The invention relates to a chemical oxygen generator having a chemical charge arranged within a housing. This chemical charge is brought to an exothermal oxygen-releasing reaction by an ignition device with the reaction running through the chemical charge in the form of a reaction front defining a surface and starting from the ignition-end wall of the housing. The oxygen generator has at least one reaction-control member arranged within the chemical charge. A generator of this kind is improved in that the oxygen flow and the supply duration can be influenced by the material and/or the shape of the reaction-control member. The improvement is achieved in that one or more reaction-control members made of sheet metal are arranged parallel to the direction of movement of the reaction front. As an alternative, the reaction-control member can be configured in the form of a spiral conveyor which is made of sheet metal or a thermally-insulating material. Furthermore, the reaction-control member can be a spirally-wound band made of sheet metal or a thermally-insulating material and arranged in a can-shaped housing.