22nd Division ( German Empire ) The 22nd Division ( " 22 . Division " ) was a unit of the Prussia n / German Army . It was formed on October 11 , 1866 and was headquartered in Kassel . The division was subordinated in peacetime to the XI Army Corps ( " XI . Armeekorps " ) . The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I . Recruitment . The division was recruited in the formerly independent Electorate of Hesse ( " Kurhessen " ) , which had been incorporated into Prussia after the Austro - Prussian War , in the Principality of Waldeck , and in the Thuringian states . Until 1899 , including during the Franco - Prussian War , it was predominantly from Thuringia , but many Thuringian units went to the 38th Division when that division was formed in 1899 . Combat chronicle . During the Franco - Prussian War , as the 22nd Infantry Division it fought in the opening battle of Woerth and the major battle of Sedan . It then participated in the Siege of Paris . Subsequently , it saw action in the Loire campaign , including the battles of 1st Orléans , Loigny - Poupry , 2nd Orléans , and Le Mans . In World War I , again as the 22nd Infantry Division , it fought initially on the Western Front , including in the Battle of Liège . It was soon sent to the Eastern Front , where it remained until October 1917 . It fought in the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes and the Gorlice - Tarnów Offensive , and then participated in the Romanian Campaign . After returning to the Western Front , it saw action in the 1918 German Spring Offensive , including the Second Battle of the Somme and the Second Battle of the Marne . Allied intelligence noted that the division had good morale , but in 1918 rated it third class , albeit better on the defensive . Order of battle in the Franco - Prussian War . During wartime , the 22nd Division , like other regular German divisions , was redesignated an infantry division . The organization of the 22nd Infantry Division in 1870 at the beginning of the Franco - Prussian War was as follows : The 32nd , 94th and 95th Infantry Regiments were from the Thuringian states , while the 83rd Infantry Regiment was from the Electorate of Hesse and included a battalion from Waldeck . Pre - World War I organization . German divisions underwent various organizational changes after the Franco - Prussian War . With the creation of the 38th Division , most Thuringian elements were transferred to the new division and replaced with the Electorate of Hesse units ( the 167th Upper Alsatian Infantry Regiment , despite its name , was recruited in the Electorate of Hesse and Prussian Saxony ) . The organization of the 22nd Division in 1914 , shortly before the outbreak of World War I , was as follows : Order of battle on mobilization . On mobilization in August 1914 at the beginning of World War I , most divisional cavalry , including brigade headquarters , was withdrawn to form cavalry divisions or split up among divisions as reconnaissance units . Divisions received engineer companies and other support units from their higher headquarters . The 22nd Division was again renamed the 22nd Infantry Division and its initial wartime organization was as follows : Late World War I organization . Divisions underwent many changes during the war , with regiments moving from division to division , and some being destroyed and rebuilt . During the war , most divisions became triangular - one infantry brigade with three infantry regiments rather than two infantry brigades of two regiments ( a " square division " ) . An artillery commander replaced the artillery brigade headquarters , the cavalry was further reduced , the engineer contingent was increased , and a divisional signals command was created . The 22nd Infantry Division ' s order of battle on May 29 , 1918 was as follows :