Hauptfeldwebel

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This page relates to the World War Two appointment. For information on the Bundeswehr rank, see Hauptfeldwebel (rank).

In the German military, the appointment of Hauptfeldwebel was the German equivalent of a Commonwealth Company Sergeant Major or American Company First Sergeant. There was one such NCO in every infantry company, artillery battery, cavalry squadron, etc. his duties were largely administrative. He was the senior NCO of his subunit, and had many nicknames including 'der Spiess' ("the Spear") and 'die Mutter der Kompanie' ("company mother").

He wore two rings of NCO braid around the cuff of his sleeves (nicknamed "piston rings") and carried a meldetasche (reporting pouch) tucked into the tunic front, in which he carried blank report forms, rosters, and other papers related to his duties.

The German Army had no equivalent of the Commonwealth Regimental Sergeant Major at the battalion level.

This appointment could be held by any non-commissioned officer (Unteroffiziere mit Portepee or Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee) but was generally held by an Oberfeldwebel or Stabsfeldwebel.