Oskar Philipp von Chelius was born in Mannheim (then part of the Grand Duchy of Baden) on July 28, 1859. He was the eldest son of Ernst Philipp von Chelius and Harriet (neé Parisch). Oskar’s grandfather was the noted surgeon Maximilian Joseph von Chelius, who was ennobled into the Baden aristorcracy in 1866.
Before joining the military, Oskar studied classical music in Mannheim, Leipzig, and Berlin. He specialized in the works of Richard Wagner… and became one of his most avid supporters in Imperial Germany.
In October 1881, the young Chelius entered the Imperial German Army as a Fahnenjunker in the Third Baden Dragoon Regiment “Prince Karl” Number 22. Just over a year later (October 14, 1882), he was appointed second lieutenant. Chelius was then transferred to the Life Guards Hussars in Potsdam on October 20, 1883. He later became regimental adjutant of the unit on June 16, 1886.
During military maneuvers in Mark Brandenburg, Chelius met the future Kaiser. They became fast friends… with Prince Wilhelm openly appreciative of Chelius’ musical virtuosity. In 1888, Oskar married Hedwig von Puttkamer, daughter of Prussian Interior Minister Ludwig von Puttkamer and niece of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck’s’ wife Johanna.
On Christmas Eve 1890, Chelius was promoted to first lieutenant and soon joined the Greater General Staff in Berlin. He then became a cavalry captain (Rittmeister) in 1894. Exactly one year later, Chelius served in the Guards Corps and became part of Hugo von Winterfeld’s general staff.
In February 1896, Chelius returned to the Life Guards Hussars in Potsdam as squadron commander. Two years later, he served on Graf von Wartensleben’s general staff as part of the Guards Cavalry Division in Berlin. Another promotion soon followed in 1899, with Chelius becoming a major on November 2nd.
Two weeks later, Chelius became an aide-de-camp of Kaiser Wilhelm II… and sent to Rome as Imperial Germany’s military attaché. In 1905, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel (Oberstleutnant) and became an orderly aide-de-camp in the Kaiser’s court.
In 1906, Chelius returned to Berlin and took command of Life Guards Hussars on September 21st. Nearly a year later (September 11, 1907), he was made a full colonel.
On June 16, 1910, Chelius became General a la suite in the royal court. Further promotions soon followed: first Generalmajor on April 21, 1911, then Generalleutnant on February 17, 1914. Three months after the latter promotion, Chelius was sent to Saint Petersburg as the new German military envoy to Tsarist Russia.
But with the Great War quickly spreading across Europe in the summer of 1914, Chelius returned to Berlin. He was appointed as an adjutant general of the Kaiser the day after Imperial Germany declared war on Tsarist Russia.
Over the next three years at the Kaiser’s HQ, Chelius slowly witnessed the collapse of imperial authority and the monarchical system. He remained active as a composer of operas, symphonies, chamber music, and chorales. Eventually, Chelius would write over twenty-five major works. As a member of the royal court, Chelius would often play concerto pieces for the Kaiser and his military entourage.
In April 1917, Chelius was sent to Belgium as part of the General Government. One week before the armistice, he replaced Albano von Jacobi as President of the Commission on Military Orders. Chelius stayed in this position until his retirement from the military on December 8, 1919.
Oskar von Chelius died in Munich on June 26, 1923 at the age of sixty-three.