Unterfeldwebel

Unterfeldwebel was until 1990 a junior Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank of the GDR National People's Army, and before in the German Wehrmacht and Reichswehr. The equivalent in the German Bundeswehr is the rank Stabsunteroffizier (OR-5).

History

Unterfeldwebel (in Cavalry, Artillery, and Armoured corps: Unterwachtmeister) was in Germany the designation to a person in uniform with the second lowest NCO-rank (after Unteroffizier). It was counted to the rank-group Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee.

The rank-designations Unterfeldwebel, respectively Unterfeldwebel were created by renaming of the Sergeant rank of the German Empire Army.

Independent to the military assignment an Unteroffizier could be promoted to Unterfeldwebel after a service time of three to four years. Since 1936 this rank could normally be skipped in Heer and Luftwaffe, and NCOs with the rank Unteroffizier were promoted to Feldwebel.

Rank designation Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine and Waffen-SS until 1945

• Rank insignia of Unterfeldwebel of the Wehrmacht.gif

  shoulder Heer

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  cam Heer

• 

  shoulder Luftwaffe

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  collar Luftwaffe

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  Flight suit

• Kriegsmarine sleeve Oberbootsmannmaat.svg

  sleeve Ober(bootsmann)maat

• Kriegsmarine collar Oberbootsmannmaat.svg

  collar Ober(bootsmann)maat

• 

  Schulterstück SS-Scharführer der Waffen-SS

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  collar SS-Scharführer

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  cam Waffen-SS

Equivalent to that rank was the Obermaat of Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine until 1945. The appropriate rank of the Waffen-SS war SS-Scharführer.

Junior rank Unteroffizier

(Wehrmacht ranks) Unterfeldwebel

Senior rank Feldwebel

See also

Main articles: World War II German Army ranks and insignia § Non-commissioned officers (Unteroffiziere), and Comparative ranks of Nazi Germany

Nationale People's Army

Unterfeldwebel/Obermaat

border troops

Volksmarine

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-Z0804-039, NVA-Unterfeldwebel Klaus-Peter Braun.jpg

NPA Unterfeldwebel

By the GDR National People's Army and the Border Troops the rank was introduced in 1962. The rank insignia remained almost identically to these Wehrmacht and Reichswehr.

Junior rank Unteroffizier

(NPA ranks) Unterfeldwebel (Obermaat)

Senior rank Feldwebel

See also

Main article: Ranks of the National People's Army