54th Corps (German Empire)

The 54th Corps (German: Generalkommando zbV 54) was a corps formation of the German Army in World War I. It was formed in September 1916 and was still in existence at the end of the war.[1]

54th Corps
(Generalkommando zbV 54)
Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
ActiveSeptember 1916-1919
Disbanded1919
Country German Empire
BranchArmy
EngagementsWorld War I
Battle of Amiens (1918)
Insignia
AbbreviationGenkdo zbV 54

Chronicle

The 54th[2] Corps (z.b.V.)[3] was formed in September 1916.[4] With the onset of trench warfare, the German Army recognised that it was no longer possible to maintain the traditional Corps unit, that is, one made up of two divisions. Whereas at some times (and in some places) a Corps of two divisions was sufficient, at other times 5 or 6 divisions were necessary. Therefore, under the Hindenburg regime (from summer 1916), new Corps headquarters were created without organic divisions.[5] These new Corps were designated General Commands for Special Use (German: Generalkommandos zur besonderen Verwendung).

By the end of the war, the Corps was serving on the Western Front as part of 2nd Army, Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht with the following composition:[6]

Commanders

The 54th Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[7][8]

CommanderFromTo
Generalleutnant Viktor Kühne[9] 4 September 1916 2 February 1917
Generalleutnant Richard von Kraewel 2 February 1917 25 February 1917
General der Infanterie Eduard von Liebert 25 February 1917 17 June 1917
Generalleutnant Max von Müller 17 June 1917 21 January 1918
Generalleutnant Alfred von Larisch 21 January 1918 11 November 1918

Glossary
  • Armee-Abteilung 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.[10]
  • 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

References
  1. Cron 2002, pp. 88–89
  2. Note that Corps (z.b.V.) were designated with Arabic, not Roman, numerals.
  3. General Commands for Special Use Generalkommandos zur besonderen Verwendung (Genkdo z.b.V.)
  4. Cron 2002, p. 89
  5. Cron 2002, p. 87
  6. Ellis & Cox 1993, p. 187
  7. "The Prussian Machine, GenKdo". Archived from the original on 11 April 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  8. "German War History". Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  9. Concurrently commander of Armee-Gruppe Kühne from 28 October 1916 "Biography on The Prussian Machine". Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  10. Cron 2002, p. 84

Bibliography
  • Cron, Hermann (2002). Imperial German Army 1914-18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle [first published: 1937]. Helion & Co. ISBN 1-874622-70-1.
  • Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.

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