Infanterie-Regiment 129 prior to the First World War
The photo to the left shows original members of JR129 in a photograph celebrating the end of their term of required service in the Imperial German Army near the end of the 19th Century. One of the men is the grandfather of the Re-created JR129's member August Hein. This direct connection with the original unit is the reason we have chosen to represent them within the Great War Association.
From 1881 until 1902 the regiment was simply known as Infanterie-Regiment Nr.129. In 1902 this would be altered to recognize the regiment as being recruited from West Prussia, hence the name was altered to 3. Westpreussische Inf.-Rgt. Nr.129. The final alteration came on November 28, 1916 when the regiment recieved Generalfeldmarschall von Mackensen as their Ceremonial Chief. With that, the regiment's name became Inf.-Rgt. General-Feldmarschall von Mackensen
(3. Westpreussisches) Nr.129.
The regiment was formed on March 24, 1881 with companies from other regiments. Elfte Kompanie was originally formed from the 1st Kompanie from JR86, a regiment from Schleswig-Holstein. The regiment would remain part of the 36th Division until the spring of 1915. The division was headquartered in Danzig (now Gdansk, Poland) as was its parent 17th Armee Korps Head Quarters. Although the 36th Division’s home was Danzig, JR129 never spent time there. The regiment along with JR175 formed the 69th Brigade and spent time in four different towns of what is now north central Poland.
From 1881 to 1887 they were stationed in Bromberg, which is now Bydgoszcz, Poland. Bromberg was roughly 160 kilometers south of Danzig. Bromberg was the administrative center of the Province of Posen. The Bromberg Region had a much higher than average percentage of Protestant Germans than the rest of Posen. There was also a large Jewish minority; however the majority were still Roman Catholic Poles. The town was important because of its location along the waterways, sitting between the Oder and Vistula Rivers, and the Bromberg (now Bydgoszcz) Canal, which had been constructed in the 18th Century by the order of Frederick II of Prussia.
From 1887 to 1890 the regiment was stationed in Inowrazlaw, which is now Inowrocław, Poland. Inowrazlaw was roughly 200 kilometers south of Danzig, being about 40 kilometers southeast of Bromberg. Also being part of the Province of Posen, the town became a railway junction in 1872 and then housed a spa beginning in 1875. It had always been known for its salt mines. The town and the region were renamed Hohensalza in December of 1904. From 1890 to 1893 the regiment returned to Bromberg.
From 1881 until 1902 the regiment was simply known as Infanterie-Regiment Nr.129. In 1902 this would be altered to recognize the regiment as being recruited from West Prussia, hence the name was altered to 3. Westpreussische Inf.-Rgt. Nr.129. The final alteration came on November 28, 1916 when the regiment recieved Generalfeldmarschall von Mackensen as their Ceremonial Chief. With that, the regiment's name became Inf.-Rgt. General-Feldmarschall von Mackensen
(3. Westpreussisches) Nr.129.
The regiment was formed on March 24, 1881 with companies from other regiments. Elfte Kompanie was originally formed from the 1st Kompanie from JR86, a regiment from Schleswig-Holstein. The regiment would remain part of the 36th Division until the spring of 1915. The division was headquartered in Danzig (now Gdansk, Poland) as was its parent 17th Armee Korps Head Quarters. Although the 36th Division’s home was Danzig, JR129 never spent time there. The regiment along with JR175 formed the 69th Brigade and spent time in four different towns of what is now north central Poland.
From 1881 to 1887 they were stationed in Bromberg, which is now Bydgoszcz, Poland. Bromberg was roughly 160 kilometers south of Danzig. Bromberg was the administrative center of the Province of Posen. The Bromberg Region had a much higher than average percentage of Protestant Germans than the rest of Posen. There was also a large Jewish minority; however the majority were still Roman Catholic Poles. The town was important because of its location along the waterways, sitting between the Oder and Vistula Rivers, and the Bromberg (now Bydgoszcz) Canal, which had been constructed in the 18th Century by the order of Frederick II of Prussia.
From 1887 to 1890 the regiment was stationed in Inowrazlaw, which is now Inowrocław, Poland. Inowrazlaw was roughly 200 kilometers south of Danzig, being about 40 kilometers southeast of Bromberg. Also being part of the Province of Posen, the town became a railway junction in 1872 and then housed a spa beginning in 1875. It had always been known for its salt mines. The town and the region were renamed Hohensalza in December of 1904. From 1890 to 1893 the regiment returned to Bromberg.
German Barracks in Schneidemühl.
In 1893 the regiment was transferred to Schneidemühl, which is now Pila, Poland. Schneidemühl was roughly 225 kilometers southwest of Danzig. It was also in the Province of Posen. Since 1851 the city had been connected to both Berlin and to the regiment’s former home of Bromberg along the Prussian Eastern Railway. Near the end of the 19th Century it had become one of the most important railway centers in the region, as well as one of the larger towns in Posen.
From 1903 until the regiment left for the Tannenberg Campaign in the fall of 1914 their home would be the town of Graudenz, which is now Grudziądz, Poland. Graudenz was roughly 120 kilometers directly south of Danzig and part of the Province of West Prussia. Graudenz was a heavily industrial city, whose growth was spurred by the construction of a railroad bridge across the Vistula River in 1872. The town was a hotbed for Poles resisting the Germanization of the area. According to Polish History, Germans with the most prejudiced feelings towards Poles were stationed there. There had been German colonization policies directed at settling Germans in what had once been Poland since the time of Frederick the Great. Laws were passed requiring the German language to be used in all government matters, in schools, and for Polish newspapers to be printed in German and in Polish, with the German text being placed first. A secret society of Polish Students hoping to restore independence had been discovered in the city and tried in 1901. Activists for a free Poland continued to call the city home through the outbreak of the First World War. This included a Polish newspaper which opposed Germanization founded in 1894 that by 1913 had grown to be the 3rd largest Polish language newspaper in the world. This was most likely not a pleasant duty station for the regiment. The friction between the Germans, Polish Slavs, and the OstJuden (Eastern Jews) would continue through the First World War to reach its horrible climax during the Second World War.
From 1903 until the regiment left for the Tannenberg Campaign in the fall of 1914 their home would be the town of Graudenz, which is now Grudziądz, Poland. Graudenz was roughly 120 kilometers directly south of Danzig and part of the Province of West Prussia. Graudenz was a heavily industrial city, whose growth was spurred by the construction of a railroad bridge across the Vistula River in 1872. The town was a hotbed for Poles resisting the Germanization of the area. According to Polish History, Germans with the most prejudiced feelings towards Poles were stationed there. There had been German colonization policies directed at settling Germans in what had once been Poland since the time of Frederick the Great. Laws were passed requiring the German language to be used in all government matters, in schools, and for Polish newspapers to be printed in German and in Polish, with the German text being placed first. A secret society of Polish Students hoping to restore independence had been discovered in the city and tried in 1901. Activists for a free Poland continued to call the city home through the outbreak of the First World War. This included a Polish newspaper which opposed Germanization founded in 1894 that by 1913 had grown to be the 3rd largest Polish language newspaper in the world. This was most likely not a pleasant duty station for the regiment. The friction between the Germans, Polish Slavs, and the OstJuden (Eastern Jews) would continue through the First World War to reach its horrible climax during the Second World War.
JR129 in World War One
JR129 was participating in the annual Kaiser Maneuvers when war was declared in the late summer of 1914. The regiment left directly from the drill field to help stem the impending Russian Invasion of East Prussia. They would begin the war as part of the 36th Division, being transferred to the newly created 105th Division in the Spring of 1915. Their first battle would be at Gumbinnen, where they would suffer their only real defeat until their transfer to the Western Front in late October and early November of 1917. They became part of Von Mackensen's IX(9th) Army after the Battle of Warsaw in October, 1914. In May of 1915 they were assigned to Army Group Terzstyansky, a combined force of German and Austro-Hungarian units. Later in 1915 they were assigned to the 11th Army under Von Mackensen for the Serbian Campaign. There they fought in conjunction with the 1st and 2nd Bulgarian Armies and the 3rd Austro-Hungarian Army. After the succesful conclusion of the brutal Serbian Campaign the 129th served along the Macedonian Front until June of 1916. The regiment fought the length and width of the Eastern Front and the Balkans, campaigning from the Baltic Coast to the Greek Border and then to the coast of the Black Sea in what is now Poland, Ukraine, Serbia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Albania. Warfare on the Eastern Front would prove to be much more mobile then what the regiment met upon arrival in the West. When transferred to the Western Front in late October and early November of 1917 it manned the trenches in various positions along the Hindenberg Line. The regiment would end the war still as a part of the 105th Division, in XIV Korps (under Generalleutnant Friedrich von Gontard), of the 18th Armee (under General der Infanterie Oskar von Hutier), of the Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz (under command of General der Infanterie Wilhelm, Crown Prince of Germany). To see the year by year history of the unit see the pages for JR129 from 1914 through 1918.
West Prussia
The area in red designates West Prussia.
West Prussia was inhabited by pagan Slavic tribes before the Teutonic Knights moved into the region in the early 1300’s. The Knights kept the land they conquered and eventually cut off Poland from the sea. This caused a lot of friction between the two groups. The Teutonic Knights lost important battles to Poland in 1410 (the First Battle of Tannenberg) and 1466 and signed over most of West Prussia to Poland and became a subservient state to the Polish King.
Germanic groups had been colonizing Eastern Europe for centuries; most church records started between 1650 to 1750, but a few go back to the 16th century. In 1772 King Friedrich II annexed western Prussia (Westpreussen), without the Danzig territory, from the Kingdom of Poland, and united it with the duchy of Prussia (it now taking the name East Prussia). In 1793, King Friedrich Wilhelm II annexed the areas around Danzig and Thorn. In 1793 and 1795, larger areas of Poland were added, which were organized into the Provinces of South Prussia and New East Prussia. Like many countries in Eastern Europe at that time, the old Polish Kingdom was inhabited by many ethnic groups. Western Prussia, including Danzig, had an ethnic German majority for centuries, while a sizable German minority lived in the Thorn area. Other important ethnic groups, besides Poles, were Jews, Kaschubians and Masurians. Some locals even descended from hardy Scotsmen, who had fled to Danzig in the 16th century, and founded the suburb of Neuschottland (New Scotland).
Poland disappeared as a nation until 1918. With Brandenberg on the west, West Prussia in the middle, and East Prussia on the east, Prussia became a dominant power. In 1824 West Prussia and East Prussia were combined into one area, but were separated again in 1878. West Prussia was divided into two civil districts, Danzig in the north and Marienwerder in the south. By 1831 70% of the residents of West Prussia (population in 1880: 1,405, 898) spoke German as their primary language.
After Napoleon's final defeat in 1815 the kingdom of Prussia became known as "Die Vereinigten Preussischen Staaten" (United Prussian States) which now also included provinces like Schlesien/Silesia, Brandenburg, Pommern/Pomerania and areas as far west as the Rhine province. Berlin now became the Prussian capital. Until 1806 the Hohenzollern sovereign had many titles and from Head of the Evangelic (Lutheran) Church to King, Elector, Grand Duke, and Duke for the various regions and realms under his rule. After 1806 he simply was King of Prussia. Terms like German government or German army have no meaning for this time period until 1871. In 1871 Germany as an empire with a Kaiser was re-established with Berlin as the capital of Germany and Prussia and with the Prussian king also having the title of German Kaiser.
After World War I West Prussia ceased to exist, and Poland reemerged as a nation, the first time since the 18th century. Then it was called the Polish Corridor. A few eastern counties were joined to East Prussia and a few Western Counties were joined to a de-militarized zone called Grenzmark Posen-WestPreussen. Some of these counties would later be joined to Pomerania.
All monarchies in Germany were abolished in 1918. The loss of West Prussia in WWI was a sore spot to Germany and part of the reason the National Socialists were able to come to power. Germany took back West Prussia by force in 1939 only to lose it all and more by 1945. The original (East and West) Prussia was cleansed of its ethnic German population and given to Poland and Russia. The Western powers were silent on the ethnic cleansing of original Prussia and Eastern Germany resulting in 12 millions of German refugees. After World War II Prussia was dissolved by the Allied Control Council in 1947. Today all of what was West Prussia (14,320 square miles), is in north central and northeast Poland.
Sources include The Germanic Genealogical Society of Minnesota, and The German Genealogy Homepage.
Germanic groups had been colonizing Eastern Europe for centuries; most church records started between 1650 to 1750, but a few go back to the 16th century. In 1772 King Friedrich II annexed western Prussia (Westpreussen), without the Danzig territory, from the Kingdom of Poland, and united it with the duchy of Prussia (it now taking the name East Prussia). In 1793, King Friedrich Wilhelm II annexed the areas around Danzig and Thorn. In 1793 and 1795, larger areas of Poland were added, which were organized into the Provinces of South Prussia and New East Prussia. Like many countries in Eastern Europe at that time, the old Polish Kingdom was inhabited by many ethnic groups. Western Prussia, including Danzig, had an ethnic German majority for centuries, while a sizable German minority lived in the Thorn area. Other important ethnic groups, besides Poles, were Jews, Kaschubians and Masurians. Some locals even descended from hardy Scotsmen, who had fled to Danzig in the 16th century, and founded the suburb of Neuschottland (New Scotland).
Poland disappeared as a nation until 1918. With Brandenberg on the west, West Prussia in the middle, and East Prussia on the east, Prussia became a dominant power. In 1824 West Prussia and East Prussia were combined into one area, but were separated again in 1878. West Prussia was divided into two civil districts, Danzig in the north and Marienwerder in the south. By 1831 70% of the residents of West Prussia (population in 1880: 1,405, 898) spoke German as their primary language.
After Napoleon's final defeat in 1815 the kingdom of Prussia became known as "Die Vereinigten Preussischen Staaten" (United Prussian States) which now also included provinces like Schlesien/Silesia, Brandenburg, Pommern/Pomerania and areas as far west as the Rhine province. Berlin now became the Prussian capital. Until 1806 the Hohenzollern sovereign had many titles and from Head of the Evangelic (Lutheran) Church to King, Elector, Grand Duke, and Duke for the various regions and realms under his rule. After 1806 he simply was King of Prussia. Terms like German government or German army have no meaning for this time period until 1871. In 1871 Germany as an empire with a Kaiser was re-established with Berlin as the capital of Germany and Prussia and with the Prussian king also having the title of German Kaiser.
After World War I West Prussia ceased to exist, and Poland reemerged as a nation, the first time since the 18th century. Then it was called the Polish Corridor. A few eastern counties were joined to East Prussia and a few Western Counties were joined to a de-militarized zone called Grenzmark Posen-WestPreussen. Some of these counties would later be joined to Pomerania.
All monarchies in Germany were abolished in 1918. The loss of West Prussia in WWI was a sore spot to Germany and part of the reason the National Socialists were able to come to power. Germany took back West Prussia by force in 1939 only to lose it all and more by 1945. The original (East and West) Prussia was cleansed of its ethnic German population and given to Poland and Russia. The Western powers were silent on the ethnic cleansing of original Prussia and Eastern Germany resulting in 12 millions of German refugees. After World War II Prussia was dissolved by the Allied Control Council in 1947. Today all of what was West Prussia (14,320 square miles), is in north central and northeast Poland.
Sources include The Germanic Genealogical Society of Minnesota, and The German Genealogy Homepage.
Please Note!
We would like to stress that we do not support or defend any policies such as Germanization or Anti-Semitism. A large portion of JR129 was likely made up of people of the Jewish faith judging by its area of recruitment. We have presented the history here in an unbiased manner merely to inform, not to promote. Any offense towards people of Polish or Slavic ancestry is unintended. The history of Eastern Europe has had some very dark times; the Russian Empire was as harsh and in some cases even harsher towards the Germanic peoples living within the Russian Empire, the OstJuden within their Empire, as well as their own serfs. We do not want to argue that Germans were worse than Russians or Russians were worse than Germans. In the Age of Empires all of the Great Powers were brutal on minority portions of their empires with the Belgian Congo, British India, French Africa, and the United States’ oppression of the Philippine Insurrection at the dawn of the Twentieth Century as a few examples. We intend to share this history to enlighten, and especially to learn. Some excellent source materiel will be shared on our recommended readings section, which you will find on the “Links” page.