Oskar von Ehrenthal  
(15.08.1854 - 09.11.1921)
place of birth:  Borna
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 1. Infanterie-Division Nr. 23 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 the Saxon 2. Infanterie-Division Nr. 24 which marched in support of General von Hausen's 3. Armee-Oberkommando. 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-Korps which was still engaged on the River Somme. Initially attached to 1. Armee-Oberkommando, the corps was moved further north of the river to support 6. Armee-Oberkommando 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 Mérite and subsequently retired from active duty. He was additionally decorated with both the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross) and Kommandeurkreuz II.
(Komtur II) of Saxony's highest military order - the Militär-St. Heinrich-Orden. The general returned to Schloß Schönbach near Eger and passed away there in November 1921. 
 
* image courtesy of Christophe Deruelle

	General der Infanterie	28.08.1916
	Pour le Mérite	15.06.1917
	Militär-St. Heinrich	05.10.1914  Ritter  (Kommandeur II:  29.10.1915)