View source for Baltic Sea Division

{{Short description|German armed forces unit in service during WWI}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2015}}
[[File:Von der goltz suomessa.jpg|thumb|[[Rüdiger von der Goltz]] in Finland in 1918]]
The '''Baltic Sea Division''' ({{Langx|de|Ostsee-Division}}) was a 10,000 man [[Germany|German]] military unit commanded by [[Rüdiger von der Goltz]]. The core of the division comprised two army brigades from the German Eastern Front: 95. Reserve Infantry Brigade (led by Colonel K. Wolff) and 2. Guards Cavalry Brigade (led by Colonel H. von Tschirsky und von Bögendorff). They were supported by additional artillery and pioneer troops, and transported to Finland by a naval squadron led by [[Hugo Meurer]].

The military activity of the division in Finland served part of the foreign policy of the German Empire after the [[Treaty of Brest-Litovsk]] with [[Soviet Russia]], signed on 3 March 1918. Germany aimed to establish a chain of satellite states in eastern Europe in order to provide raw materials for German industry and food products for the German people.

The [[Finland|Finnish]] [[Senate of Finland|Senate of Vaasa]] had requested German military aid for the [[White Guard (Finland)|Whites]]. The Finnish Senate paid all the financial costs of the military intervention of the Baltic Sea Division and urged the Finnish people to provide food, shelter, and any other aid needed by the Baltic Sea Division.

[[File:Germans in Smolna.jpg|thumb|Officers of the Baltic Sea Division in front of [[Smolna, Helsinki|Smolna]] after their troops had taken the [[Red Guards (Finland)|Red Guard]] headquarters in [[Helsinki]] after the [[Battle of Helsinki|city battle]].]]
During the [[Finnish Civil War]], on 3 April 1918, it landed at [[Hanko, Finland|Hanko]] and moved towards [[Helsinki]] and [[Lahti]]. The Baltic Sea Division quickly took Helsinki from the [[Red Guards (Finland)|Red Guards]], who had previously deposed the official government in Helsinki. This enabled the Senate to return to Helsinki.<ref>
Arimo 1991, Kruhse, Pauli. [http://www.histdoc.net/history/65_44.html "The Finnish Collection of Decrees 65/1918 pp.44-46."]. History of Finland: A selection of events and documents. Retrieved 7 February 2010.</ref>

On 11 November 1918, the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918|armistice]] ended World War I. Von der Goltz and his division left Helsinki on 16 December 1918.

==See also==
*[[Detachment Brandenstein]]
*[[Battle of Helsinki]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Citation|surname=Arimo|given=Reino|year=1991|title=Saksalaisten sotilaallinen toiminta Suomessa 1918|publisher=Pohjois-Suomen Historiallinen Yhdistys|isbn=951-96174-4-2}}
* {{Citation|surname=von der Goltz|given=Rüdiger|year=1920|title=Meine Sendung in Finnland und im Baltikum|publisher= K.F. Koehler|url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006592403}}

{{German Empire Divisions}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Baltic Sea Division}}
[[Category:German divisions of World War I]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of the Finnish Civil War]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1918]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1919]]
[[Category:German expatriates in Finland]]


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