Deutsche Reichsbahn service ranks

Since its beginning until the year 1991, service rank was a permanent element of service with the Deutsche Reichsbahn, whether as a civil servant or as an employee. Every railroad employee was obliged to wear the conferred insignia while on duty and entitled to do so off duty. The service rank was conferred with a certificate. The first conferral was designated as a certification, each additional conferral as a promotion.

Certificate for Reichsbahn secretary

Service Ranks from 1924 to 1935

As a result of a competition, a single service uniform that eliminated of the previous badges and embellishments was introduced throughout the Reich for all members of the Reichsbahn. Service rank and respective division were recognizable from the collar insignia.

Service Ranks from 1935 to 1945

In July 1935, a new uniform was introduced with specialty and division badges and epaulets as rank insignia for civil servants and workers.

Service Ranks from 1945 to 1957

After the end of the Second World War, the pre-war service ranks were retained in the Deutsche Reichsbahn of the GDR. The uniforms, however, were soon brought into accord with the Soviet model. This was especially apparent in the epaulets. Basically, many railway employees wore uniforms, and the military cut and service grades reflected the semi-military character of the railways in the GDR. This was combined with an overly elevated degree of security awareness, readiness, and secrecy.

Service Ranks from 1957 to 1962

The collar insignia borders of rank groups I to IV bore the colors of the respective main service branch. The example shows a collar insignia of the main service branch operations and traffic service (red).

Rank group I

The cap gimp of this rank group was blue interwoven with gold.

Service Rank	Abbreviation	Epaulet
Lehrling B+V-Helfer	Lehrl BV-Helf
Lehrling	Lehrl
Eisenbahner	Eb
Reichsbahn-Unterassistent and Zugschaffner	RUAss und Zsch
Reichsbahn-Assistent	RAss

Rank Group II

The cap gimp of this rank group was blue and gold in the relationship of 2:2.

Service Rank	Abbreviation	Epaulet
Ingenieurschüler first semester	Ingsch
Ingenieurschüler after the first semester	Ingsch
Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, Zugführer, Lokomotivheizer	RUS, Zf, Lokh
Reichsbahn-Sekretär and Reservelokomotivführer	RS und ResLf
Reichsbahn-Obersekretär and Lokomotivführer	ROS and Lf
Reichsbahn-Hauptsekretär and Oberlokomotivführer	RHS and OLf

Service Ranks from 1962 to 1974

The main service branches were recognizable from the colors of the piping on the caps as well as by the borders of the epaulets and collar insignia.

In this context

red for operations and traffic service
blue for mechanical management
gray for coach management
green for railroad property and construction
yellow for security and communications

Rank group I

The cap gimp of this rank group was blue interwoven with gold.

Service Rank	Abbreviation	Epaulet
Eisenbahner	Eb
Reichsbahn-Unterassistent and Zugschaffner	RUAss and Zsch
Reichsbahn-Assistent	RAss

Apprentices wore epaulets as with the Eisenbahner service rank, but instead of the star, one or two loops in gold with blue stripes were worn.

Rank Group II

The cap gimp of this rank group was blue and gold in the relationship of 2:2.

Service rank	Abbreviation	Epaulet
Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, Zugführer and Lokomotivheizer	RUS, Zf and Lokh
Reichsbahn-Sekretär and Reservelokomotivführer	RS and ResLf
Reichsbahn-Obersekretär and Lokomotivführer	ROS and Lf
Reichsbahn-Hauptsekretär and Oberlokomotivführer	RHS and OLf

Students of the Gotha Engineering School, the Eisenach and Altenburg high schools and the Dresden engineering school for Railroad Studies wore the epaulets similar to the service rank of Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, except that instead of the stars, a gold loop with blue stripes was worn.

After the second semester, students in the engineering schools wore epaulets similar to Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, except that instead of stars, two gold loops with blue stripes were worn.

Service Ranks from 1974 to 1991

The color differentiation of the main service branches was retained (see 1962 to 1974)

Service ranks were discontinued by the Reichsbahn in 1991. Every employee received a note which stated only that he was entitled to continue wearing the previous rank “off duty”.

Rank group I

The cap gimp of this rank group was blue interwoven with gold.

Service Rank	Abbreviation	Epaulet
Lehrling Teilausbildung	Lehrl Teilausb
Lehrling leaving the 8th class	Lehrl 8. Kl
Lehrling leaving the 10th class	Lehrl 10. Kl
Lehrling leaving the 10th class with Abitur	Lehrl Abi
Reichsbahn-Unterassistent	RUAss
Reichsbahn-Assistent	RAss
Reichsbahn-Oberassistent	ROAss
Reichsbahn-Hauptassistent	RHAss