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  |
| ||
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:
- OR-9: Oberstabsfeldwebel / Oberstabsbootsmann
- OR-8: Stabsfeldwebel / Stabsbootsmann
- OR-7: Hauptfeldwebel / Hauptbootsmann
- OR-6a: Oberfeldwebel / Oberbootsmann
- OR-6b: Feldwebel / Bootsmann
- 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) |
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
-
– Tetar / no equivalent -
– 1er sergeant-chef and 1er sergeant -
– Сержант (en: Sershant) -
– Sergeant -
– Narednik -
– Nadrotmistr/ -
– no equivalent -
– Veebel/ -
– Sergent-chef; Maréchal-des-logis-chef -
– Επιλοχίας; Epilochias -
– Törzsőrmester -
– Flokkstjóri 1. -
– Sergente maggiore -
– Virsseržants -
– Vyresnysis seržantas -
– N.N. -
– Sergeant der 1e klasse; Wachtmeester der 1e klasse -
– no equivalent -
– Starszy sierżant -
– Primeiro-sargento -
– -
– Rotný -
– Višji vodnik -
– Sargento -
– Astsubay Kıdemli Çavuş -
– Старшина (en: Starshina) - – Warrant Officer Second Class
- – Staff Sergeant(US Army)/Technical Sergeant (USAF)
References
- ↑ BROCKHAUS, The encyclopedia in 24 volumes (1796–2001), Volume 7: 3-7653-3676-9, page 185