World War II Armed Forces — Orders of Battle and Organizations

Last Updated 27.06.01

German Army Ranks

German English   “A” Group (Oberbefehlshaber)   Generalfeldmarschall General of the Army (Field Marshal) Generaloberst General   “F” Group (Kommandierender General)   General    der Infanterie    der Kavallerie    der Artillerie    der ... Lieutenant General    of the Cavalry    of the Infantry    of the Artillery    of the ...   “D” Group (Divisionskommandeur)   Generalleutnant    Generalstabsartz    Generalstabs-… Major General    Major General (Medical Corps)    Major General ( … )   “I” Group (Infanterie-, Atrillerie-, Brigadekommandeur)   Generalmajor    Generalarzt    General- … Brigadier General    Brigadier General (Medical Corps)    Brigadier General ( … )   “R” Group (Regimentskommandeur)   Oberst    Oberstarzt    Oberst- … Colonel    Colonel (Medical Corps)    Colonel ( … )   “B” Group (Bataillonskommandeur)   Oberstleutnant    Oberfeldarzt    Oberfeld- … Lieutenant Colonel    Lieutenant Colonel (Medical Corps)    Lieutenant Colonel ( … ) Major    Oberstabsarzt    Oberstabs- … Major    Major (Medical Corps)    Major ( … )   “K” Group (Kompanieführer)   Hauptmann    Rittmeister    Stabsarzt    Stabsveterinär    Stabsmusikmeister    Stabs- … Captain    Captain (Cavalry Corps)    Captain (Medical Corps)    Captain (Veterinary Corps)    Captain (Band)    Captain ( … )   “Z” Group (Zugführer)   Oberleutnant    Oberazt    Obermusikmeister    Oberzahlmeister    Ober- … First Lieutenant    First Lieutenant (Medical Corps)    First Lieutenant (Band)    First Lieutenant (Paymaster Corps)    First Lieutenant ( … ) Leutnant    Asisstenzarzt    Musikmeister    Assistenzzahlmesiter    Assistenz- … Second Lieutenant    Second Lieutenant (Medical Corps)    Second Lieutenant (Band)    Second Lieutenant (Paymaster Corps)    Second Lieutenant ( … )   “O” Group (Oberfeldwebel)   Stabsfeldwebel    Obermeister Warrant Officer First Class    Warrant Officer 1st Class of a Technical Establishment Hauptfeldwebel    Hauptwachtmeister Warrrant Officer 2nd Class    Warrant Officer 2nd Class (Cavalry, Artillery, AA, etc.) Oberfeldwebel    Oberwachtmeister    Musikleiter Sergeant Major    Sergeant Major (Cavalry, Artillery, AA, etc.)    Sergeant Major (Band), etc. Feldwebel    Wachtmeister    Beschlagmeister    Feuerwerker    Brieftaubenmeister First Sergeant    First Sergeant (Cavalry, Artillery, AA, etc.)    Farrier First Sergeant    Ordnance First Sergeant    Pigeon Postmaster, etc.   “G” Group (Gruppenführer)   Unterfeldwebel    Unterwachtmeister Staff Sergeant    Staff Sergeant (Cavalry, Artillery, AA, etc.) Unteroffizier     Santitätsunteroffizier Sergeant    Sergeant (Medical Corps) Obergefreiter    Beschlagschmiedobergefreiter Corporal    Farrier Corporal, etc.   “M” Group (Mannschaft)     Gefreiter Private First Class Oberschütze    Oberreiter Private 2    Trooper First Class, etc. Schütze    Grenadier    Jäger    Reiter    Kanonier    Pionier    Funker    Fahrer    Kraftfahrer    Sanitätssoldat    Beschlagschmiedschütze    Spielman Private 1 (infantryman)    Private (alternate designation for infantryman)    Private (Mountain or Light Infantry)    Trooper (Cavalry)    Gunner (Artillery)    Engineer / Pioneer (Engineers)    Radioman (Signals)    Driver (usually of a horse-drawn vehicle)    Driver (motor vehicle)    Medic (Medical)    Farrier (horse smith)    Bandsman / Bugler, etc.

NOTES: This is only a simplified account of the German military personnel structure and hierarchy. Readers are warned that, as in all armies, they were in actual fact more complicated, with important differentiations being made between designations of rank, position, function, skill, and assignment. The equivalent Ranks given in English are neither completely World War II British nor American, and is not going to satisfy any specialist. (However a specialist would probably not be reading this anyway). An attempt has been made to give modern US Army rank equivalents, but this Army has some differences. It has one more enlisted rank (Command Sergeant Major), and one more Warrant Officer rank Warrant Officer 3rd Class). The US Army also differentiates between Sergeants and Specialist. And, Warrant Officers are counted as officers, not enlisted men. (In the German WWII Army, all ranks below 2nd Lieutenant were enlisted men). The German Army divided officers are into eight groups, depending on the function they were to carry out. The enlisted men were divided into three groups: Senior Sergeants (Unteroffiziere mit Portepee) (“O” Group), Junior Sergeants (Unteroffizier ohne Portepee)(“G” Group), and enlisted men (Mann-schaften)(“M” Group”). The German Wehrmacht also had a unique category of personnel within its ranks, namely the Wehrmachtbeamten, which can be loosely translated as Armed Forces Civil Servants or as Government Service Officials. They were found in administrative, legal, and technical service positions. They were civilians performing functions within the Armed Forces. Although they were not classified as soldiers, they wore uniforms identical with those of the Service branch they were serving with, albeit with different insignia. Their duties, at least at field and company level, could lead to armed encounters with enemy forces, and they were all armed with pistols. In the personnel table opposite, the position and function equivalents are indicated, but not skill. German Tables of Organization (KStN – Kriegsstärkenachweisungen) had many notes indicating which positions and functions were to be filled with what ranks and specialists, listing which positions had priority over others, which could alternatively be filled by a person with specialized knowledge or skill, and which positions should by preference be filled with regular army personnel. Although it was expected to have rank and position corresponding to each other, this was far from the case. Specialist personnel was rare and many units were raised in a hurry, not having enough time to acquire all its correct personnel. And once a units entered combat, the chances of acquiring the exact, highly-skilled soldier for the correct position often became merely a matter of luck. Promotion in ranks was achieved by serving time. The function or position filled as such was not a ground for promotion. Skill was preferred to rank. The highest combat leader position held by an enlisted was that of platoon leader. However, this usually applied only to the third and fourth platoons. All other combat command positions were held by officers. Sergeants and Warrant Officers were in charge of logistics and administration, freeing the officers for their primary function of leading men into combat. It was not unusual for senior enlisted men to become involved in combat when the need arose, although the German Army considered it a waste of skilled manpower to use these highly trained and experienced men for this purpose.