Georgian Legion (1915–1918)
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The World War I-era Georgian Legion was formed in 1915 by Count
Approximately 1500 soldiers strong, the Legion was first commanded by Lieutenant Horst Schliephack. The highest-ranking Georgian officer of the Legion was Leo Kereselidze. The actual number of soldiers heavily fluctuated, but never exceeded 2000.
The Georgian Legion joined the
Late in 1915, the Order of Queen Tamar was introduced for issue to the soldiers and officers of the Georgian Legion.[1]
In the end it took very little part in the fighting, being stationed on the Black Sea coast at Giresun until disbanded in January 1917, after the relations between the German-backed Georgian Committee and the Ottoman government had become strained.[2] The former Georgian volunteer officers later joined the National Army of the Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1918. The Georgian Legion further acted as one of many components directed to destabilise Russian imperial rule in general and was a part of Germany's comprehensive approach on subversive foreign policy.[3]
References
- ^ Lang, David Marshall (1962), A Modern History of Georgia, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, pages 182-3.
- ISBN 1-85532-412-1.
- ^ Fritschen, Jeannot (2021), "The Georgian Legion of World War I". Caucasus Survey Volume 9 Issue 1, p. 21-41.