Reply To: Poland 1939 – Preparing for 80th Anniversary of World War II

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Very interesting @yavasa – I’ve unpacked my copy of Riders of the Apocalypse (David R. Dorondo) – chronicling German cavalry 1870-1945.  With such a broad sweep of history, the information is a little high-level.  I’m finding more confirmation of 1. Kavalleriebrigade being the only high-level operational cavalry formation, with cavalry companies being part of each infantry division’s reconnaissance battalion.

The “Kavallerie” regiments in the light divisions, and this is just speculation, might be a holdover from the years Hans von Seeckt ran the Reichswehr (1920-26).  Largely responsible for the “organizational DNA” of the Reichswehr that would echo forward into the early WW2 Wehrmacht, among his influences was the creation of the Light Division, which back in 1919 retained a strong cavalry element.

Further clouding (?) the issue seems to be the conversion of “Reiter” regiments to “Kavallerie” regiments, some to aufklärungsabteilung reconnaissance forces, and others to outright panzer formations.  The conversion does not seem to be 1-1, so it gets very confusing, I’m not even going to try to untangle it.

I’ve pummeled around the web hitting links and ran across in the Military History Research Center (MGFA) of the Bundeswehr:

In the course of the establishment of light divisions from autumn 1937 a number of cavalry regiments were set up. These regiments were formed, along with the Kradschützen-Abteilungen (motorcycles), the infantry component of the Light divisions and were among the mobile troops.  They consisted of two Kavallerie Schützen Abteilungen (battalions) of three squadrons (cavalry companies), a heavy squadron with three 3.7-cm-PaK 36, two light infantry guns 18 (7.5 cm IGs) and six heavy (later middle ) grenade launchers 34 (8.0 cm mortars).

With the transformation of the Light Divisions into Panzer Divisions in late 1939 / early 1940, the cavalry regiments were converted into Rifle Regiments , which were later renamed Panzergrenadier regiments.

The tricky part is it says they were converted to rifle regiments in late 39 / early 40 – not very precise.

I would submit that it’s possible for a unit to be named “cavalry” but in fact already be motorized (truck) infantry.  This could be for all kinds of reasons, from stubborn military tradition, administration, uniforms, decorations, pay, etc.  The German officer corps was strictly divided into different “branches” like artillery, infantry, later panzertruppe, etc … It may may have just taken a while to transfer all the officers rating from the cavalry branch to the infantry or “schnelletruppe” (mobile troops) branch?

Of course, these are NOT FACTS, just ideas, just spit balling to see why we’re both finding sources that say some of these light divisions had cavalry regiments in them that were not “cavalry” in the physical sense.  Even that “Lexicon source” is not clear what these units were actually made of.  I wish they would actually include information on what was in the unit’s ToE (table of organization and equipment) rather than naming the town where every barracks was located.  😐  Yes!  the training barracks were at Ohrdruf!  Now were there horses or Open Blitzs parked out front!?!  🙂

One thing I do find interesting is the fact that rather than drawing down after Poland, German cavalry EXPANDS … and significantly, going forward.  As I’m sure you guys know, this is particularly true is Russia, where we see not only cavalry divisions, but SS cavalry divisions, and even a cavalry corps.