Hauptfeldwebel (rank)
(1938–1945), and the East German National People's Army .svg){kind=small}
(1956–1990), equivalent to CSM in some anglophone armed forces.
| Hauptfeldwebel | |
|---|---|
  Heer and Luftwaffe shoulder insignia | |
| Country |  Germany |
| Service branch | Army  AF  |
| Abbreviation | HptFw |
| Rank | Unteroffiziere mit Portepee grade |
| NATO rank code | OR-7 |
| Non-NATO rank | E-7 |
| Formation | 1957 |
| Next higher rank | Stabsfeldwebel |
| Next lower rank | Oberfeldwebel |
| Equivalent ranks | Hauptbootsmann |
Hauptfeldwebel (HptFw or HF) is the third highest Non-commissioned officer (NCO) grade in German Army and German Air Force[1].
History
The Hauptfeldwebel was introduced by the German Wehrmacht in 1938 not as a military rank but as the assignment to “company sergeant (de: Kompaniefeldwebel or Spiess). Most experienced Portepée-NCO with the rank Stabsfeldwebel or Oberfeldwebel (more seldom Feldwebel) have been assigned to that distinguished position.
The assignment Spiess/Hauptfeldwebel, equivalent to the company sergeant major in Anglo-phonic armed forces, has been used before in the GDR National People's Army from 1956 until 1990 as well.
The equivalent assignment to the company sergeant major in the Waffen-SS was the SS-Stabsscharführer from 1938 until 1945 .
Rank information
It is grouped as OR7 in NATO, equivalent to a US Army Sergeant 1st Class, US Marine Gunnery Sergeant, or US Air Force Master Sergeant, and to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army and Royal Navy.
In army/ air force context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Hauptfeldwebel also informally / short Hauptfeld.
The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group (Senior NCOs with portepee) is as follows:
- OR-9: Oberstabsfeldwebel / Oberstabsbootsmann
- OR-8: Hauptfeldwebel (appointment) / Hauptbootsmann and 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 Oberfeldwebel |
(German NCO rank) |
senior Rank Stabsfeldwebel |
| Oberfähnrich |
Equivalent in other NATO countries Army/Air Force
– Rreshter/no equivalent
– 1er sergeant-major; 1ste sergeant-majoor
– Старши сержант (en: Strshi sershant)
– Warrant Officer; Adjudant
– Nadnarednik
– praporčík/
– Oversergent
– Vanemveebel/
– no equivalent
– Επιλοχίας; Epilochias/N.N.
– Főtörzsőrmester/N.N.
– no equivalent
– Sergente maggiore capo
– Štāba virsseržants/N.N.
– Štabo seržantas/N.N.
– N.N.
– Sergeant-majoor; Opperwachtmeester/Sergeant-majoor
– no equivalent
– Szef kompanii
– Sargento-ajudante
– Maistru Militar clasa III
– rotmajster
– štabni vodnik
– Sargento primero
– Astsubay Kıdemli Üstçavuş and Astsubay Üstçavuş/
– Старшина (en: Starshina)
– Staff Sergeant and Colour Sergeant/Flight sergeant, Flight sergeant aircrew and Chief sergeant
– Master Sergeant/Sergeant First Class
Reference
Sources
- BROCKHAUS, Die Enzyklopädie in 24 Bänden (1796–2001), Band 5: 3-7653-3665-3, S. 487, Definition: Hauptfeldwebel/Oberfähnrich
- BROCKHAUS, Die Enzyklopädie in 24 Bänden (1796–2001), Band 7: 3-7653-3676-9, S. 185, Hauptfeldwebel