They were in place to take part in Ludendorff's German spring offensive.

The Germans had realised that their only remaining chance of victory was to defeat the Allies before the overwhelming human and matériel resources of the United States could be deployed.

They also had the temporary advantage in numbers afforded by nearly 50 divisions freed by the Russian withdrawal from the war (Treaty of Brest-Litovsk).

It was still in existence when the war ended,[2] serving on the Western Front as part of Heeresgruppe Herzog Albrecht von Württemberg.

[3] By the end of World War I, the majority of the units assigned were lower quality Landwehr Divisions indicative of the relatively quiet sector that the Army was operating in.