22:
161:
262:, adventurers, the unemployed, but also all kinds of dubious elements, including criminals, who wanted to evade the criminal justice system in the Reich. Around half of the incoming replacements were sent back because they were deemed âmorallyâ unsuitable. Units often had to be disbanded due to unreliability. Politically unpopular officers and men were also deported. The division thus became a rallying point for
322:, which resulted in the formation of a pro-German government â as a result of which the Iron Division was ordered to withdraw. The Iron Division saw this behaviour as a betrayal of the Baltic states. This gave rise to the story of the indomitable defiance and iron will of the Baltic people, who were the âlast Germans everâ and found symbolic expression in the slogan âand yetâ.
427:
253:
By taking over closed volunteer corps and individual volunteers, the division reached a supply strength of around 14,000 men by the summer of 1919. There were three infantry regiments and an artillery regiment as well as cavalry and supply troops. The volunteers signed a contract for one month each,
309:
Like many other
Freikorps in the period after the First World War, the Iron Division used black as the basic colour of its flag. It featured a white skull and crossbones with the slogan âund dochâ (âand yetâ) beneath it. This motto was a reaction to the behaviour of the German government during the
277:
The fighting was merciless on both sides and at the expense of the civilian population. Prisoners were shot and robbed in violation of orders. The marauding in the hinterland could never be stopped. After the conquest of Riga, the riots in the area of the Iron
Division caused an international
330:
When the first transports of the division were ready for shipment to
Germany on 23 August 1919, Bischoff decided on his own responsibility to refuse orders and stopped further transport. At the end of September, the division, together with the Free Corps of the German Legion, joined the
343:
intervened in favour of Latvia and the German border was closed to supplies, the
Bermondt army, which consisted of 80 % German Freikorps, collapsed. The division was forced to retreat. In mid-December, the last units crossed the German border at Memel.
172:
Josef
Bischoff. The latter forbade any further marches back, sent unreliable units home and renamed the remaining 300 men the âIron Divisionâ. With the arrival of reinforcements and new battle tactics, the front at the Windau (Latvian:
356:
from prosecution, but had no opportunity to be accepted into the
Reichswehr or to find jobs in industry. After demobilisation, many members of the division remained together as agricultural worker communities on estates in Pomerania.
300:
to disempower the
Bolsheviks and gain influence over a future Russia. At the very least, the division was to be preserved for as long as possible in order to participate in a reactionary upheaval in Germany if necessary.
149:
352:
The remaining
Freikorps men felt betrayed by their own government. However, the expected march on Berlin did not materialise due to a lack of political leadership. The volunteers were given
144:
authorised the recruitment of volunteers and Free Corps in the Reich. For the time being, however, the weak front troops found themselves crowded together in a small area around Libau (Lat.
293:
Although the evacuation of the Baltic states officially began in July, the division continued to strengthen itself and maintained illegal recruitment centres in
Germany for this purpose.
258:; they were also promised settlement land, albeit without authorisation. In addition to those willing to settle, idealists, professional soldiers who could not be accommodated in the
211:
was recaptured together with the Baltic Army, with the Iron
Division distinguishing itself through its brutality. As a result, the Red Armies initially gave up the battle for Latvia.
883:
383:. The former Baltic soldiers of the Freikorps were a destabilising factor during the Weimar Republic and a large proportion of them joined the Hitler movement.
241:). Some of the troops refused to serve because they had only been recruited to fight against the Bolsheviks. After the subsequent evacuation of Riga and the
54:
196:
364:, many former members were involved in the putsch. Former members of the division were later also involved in the Free Corps battles in the Ruhr area (
225:
on the other. As German troops were ordered by the Reich government and the Entente powers not to carry out any further offensive movements, five
868:
844:
101:("Iron Brigade") was recruited from 29 November from soldiers of the army. This was decided at a joint meeting of the Reich Plenipotentiary
942:
141:
125:
58:
181:
932:
132:, conquered almost the entire territory of Latvia by mid-January 1919, and it was feared that they were planning an advance on
339:. During their advance, the division reached the western suburbs of Riga without being able to conquer the city. When the
109:
and the Central Soldiers' Council. Around 600 volunteers signed up, but some of them later refused to serve at the front.
37:("Iron Division") was the name of an anti-communist military formation made up of German volunteers that took part in the
937:
222:
332:
38:
234:
781:
407:
90:
744:
699:
188:
816:
KontinuitÀt deutscher Kriegsziele im Baltikum. Deutsche Baltikum-Politik 1918/19 und das KontinuitÀtsproblem
684:
455:
403:
255:
192:
50:
336:
296:
Contrary to official German policy, the aim of the circles around Bischoff was to work with the Russian
21:
160:
689:
319:
311:
117:
804:
470:
233:
were deployed for 14 days in Niedra-Latvian service. However, they were decisively defeated at the
70:
557:
483:
380:
369:
877:
864:
840:
717:
415:
230:
219:
340:
199:
and various smaller Free Corps. The Iron Division took part in the offensive on Mitau (Lat.
129:
782:
Mythos eines ewigen Soldatentums, Der Feldzug deutscher Freikorps im Baltikum im Jahre 1919
490:
395:
287:
283:
215:
106:
73:, which at times numbered up to 16,000 men, was disbanded at the beginning of 1920 due to
756:
704:
463:
391:
376:
203:) at the beginning of March and occupied the old World War II position near Olai (Lat.
124:, and the Iron Brigade, failed. On 3 January, a Soviet government moved into Riga (see
121:
926:
792:
399:
365:
279:
185:
174:
102:
42:
861:
Landsknechte auf dem Weg ins Dritte Reich? zu Genese und Wandel des Freikorpsmythos
837:
Landsknechte auf dem Weg ins Dritte Reich? zu Genese und Wandel des Freikorpsmythos
762:
169:
133:
787:
Zeitschrift fĂŒr Geschichtswissenschaft (ZfG), 43. Jahrgang 1995, Heft 10
177:) was actually held. Bolshevik problems on other fronts also contributed to this.
168:
On 16 January, command of the Iron Brigade passed from Colonel Friedrich Kumme to
776:. 4 BĂ€nde. AustrÄlijas latvieĆĄu balva Jaunsargiem, Riga 2006, ISBN 9984-19-951-7.
361:
271:
263:
86:
808:
297:
267:
259:
218:
puppet government on the one hand and the Republic of Estonia and the Latvian
145:
66:
694:
625:
426:
411:
360:
Although most of the division had already been disbanded by the time of the
242:
226:
214:
In June 1919, the division was deployed in the conflict between the Latvian
46:
801:
Wehrwissenschaftliche Forschungen â Abteilung MilitĂ€rgeschichtliche Studien
238:
94:
739:
Die letzte Front 1919. Geschichte der Eisernen Division im Baltikum 1919
97:. In order to protect the removal of troops and material, the so-called
914:
Darstellungen aus den NachkriegskÀmpfen deutscher Truppen und Freikorps
899:
Darstellungen aus den NachkriegskÀmpfen deutscher Truppen und Freikorps
577:
200:
137:
353:
204:
74:
62:
245:
of Strasdenhof, the division found itself back in the Olai section.
425:
315:
254:
received a Baltic supplement to their pay and had the prospect of
159:
20:
282:
had to be set up due to the many assaults and overloading of the
208:
113:
93:
withdrew from the eastern Baltic States due to the incoming the
663:
Volunteer Foot Artillery Battery of the I Army Corps (assigned)
767:
Von Kiel bis Kapp. Zur Geschichte der deutschen Revolution
184:
took over command in Courland. The commanding general,
152:
in the rear blocked the railway for the border guards.
818:, Verlag Dr. Kovac Hamburg 2003, ISBN 3-8300-1036-2.
394:(April to August as Second General Staff Officer),
128:). The Bolshevik armies, which consisted mainly of
839:, Paderborn: Ferdinand Schöningh, pp. 48â49,
769:. Verlag fĂŒr Politik und Wirtschaft, Berlin 1920.
671:Armored car division of the Gov. Libau (assigned)
583:"427" Aviation detachment (without Fick Squadron)
510:"Schönfeldt" Company (from Graf Kanitz Battalion)
568:"Graf Kanitz" Battalion (Volunteer Battalion 7)
912:Kriegsgeschichtliche Forschungsanstalt (1937),
897:Kriegsgeschichtliche Forschungsanstalt (1937),
741:. Buch und Tiefdruck Gesellschaft, Berlin 1935.
16:Baltic-German anti-communist military formation
526:"Clodius" Company (from Graf Kanitz Battalion)
191:, was in charge of the Libau Governorate, the
25:Flag of the Eiserne Division ("Iron Division")
375:The ideology of the Ride to the East and the
314:("Baltic coup") of 16 April 1919 â a coup by
126:Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (1918-1920)
8:
651:Artillery detachment (Major Sixt von Arnim)
441:First General Staff Officer: Hauptmann Biese
326:Transfer to the West Russian Liberation Army
31:
476:"Nolde" Jagdkommando (from the Baltic Army)
61:, and later fought against the army of the
882:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
379:of the Free Corps was one of the roots of
120:, a volunteer force consisting largely of
749:Meine Sendung in Finnland und im Baltikum
610:2nd Infantry Regiment (Major von Kleist)
596:1st Infantry Regiment (Major von Lossow)
648:Cavalry Regiment (Major Graf von Kanitz)
827:
414:, Bernhard Ruberg, Richard Manderbach,
180:At the beginning of February 1919, the
875:
504:"Oberleutnant BĂŒchner" JĂ€ger Battalion
148:) and had supply problems because Red
7:
718:Die letzte Front â Defenders of Riga
318:Hans von Manteuffel-Szoege with the
136:in order to trigger a revolution in
563:"Schilling" field artillery platoon
774:Latvijas atbrÄ«voĆĄanas kaĆa vÄsture
657:II. Battery (Hauptmann Zimmermann)
434:The following structure was used:
195:, the Iron Division, the incoming
14:
916:, F. S. Mittler, pp. 155+156
901:, E. S. Mittler, pp. 144+145
797:Freikorps und Republik. 1918â1920
513:"Kischke" Field Artillery Platoon
624:3rd Courland Infantry Regiment (
142:Council of the People's Deputies
53:. The unit was deployed against
654:I. Battery (Hauptmann Auerbach)
640:"von Petersdorff" MG detachment
529:"Trapp" Field Artillery Platoon
501:"von Petersdorff" MG detachment
438:Commander: Major Josef Bischoff
45:in 1919. It was the best-known
89:, the war-weary troops of the
1:
387:Known members of the division
507:"Schleswig-Holstein" Company
333:West Russian Liberation Army
164:Campaigns in Latvia in 1919.
943:Latvian War of Independence
789:, 1995, Heft 10, S. 869â902
197:1st Guards Reserve Division
130:Red Latvian Rifle Regiments
39:Latvian War of Independence
959:
863:, Paderborn, p. 209,
859:Matthias Sprenger (2008),
835:Matthias Sprenger (2008),
751:. Koehler, Leipzig 1920, (
732:Landsknechte wurden wir...
637:III. Battalion (Rieckhoff)
370:uprisings in Upper Silesia
67:Russian monarchist command
753:Deutsche DenkwĂŒrdigkeiten
668:"427" Aviation detachment
613:I. Battalion (Liebermann)
479:"von Besser" Jagdkommando
799:. Boldt, Boppard 1969, (
674:Further divisional units
605:III. Battalion (Heiberg)
586:Further divisional units
548:"Liebermann" detachment
520:"Erich Balla" Battalion
734:Tradition, Berlin 1932.
685:Freikorps in the Baltic
602:II. Battalion (Groeben)
571:Field Artillery Platoon
534:"von Borcke" Battalion
422:Division structure 1919
193:Baltic Territorial Army
140:. To prevent this, the
933:1920 disestablishments
619:III. Battalion (Henke)
473:(from the Baltic Army)
431:
165:
32:
26:
785:(pdf, 7,4 Mbyte) In:
745:RĂŒdiger von der Goltz
700:RĂŒdiger von der Goltz
616:II. Battalion (Balla)
498:"Heiberg" detachment
429:
398:, Waldemar Hartmann,
368:) and Upper Silesia (
337:Pavel Bermondt-Avalov
189:RĂŒdiger von der Goltz
163:
105:, the Army Commander
85:After the end of the
65:after a defection to
24:
690:Baltische Landeswehr
430:Major Josef Bischoff
320:Baltische Landeswehr
51:in the Baltic States
938:1919 establishments
278:sensation. Special
256:Latvian citizenship
460:"LĂŒneburg" Company
432:
381:National Socialism
335:of the adventurer
166:
150:soldiers' councils
63:Republic of Latvia
27:
870:978-3-506-76518-5
846:978-3-506-76518-5
451:"Doin" Battalion
284:field gendarmerie
118:Baltic State Army
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779:Bernhard Sauer:
737:Josef Bischoff:
523:"Belitz" Company
446:Early March 1919
235:Battle of Wenden
182:VI Reserve Corps
156:Eiserne Division
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33:Eiserne Division
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643:JĂ€ger Battalion
591:End of May 1919
491:field artillery
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396:Rudolf Berthold
389:
377:anti-Bolshevism
350:
328:
307:
288:military police
251:
158:
107:Hugo von Kathen
99:Eiserne Brigade
91:German 8th Army
87:First World War
83:
81:Eiserne Brigade
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416:GĂŒnther Pancke
392:Heinz Guderian
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341:Entente powers
327:
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306:
305:Flag and motto
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280:company courts
250:
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207:). On 22 May,
157:
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122:Baltic Germans
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730:Erich Balla:
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576:"Preetzmann"
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366:Ruhr uprising
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103:August Winnig
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59:Soviet Latvia
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55:Soviet Russia
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43:Baltic States
40:
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773:
772:M. PeniÄ·is:
766:
763:Gustav Noske
752:
748:
738:
731:
716:
660:III. Battery
631:I. Battalion
599:I. Battalion
590:
589:
471:Jagdkommando
445:
444:
433:
408:Paul Hofmann
390:
374:
359:
351:
329:
312:Baltenputsch
308:
298:White Armies
295:
292:
276:
252:
213:
179:
167:
134:East Prussia
111:
98:
84:
30:
28:
18:
551:1st Platoon
540:2nd Platoon
537:1st Platoon
362:Kapp Putsch
348:Dissolution
272:nationalist
264:reactionary
249:Composition
927:Categories
823:References
725:Literature
628:Poensgen)
580:detachment
560:detachment
554:MG Company
543:MG Company
489:"GĂ€dicke"
482:"Volkmar"
310:so-called
268:monarchist
260:Reichswehr
229:and three
227:battalions
223:government
49:formation
809:1173304-4
695:Freikorps
626:Hauptmann
412:Kurt Kaul
243:armistice
231:batteries
47:Freikorps
878:citation
679:See also
558:Pioneers
486:-Company
484:Pioneers
454:"Mitau"
354:immunity
286:(German
274:forces.
95:Red Army
71:division
57:-backed
578:Cavalry
493:platoon
466:Company
456:Company
220:Ulmanis
201:Jelgava
146:LiepÄja
138:Germany
116:by the
41:in the
867:
843:
807:
805:ZDB-ID
757:online
237:(Lat.
216:Niedra
205:Olaine
75:mutiny
69:. The
316:Baron
239:CÄsis
175:Venta
170:Major
884:link
865:ISBN
841:ISBN
711:Film
270:and
209:Riga
114:Riga
29:The
803:8,
755:).(
372:).
290:).
929::
880:}}
876:{{
811:).
795::
765::
747::
464:MG
418:.
410:,
406:,
402:,
266:,
77:.
886:)
759:)
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