158th (7th Lotharingian) Infantry Regiment

On a friends trip to Paderborn he came across the above pictured memorial to the 158th Infantry Regiment.

The 158th (7th Lotharingian) Infantry Regiment was formed in Paderborn, Germany on 31st March 1897, and was part of the VII Army Corps.  In peace time the regiment was part of the 25th Infantry Brigade, and was paired with the 13th (1st Westphalian) Infantry Regiment, based in Munster.

Its higher formation was the 13th Infantry Division, itself paired with the 14th Infantry Division, too form the Corps.

The Regiment mobilised in August 1914 and entrained for the West Front.  It saw action as part of the 2nd Army at the siege of Liege, and at the end of August took part in the Battle of Charleroi.  In September it was transferred with the rest of the Division to the 7th Army and moved to Rheims.

At the beginning of October it moved to the Artois sector, where it remained until March 1915.  During 1915 it suffered in the battles of Neuvre Chapel and Festubert.  In March the Regiment was transferred to the 50th Infantry Division, a new formation.

It formed part of the 100th Infantry Brigade, which also included the 39th Fusiliers and 53rd Infantry Regiment.

The Regiment saw action at Verdun, and took part on in the battle for Fort Veux.  In 1917 it was rested in the area of Aillette.  It was rated by the allies as a first class Regiment, and since Verdun, part of an elite shock division.

In 1918 it took part in the Kaisers battle, and was in almost constant combat, suffering many casualties.  It was in action until the end of the war.

The Names - World War Two

World War Two

Russia 1941

Edmund Korneli
Ewald Bausen
Adolf Zimmer
Peter Piefer
Erwin Wallrath

Russia 1942

Ludwig Steffen
Herman Pauli
Alois Klingel
Arnold Vasen
Paul Hollen

Russia 1943

Herman Cafter
Joseph Schwartz
Heinrich Wallrath
Johann Klingel
Gerhard Zimmer
Hermann Hammes
Jacob Wallrath

France 1944

Karl Nicolay
Wilhelm Schwartz

Germany 1944

Julius Zimmer
Friedrich Zirwas

Hungary 1944

Wilh Dunzer

Poland 1944

Clemens Simon

Rumanian 1944

Heinrich Bickler
Wilhelm Kaufman
Hubert Wallrath

Russia 1944

Hubert Bausen
Ewold Zirwas
Clemens Zirwas
Wilhelm Klingel

France 1945

Peter Prinz

Germany 1945

Richard Happes
Peter Zirwas
Klemens Korneli
Kurt Theis
Paul Gorgen

Russia 1945

Paul Frensch

Prior to World War II the area of Grenderich was under Wehrkreise XII which at the outbreak of war in 1939 formed the XII Corps.

The subdivision of the military district was Koblenz, then Cochem and Zell.

Personnel from Grenderich could have served in the following units.

22nd Panzer Division
15th Panzer Grenadier Division
36th Infantry Division - formed on 1st October 1936 in Kaiserslauten
65th Infantry Division - formed in 1943
72nd Infantry Division - Koblenz
79th Infantry Division
85th Infantry Division
91st Infantry Division
111th Infantry Division
112th Infantry Division
132nd Replacement Division
164th Replacement Division
172nd Replacement Division in Mainz
182nd Reserve Division in Koblenz

Volks Grenadier Divisions

197
246 in Trier
263
342
348
389
412
462 in Metz
545
566
712


The Defence of the Hunsruck

The XII Corps defended Germany as part of the 1st Army in 1939.  It consisted of:

75th Infantry Division
209th Infantry Division
214th Infantry Division
223rd Infantry Division
231st Infantry Division
246th Infantry Division
268th Infantry Division

XII Corps

15th Infantry Division
34th Infantry Division
52nd Infantry Division
79th Infantry Division

The XII Corps served on the Russian front as part of the 4th Army and the 9th Army, and this is reflected in the casualty figures.

The Names - World War One

The Great War

France 1914

Peter Klingel   
60th Reserve Infantry Regiment
21st November 1914

Johann Massman

Karl Theisen

Heinrich Moer
28th Infantry Regiment
30th December 1914


Andreas Zimmer
131st Infantry Regiment
28th October 1914 

Nikalaus Bausen

Johann Tonges

Russia 1915

Peter Korneli
166th Infantry Regiment
3rd May 1915

Nikalaus Korneli

Johann Bausen
174th Infantry Regiment
8th May 1915

Russia 1916

Nikalaus Zirwes
9th June 1916

France 1916

Johann Gietzen

Jacob Bickler
20th December 1916

Belgium 1917

Albert Korneli
8th November 1917

France 1917

Johann Korneli

Karl Schmitz

Russia 1917

Mathias Hammes
2nd January 1918

Belgium 1918

Wilhelm Frensch
25th June 1917

France 1918

Wilhelm Zirwes
25th October 1917


Wilhelm Zirwes
21st May 1918
 
Jacob Linden

Russia 1918

Karl Zimmer
27th December 1917


The VIII Corps took part in the Battle of the Frontiers as part of 4th Army
On 10th October 1914 it was part of the 3rd Army, then on 17th September 1915 it was part of the 7th Army.

The Corps fought on both the Eastern and the Western fronts.

This is reflected in the casualty lists.

Better Photo's

The left panel

The right panel

Leisernich War Memorial

Leisenich war memorial, just up the road from Grenderich

German 16th Infantry Division in the Great War

The 16th Division was part of the VIII Corps of the German Army, and together with the 15th Division joined as part of that Corps with the 4th Army (Duke of Wuerttemburg).

Both Divisions recruited from the Rhineland, and it was to this Corps that the men of Grenderich would have found themselves.

The 16th Division was formed as the 15th Division on 5th September 1818 from a Troop Brigade of the German Army at Koblenz.  It became the 16th Division on 14th December 1818 and moved its headquarters to Trier, it was part of the VIII Corps in peacetime.

The 16th Division fought in the Austrian-Prussian War of 1866, and in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1

In the Franco-Prussian War the Division consisted of:

  31st Infantry Brigade

29th Infantry Regiment
69th Infantry Regiment

32nd Infantry Brigade

40th Fusilier Regiment
72nd Infantry Regiment

9th Hussar Regiment

German divisions underwent various organizational changes after the Franco-Prussian War. The 15th Division's 30th Infantry Brigade went to the 16th Division in exchange for the 80th Infantry Brigade, formed in 1897.

The organisation of the Division in 1914 was as follows

30th Infantry Brigade

28th (2nd Rhine) (Von Goeben) Infantry Regiment
68th (6th Rhine) Infantry Regiment

31st Infantry Brigade

29th (3rd Rhine) (Von Horn) Infantry Regiment
69th (7th Rhine) Infantry Regiment

16th Cavalry Brigade

7th Horse Jager Regiment
8th Horse Jager Regiment

16th Field Artillery Brigade

44th (Trier) Field Artillery Regiment
23rd Field Artillery Regiment (2nd Rhine)

On mobilisation in 1914 it lost in Cavalry Brigade, which was withdrawn to constitute Cavalry Divisions, and was made up of the following units.

30th Infantry Brigade

28th (2nd Rhine) (Von Goeben) Infantry Regiment
68th (6th Rhine) Infantry Regiment

31st Infantry Brigade

29th (3rd Rhine) (Von Horn) Infantry Regiment
69th (7th Rhine) Infantry Regiment

7th Hussar Regiment (1st Rhine) (King William I)

16th Field Artillery Brigade

44th (Trier) Field Artillery Regiment
23rd Field Artillery Regiment (3rd Rhine)
8th (2/1st Rhine) Pioneer Battalion
8th (3/1st Rhine) Pioneer Battalion

The 16th Division entered Luxembourg on 20th August 1914.  The Division entered France on 26th August 1914.  The 16th Division then took part in the battle of the Marne.

The winter of 14/15 saw the Division take up positions in Souain-Perthes in Champagne, where it saw heavy fighting. In November and December 1914 the 31st Infantry Brigade saw service in the Langemarck area of Belgium.  In mid December the 31st Brigade was sent to Alsace as part of the Fuchs (Fox) Division.  It rejoined the 30th Brigade at the end of that month.

At the middle of May 1915 the 16th Division after a period of rest was placed in the line at Arras. 

In October 1915 the Division was made up of the following regiments:

28th (2nd Rhine) (Von Goeben) Infantry Regiment
29th (3rd Rhine) (Von Horn) Infantry Regiment
68th (6th Rhine) Infantry Regiment
23rd Field Artillery Regiment (3rd Rhine)
32nd Foot Artillery Battalion

 In November 1915 it was sent to the Russian front, and in June 1917 the Division was back in Flanders, and in September it was placed in the reserve.

At the beginning of October 1917 it was returned to the French front at Ypres.  It continued to serve on that front until the end of the war.

The German 15th Infantry Division in the Great War

The 15th Division was part of the VIII Corps of the German Army, and together with the 16th Division joined as part of that Corps with the 4th Army (Duke of Wuerttemburg).

Both Divisions recruited from the Rhineland, and it was to this Corps that the men of Grenderich would have found themselves.

The 15th Division was formed as the 16th Division on 5th September 1818 from the 4th Brigade of the Army in France.  It became the 15th Division on 14th December 1818, it was part of the VIII Corps in peacetime.

The 15th Division fought in the Austrian-Prussian War of 1866, and in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1

In the Franco-Prussian War the Division consisted of:

29th Infantry Brigade

33rd Fusilier Regiment
65th Infantry Regiment

30th Infantry Brigade

28th Infantry Regiment
67th Infantry Regiment

German divisions underwent various organizational changes after the Franco-Prussian War. The 15th Division's 30th Infantry Brigade went to the 16th Division in exchange for the 80th Infantry Brigade, formed in 1897.

The organisation of the Division in 1914 was as follows

29th Infantry Brigade

25th (1st Rhine) (Von Lutzow) Infantry Regiment
161st (10th Rhine) Infantry Regiment

80th Infantry Brigade

65th (5th Rhine) Infantry Regiment
160th (9th Rhine) Infantry Regiment

15th Cavalry Brigade

8th (Rhine) Currassier Regiment "Graf Gessler"
7th (1st Rhine) Hussar Regiment "King William I"

15th Field Artillery Brigade

59th Field Artillery Regiment
83rd Field Artillery Regiment (3rd Rhine)

On mobilisation in 1914 it lost in Cavalry Brigade, which was withdrawn to constitute Cavalry Divisions, and was made up of the following units.

29th Infantry Brigade

25th (1st Rhine) (Von Lutzow) Infantry Regiment
161st (10th Rhine) Infantry Regiment

80th Infantry Brigade

65th (5th Rhine) Infantry Regiment
160th (9th Rhine) Infantry Regiment

15th Field Artillery Brigade

59th Field Artillery Regiment
83rd Field Artillery Regiment (3rd Rhine)
8th (1/1st Rhine) Pioneer Battalion

The 25th Infantry Regiment was detached to take part in the siege of Liege the remainder of the Division entered Luxembourg on 19th/20th August 1914.  The Division entered France on 26th August 1914, with the 29th Brigade crossed the Mouse at Sedan, and the 80th Brigade entered Meziers.  The 15th Division then took part in the battle of the Marne.

The winter of 14/15 saw the 29th Brigade moved to the Ypres front, and then to Alsace.  It was temporaraly replaced by the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Brigade.  Both the 1st Bavarian Landwehr Brigade and the 80th Brigade remained in Champagne.

At the end of May 1915 the 15th Division with the now reunited 29th and 80th Brigades took part in the battle of Artois.  From June 1915 until June 1916 the Division occupied positions on the Aisne.

On 1st July 1916 it was transferred to the Somme front, and in August it lost the 160th Infantry Regiment, and it lost the 65th and 161st Infantry Regiments to the 185th Division, and the 25th Regiment to the 208th Division.

In October 1916 the Division was made up of the following regiments:

160th Infantry Regiment (returned)
186th Infantry Regiment
389th Infantry Regiment (from Rhine regiments)

 In November 1916 it was sent to the Russian front, and in February 1917 the Division was in Transylvania, and in April it was placed in the reserve.

At the end of April 1917 it was returned to the French front.  It continued to serve on that front until the end of the war.