Scenes from the Service Operations of the Old Army - Parades, Field Service Exercises and Maneuvers of Bavarian Troops

The Imperial Army included, like all modern armies of that time, the following branches of service: infantry, cavalry, technical troops (field and foot artillery, engineers and pioneers) and transport troops (train, railway, motor transport, aeronautical, aviation and telegraph formations). The ongoing expansion, especially of the latter branches, took place in constant interaction with the rapid development of technical progress. According to the provisions of the Imperial Law of 03.07.1913, the following were to be in existence: 669 infantry battalions (including jägers and riflemen), 550 squadrons, 633 field artillery batteries, 55 foot artillery battalions, 44 pioneer battalions, 31 railway (transport troops) battalions and 26 train battalions.

In 1873 the German Imperial Army numbered a total of 19,955 officers, 401 659 men with 94,742 horses. In 1888 there were 19,294 officers, 468,409 men with 84,091 horses. Of these Saxony accounted for 1,250 officers, 31,810 men and 5,361 service horses; Württemberg: 806 officers, 19,946 men and 3,690 service horses; and Bavaria: 2,202 officers, 54,185 men and 8,874 service horses. At that time the German population numbered 48.17 million. In 1900 the figures were: 23,730 officers, 79,873 non-commissioned officers, 491,826 privates, etc., 2,155 military doctors, 1,039 paymasters, 657 veterinary surgeons, 1,107 gunsmiths, armourers, saddlers and 105,065 service horses. The establishment strength of the German Imperial Army finally amounted in 1913 to 30,259 generals and officers, 106,477 non-commissioned officers, 647,811 other ranks (a total of 784,547 men) and 157,816 service horses. Including medical officers, veterinarians and officials, the Imperial Army now counted 800,675 men. The population of the German Reich was now 67.81 million.

In the German Imperial Army Bavaria, Saxony and Württemberg had special rights¹. While Saxony and Württemberg retained only their own administration (War Ministry), the Bavarian army formed a self-contained component with an independent administration under the military sovereignty of the King of Bavaria. In time of war, however, it came under the supreme command of the Emperor. The military sovereign rights, for example, of the Bavarian king were: a) the oath of the flag was sworn to him, b) he filled all command posts and decided on all personnel changes, c) he designated all troop units and determined their locations, d) he determined the uniform regulations, and e) he was responsible for the service authority, administration and jurisdiction of the Bavarian contingent. With regard to organization, formation, training, pay, mobilization and armament, however, conformity with the standards of the federal army had to be ensured.

At this point only the Bavarian share of the armed forces of the German Reich is of interest. Accordingly, as of 1911 the Royal Bavarian Army comprised the following branches of service and units:

In peacetime the German Imperial Army had only army corps as higher formations. They usually consisted of two infantry, cavalry and field artillery divisions as well as corps troops: foot artillery, pioneers and transport troops. Each division consisted of two brigades of two regiments each.

The German Imperial Army comprised a total of 25 army corps in 1914, of which no fewer than 19 were Prussian (Guards Corps, I–XI, XIV–XVIII, XX–XXI). Two were provided by Saxony (XII, XIX), one by Württemberg (XIII) and three by Bavaria (I–III). In 1874 there had still been 18 army corps.

The armed forces of the Kingdom of Bavaria were organized, as of 1911, into three army corps. These in turn comprised the following units: