Military ranks of East Germany
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The Ranks of the National People's Army were the military insignia used by the National People's Army, the army of the German Democratic Republic, from 1956 to 1990.
Design
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The design of the rank insignias followed the tradition of the German Army (Heer) with some modifications. For example, the cuff titles (chevron insignias) of the Gefreiter were replaced by Soviet-styled shoulder straps with cross-stripes.
Shoulder strap rank insignias
[edit]Commissioned officer ranks up to Oberst featured four-pointed golden stars in increasing number according to seniority, and arranged following the Soviet pattern.
Junior officer (lieutenant and captain ranks) shoulder straps were made of silver satin string (German: Silberplattschnur). Unterleutnant had a single golden star, Leutnant two side-by-side stars, and Oberleutnant three stars in a triangle. Hauptmann rank had a fourth star above the triangular formation.
Senior officer shoulder straps were twisted silver cords, Major had a single star, Oberstleutnant two stars, and Oberst three stars, again arranged following the Soviet example.
Generals wore twisted golden and silver cords with five-pointed stars numbering from one (Generalmajor) to four (Armeegeneral).
Ground forces, Air force, and Border troops
[edit]Remark: The different colours represent the appropriate service, branch, branch of service, or special troop.
General and Officer ranks
[edit]| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Marschall der DDR[a] | Armeegeneral[b] | Generaloberst | Generalleutnant | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Hauptmann | Oberleutnant | Leutnant | Unterleutnant | |||||||||||||
Officer candidate or officer aspirant (OA)
[edit]The table below contains the Ofiziersschüler ranks (en: student officers; equivalent to officer candidate or officer aspirant (OA)).
| Offiziersschüler (OF(D)) | |||||||
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| Academic year | 6th | 5th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | Preparation course |
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| Corps colour/ Troops | Air Force (Luftstreitkräfte) |
Motorized infantry (Mot.-Schützen) |
Engineers (Pioniere) |
Armoured troops (Panzertruppen) |
Communications (Nachrichten) |
Motorized infantry | |
Warrant officers
[edit]| Sleeve insignia (1979-1990)  (not to Fähnrich-student) |
Stabsoberfähnrich | Stabsfähnrich | Oberfähnrich | Fähnrich | Fähnrichschüler | |
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| W-4 | W-3 | W-2 | W-1 | W (Student) | ||
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| (Staff-senior-Warrant Officer) | (Staff-Warrant Officer) | (Senior-Warrant Officer) | (Warrant Officer) | (Warrant Officer-Cadet) | ||
| Sleeve insignia as to 1973-1979 | ||
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| 20 years of service | 15 years of service | 10 years of service |
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NCO and enlisted ranks
[edit]| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| East Germany |
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| Stabsfeldwebel | Oberfeldwebel | Feldwebel | Unterfeldwebel | Unteroffizier | Stabsgefreiter | Gefreiter der Ausbildung | Unteroffiziersschüler | Gefreiter | Soldat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Volksmarine
[edit]While the sleeve ranks of the Volksmarine officers were of the style used by the Soviet Navy, all shoulder board insignia used were German in origin, with the star arrangement for officers based on the Soviet rank insignia.
Officer ranks and insignia
[edit]Unlike most Warsaw pact navies, the People's Navy also used staff corps insignia on the sleeve following traditional German practice. The sleeve rank insignia shown are those of the line officer corps.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 Volksmarine[1]
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| Flottenadmiral[c] | Admiral | Vizeadmiral | Konteradmiral | Kapitän zur See | Fregattenkapitän | Korvettenkapitän | Kapitänleutnant | Oberleutnant zur See | Leutnant zur See | Unterleutnant zur See | ||||||||||||||
- Command flags
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Flottenadmiral -
Admiral -
Vizeadmiral -
Konteradmiral
.svg)
.svg)
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Officer candidate or officer aspirant (OA)
[edit]The table below contains the Ofiziersschüler ranks (en: student officers; equivalent to officer candidate or officer aspirant (OA)).
| Offiziersschüler | |||||||
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| Academic year | 6th | 5th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | Preparation course |
| Shoulder boards | 
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Warrant officers
[edit]| Sleeve insignia (as to 1979–1990)  (not to Fähnrich-student) |
Stabsoberfähnrich | Stabsfähnrich | Oberfähnrich | Fähnrich | Fähnrichschüler | |
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| W-4 | W-3 | W-2 | W-1 | W (Student) | ||
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| (Staff-senior-Warrant Officer) | (Staff-Warrant Officer) | (Senior-Warrant Officer) | (Warrant Officer) | (Warrant Officer-Cadet) | ||
| Sleeve insignia as to 1973-1979 | ||
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| 20 years of service | 15 years of service | 10 years of service |
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Petty officers and sailors
[edit]| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Volksmarine[1]
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| Meister to Stabsobermeister wore the career insignia on shoulder straps only |
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| Stabsobermeister | Obermeister | Meister | Obermaat | Maat | Stabsmatrose | Obermatrose | Matrose | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other insignia
[edit]Field insignia (1960–1964)
[edit]- Officers
| Rank group | General officers | Field officers | Junior officers | |||||||||
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| Insignia[2] | ||||||||||||
| Ground and air forces |
Armeegeneral | Generaloberst | Generalleutnant | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Hauptmann | Oberleutnant | Leutnant | Unterleutnant | |
- Enlisted
| Rank group | ||||
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| Insignia[2] | ||||
| Ground and air forces |
Hauptfeldwebel Stabsfeldwebel |
Stabsfeldwebel Oberfeldwebel |
Feldwebel | Unterfeldwebel Unteroffizier |
Aviator and technician suit insignia
[edit]- Officers
| Rank group | General officers | Field officers | Junior officers | |||||||||
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| Insignia[3] | 
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| Ground and air forces |
Marschall der DDR | Armeegeneral | Generaloberst | Generalleutnant | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Hauptmann | Oberleutnant | Leutnant | Unterleutnant |
| Navy | Flottenadmiral | Admiral | Vizeadmiral | Konteradmiral | Kapitän zur See | Fregattenkapitän | Korvettenkapitän | Kapitänleutnant | Oberleutnant zur See | Leutnant zur See | Unterleutnant zur See | |
- Officer candidate
| Rank group | ||||||
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| Insignia[3] | 
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| Ground, air forces & navy |
4th year | 3rd year | 2nd year | 1st year | ||
| Offiziersschüler | ||||||
- Warrant officers
| Rank group | ||||||
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| Insignia[3] | 
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Stabsoberfähnrich | Stabsfähnrich | Oberfähnrich | Fähnrich | 2nd year | 1st year |
| Fähnrichschüler | ||||||
- Enlisted
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Insignia[3] | 
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| Ground and air forces |
Stabsfeldwebel | Oberfeldwebel | Feldwebel | Unterfeldwebel | Unteroffizier | Stabsgefreiter | Gefreiter der Ausbildung | Gefreiter | Soldat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Navy | Stabsobermeister | Obermeister | Meister | Obermaat | Maat | Stabsmatrose | Obermatrose | Matrose | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Luft, Kathleen (1988). "National Security". In Burant, Stephen R. (ed.). East Germany: a country study. Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 264–265. LCCN 87600490. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
- ^ a b Krauß, Michael (2010). "Dienstgradabzeichen" [Rank badges]. flaechentarn-kraus.hpage.com (in German). Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ a b c d "DV 010/0/005 Uniformarten und ihre Trageweise- Bekleidungsvorschrift (1990)" [DV 010/0/005 Types of uniforms and how they are worn - clothing regulations (1990)]. nva-flieger.de (in German). Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ Unused, war time only.
- ^ Reserved for the Minister of National Defence.
- ^ Unused; reserved for the Minister of National Defence if a Navy officer. However, the only person this applied to, Theodor Hoffmann, was only promoted to Admiral.
External links
[edit]- "Germany 1949-1990 (Democratic Republic)". uniforminsignia.org. The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia. Retrieved 20 November 2018.