Friedrich Wilhelm Magnus von Eberhardt  
(06.12.1855 - 24.01.1939)
place of birth:  Berlin
Königreich Preußen:  OBH,  General der Infanterie


Prussian general Magnus von Eberhardt was a reserve corps commander during the Great War. He also briefly commanded a Prussian field army near war's end. Young Magnus grew up in the military household of Generalmajor Heinrich von Eberhardt. Magnus's younger brother Walter also served as a general officer during the First World War. Magnus launched his own career in 1874 when was assigned as a recently-commissioned Sekonde-Lieutenant to the regiment in Dessau. Having graduated from Prussian War College in 1881, divided his time between assignments with the General Staff of the Army, the Prussian War Ministry, and in various levels of command as a typical infantry officer. He ultimately commanded the 19. Infanterie-Division in Hannover before being selected in 1913 to govern the Upper Alsace military region, with his headquarters in Straßburg.

As War broke out in August 1914, Generalleutnant von Eberhardt assumed command of Hauptreserve Straßburg, which was soon referenced as Korps Eberhardt and then reformed as XV. Reserve-Korps. With a war-time promotion to General der Infanterie, troops under his command were initially engaged in various opening skirmishes in the Vosges Mountains region and successfully fulfilled the task of defending Alsace from impending French invasion. In October 1916, Eberhardt was redeployed east to Galicia to take charge of X. Reserve-Korps headquarters. After a few months of trench warfare, he and his reservists were transported back to the Western Front to fight as part of Germany's 7. Armee.  It was during this part of the campaign that General von Eberhardt was recognized for his outstanding leadership and decorated with the highest Royal Prussian order of bravery, the Pour le Mérite. He later headed up 7. Armee-Oberkommando at Vesle and the Siegfried Line, where he defended the front southwest of Laon. After the hostilities, General von Eberhardt retired and returned to Berlin where he passed away in October 1939 at the age of 83.

	General der Infanterie	19.08.1914
	Pour le Mérite	20.05.1917  (Eichenlaub:  24.04.1918)