Oberfeldwebel

Oberfeldwebel
(Heer / Luftwaffe)
Rank insignia German NCO rank
Introduction 1957
Rank group Non-commissioned officers
Army / Air Force Oberfeldwebel
Navy Oberbootsmann
NATO
equivalent
OR-6
US
  • Army: Staff Sergeant
  • Air Force: Technical Sergeant
UK

Oberfeldwebel (OFw or OF) is the second lowest Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Heer and Luftwaffe.[1]

It is grouped as OR6 in NATO, equivalent in the US Army to Staff Sergeant, or in British Army / RAF to Sergeant.

In army/ air force context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Oberfeldwebel also informally / short Oberfeld.

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group (Senior NCOs with portepee) is as follows:

Remark

The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"!

junior Rank
Feldwebel

(German NCO rank)
Oberfeldwebel

senior Rank
Hauptfeldwebel
Oberfähnrich

History

The rank was introduced first by the German Reichswehr in 1920. Preferable most experienced Protégée-NCO of the old army have been promoted.

The Reichswehr Oberfeldwebel was taken over as second highes Protégée-NCO rank by the German Wehrmacht in 1920. In the military branch Cavalry, Artillery and Anti-aircraft artillery it was called Oberwachtmeister.

The equivalent rank to the Oberfeldwebel in the Waffen-SS was the SS-Oberscharführer from 1938 until 1945.

The rank has been used in the GDR National People's Army from 1956 until 1990 as well.

Equivalent in other NATO countries Army/Air Force

References

  1. BROCKHAUS, The encyclopedia in 24 volumes (1796–2001), Volume 7: 3-7653-3676-9, page 185