Today 109 years ago, on August 20, 1914, the Battle of Gumbinnen began on the Eastern Front.

Painting depicting Russian and German soldiers engaged in close-quarter combat, ca. 1914. Artist: @kinzerdays.

Following the German success in the Battle of Stallupönen on August 17, 1914, General von Prittwitz, German Commander in the East, was convinced that his 8th Army could defeat the Russian 1st and 2nd Armies, despite their numerical disadvantage.

On August 19, an advancing Russian cavalry unit engaged a German infantry regiment stationed near Gumbinnen (Gusev today), initially pushing them back, but the Russians were forced to retreat once they expended their ammunition.

Disobeying orders from the German High Command of not launching any offensives on the Eastern Front, General von Prittwitz then ordered his troops to counter-attack the retreating Russians.

On August 20, 1914, the German 1st Army Corps attacked the Russian 28th Infantry Division along a 36 km front at Gumbinnen, the Russians for once being heavily outnumbered.

The Russians suffered high losses to the German artillery and were forced to retreat 8 km eastwards, the Germans hastily pursuing them. Though their advance was halted as a Russian Infantry Division arrived and stabilized the frontlines.

Further south, the German 7th Army Corps engaged the Russian 3rd Army Corps, but the Russians were prepared, being alerted by the fighting further north.

The Germans initially advanced but were routed once they came under Russian artillery fire, suffering heavy losses and being forced into a disorganized retreat, as the Russian 3rd Army Corps launched a large-scale counter-attack.

The Russians pursued the fleeing Germans and further south the Russian 2nd Army was advancing on the German flanks unopposed, threatening to encircle the German 8th Army.

This threat and the worsening situation at Gumbinnen severely unnerved General von Prittwitz, who ordered his 8th Army to abandon East Prussia and retreat to the Vistula river, ending the Battle of Gumbinnen.

⬇️CONTINUED BELOW⬇️

In the Battle of Gumbinnen, the Germans had suffered 14,607 casualties, of whom 1,250 were killed, 6,414 were wounded and 6,943 were captured. The majority of the losses came from the German 7th Army Corps.

The Russians had suffered 18,839 casualties, but other reports state 10,000 casualties.

On August 22, General von Prittwitz was dismissed as Commander in the East, being replaced with General von Hindenburg along with Major General Ludendorff as his Chief-of-Staff.

Due to the German retreat and Russian advance, the Germans transferred 3 Army Corps from the Western Front to the Eastern Front, which some say was fatal for the overall success of the German Schlieffen Plan.

Following the Battle of Gumbinnen, a note was found on a dead Russian officer detailing of the Russian offensive plans. The Germans would use this note to inflict a huge blow on the Russians later in August 1914, in what would be the famous Battle of Tannenberg.7

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