# 3rd Army (German Empire)

The 3rd Army (German: 3. Armee / Armeeoberkommando 3 / A.O.K. 3) was an army level command of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 seemingly from the II Army Inspectorate. The army was disbanded in 1919 during demobilization after the war.

## History

Upon the mobilization Max von Hausen (Saxon War Minister) was given command of the 3rd Army which mainly consisted of Saxons. The army participated in the Battle of the Frontiers, mainly in the Battle of Dinant and the Battle of Charleroi and the army were responsible for the destruction of Reims in September 1914. When the 2nd Army retreated after the First Battle of the Marne, Hausen saw his flank exposed and ordered a retreat. Upon the stabilization of the front on the river Aisne, Hausen was relieved of his command and replaced by General Karl von Einem.
Repulsing the French First Battle of Champagne (the Champagne-Marne offensive) from February–March and Second Battle of Champagne (September–November) 1915 respectively, the 3rd Army took part in all three battles of the Aisne and defeated the Fourth Army (General Anthoine) part of Groupe d'armées du Centre (General Philippe Petain) during the Second Battle of the Aisne as part of the Nivelle Offensive from 16 April – 15 May 1917.
Einem's right flank units participate in the Champagne-Marne offensive on 15–17 July 1918 supporting the east flank of the 1st Army. After suffering severe casualties in battle with the American Expeditionary Force (General of the Armies John J. Pershing) from 26 September – 11 November in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, the army was forced to retreat northwards shortly before the war ended, when it was part of Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz.

### Order of Battle, 30 October 1918

Organization of 3rd Army on 30 October 1918 :
| Army | Corps | Division |
| 3rd Army | XXV Reserve Corps | 9th Landwehr Division |
| 3rd Army | XXV Reserve Corps | 199th Division |
| 3rd Army | XXV Reserve Corps | 3rd Guards Division |
| 3rd Army | XXV Reserve Corps | 1st Guards Division |
| 3rd Army | XVI Corps | 213th Division |
| 3rd Army | XVI Corps | 242nd Division |
| 3rd Army | XVI Corps | 1st Bavarian Division |
| 3rd Army | I Reserve Corps | 202nd Division |
| 3rd Army | I Reserve Corps | 14th Reserve Division |
| 3rd Army | I Reserve Corps | 203rd Division |
| 3rd Army | I Reserve Corps | 195th Division |
| 3rd Army | I Reserve Corps | 76th Reserve Division |
| 3rd Army | I Reserve Corps | 42nd Division |
| 3rd Army | I Reserve Corps | 103rd Division |
| 3rd Army | XXXVIII Reserve Corps | No units assigned |
| 3rd Army | Moving to Bavaria | 4th Bavarian Division |

## Commanders

The 3rd Army had the following commanders during its existence:
3rd Army :
| From | Commander | Previously | Subsequently |
| 2 August 1914 | Generaloberst Max von Hausen | Saxon Minister of War | Adjutant to his Majesty the King of Saxony |
| 12 September 1914 | General der Kavallerie Karl von Einem | VII Corps | Retired |
| 27 January 1915 | Generaloberst Karl von Einem | VII Corps | Retired |

## Glossary

* Armee-Abteilung (Army Detachment) in the sense of "something detached from an army". It is not under the command of an army being a small army.
* Armee-Gruppe (Army Group) a group within an army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a task.
* Heeresgruppe (Army Group) several armies under a commander.