The division was formed at the end of December 1914 and organized over the next month, arriving in the line in early February 1915.
The division then fought against the Russian Kerensky Offensive and was part of Oskar von Hutier's Eighth Army in the Battle of Riga in September 1917.
In December 1917, the division was transferred to the Western Front and went into the line north of the Ailette, above the Chemin des Dames.
It then occupied various parts of the line and fought against the various Allied counteroffensives, ending the war fighting against the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Over the course of the war, other changes took place, including the formation of artillery and signals commands and the enlargement of combat engineer support to a full pioneer battalion.