Career
Kaltenbach started his playing career with Basel in 1911 and played for the team until 1927. During this time the FCB played in the "central" group of the Serie A. Kaltenbach made a total of 68 appearances and scored 5 goals. On 24 April 1921, Kaltenbach played in a comparison match between a Berlin city selection and, in front of 35,000 spectators, he was honored as best Basel players.
In the domestic championship had almost suffered relegation from Serie-A during that same season.
Kaltenbach was one of the pioneers of Swiss football history and between 1911-1922 he obtained a total of 13 caps for the Swiss national football team In his first international match, on 39 October 1911 in Budapest, the Swiss suffered was a 0–9 defeat against Hungary (their highest defeat to date).
His last international match, eleven years later, was also a comparison with the Hungarians in Budapest, this time the game resulted in an honorable 1–1 draw. In Zurich, on 27 June 1920 in the 4–1 victory over Germany Kaltenbach was the Swiss captain.
That game was the first appearance of a German selection after the First World War.
Doctor phil Ernst Basler Kaltenbach was a middle school teacher. He shaped the early history of not only as player. In 1916 he was one of the initiators and founders of the youth section.
From 29 October 1924 he was the editor of the "Swiss football and athletics newspaper", he later wrote for the German magazine "kicker" about Swiss football and wrote for the sports newspaper "Tip".