Martin Heinrich Franz Hans Freiherr von Oldershausen
(24.11.1865 - 23.07.1924)
place of birth:  Hildesheim, Provinz Hannover
Königreich Sachsen:  AOK-Stabschef,  Div-Kdr,  Generalmajor


Royal Saxon staff officer Martin Freiherr von Oldershausen served for two years as General von Einem's 3. Armee Chief of Staff in Alsace-Lorraine. He was also General von Eben's Chief of Staff with Army Detachment A toward the end of the Great War. He was born into an ancient noble family from Niedersachsen. Martin's younger brother Erich was also a military officer who during the Great War headed up the Field Railway Office. During the years leading up to the War, von Oldershausen functioned as the Chief of the Regimental Staff for 6. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 105, headquartered in occupied Strasbourg.

Oberstleutnant von Oldershausen remained in this capacity as the 105th entered French territory on 2 August 1914. Within a few days, however, he replaced the commander of the regiment who had been killed at Mühlhausen. Oldershausen was soon thereafter promoted to Oberst, and he successfully led his regiment in battle in the Vosges Mountains. For this, he was awarded the Saxon Kingdom's highest military honor - the Military Order of St. Heinrich. He left the regiment in March of 1915 in order to serve as General Paul Fleck's Chief of Staff at VIII. Reserve-Korps headquarters. Von Oldershausen remained in this position for over a year, leading his troops as they fought in the Champagne region.

In July 1916, Oberst von Oldershausen was transferred to 3. Armee-Oberkommando headquarters in order to function as General von Einem's Chief of Staff. His outstanding leadership during the Battle of the Aisne in April 1917 resulted in the Kaiser presenting him with the Pour le Merite medal. He was later promoted to Generalmajor and in January 1918, was transferred from the 3. Armee to take over command duties of the Saxon 2. Reserve-Infanterie-Division Nr. 24, subordinate to the 17. Armee. After seeing heavy action in battles at Arras, Albert, and again along the River Aisne, von Oldershausen was transferred to Armee-Abteilung A in Alsace to serve as General von Eben's Chief of Staff. That same week, the Armistice was signed at Compiegne, and von Oldershausen was responsible for leading his troops back to Germany for demobilization. He later functioned as the chief of the disarmament branch at the Reichswehrsministerium and retired from active duty in 1920 as a brevetted Generalleutnant. Freiherr von Oldershausen passed away in Hamburg in 1924 at the age of 58.