18th Division (German Empire)

The 18th Division was a unit of the Prussian Army, and later the German Imperial Army, during World War I. It was formed in 1816 as part of the reorganization of the Prussian Army after the Napoleonic Wars. The division was headquartered in Frankfurt an der Oder and was part of the IX Army Corps.

Throughout the 19th century, the 18th Division participated in various conflicts, including the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871.

At the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, the 18th Division was mobilized and deployed to the Western Front. It saw action in the initial battles of the war, including the Battle of the Marne. Subsequently, the division participated in numerous battles throughout the war, primarily on the Western Front, including engagements in the Champagne region, at Verdun, and in the battles of the Somme.

The division underwent various reorganizations and reinforcements throughout the war. Like other divisions of the German Army, it suffered heavy casualties.

Following the armistice in November 1918, the 18th Division was demobilized and disbanded as part of the overall reduction of the German military. Its remaining personnel were integrated into the transitional army (Reichswehr) or discharged. The traditions of the division were not carried forward in any direct way by subsequent German military formations.