4th Division ( German Empire ) The 4th Division ( " 4 . Division " ) was a unit of the Prussia n / German Army . It was formed in Torgau on September 5 , 1818 . The headquarters moved to Stargard ( now Stargard Szczeciński , Poland ) in 1820 , where it stayed until 1852 . In 1852 , the headquarters moved to its final destination , Bromberg ( now Bydgoszcz , Poland ) . From the corps ' formation in 1820 , the division was subordinated in peacetime to the II Army Corps ( " II . Armeekorps " ) . The 4th Division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I . The 4th Division and its regiments fought in the Austro - Prussian War against Austria in 1866 , including the Battle of Königgrätz . The division then fought in the Franco - Prussian War against France in 1870 - 71 . It saw action in the Battle of Gravelotte , the Siege of Metz , and the Siege of Paris , among other actions . In World War I , the 4th Division served initially on the Western Front , seeing action in the invasion of Belgium , the First Battle of the Marne and the Race to the Sea . The division was then transferred to the Eastern Front , where it fought in several campaigns , including the recapture of Lemberg in 1915 . It then returned to the Western Front , where it saw action in the Battle of Verdun . After Verdun , it occupied various positions on the line on the Western Front . In 1918 , it took part in the German Spring Offensive , including the Battle of Picardy and the Battle of the Lys ( also known as the Lys Offensive or the Fourth Battle of Ypres ) . 1870 organization . During wartime , the 4th Division , like other regular German divisions , was redesignated an infantry division . The organization of the 4th Infantry Division in 1870 at the beginning of the Franco - Prussian War was as follows : Pre - World War I organization . Many regiments were renamed and assigned to different divisions during the period from 1871 to 1914 . Among other changes , the 3rd and 4th Divisions swapped the Colberg Grenadiers and the 14th Infantry Regiment , and the regiments of the 8th Infantry Brigade joined the newly formed 35 . Division in 1890 . In 1914 , the peacetime organization of the 4th Division was as follows : August 1914 organization . 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in August 1914 at the beginning of World War I , most divisional cavalry , including brigade headquarters , was withdrawn to form cavalry divisions or split up among divisions as reconnaissance units .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 4th Division was again renamed the 4th Infantry Division . The 4th Infantry Division ' s 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 4th Infantry Division ' s order of battle on January 26 , 1918 was as follows :