German Caucasus Expedition

The German Caucasus Expedition was a military expedition sent by the German Empire to the formerly Russian Transcaucasia during the World War I, its prime aim being securing oil supplies to Germany and stabilizing a nascent pro-German Democratic Republic of Georgia.

Some 3,000 strong and commanded by Major General Friedrich Freiherr Kress von Kressenstein, the expedition was composed almost exclusively of Bavarian troops and included the 7th Bavarian Cavalry Brigade, reinforced by the 29th Bavarian Infantry Regiment (7th and 9th Jäger Battalions), the 10th Sturm Battalion, 1 machine-gun detachment, and the 176th Mortar Company. [Erickson, Edward J. (2000) "Ordered to Die: a history of the Ottoman army in the first World War", p. 233] General Erich Ludendorff was also involved in supervision and organizing the expedition, he personally met Georgian representatives in Berlin accompanying them to see Kaiser Wilhelm II.

This force was transported by sea from the Crimea to the Georgian Black Sea port of Poti where it landed on June 8 1918, and was later reinforced by the German troops recalled from Syria and Ukraine for service in Georgia. [Erickson (2000), p. 186] On June 10, the German force arrived at Tiflis, the capital of Georgia, and held a joint German-Georgian military parade in the city’s main thoroughfare. The German expedition was soon joined by the former German prisoners of war in Russia and the mobilized Württemberg colonists who had settled in Georgia in the mid-19th century. Combined German-Georgian garrisons were stationed in various regions of Georgia, including Poti, Ochamchire, Kutaisi, and Borchalo. Georgia, which had signed the provisional Treaty of Poti with Germany on May 28, 1918, welcomed the expedition, seeing in the Germans protectors against the post-Russian Revolution havoc and the Ottoman military advances. Lang, David Marshall (1962). "A Modern History of Georgia", p. 207-8. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.]

Many officers and soldiers of the German expeditionary force were awarded by the Georgian Order of Queen Tamar issued specifically for the German military personnel and for those Georgians who served in the Georgian Legion of the German Imperial Army. [Lang (1962), p. 182]

The arrival of the German troops in Georgia coincided with the growing German-Turkish rivalry for Caucasian influence and resources, notably the oilfields at Baku, Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, on the Caspian and the associated rail and pipeline connection to Batumi on the Black Sea (Baku-Batumi pipeline). [Briton Cooper. Busch (1976), "Mudros to Lausanne: Britain’s Frontier in West Asia, 1918-1923", page 22. SUNY Press, ISBN 0873952650] Early in June 1918, the Ottoman army under Vehip Pasha renewed its offensive on the main road to Tiflis, and confronted a joint German-Georgian force. On June 10, the Turks attacked and took many prisoners, leading to an official threat from Berlin to withdraw its troops and support from Turkey. [Erickson (2000), p. 186] The Ottoman government had to concede to German pressure and to halt, for the moment, a further advance into Georgia, reorientating its strategic direction towards Azerbaijan and Iran. [Erickson (2000), p. 187] Simultaneously, two additional German divisions were moved from the Balkans and Ukraine to advance on Baku. At the same time, Germany turned to Soviet Russia and offered to stop the Turks in return for guaranteed access to Baku's oil. According to the August 27 agreement between Russia and Germany, the latter was to receive a quarter of Baku’s oil production. The German government requested from Turkey to stall an offensive into Azerbaijan, but the request was ignored, and the Ottoman army entered Baku on the heels of the evacuating British forces on September 15, 1918. Next day, they were joined by a sizeable German military mission led by Colonel Friedrich von der Holtz. However, a severe political crisis in Germany, that started later that month, rendered the Caucasus expedition abortive. On October 21, the German government ordered the withdrawal of all troops from the region. The last ship with German soldiers aboard departed from Poti, Georgia, on December 1918. Thus, it was the last German military formation to return home, in April 1919, from active service in the World War I.

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