Generalmajor

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Generalmajor
Army and Air Force insignia
Country	Germany
Service branch	German Army German Air Force
Abbreviation	GenMaj
Rank	Two-star
NATO rank code	OF-7
Non-NATO rank	O-8
Formation	1956
Next higher rank	Generalleutnant
Next lower rank	Brigadegeneral
Equivalent ranks	Konteradmiral

Generalmajor, short GenMaj ('major general'), is a general officer rank in Germany and Austria, and is equivalent to, and translated as, major general.

It is the third-highest general officer rank in the German Army (Heer) and German Air Force (Luftwaffe). This rank is also used in the Austrian Armed Forces, but is abbreviated as GenMjr.

Historically, German Army ranks for its generals prior to 1945 were offset by one from those of most other major European armies. Thus, prior to 1945, the Generalmajor rank in the German Army was equivalent to the brigadier general rank in other armies, and so forth.

Generalmajor in modern Germany[]

The rank is rated OF-7 in NATO, and is grade B7 in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence. It is equivalent to Konteradmiral in the German Navy (Marine) or to Generalstabsarzt, and Admiralstabsarzt in the Zentraler Sanitätsdienst der Bundeswehr.

On the shoulder straps (Heer, Luftwaffe) there are two golden pips (stars) in golden oak leaves.

Bundeswehr sequence of ranks ascending

junior rank: Brigadegeneral

(German officer rank) Generalmajor

senior rank: Generalleutnant

Generalmajor in East Germany[]

Generalmajor was in the so-called "armed organs of the GDR" (German: Bewaffnete Organe der DDR), represented by Ministry of National Defence, and Ministry for State Security, the lowest general officer rank, comparable to the one-star rank in many NATO-Armed forces (Rangcode OF-6). This was in reference to Soviet military doctrine and in line with other armed forces of the Warsaw Pact.

The equivalent rank of the Volksmarine (GDR Navy) was the Konteradmiral, often called simply Herr Admiral for short.

Junior rank Oberst

National People's Army rank Generalmajor (Konteradmiral)

Senior rank Generalleutnant

Rank insignias Generalmajor / Konteradmiral (OF-6)
Stasi	Land forces	Air Force	GDR Border troops	Volksmarine
Generalmajor				Konteradmiral

Generalmajor of the Wehrmacht[]

Generalmajor was in the German Reich and Nazi Germany the lowest general officer rank, comparable to the one-star rank in many NATO-Armed forces (Rangcode OF-6). It was equivalent to Konteradmiral in the Kriegsmarine, and SS-Brigadeführer in the Waffen-SS until 1945.

Rank insignia Generalmajor / Konteradmiral

Branch	German Army	Luftwaffe	Waffen-SS	Kriegsmarine
Collar				None
Shoulder
Sleeve
Rank designation	Generalmajor		SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS	Konteradmiral

Sequence of ranks ascending

Junior rank: Oberst

(German officer rank) Generalmajor

Senior rank: Generalleutnant

See also[]

• Comparative officer ranks of World War I
• Comparative officer ranks of World War II
• Ranks of the National People's Army

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