Oberfeldwebel

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Oberfeldwebel
Heer and Luftwaffe shoulder insignia
Country	Germany
Service branch	German Army  German Air Force
Abbreviation	OFw
Rank	Unteroffiziere mit Portepee grade
NATO rank code	OR-6
Pay grade	A 7mA
Formation	1920 (historic) 1957
Next higher rank	Hauptfeldwebel
Next lower rank	Feldwebel
Equivalent ranks	Oberbootsmann

Oberfeldwebel (OFw or OF) is the fourth-lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Army and German Air Force.^[1]

History[]

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

Within the Reichswehr, Oberfeldwebel was taken over as second-highest Protégée-NCO rank by the German Wehrmacht in 1935. 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-Hauptscharführer from 1938 until 1945.

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

Rank information[]

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-6: Oberfeldwebel / Oberbootsmann
• OR-6: 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) Oberfeldwebel	senior Rank Hauptfeldwebel
		Oberfähnrich

References[]

Sources[]

• Die Enzyklopädie in 24 Bänden (1796–2001), Band 5 (in German). Brockhaus. 2001. p. 487. ISBN 3-7653-3665-3.
• Die Enzyklopädie in 24 Bänden (1796–2001), Band 7 (in German). Brockhaus. 2001. p. 185. ISBN 3-7653-3676-9.