Eberhard Graf von Schmettow  
(17.09.1861 - 31.01.1935)
place of birth:  Halberstadt  (Prussian Saxony)
Königreich Preußen:  Generalleutnant  (Kav)


Imperial German count and cavalry officer Graf von Schmettow served during the Great War as the leader of Cavalry Corps Schmettow, and later Generalkommando Nr.65. He was born into an old aristocratic Silesian family which had provided Prussia with several high-ranking officers. Eberhard joined a Berlin-based Uhlan regiment in 1881 at the age of 19. He subsequently functioned as regimental adjutant before moving on to serve as adjutant in 4th Guards Cavalry Brigade in Potsdam. With the rank of Major, von Schmettow was selected to be Chief of General Staff Alfred von Schlieffen's First Adjutant, and was then brought into Kaiser Wilhelm II's court to function as one His Majesty's aide-de-camps. 

Prior to the outbreak of War, Graf von Schmettow had worked his way up to Generalmajor and was in command of Leib-Hussar Brigade, headquartered in Danzig. It was with this unit that he went into battle, initially on the Eastern Front in support of Eighth Field Army. The very first week of hostilities, however, saw him transferred West to command 9th Cavalry Division. The division was soon brought back East to fight in support of Ninth Field Army in Poland. In the summer of 1915, Generalmajor Graf von Schmettow was placed in command of 8th Cavalry Division and immediately transferred to Courland, where his troops saw action in the Battle of Šiauliai. 

After just one month, Graf von Schmettow was dispatched to Transylvania as a newly-promoted Generalleutnant in order to head up 3rd Cavalry Division. In September, OHL leadership formed a corps out of the 6th and 7th Cavalry Divisions and tasked Graf von Schmettow with its command: Kavalleriekorps Schmettow. This unit remained engaged in Romania for the remainder on 1916, and Graf von Schmettow's exemplary leadership during this time merited his receipt of the Pour le Mérite honor. In 1917, he and his general staff were shipped again to the Western Front where they were charged with heading up Generalkommando Nr. 65. They eventually made their way to the Lorraine region of France, where they finished the War defending the left flank of Seventh Army. Graf von Schmettow then accompanied his troops back home for the demobilization process. 

Generalleutnant von Schmettow was one of five children born to Maximilian Graf von Schmettow and spouse Adele Emilie neé von Usedom. Eberhard married Agnes von Rundstedt with whom he had five children, including future Wehrmacht Generalleutnant Rudolf Graf von Schmettow. Eberhard was also first cousins with Imperial German cavalry general, Egon Graf von Schmettow. Eberhard Graf von Schmettow passed away in Görlitz in 1935.

	Generalleutnant ...............	18.08.1916
	Pour le Mérite ....................	11.12.1916  (Eichenlaub:  04.08.1918)