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Oskar von Ehrenthal
(15.08.1854 - 09.11.1921)
place of birth: Borna, Sachsen
Königreich
Sachsen: KG,
General der Infanterie z.D.
Saxon general officer Oskar von Ehrenthal served
in the Imperial German armed forces during the Great War as
a division and corps commander. During the pre-War years, Ehrenthal
developed his soldiering skills as an officer attached to various Saxon
Jäger battalions. Upon attaining the rank of major, he was
selected to serve for about three years as an aide-de-camp in Saxon
King Albert's entourage. As a Generalleutnant, von Ehrenthal ultimately
received command of the 1st Saxon Infantry Division in Dresden before
retiring from active duty in 1912.
The breakout of hostilities throughout Europe
predicated General von Ehrenthal's recall to full-time military
service, and he was chosen to command 24th Infantry Division which
marched in support of General von Hausen's Third Army headquarters. His
division was engaged early on during the War in the effort to invest
the Belgian fortresses at Namur and Givet.
His troops were subsequently involved in the First Battle of
Champagne from December 1914 through March 1915. Von
Ehrenthal was soon thereafter brevetted to General der Infanterie, but
due to an illness was placed on inactive reserve status in March 1916.
Returning to the battlefield in August, newly
promoted General der Infanterie von Ehrenthal was given command of
Saxony's XXVII. Reserve Corps which was still engaged on the River
Somme. Initially attached to the First Army, the corps was
moved further north of the river to support Sixth Army and remained in
place until November 1916. At this point, Ehrenthal and his troops were
transferred East to the River Narajiwka region in
Ukraine. The corps remained entrenched until the following summer, and
as the battle heated up in that area, General von Ehrenthal was hit by
shrapnel, causing him to lose an eye. For his leadership and sacrifice,
von Ehrenthal was awarded the Pour le Merite and subsequently retired
from active duty. The general returned to Schloß Schönbach near Eger
(Cheb) and passed away there in November 1921.
* image
courtesy of Christophe Deruelle
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General
der Infanterie |
28.08.1916 |
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Pour
le Mérite |
15.06.1917 |
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Militär-St-Heinrich |
05.10.1914
Ritter (Komtur II:
29.10.1915) |
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