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

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Remark: The different colours represent the appropriate service, branch, branch of service, or special troop.

Main article: Corps colours (NPA)

### General and Officer ranks

[edit]

Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

|
|
|

East Germany[1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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))

Academic year | 6th | 5th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | Preparation course
Shoulder boards  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Corps colour/ Troops  | Air Force
(Luftstreitkräfte) | Motorized infantry
(Mot.-Schützen) | Engineers
(Pioniere) | Armoured troops
(Panzertruppen) | Communications
(Nachrichten) | Motorized infantry

### Warrant officers

[edit]

Fähnrichkorps and Fähnrichschüler of the NPA  Sleeve insignia
(1979-1990)

(not worn by Fähnrich-schüler) | Stabsoberfähnrich | Stabsfähnrich | Oberfähnrich | Fähnrich | Fähnrichschüler

|
|
|
|
|

W-4 | W-3 | W-2 | W-1  | W (Student)
|  |  |  |  |
| (Staff-senior-Warrant Officer)  | (Staff-Warrant Officer)  | (Senior-Warrant Officer)  | (Warrant Officer)  | (Warrant Officer-Cadet)
Sleeve insignia as to 1973-1979

20 years of service | 15 years of service | 10 years of service
|  |

### NCO and enlisted ranks

[edit]

Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

|
|
|

East
Germany  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Stabsfeldwebel | Oberfeldwebel | Feldwebel | Unterfeldwebel | Unteroffizier | Stabsgefreiter | Gefreiter der Ausbildung | Unteroffiziersschüler | Gefreiter | Soldat

## Volksmarine

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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

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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

|
|
|

Volksmarine[1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Flottenadmiral[c] | Admiral | Vize­admiral | Konter­admiral | Kapitän zur See | Fregatten­kapitän | Korvetten­kapitän | Kapitän­leutnant | Oberleutnant zur See | Leutnant zur See | Unterleutnant zur See

* Command flags
* Flottenadmiral

* Admiral

* Vizeadmiral

* Konteradmiral

### 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

Academic year | 6th | 5th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | Preparation course
Shoulder boards  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

### Warrant officers

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Fähnrichkorps and Fähnrichschüler of the NPA  Sleeve insignia
(as to 1979–1990)

(not to Fähnrich-student)

| Stabsoberfähnrich | Stabsfähnrich | Oberfähnrich | Fähnrich | Fähnrichschüler

|
|
|
|
|

W-4 | W-3 | W-2 | W-1  | W (Student)
|  |  |  |  |
|  |  |
| (Staff-senior-Warrant Officer)  | (Staff-Warrant Officer)  | (Senior-Warrant Officer)  | (Warrant Officer)  | (Warrant Officer-Cadet)
Sleeve insignia as to 1973-1979

20 years of service | 15 years of service | 10 years of service
|  |

### Petty officers and sailors

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Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

|
|
|

Volksmarine[1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Meister to Stabsobermeister
wore the career insignia on shoulder straps only  |  |  |  |  |
Stabsobermeister | Obermeister | Meister | Obermaat | Maat | Stabsmatrose | Obermatrose | Matrose

## Other insignia

[edit]

### Field insignia

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Officers
Rank group | General officers | Field officers | Junior officers

|
|
|

Insignia[2] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

* * *

Ground and
air forces  | Armeegeneral | Generaloberst | Generalleutnant | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Hauptmann | Oberleutnant | Leutnant | Unterleutnant

Enlisted
Rank group |

|

Insignia[2] |  |  |  |

* * *

Ground and
air forces  | Stabsfeldwebel | Oberfeldwebel | Feldwebel | Unterfeldwebel/
Unteroffizier

### Aviator and technician suit insignia, 1985-1990

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#### Officers

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Rank group | General officers | Field officers | Junior officers

|
|
|

Insignia[3] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

* * *

Army, Air force  | 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

[edit]

Rank group |

|

Insignia[3] |  |  |  |

* * *

Ground,
air forces &
navy  | 4th year  | 3rd year  | 2nd year  | 1st year
Offiziersschüler

#### Warrant officers

[edit]

Rank group |

|

Insignia[3] |  |  |  |  |  |

* * *

Ground,
air forces &
navy  | Stabsoberfähnrich | Stabsfähnrich | Oberfähnrich | Fähnrich | 2nd year  | 1st year
Fähnrichschüler

#### Enlisted

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Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

|
|
|

Insignia[3] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ground and
air forces | Stabsfeldwebel | Oberfeldwebel | Feldwebel | Unterfeldwebel | Unteroffizier | Gefreiter UA  | Stabsgefreiter | Gefreiter | Soldat
Navy | Stabsobermeister | Obermeister | Meister | Obermaat | Maat |  | Stabsmatrose | Obermatrose | Matrose

## See also

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* Corps colours (NPA)
* Glossary of German military terms

## References

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1. ^ 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.
2. ^ a b Krauß, Michael (2010). "Dienstgradabzeichen" [Rank badges]. flaechentarn-kraus.hpage.com (in German). Retrieved 7 January 2021.
3. ^ 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.

1. ^ Unused, war time only.
2. ^ Reserved for the Minister of National Defence.
3. ^ 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

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* "Germany 1949-1990 (Democratic Republic)". uniforminsignia.org. The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia. Retrieved 20 November 2018.

* v
* t
* e

Military ranks and insignia by country

* List of comparative military ranks

Africa|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* DR Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

States with
limited recognition|

* Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
* Somaliland

Former|

* People's Republic of Angola
* Biafra
* Bophuthatswana
* Ciskei
* Kingdom of Egypt
* Ethiopian Empire
* Katanga
* People's Republic of Mozambique
* Rhodesia
* South West Africa
* Transkei
* Venda
* Zaire

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Apartheid States in Southern Africa

Americas|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Enlisted:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Other:
* Marine Corps
* Space Force
* Warrant officer
* Opposing forces
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Former|

* Canada (pre-Unification)
* Confederate States of America
* Union
* Army
* Navy
* Costa Rica
* Republic of Cuba
* Empire of Brazil
* Panama
* Republic of Texas
* Army
* Navy
* United States Army enlisted
* World War I
* World War II

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Asia|

* Afghanistan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* PR of China
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Rocket Force
* Armed Police
* India
* Army
* Air Force
* Navy
* Coast Guard
* Border Roads Organisation
* Paramilitary forces
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* Korea
* North
* South
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Marines
* Civil Armed Forces
* Maritime Security Agency
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan (Republic of China)

Former|

* Artsakh
* China
* Empire
* Republic (1912–1949)
* Dutch East Indies
* East Turkestan (Second Republic)
* People's Republic of Kampuchea
* Imperial Iran
* Imperial Japan
* Army
* Navy
* Korea
* Empire
* Liberation Army
* Kingdom of Laos
* Manchukuo
* Mengjiang
* Mongolian People's Republic
* Vietnam
* State
* South
* South Yemen
* Tibet
* Tuva

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Europe|

* Albania
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Home Guard
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Army
* Navy
* Gendarmerie
* Air and Space Force
* Foresters
* Germany
* Georgia
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Land Forces
* Coast Guard
* Ireland
* Italy
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Carabinieri
* Finance Guard
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* North Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Cossacks
* Between 1994 and 2010
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Other:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Vatican

States with
limited recognition|

* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* Transnistria

Former|

* Albania
* Kingdom
* People's Socialist Republic
* Austria–Hungary
* Army
* Navy
* Bulgaria
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Independent State of Croatia
* Czechoslovakia
* German Empire
* Weimar Republic
* Nazi Germany
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* East Germany
* Kingdom of Greece
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* France
* Napoleonic Grand Army
* Hungary
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Italy
* Kingdom
* Social Republic
* Ottoman Empire
* Polish People's Republic
* Republika Srpska
* Romania
* Kingdom
* Socialist Republic
* Russian Empire
* White Movement
* Slovakia (First Republic)
* Soviet Union
* 1918–35
* 1935–40
* 1940–43
* 1943–55
* 1955–91
* Spain
* 2nd Republic
* State
* Yugoslavia
* Kingdom
* Socialist Federal Republic
* Federal Republic

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Oceania|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tonga
* Vanuatu

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Language|

| Anglophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

|

Arabophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Francophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Gendarmerie
* Officers
* Enlisted

Hispanophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Lusophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Military police
* Officers
* Enlisted

Post-Soviet states|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Commonwealth of Nations|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

European Union|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

NATO|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air Force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Comparative ranks of

* Star ranking
* WWI
* Officers
* WWII
* Officers
* Women's services
* Marine forces
* Space forces
* Gendarmeries
* UK and US

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