Military ranks of the Weimar Republic

The military ranks of the Weimar Republic were the military ranks used by the Reichswehr.

## Military ranks of the Peacetime Army (1919)

[edit]

The Peacetime Army (German: Friedensheer) continued to use the uniforms of the Imperial German Army, however, the ranks were influenced by Soviet insignia. The ranks were used from January 1919 to May 1919.[1]

### Commissioned officers

[edit]

Rank group  | Generals  | Officers

|
|

Heer
[2][3] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General der Waffengattung | Generalleutnant | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Hauptmann | Oberleutnant | Leutnant
Feldwebelleutnant

### Enlisted personnel

[edit]

Rank group  | NCOs  | Other ranks

|
|

Heer
[2][3][4] |  |  |  |  |  |
Feldwebel | Vizefeldwebel | Fähnrich
Sergeant | Unteroffizier | Gefreiter | Soldat

## Military ranks of the Provisional Reichswehr (1919–1920)

[edit]

The Provisional Reichswehr (German: Vorläufige Reichswehr) introduced slightly more elaborate insignia than the Peacetime Army.[5]

### Commissioned officers

[edit]

Rank group  | Generals  | Officers

|
|

Heer
[6][3] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General der Waffengattung | Generalleutnant | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Hauptmann | Oberleutnant | Leutnant/
Feldwebelleutnant

### Enlisted personnel

[edit]

Rank group  | NCOs  | Other ranks

|
|

Heer
[6][3][4] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Offiziersstellvertreter | Feldwebel | Vizefeldwebel | Fähnrich/
Sergeant | Unteroffizier | Obergefreiter | Gefreiter | Wehrmann

## Military ranks of the Reichswehr (1920–1935)

[edit]

### Commissioned officers

[edit]

Rank group  | Generals  | Officers

|
|

Heer
[7] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General der Waffengattung | Generalleutnant | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Hauptmann | Oberleutnant | Leutnant
Reichsmarine |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Admiral | Vizeadmiral | Konteradmiral | Kapitän zur See | Fregatten­kapitän | Korvetten­kapitän | Kapitän­leutnant | Oberleutnant
zur See | Leutnant
zur See

### Enlisted personnel

[edit]

Rank group  | NCOs  | Other ranks

|
|

Heer
[4][7] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia
Oberfeldwebel | Feldwebel | Unterfeldwebel | Unteroffizier | Stabsgefreiter
(introduced 1927)[8] | Obergefreiter | Gefreiter | Oberschütze | Schütze
Reichsmarine
[9] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia
Oberfeldwebel | Feldwebel | Obermaat | Maat | Obergefreiter | Gefreiter | Obermatrose | Matrose

### Waffenfarben

[edit]

Regiment or Battalion type[10] | Colour[a]

|

General officers
Artillery
Ordnance troops  | Scarlet

(Hochrot)

Staff Corps of the Reichswehr
Veterinary service  | Carmine

(Karmesin)

Infantry | White
Motor transport  | Rose-pink

(Rosa)

Signals | Light brown
Cavalry | Golden yellow
Jäger (light infantry) | Dark green
Transport (horse-drawn)  | Light blue
Medical service  | Dark blue
Engineers  | Black

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ In addition to the colours, monograms and symbols were used to denominate services or units.

## References

[edit]

### Citations

[edit]

1. ^ Jurado 2001, p. 62.
2. ^ a b Antique Photos1 2011.
3. ^ a b c d Jurado 2001, p. 44.
4. ^ a b c Kidd 2013, p. 55.
5. ^ Jurado 2001, p. 63.
6. ^ a b Antique Photos2 2011.
7. ^ a b F. A. Brockhaus 1926.
8. ^ Penzkofer, Andreas (16 April 2019). "Die Ärmeldienstgradabzeichen". phalerika.de (in German). Retrieved 2 March 2024.
9. ^ Hoyer, K; Brennecke, F (1925). Die Uniformen des Reichsheeres und der Reichsmarine nebst amtlichen Uniformtafeln; mit Genehmigung des Reichswehrministeriums (in German). Charlottenburg: Verlag "Offene Worte, ". OCLC 44571687.
10. ^ Knötel & Knötel 1956, p. 48-50.

### Bibliography

[edit]

* Antique Photos1 (2011). "Uniforms and ranks of the Peacetime Army (19.01.1919-05.05.1919)". Antique Photos. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2019.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
* Antique Photos2 (2011). "Ranks and insignia of the Provisional Reichswehr (05.05.1919-06.12.1920)". Antique Photos. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2019.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
* F. A. Brockhaus (1926). "Uniformen des Reichsheers und der Reichsmarine" (in German). F. A. Brockhaus. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
* Jurado, Carlos Caballero (2001). The German Freikorps 1918–23. Elite. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1841761848.
* Kidd, R Spencer (2013). Military Uniforms In Europe 1900 - 2000 Volume One (Volume 1). Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1291187441. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
* Knötel, Richard; Knötel, Herbert (1956). Handbuch der Uniformkunde: Die militärische Tracht in ihrer Entwicklung bis zur Gegenwart (in German) (6th ed.). Hamburg: Helmut Gerhard Schulz.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Haarcke, Ingo G (1983). Die Uniformen des Friedensheeres, der vorlaufigen Reichswehr und die Reichsheeres von 1919 bis 1921 (in German). Hamburg: Verlag Militaria-Archiv Klaus D. Patzwall.
* Schlicht, Adolf; Kraus, Jürgen (2006). Rest, Stefan (ed.). The German Reichswehr: Uniforms and Equipment of the German Army from 1919 to 1932. Verlag Militaria. ISBN 978-3902526014.
* Saßmann, Anton. Die Deutsche Reichswehr in ihrer neuesten Bekleidung, Bewaffnung und Ausrüstung (in German). Leipzig: Moritz Ruhl.

* 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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