Ranks and insignia of the German Army (1935–1945)

The Heer as the German army and part of the Wehrmacht inherited its uniforms and rank structure from the Reichsheer of the Weimar Republic
(1921–1935). There were few alterations and adjustments made as the army grew from a limited peacetime defense force of 100,000 men to a war-
fighting force of several million men.

These ranks and insignia were specific to the Heer and in special cases to senior Wehrmacht officers in the independent services; the uniforms and rank
systems of the other branches of the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe (Air Force) and Kriegsmarine (Navy), were different, as were those of the SS which was a
Party organization outside theWehrmacht. The Nazi Party also had its own series ofparamilitary uniforms and insignia.

Contents
Insignia
National Emblem (breast eagle):Hoheitszeichen or Wehrmachtsadler
Collar patch (Kragenpatte, Kragenspiegel)
Design and versions
Universal design from 1938
Armored vehicle uniforms
Infanterie Regiment "Großdeutschland"
General Staff Corps Officers
Generals
Chef
Shoulder-straps (Schulterklappen) and shoulderboards (Schulterstücke)
Enlisted men
Officers
Generals
Retired personnel
Headgear
Peaked cap (Schirmmütze)
Officers' old-style field cap or "crusher" F
( eldmütze älterer Art)
Panzer beret
Garrison cap (Feldmütze)
Mountain, tropical, and M43 field caps G ( ebirgs-, Tropen- und Einheitsfeldmützen)
Steel helmet (Stahlhelm)
Pith helmet (Tropenhelm)
Belt buckles (Koppelschlösser)
Ranks and rank insignia
Rank tables
Enlisted personnel (Mannschaften)
Non-commissioned officers (Unteroffiziere)
Senior non-commissioned specialist officers
Officer candidates (Fähnriche)
Officers (Offiziere)
General officers and marshals (Generäle)
Smock/parka rank insignia
Ranks at the Private/Senior Private levels
Armed Forces officials andSonderführer
Armed Forces officials (Wehrmachtbeamte)
Military officials
Shoulderboards
Collar patches
Beamter auf Kriegsdauer
Military Supreme Court officials (Wehrmachtbeamte beim Reichskriegsgericht)
Sonderführer
See also
Notes
 External links
Bibliography

Insignia

National Emblem (breast eagle):Hoheitszeichen or Wehrmachtsadler

The Reichswehr's visual acknowledgement of the new National Socialist reality came on 17 February 1934, when the Defense Breast eagles
Ministry[1] ordered the Nazi Party eagle-and-swastika, now Germany's National Emblem, to be worn on uniform blouses and
headgear effective 1 May. The design adopted, in silver for the Reichsheer (army) and in gold for theReichsmarine (navy), was
a stylized eagle with outstretched, beveled wings clutching a wreathed mobile Hakenkreuz, later to be called the
1935
Wehrmachtsadler ("armed forces eagle").[2] On tunics this took the form of a cloth patch about 9 cm (3⅝") wide worn on the
right breast, above the pocket. For enlisted uniforms it was jacquard-woven ("BeVo") or sometimes machine-embroidered in
silver-grey rayon, for officers machine- or hand-embroidered in white silk or bright aluminum wire, and for generals hand-
embroidered in gold bullion.[3] The backing was "badge-cloth" (Abzeichentuch), a close-woven velvetish fabric; this was 1939
originally Reichsheer grey, but in late 1935 the renamed Heer changed its Abzeichentuch color to a dark blue-green called
flaschengrün (bottle-green).

The war brought several variations to the breast eagle, although it should be kept in mind that none of them was replaced or de- 1940
authorized, and all were being worn side-by-side at war's end. When hostilities began in 1939, on the enlisted
Feldbluse or field
blouse the eagle was changed from silver-white to matte grey for reduced visibility; and in 1940 backings began to be produced
in field-grey (feldgrau). Another version appeared with the advent of the Model 1944 Field Blouse, which used a triangular
1944
backing for speed and simplicity of manufacture. V
ery late in the war someHoheitszeichen were simply printed on thin fabric.

There were also versions for other uniforms: both white and grey variants on black for
the Panzer uniform, and in dull grey-blue on tan backing for the tropical (Afrikakorps)
Tropical
uniform. A stamped metal pin-on breast eagle was worn with the officers' white summer
tunic.
Machine-embroidered
Panzer Hoheitszeichen

Collar patch (Kragenpatte, Kragenspiegel)

In 19th century German armies, Guard and other elite regiments wore lengths of
double braid (Doppellitze) encircling all or most of the collar as a mark of
distinction. By the middle of World War I these ornate collars had been reduced to
an embroidered representation of short lengths of braid joined at the ends, sewn to
patches worn at the front of the collar. When the Reichsheer was established in
1921 as Germany's first national army[5] Litzen were prescribed as the universal
Doppellitze, ca. 1900
collar device for all personnel other than generals, and the Third Reich continued
the practice.

However, for clarification it has to be distinguished between “collar patch” (de: Kragenpatte or Kragenspiegel), and
NCO braid (Unteroffizierslitze or Kragenlitze) – the status symbol of all German NCO ranks – encircling the collar of
Major with
the uniform tunic. An NCO wore both, collar patches, and the collar encircling braid. Commissioned officers wore Kragenpatten,[4] ca.
only collar patches. 1918

Design and versions

CO version
On both collar points of any uniform jacket there was a collar patch. Each patch consisted of the padding, (embroidered)
and two parallel facings (de: Patten), the so-called Litzenspiegel, symbolising the double braid of the 19th
century.
dress field & service
The padding of full-dress collar patches showed the wearer's Waffenfarbe (en: corps-, weapon-, or branch
Waffenfarbe (cavalry corps)
color). The dress tunic version was embroidered in fine aluminum thread on a patch of badge cloth (de:
Abzeichentuch). The backing also showed through in the space between the two parallel facings of the
 collar patch, and formed so a colour center stripe.
Enlisted version NCO version
(machine-woven with encircling braid)
⇒ see main article Corps colours of the German Army (1935–1945)

field 1934 On field – and service uniforms, beginning in late 1935, the collar patch was dark
Waffenfarbe bottle-green to match the collar; the Waffenfarbe "showed through" (in fact dress field
(artillery) colored cord was sewn into) the center strip of each braid, theLitzenspiegel. Waffenfarbe (armored corps)

For enlisted men, service collar patches were machine-woven in silver-grey

rayon; COs´ were embroidered more elaborately in white silk or aluminium thread, and were somewhat ger
lar to match their higher collars.

NCOs (de: Unteroffiziere) wore standard enlisted collar patches but were distinguished by a strip of 9mm silver-grey diamond-woven rayon braid
(Unteroffoziers-Tressen, NCO-Tressen), sewn around the collar, except on the dress, where the NCO-Tresse was bright aluminum. However, the
aluminum-embroidered NCO-Tressen on dress uniforms (de: Ausgangsuniform/ Paradeuniform) encircled the collar's upper edge, the simpler NCO-
Tressen on service – or field uniform encircled the collar's lower edge.

Universal design from 1938

By 1938 the fast-growing Heer had found that it was impractical, for the enlisted field Enlisted versions
uniform, to manufacture and stock a multitude of collar patches in assorted
Waffenfarben which also had to be sewn on and frequently changed by unit tailors.
Accordingly, new universal collar patches were introduced with the Litzenspiegel and Dress Field, 1938 Field, 1940
Mittelstreifen" woven in dark green to match the backing patch, and which could be
applied at the factory; Waffenfarbe was now displayed on the shoulder-straps, which
simply buttoned on and were easily switched.

With the wartime change to lower-visibility insignia enlisted collar patches were woven in matte "mouse-grey" with field-
grey stripes, which were at first sewn to green collar patches as before but increasingly directly to the collar, which
beginning in 1940 was made in feldgrau like the uniform; grey collar patches were never produced. The troops however
preferred the green patches (and collars) if they had or could get them, especially on "clean" uniforms for walking-out; and
long-service veterans took particular pride in pre-38 versions.
Field tunic with
In contrast, officers' service uniform collar patches never changed. While most officers in the front lines wore the enlisted collar patches and
field uniform as per wartime regulations, many opted to have their green-and-silver collar patches added instead of (or on NCO-Tressen, post
top of) the factory versions. 1940.

On olive tropical uniforms the collar patches were tan with dull grey-blue Litzenspiegel for all
Enlisted
versions, tropic personnel; officers again sometimes added their green collar patches. Tropical NCO collar Tressen were copper-brown, or
sometimes olive drab.

field & service

Armored vehicle uniforms

A major exception to the wearing of Litzen was the "panzer wrap" (de: Panzerjacke), the double- rank insignias armored troops
breasted jacket worn by crews of tanks and other armored vehicles. When the Panzertruppe were
established in 1935 they were issued a distinctive black uniform and as a badge the Totenkopf or
Death's-head, versions of which had formerly been worn by the Imperial tank corps and various
shoulder strap Death's-
cavalry units. These skulls took the form of white-metal pins attached to black Kragenpatten which
head
were edged in Waffenfarbe piping.

In mid-1940 crews of assault guns (Sturmgeschützen) received a uniform of their own, identical in cut collar
patch
to the Panzerjacke but in standard field-grey, which they wore with red artillery piping. Over the
course of the war a bewildering and changing series of regulations governed the uniforms and insignia Waffenfarbe (armored corps)

for assault guns, tank destroyers, armored cars and self-propelled guns (SPG). Depending on the unit
and the date either the black or grey wrap or the standard Feldbluse might be authorized, and on the
grey "assault gun" jacket the regulation collar patches could be black with skulls, or grey with skulls, Litzen, or no device at all. The result in practice was
chaos; wartime photos show a mix of uniforms and insignia worn not only in the same battalion, but even in the same vehicle.
Officially both colours of panzer wrap were working and field uniforms to be worn only in or around the vehicle; this
AFV crew collar
regulation was universally ignored.Panzertruppen were issued standard uniforms for service-dress and walking out but insignia
rarely wore them, much preferring their unique jackets.

In North Africa, AFV crews wore the same tropical uniform as the other branches, including collar patches; many
tankers however pinned theirTotenkopf badges to their lapels.

Waffenfarbe (assault
artillery)

Infanterie Regiment "Großdeutschland"

In June 1939, the Wehrmacht Heer wanted to renew its ties with the Old Army tradition by introducing a
new uniform for its most prestigious unit: Wachregiment "Berlin" which was renamed Infantry Regiment
"Großdeutschland". The new dress uniform for I.R. "Großdeutschland" had an elongated collar patch with
single Litzenspiegel. Although shown to the press, this new uniform was not provided to the unit due to the
outbreak of World War II and was placed in depot storage.
NCOs` collar patch andTressen
of I.R. "Großdeutschland"

General Staff Corps Officers

Collar patches of General Staff officers Generalstaboffiziere were officers carefully selected and
trained to represent the German General Staff Corps in both
command and staff functions. They ranked fromHauptmann im
field & service dress uniform OKW/OKH Generalstab (captain) through Oberst i.G. (colonel). All were,
dress uniform before 1939, graduates of the Military Academy, the
Waffenfarbe (generalstaff) Kriegsakademie. On division staffs they held the position of Ia
(operational chief of staff) or Ib (chief of the rear echelon). In
the higher echelons, the intelligence and training staff sections
were most of the time in the personal charge of General Staff Corps officers. The General Staff Officers had their own
distinctive Litzen called alt-Preußische (old Prussian), or Kolbenstickerei ("lobe-embroidery"). These were the same
whether on carmine dress Kragenpatten or green service patches; colored Litzenspiegel were unnecessary. General
Staff officers assigned to the supreme headquarters (the Reichskriegsministerium, later the OKH and the OKW), the Rudolf Christoph Freiherr
von Gersdorff as Oberst
Kriegsakademie, and military attaches were further distinguished by having their Litzen in gold rather than silver.
im Generalstab.
These Generalstaboffiziere were called "des Generalstabs", Oberst d.G., etc. The special golden Litzen were abolished
in November 1942. Only Military attaches kept their Litzen as long as they were in their present position. The Führer
wanted a closer union between the front and the OKW and OKH.

In addition to their collar patches, General Staff Officers wore trouser-stripes, of the same design as generals' but in carmine rather than scarlet.

Generals
From 1900 Prussian generals had worn ornate collar patches embroidered in a style called alt-Larisch, which had first been worn
in the 18th century by the 26th (älterer von Larisch) Infantry Regiment; the Reichsheer and the Wehrmacht continued the
tradition. These devices, sometimes called Arabesken (arabesques), were embroidered in gold bullion or golden synthetic
Celleon on Hochrot (scarlet) backing. Field Marshals wore the same Arabesken as generals until April 1941, when they were
authorized a longer variant with three rather than two iterations of the repeating pattern, for a total of six "prongs." In some cases
GFM did not bother to replace their generals' tabs, or did so only on their dress uniforms.

General officers of the Special Troop Service (Truppensonderdienst — TDS) and of the specialist careers (medical, veterinary,
ordnance, and motor park) wore the same insignia until April 1944, when they were ordered to exchange their scarlet
Kragenpatten for alt-Larisch tabs backed in their respectiveWaffenfarbe:

medical – cornflower blue Waffenfarbe;

veterinary – carmine Waffenfarbe;
 ordnance – orange[6] Waffenfarbe;
Walter von Reichenau
motor park – pink Waffenfarbe;
TDS administrative – bright blue Waffenfarbe;
TDS judiciary – wine red Waffenfarbe.
In October 1944, the wear-out period of the scarlet backing color for Generals of the
specialist careers was extended for an undetermined period.

These arabesque collar patches are still worn today by general officers of the present-
day Bundeswehr.

As Generalmajor OF-6
As Field Marshal OF-10

Chef
In the Wehrmacht Heer, upon retirement, certain senior German generals were awarded the
honorary post of Chef (Chief) of a regiment, much like the Honorary Colonel in the British
Army. It was a German custom dating from the late 18th century. These generals were
authorized to wear the tunic and insignia of an officer of the regiment, including ordinary
officers’ Litzen. Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, Chef of the 18th Infanterie Regiment,
wore a big 18 on his shoulderboards, and for everyday wear favored the ornamented tunic of
an infantry officer with white piping rather than ageneral's uniform.
Kragenpatte &
Hitler appointed first Generaloberst Hans von Seeckt, ancient "Chef der Heeresleitung", to Epaulette of von
be Chef of the 67th Infanterie Regiment on his 70th birthday in April 1936, a few months Rundstedt
before he died. Only seven German generals were appointed Chefs: in addition to Seeckt
Rundstedt in 1940
and Rundstedt they were General der Infanterie Ritter von Epp (Chef of the 61st Infanterie
Regiment in Munich); Generalfeldmarschall von Mackensen (Chef of the 5th Kavallerie Regiment in Stolp);
Generaloberst von Fritsch (Chef of the 12th Artillerie Regiment in Schwerin); and Generalfeldmarschall von Böhm-Ermolli (Chef of the 28th Infanterie
Regiment in Troppau). Generalfeldmarschall von Blomberg was appointed Chef of Infanterie Regiment 73 and wore a big 73 superimposed over the
crossed batons of his shoulder board, but on 4 February 1938 he was dismissed and his name was deleted from the seniority list.

Shoulder-straps (Schulterklappen) and shoulderboards (Schulterstücke)

Enlisted men
The Reichsheer's shoulder-straps were very similar to those of World War I, made of feldgrau uniform cloth with pointed or
"gable" button ends. In December 1934 the material was changed to grey badge-cloth (Abzeichentuch) and in September 1935
1935 changed again to dark bottle-green f(laschengrün). These "first pattern" shoulder-straps were not edged in Waffenfarbe piping.

In 1938, simultaneous with the removal of Waffenfarbe from field-uniform collar patches, new shoulder-straps were issued.

1938 These "second pattern" straps had round rather than pointed ends, and were edged on three sides with wool (later rayon) piping
in Waffenfarbe. This pattern would be used through the end of the war, although in 1940 manufacture reverted to field-grey
uniform cloth, and as usual alternate versions were made to go with the Panzer uniform (black), tropical uniform (olive cotton)
1940 and HBT summer uniform (reed-green twill). Schulterklappen were not worn with the fatigue uniform, nor with camouflage
smocks and parkas which used analternate system of rank insignia.

Panzer For junior enlisted men (Mannschaften), rank insignia if any was worn on the left sleeve. However the epaulettes did indicate
the wearer's unit (usually regiment or independent battalion) together with his sub-branch if any, machine-embroidered in
branch-color. For example, a Schulterklappe with rose-pink piping and number "4" would indicate the 4th Panzer Regiment; but
Tropical if it carried a pink number "4" and letter "A" it would indicate the 4th Armored Reconnaissance (Aufklärungs) Battalion. The
German Army used a very large assortment of Latin initials, Gothic initials, script ciphers, Arabic numerals, Roman numerals and symbols to designate
all its various service branches and installations. Before the war, shoulder-buttons were embossed with the number of the wearer's company as well, this
practice was discontinued "for the duration."

Beginning in January 1940, shoulder-straps with unit insignia were (supposed to be) phased out as a security measure, and
removable fabric loops with devices were issued instead. In May 1944 the embroidery was changed from waffenfarbe to light
gray.

Non-commissioned officers wore their rank insignia on their shoulder-straps, consisting of braid and pips (pyramidal "stars").
An Unteroffizier's (corporal's) epaulette was edged with Tresse on three sides and an Unterfeldwebel's (sergeant's) on all four.
Senior NCO's (Unteroffiziere mit Portepee) added one to three pips; in addition, their unit identifiers took the form of white-
metal pins rather than embroidery.

Shoulder-straps were made in both a standard width (4.5 cm, 1¾") and a wider one for three-digit unit numbers (5.3cm, 2"), and Cavalry
in three lengths depending on the size of the man. There was in addition an extra-lar
ge size for the overcoat (Mantel). Oberwachtmeister,
tropical

Officers
Officers' shoulderboards were constructed from "Russia" braid, an aluminum-thread double piping. Company-grade officers
(Leutnant through Hauptmann/Rittmeister) wore epaulettes constructed by wrapping two side-by-side lengths of braid around
the buttonhole and back, giving the appearance of eight parallel cords; the whole was sewn to an underlay (Unterlagen) of
Waffenfarbe badge-cloth. Until 1938 the underlay was of the same outer dimensions as the braid, and only visible edge-on; in
that year the underlay was made wider, so as to create the impression of edge piping like the enlisted shoulder-strap. Rank was indicated by zero to two
gilt-metal pips; unit designators were also of gilt metal.

Field-grade officer (Stabsoffizier) shoulderboards were made by plaiting together double widths of Russia braid and looping
them to form a buttonhole, sewn to aWaffenfarbe underlay; rank again was displayed by zero to two gilt pips.

Once the war began, dull grey aluminum braid appeared, but bright aluminum continued in use.

Generals

1 Generalfeldmarschall (OF-10, five-star rank, shoulder strap from April

1941)
2 Generalfeldmarschall (OF-10, five-star rank, shoulder strap prior to April
1941)
3 Generaloberst (OF-9, four-star rank)
4 General of the branch (OF-8, three-star rank)
5 Generalleutnant (OF-7, two-star rank)
6 Generalmajor (OF-6, one-star rank)
Generals' shoulderboards, Wehrmacht (Heer)
Generals' shoulderboards were constructed similarly to those of field-grade officers, but
comprised a length of silver Russia braid between two braided cords of gold bullion or
Celleon. Since the resulting combination was wider, generals' boards were plaited in four 'loops' rather than five. Their buttons were gilt, and rank was
indicated by zero to three silver pips, or crossed batons in the case of field marshals. The underlay was scarlet, except (from 1944) for generals of staff
corps, who were instructed to wearWaffenfarbe instead.

In April 1941, Generalfeldmarschall epaulettes were changed to incorporate a central gold cord instead of silver
.

Colonels-in-chief wearing that uniform wore gold generals' shoulderboards underlaid with the Waffenfarbe of the regiment rather than scarlet; GFM von
Rundstedt sometimes simply pinned his crossed batons to an infantry colonel's epaulettes.

Retired personnel
By order of Marshal Hindenburg in March 1932, soldiers who retired after 15 years of service received the right to wear the
uniform of the unit they left. The shoulderboards and shoulder straps of retired soldiers had a bridle 1.5 cm wide attached under
the middle.

Generalmajor
a.D. Headgear
Caps and helmets bore two common insignia elements, in various forms: the National Emblem (eagle and swastika) and the national colors. World War I
caps had carried dual cockades or roundels, one in Imperial black-white-red and one in the colors of the particular State within the Empire. The
Reichsheer changed this to a single cockade in the Weimar Republic's black, red and gold; almost as soon as Hitler took power he restored the pre-1919
tricolor flag, and ordered the Army to return to black-white-red.

Peaked cap (Schirmmütze)

Schirmmütze
cap badges

Schirmmütze,
Schirmmütze Schirmmütze
early model
(1935)

Officers' old-style field cap or "crusher" Feldmütze

( älterer Art)

Feldmütze Feldmütze Feldmütze

älterer Art älterer Art älterer Art

Panzer beret

Panzer berets without

the national emblem
Panzer beret

Garrison cap (Feldmütze)

Feldmützen
 Feldmütze Feldmütze

Mountain, tropical, and M43 field caps Gebirgs-,

( Tropen- und Einheitsfeldmützen)

Einheitsfeldmützen Tropenmützen Gebirgsmützen Gebirgsmütze

Steel helmet (Stahlhelm)

See also Stahlhelm

There were three major types of the Stahlhelm commonly used in the standard ranks of German soldiers and one with the Fallschirmjäger from 1935-
1945. The M35 was the standard issue for soldiers until 1940 when the M40 became the standard issue. Many M35 helmets were though still in use well
after the M40 had replaced it. Also many M35 helmets when used by many other countries before, during and after World War II. The M42 replaced the
M40 in 1942. Once again previous helmets was still being used after its initial replacement. The M38 became the standard stahlhelm used by the
Fallschirmjäger after the M35 became outdated for service with the Fallschirmjäger. The M38 was a variant of the M35 but lacking the projecting visor
and deep rim commonly found with other stahelms in service.

Steel helmets
Steel helmet Steel helmet

Steel helmets

Pith helmet (Tropenhelm)

 Pith helmet Pith helmets

Belt buckles (Koppelschlösser)

Belt buckles for enlisted men were of box type, made of aluminum or stamped steel with a pebbled surface, and bearing a
circular device with a version of the Hoheitszeichen called the Army eagle or Heeresadler (an eagle with downswept wings
clutching an unwreathed swastika) surmounted by the motto Gott mit uns, or "God with us." For field wear these were
usually painted field-grey to reduce visibility; on the other hand dress buckles were silver
-washed.

Officers' field and service buckles were of a two-pronged frame type. With dress uniform officers wore a belt of silver braid Enlisted
with a circular silver-washed or -plated aluminum buckle, in the form of an oakleaf wreath surrounding a Heeresadler. Koppelschloß
Generals' were the same but gilt or gold-plated.

With the tropical uniform and its belt of cotton webbing, of

ficers wore a buckle identical to the dress buckle but painted olive-drab.

Ranks and rank insignia

Rank tables

Enlisted personnel (Mannschaften)

Enlisted collar Litzen

1935 1938 1940 Dress Tropical

Red Waffenfarbe: artillery

Enlisted Schulterklappen

1935 1938 1940 Panzer Tropical

uniform
White Waffenfarbe: infantry, rose pink: armor
 Approx.
Rank Translation US/UK Insignia Notes
equivalent
Private (or
equivalent
Soldat was the generic term; for actual ranks see
Soldat Soldier British
below. It could be advanced directly toGefreiter OR-2.
Army
ranks)
Soldat Soldier Soldier selected for or attendingUnteroffizierschule
NCO
(Unteroffizieranwärter (NCO (NCO school); could be of any rank fromSoldat (OR-
candidate
(UA)) aspirant) 1) through Stabsgefreiter (OR-3)
Soldat Soldier Officer
(Offizieranwärter (Officer candidate See below
(OA)) aspirant) 2nd class
Private
Obersoldat was the generic term; for actual ranks see
Obersoldat[7] Senior First Class
below. Automatic after 12 (later 6) months if not yet
(from 1936) Soldier / Senior
advanced to Gefreiter.
Private

Historically in German armies, aGefreiter was an

Lance
Gefreiter Exempted experienced soldier who by virtue of seniority was
Corporal
exempted from more menial duties.

Gefreiter Exempted Officer

(Offizieranwärter (Officer candidate See below
(OA)) aspirant) 1st class

Senior
Senior [8]
Obergefreiter Lance Second sleeve insignia indicates 6 years of service.
Exempted
Corporal

The rank was commonly trusted with positions in food

provision supply and quartermaster duties. In the last
Senior years of World War II Stabsgefreiter were often used
Stabsgefreiter[7] Staff
Lance as group leaders Gruppenführer due to a lack of
(from 1942) Exempted
Corporal Unteroffiziere (NCOs). Promotions to this rank were
suspended in 1934, although existingStabsgefreiter
retained it; promotions resumed in 1942.

Obersoldat insignia.

Non-commissioned officers U
( nteroffiziere)
NCO Litzen and Tresse

1935 1938 1940 Dress Tropical

Rose-pink Waffenfarbe: armored troops

NCO Schulterklappen

1935 1938 1940 Panzer Tropical

uniform
 Approx. US/UK
Rank Translation Insignia Notes
equivalent

Junior NCOs, Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee[9]

Unteroffizier Originally only upon completion of NCO
Subordinate- school; later also an automatic promotion for
Oberjäger (Light and
Officer Sergeant/Corporal[10] acting squad leaders with 4 months of
mountain infantry) Senior Ranger combat experience. Could be advanced
directly to Feldwebel/Wachtmeister.

Flag-Squire[11][12] Officer candidate

Unteroffizier epaulette, additional with two
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier Subordinate- silver strips, as on the Fähnriche epaulette
Corporal
Officer below

Unterfeldwebel[7] Junior Field Called Sergeant to 1921. Automatic after 6

Unterwachtmeister[7] Guide Staff years of service and 3 years as an
(Cavalry, artillery and Junior Watch Sergeant/Sergeant Unteroffizier if not yet advanced to
transport) Master Feldwebel/Wachtmeister.

Unterfeldwebel epaulet, additional with two

Fähnrich Ensign Officer candidate
silver strips

Senior NCOs, Unteroffiziere mit Portepee[9]

Feldwebel Technical From mid-war an automatic promotion for
Field Guide
Wachtmeister (Cavalry, Sergeant/Staff acting platoon leaders with 4 months of
Watch Master
artillery and transport) Sergeant combat experience.
Oberfeldwebel Senior Field
Master
Oberwachtmeister Guide
Sergeant/Warrant
(Cavalry, artillery and Senior Watch
Officer Class II
transport) Master
Student Officer /
Oberfeldwebel epaulette (additional with two
Oberfähnrich Senior Ensign Senior officer
silver strips), worn with officer's uniform
candidate
Stabsfeldwebel
Staff Field Guide Sergeant Restricted to career volunteers; automatic
Stabswachtmeister
Staff Watch Major/Warrant Officer after 12 years of service. Rank created in
(Cavalry, artillery and
Master Class I 1938.
transport)

Hauptfeldwebel/Hauptwachtmeister:Hauptfeldwebel was not a rank but an appointment: the administrative and mustering NCO of a company and the
commander's logistical assistant. He was therefore roughly analogous to a Company Sergeant-Major or First Sergeant, although his duties did not usually
involve combat leadership. Der Spieß[13] or die Kompanie-Mutter, as he was called, was not necessarily the ranking Unteroffizier in the company,
especially since typically two of the platoons were commanded by senior NCOs rather than officers. A Hauptfeldwebel however had to be of Portepee
grade; a junior NCO filling the role was aHauptfeldwebeldiensttuer, "one doing Hauptfeldwebel duties."

The insignia for a Hauptfeldwebel was a pair of NCO Tressen encircling each lower sleeve, nicknamed "piston rings;" he also carried a leather
Meldetasche or report-case tucked into his tunic front.

Senior non-commissioned specialist officers

In two specialist career paths it was possible to attain rank above Stabsfeldwebel: fortifications engineers (Festungspioniere) and farriers
(Hufbeschlagschmieder).[14] They were actual NCOs with command authority, not Heeresbeamten (uniformed Army civil servants). There was no direct
equivalent in the English-speaking world; perhaps the closest examples of the time would be the British Royal Navy's and United States Navy's ranks of
Warrant Officer.

Rank Translation Insignia

Festungswerkmeister Fortress Works Master

Hufbeschlaglehrmeister Farrier Instruction Master

Festungsoberwerkmeister Fortress Senior Works Master

Oberhufbeschlaglehrmeister Senior Farrier Instruction Master

These men wore shoulderboards braided in a unique pattern, orange-red and silver on black underlay with Gothic "Fp" for fortress engineers,[15] and
[16]
gold-yellow and silver on carmine with a horseshoe device for farriers.
Officer candidates (Fähnriche)
Officer candidate collar insignia

Offizier- Offizier- Oberfähnrich

Bewerber Anwärter

To 1940 1940–1941 1942–1945 Translation Notes

Officer
Schütze (Offizier- Schütze (Offizier- Flag-Squire[11][12]
Fahnenjunker candidate in
Bewerber) Bewerber) Rifleman (Officer Applicant)
basic training
Officer
Flag-Squire Lance Corporal candidate in
Gefreiter (Offizier- Gefreiter (Offizier-
Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter Lance Corporal (Officer advanced
Bewerber) Bewerber)
Applicant) training with
the Field Army
Cadet
Unteroffizier (Offizier- Flag-Squire Subordinate-
beginning
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier Anwärter) Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier Officer/Flag-Squire Senior
Officer
Ranger
Fahnenjunker-Oberjäger Oberjäger (Offizier- Fahnenjunker-Oberjäger Candidate
Subordinate-Officer (Officer
Anwärter) School or
Candidate)/Senior Ranger
specialist
(Officer Candidate)
academy
Ensign Cadet
Feldwebel (Offizier-
Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel Field Guide (Officer completing
Anwärter)
Candidate)/Watch Master Officer
Fahnenjunker-
Fähnrich Wachtmeister (Offizier- (Officer Candidate) Candidate
Wachtmeister Flag-Squire Field School or
Anwärter)
Guide/Flag-Squire Watch specialist
Master academy
Oberfähnrich Senior Ensign
Unterarzt (physician) Subordinate-Surgeon
Unterapotheker Oberfähnrich Oberfähnrich Subordinate- Graduate
(pharmacologist) Unterarzt Unterarzt Pharmacologist serving as
acting
Unterveterinär (veterinary) Unterveterinär Unterapotheker Subordinate-Veterinarian lieutenant,
Oberfähnrich im Ing. Korps Unterapotheker Unterveterinär Sr. Ensign in the Engineer ensign or 3rd
Lieutenant
(Engineering) Feldingenieur Feldingenieur Corps/Field Engineer prior to
Feuerwerker m. b. Oberfähnrich (Waffen) Oberfähnrich (Waffen) Fireworker on Officer commissioning
Probation/Sr. Ensign as an officer.
Offiziersprüfung
(Ordnance) (Ordnance)

Officers (Offiziere)

Officers' collar insignia

Field and Dress Tropical[17]

service
Gold-yellow Waffenfarbe: cavalry
 Rank Translation US/UK equivalent Shoulder Insignia
Leutnante

Leutnant Lieutenant
Assistenzarzt (Medical) Assistant Surgeon 2nd Lieutenant White: Infantry
Veterinär (Veterinary) Veterinarian

Hunter-green: Jäger

Oberleutnant Lemon-yellow:
Senior Lieutenant
Oberarzt (Medical) 1st Communications corps
Senior Surgeon
Oberveterinär Lieutenant/Lieutenant
Senior Veterinarian
(Veterinary)
Copper-brown:
Motorbike-schütze

Hauptleute
Hauptmann
Rittmeister (mounted
Captain (lit. "head man, lead man")
branches)
Riding Master
Stabsarzt (Medical)
Staff Surgeon
Stabsveterinär Captain
Staff Veterinarian Golden-yellow:
(Veterinary)
Staff Lawyer Reconnaissance
Stabsrichter (Judicial)
Army Assistant Chaplain
Heereshilfspfarrer
(Chaplain)[18]
Stabsoffiziere
Major
Oberstabsarzt (Medical)
Major
Oberstabsveterinär
Senior Staff Surgeon
(Veterinary)
Senior Staff Veterinarian Major
Oberstabsrichter Blue: Transport/ Technical
Senior Staff Lawyer
(Judicial) support troops
Army Chaplain
Heerespfarrer
(Chaplain)[18]
Oberstleutnant
Lieutenant Colonel (lit. "lieutenant
Oberfeldarzt (Medical)
seniormost")
Oberfeldveterinär
Senior Field Surgeon
(Veterinary) Lieutenant Colonel
Senior Field Veterinarian
Oberrichter (Judicial) Rosa-pink: Armored corps
Senior Lawyer
Heeresoberpfarrer
Army Senior Chaplain
(Chaplain)[18]
Oberst
Oberstarzt (Medical) Colonel (lit. "seniormost")
Oberstveterinär Seniormost Surgeon
(Veterinary) Seniormost Veterinarian Colonel Meadow-green:
Oberstrichter (Judicial) Seniormost Lawyer Panzergrenadier
Wehrmachtsdekan Defence Force Dean
(Chaplain)[18]

General officers and marshals G

( eneräle)
In addition to their alt-Larisch collar tabs and braided gold epaulettes, general officers' uniforms were distinguished by gold rather than silver cap badges,
cap cords, breast eagles, belt buckles and buttons, a pair of 40mm Hochrot (scarlet) stripes down the outside of each trouser-leg, overcoat lapels faced in
scarlet, and dress uniforms piped inHochrot rather than Waffenfarbe.

From May 1944 generals in the various staff corps (medical, legal, TSD etc.) were supposed to replace Hochrot with the appropriate Waffenfarben of
their branches of service; in practice this directive was imperfectly heeded and a subsequent order extended the wear-out date for scarlet insignia
indefinitely.
 Rank Translation US/UK equivalent rank Shoulder Insignia

Generalmajor Major General

Generalarzt (Medical) General Surgeon
Generalveterinär (Veterinary) General Veterinarian Brigadier General/Brigadier
Veterinary:
Generalrichter (Judicial) General Lawyer
Feldbischof (Chaplain)[18][19] Field Bishop

Generalleutnant Lieutenant General

Generalstabsarzt (Medical) General Staff Surgeon
Major General
Generalstabsveterinär(Veterinary) General Staff Veterinarian
Generalstabsrichter (Judicial) General Staff Lawyer
General ... General
— der Infanterie — of Infantry
— der Artillerie — of Artillery
— der Kavallerie — of Cavalry
— der Panzertruppe (from 1935) — of Armoured Troops
— der Pioniere (from 1938) — of Engineers Lieutenant General
Medical:
— der Gebirgstruppe (from 1940) — of Mountain Troops
— der Nachrichtentruppe(from 1940) — of Signals Troops
Generaloberstabsarzt (Medical) General Senior Staff Surgeon
Generaloberstabsveterinär(Veterinary) General Senior Staff Veterinarian
Generaloberstabsrichter(Judicial) General Senior Staff Lawyer

Generaloberst Senior General/Colonel General General

before April 1941:

Generalfeldmarschall General Field Marshal General of the Army/Field Marshal

from April 1941:

Smock/parka rank insignia

On camouflage smocks, camouflage and winter parkas, mountain windbreakers and paratroop
jump smocks, epaulettes were not worn. Officers and NCOs instead wore sleeve rank insignia
made up of bars and oak leaves.

Non-commissioned officers

Unteroffizier
Unterfeldwebel
Feldwebel
Oberfeldwebel
Stabsfeldwebel Oberleutnant rank insignia

Officers

Leutnant
Oberleutnant
Hauptmann Major
Oberstleutnant
Oberst

General officers

Generalmajor
Generalleutnant Generaloberst Generalfeldmarschall
General
Ranks at the Private/Senior Private levels

Branch

Schütze (Rifleman) (to 10/42)[20] Oberschütze

Infantry Grenadier (from 10/42)[20] Obergrenadier
Motorized Infantry (to 7/43) Füsilier (Fusilier)[21] Oberfüsilier
Musketier (Musketeer)[21] Obermusketier

Mechanized Infantry (to 7/43) Panzerschütze (Armored Rifleman)[20] Panzeroberschütze

Motorized Infantry
Mechanized Infantry Panzergrenadier (Armored Grenadier)[20] Panzerobergrenadier
(from 7/43)
Light and Mountain
Jäger (Ranger, Hunter) Oberjäger[22]
Infantry
Cavalry
Reiter (Trooper) Oberreiter (Senior Trooper)
Reconnaissance
Kanonier (Gunner) Oberkanonier
Artillery
Panzerkanonier (Armored Gunner)[23] Panzeroberkanonier

Pionier (Sapper) Oberpionier

Engineers
Baupionier (Construction Sapper) (from 1943) Bauoberpionier
Construction troops Bausoldat (to 1943) Bauobersoldat
Funker (Radioman) Oberfunker
Signals
Fernsprecher (Telephonist) Oberfernsprecher
Armor Panzerschütze (Armor Rifleman) Oberpanzerschütze
Armored Engineers Panzerpionier Oberpanzerpionier
Armored Signals Panzerfunker Oberpanzerfunker
Anti-tank Panzerjäger (Tank hunter) Oberpanzerjäger
Motorcycle troops Kradschütze (Motorcycle Rifleman) Kradoberschütze
Military Police Feldgendarm (Field Gendarme) Feldobergendarm
Fahrer (Driver, horse) Oberfahrer
Transport and Logistics
Kraftfahrer (Driver, motor vehicles) Oberkraftfahrer
Medical Sanitätssoldat Sanitätsobersoldat
Musiker (to 1936)
Bandsmen Musikschütze (Rifleman Musician) (from 1936) Musikoberschütze
Trompeterreiter (Trumpeter) (Cavalry) Trompeteroberreiter

Armed Forces officials and Sonderführer

Armed Forces officials (Wehrmachtbeamte)

Officials in administrative, legal, and technical service positions are a category peculiar to the German Armed Forces. They
consist of civil service personnel performing functions within the Armed Forces and are recruited, in part, from former
professional non-commissioned officers who became military candidates for civil service (de: Militäranwärter) at the end of
their 12-year contractual period of active military service.

HV (de: Up to 1944, none of these officials were classified as soldiers; in that year certain groups were converted into officers in the
Heeresverwaltung, Special Troop Service (Truppensonderdienst or TSD). These were the higher administrative of
ficers (Intendanten) in ranks from
Army
captain to lieutenant general; the lower administrative officers (Zahlmeister) in the ranks of first and second lieutenant, and the
Administration)
judge advocates (Richter) in ranks from captain to lieutenant general. At this time all personnel of the Field Post Office were
yellow metal
emblem made soldiers as well, but formed a corps of their own rather than belonging to the TSD. It was also made possible for qualified
reserve technical service officials to become reserve officers of the motor maintenance troops.

The officials had titles, not ranks: Intendant, Direktor, Rat, Vorsteher, Inspektor, Meister, Assistent. This is a complex subject as each branch had its own
titles.
Military officials

Shoulderboards
With certain exceptions, military officials (de: Militär-Beamte) wore shoulderboards similar to those of soldiers of equivalent rank, but distinguished by
the addition of dark green elements: those equivalent to generals had a central cord in their braided shoulderboards which incorporated green chevrons,
and those equivalent to officers wore a narrow green stripe between the rows of braid. WO-equivalent officials wore a complex braided shoulderboard
made of green, black and silver cords. In nearly all cases the shoulderboard underlay was a double layer of dark green under Nebenfarbe, and metal pins
with the HV (Heeresverwaltung, Heer/ army administration) cipher were worn.

Certain services had insignia of their own: for example the Feldpost (en: Field post office) wore shoulderboards with gold rather than green elements and
the initials FP; and musical officials wore silver-and-red shoulderboards with a lyre insignia. Beamten in the employ of a military administration
authority in the occupied territories woreMV pins (de: abbreviation toMilitärverwaltung) rather than HV ciphers.

Most officials wore in addition to their dark greenWaffenfarbe a secondary colour (Nebenfarbe) denoting their branch:

In March 1940 distinctNebenfarben were abolished and replaced with light grey
.

See also

⇒ main article Corps colours of the Heeresverwaltung (HV)

Collar patches
Heeresbeamten wore distinctive collar patches; these tabs indicated not the of
ficial's rank or title, but rather the "grade" of the service in which the of
ficial
was employed. These were classified by the minimum educational requirement, and ranged from Einfacher Dienst (Basic Services), for which a grade-
school education was sufficient, through Mitteler (Middle) and Gehobener (Elevated) Dienst, to Höherer Dienst (Higher Services) which required a
university degree.

Officials in the Basic Services wore collar patches similar to (but larger than) enlisted soldiers', grey Litzen on dark green Patten, but the patch was piped
on three sides in Nebenfarbe; similarly officials in the Middle and Elevated services wore officer-pattern Litzen, again with Nebenfarbe-piped patches.
Officials of the Higher Services wore unique Kragenpatten with alt-Preussische Litzen in gold like Offiziere des Generalstabs, but on dark green with,
again, Nebenfarbe piping. General officer-equivalents wore green patches with generals' arabesques, similarly bordered.

Beamter auf Kriegsdauer

In addition to the career Beamten, wartime needs led to the creation of "Officials for the duration of the war," or Beamter auf Kriegsdauer. These men
had needed skills but either did not possess all the qualifications to become full-fledged Beamten, or were effectively drafted from civilian jobs. The
matter was further confused by the fact that Beamter a. K. did the same jobs and held the same titles as careerficials.
of

Nonetheless, Beamter a. K. wore entirely distinct collar patches. The backing patch was large and piped on three sides like that worn by career Beamten,
but was light grey edged in green. The device was a rectangle pointed at the upper end with braid down the center, much like a British general's gorget
patch, the colors indicating the degree of the Beamter's service: grey with green braid for basic services, silver with green braid for middle and elevated
services, and gold on gold for higher services.

Military Supreme Court officials (Wehrmachtbeamte beim Reichskriegsgericht)

Officials of the Wehrmacht who worked in Military Supreme Courts wore shoulder straps without the "HV" and had the secondary colour of Bordeaux
red (Bordorot).

Sonderführer
Sonderführer (short: Sdf; or Sf – in the meaning of specialist leader (literal: special leader) – introduced to the Wehrmacht in the year 1937,[24] wore the
standard military uniform but their collars and cap bands were blue-grey rather than Army green, with unique shoulder and collar insignia.

For more information see:

See also
 World War II German uniform
Waffenfarbe
Glossary of German World War II military terms
Comparative officer ranks of World War II

Notes
1. Reichswehrministerium, "National Defense Ministry"; it would not be renamedReichskriegsministerium, "National War Ministry" until
the following year.
2. The Luftwaffe, although a branch of theWehrmacht, would use its own eagle design.
3. "Gold bullion" in this context does not (usually) refer to actual gold, but to gold-colored wire, typically a bronze alloy
4. The term Kragenspiegel is post-1945.
5. The German Army of Imperial times comprised in wartime the armies of the Kingdoms of Prussia, Saxony
, Bavaria and Württemberg
under the Prussian General Staff (Generalstab).
6. Before June 1944 their Waffenfarbe was bright red.
7. These ranks were, in effect, dead end paygrades for passed-over soldiers
8. There is confusion in the published sources; see discussion
9. Portepee "sword-knot": senior NCOs wore swords with dress uniform
10. Closer to a British than an American corporal in status and responsibilities;
Unteroffizier was the normal rank for a squad (section)
leader
11. Junker historically meaning "Young Nobleman" otherwise "Young Lord"
12. Duden; Meaning of Junker, in German. [1] (http://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Junker)
13. "The spear." This may refer to the sergeant of a flintlock-era company having carried apolearm rather than a musket, or it may relate
to Latin pilus prior "leading spear," the senior centurion in a cohort.
14. Farriers, blacksmiths specializing in the shoeing and care of horses, were a very important component of the WWII German army
, 70–
80% of which depended on horse-drawn transport. A standard infantry division had nearly 5,000 horses, one for every three soldiers.
15. Combining the Waffenfarben of the ordnance and engineer branches
16. Combining the Waffenfarben of the cavalry and veterinary branches; farriers were responsible for basic equine healthcare and
assisting veterinary officers
17. All tropical uniforms were issued with generic collar patches; however
, officers frequently added the green-backedLitzen and
sometimes the entire green collar from thefeldgrau uniform
18. Chaplains wore no epaulettes, a cross on the front of the cap, and a cross (Protestant) or crucifix (Catholic) around the neck. In the
field chaplains wore a Red Cross armband with purple borders.
19. A Feldbischof did not wear generals' collarArabeske, but rather litzen in gold on a violet backing; his overcoat lapel facings were also
violet rather than red.
20. In October 1942 all infantrySchützen were redesignated Grenadiere. In July 1943 all Panzerschützen and motorized Grenadiere were
redesignated Panzergrenadiere.
21. Traditional ranks in certain regiments
22. Confusingly, Oberjäger was the light-infantry equivalent ofUnteroffizier
23. In artillery regiments of Panzer divisions from 12/41
24. Mobilization plan for the Army (de: Heer) from March 12, 1937 (Mobilmachungsplan für das Heer vom 12. März 1937)

External links
German WWII Army & SS Rank & Insignia

Bibliography
Angolia, John R. Uniforms & Traditions of the German Army, 1933–1945, Vol. 1, R. James Bender Publishing, (1992),ISBN 0-912138-
30-0.
Hettler, Eberhard. Uniformen der Deutschen Wehrmacht : Heer, Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe.Berlin : O. Dietrich, 1939.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ranks_and_insignia_of_the_German_Army_(1935–1945)&oldid=821312762

"

This page was last edited on 19 January 2018, at 18:01.

Text is available under theCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to
the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of theWikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.