 17 April 1916 General der Infanterie Karl Ludwig d'Elsa XII Corps Retired statusThe Prussian Machine Accessed: 11 February 2012 4 January 1917 General der Infanterie Bruno von Mudra 8th Army 1st Army 9 June 1918 vacantWhilst von Mudra assumed temporary command of 1st Army, von Eben remained with 9th Army as its new commander, General der Infanterie Fritz von Below, had contracted pneumonia. 6 August 1918 General der Infanterie Johannes von Eben 9th Army 1 Armeekorps from 20 December 1918The Prussian Machine Accessed: 11 February 2012
Glossary or Army Detachment in the sense of "something detached from an Army". It is not under the command of an Army so is in itself a small Army. Armee-Gruppe or Army Group in the sense of a group within an Army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a specific task. Heeresgruppe or Army Group in the sense of a number of armies under a single commander.
See also
Ersatz Corps German Army order of battle, Western Front (1918)
References
Bibliography