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Military ranks of the Weimar Republic

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The military ranks of the Weimar Republic were the military ranks used by the Reichswehr.

Military ranks of the Peacetime Army (1919)

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The Peacetime Army (German: Friedensheer) continued to use the uniforms of the Imperial German Army, however, the ranks were influenced by Soviet insignia. The ranks were used from January 1919 to May 1919.[1]

Commissioned officers

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Rank group Generals Officers
Weimar Republic Heer
[2][3]
General der Waffengattung Generalleutnant Generalmajor Oberst Oberstleutnant Major Hauptmann Oberleutnant Leutnant
Feldwebelleutnant

Enlisted personnel

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Rank group NCOs Other ranks
Weimar Republic Heer
[2][3][4]
Feldwebel Vizefeldwebel Fähnrich
Sergeant
Unteroffizier Gefreiter Soldat

Military ranks of the Provisional Reichswehr (1919–1920)

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The Provisional Reichswehr (German: Vorläufige Reichswehr) introduced slightly more elaborate insignia than the Peacetime Army.[5]

Commissioned officers

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Rank group Generals Officers
Weimar Republic Heer
[6][3]
General der Waffengattung Generalleutnant Generalmajor Oberst Oberstleutnant Major Hauptmann Oberleutnant Leutnant/
Feldwebelleutnant

Enlisted personnel

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Rank group NCOs Other ranks
Weimar Republic Heer
[6][3][4]
Offiziersstellvertreter Feldwebel Vizefeldwebel Fähnrich/
Sergeant
Unteroffizier Obergefreiter Gefreiter Wehrmann

Military ranks of the Reichswehr (1920–1935)

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Commissioned officers

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Rank group Generals Officers
Weimar Republic Heer
[7]
General der Waffengattung Generalleutnant Generalmajor Oberst Oberstleutnant Major Hauptmann Oberleutnant Leutnant
Weimar Republic Reichsmarine
Admiral Vizeadmiral Konteradmiral Kapitän zur See Fregatten­kapitän Korvetten­kapitän Kapitän­leutnant Oberleutnant
zur See
Leutnant
zur See

Enlisted personnel

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Rank group NCOs Other ranks
Weimar Republic Heer
[4][7]
No insignia
Oberfeldwebel Feldwebel Unterfeldwebel Unteroffizier Stabsgefreiter
(introduced 1927)[8]
Obergefreiter Gefreiter Oberschütze Schütze
Weimar Republic Reichsmarine
[9]
No insignia
Oberfeldwebel Feldwebel Obermaat Maat Obergefreiter Gefreiter Obermatrose Matrose

Waffenfarben

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Regiment or Battalion type[10] Colour[a]
General officers
Artillery
Ordnance troops
Scarlet

(Hochrot)

Staff Corps of the Reichswehr
Veterinary service
Carmine

(Karmesin)

Infantry White
Motor transport Rose-pink

(Rosa)

Signals Light brown
Cavalry Golden yellow
Jäger (light infantry) Dark green
Transport (horse-drawn) Light blue
Medical service Dark blue
Engineers Black

Notes

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  1. ^ In addition to the colours, monograms and symbols were used to denominate services or units.

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Jurado 2001, p. 62.
  2. ^ a b Antique Photos1 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d Jurado 2001, p. 44.
  4. ^ a b c Kidd 2013, p. 55.
  5. ^ Jurado 2001, p. 63.
  6. ^ a b Antique Photos2 2011.
  7. ^ a b F. A. Brockhaus 1926.
  8. ^ Penzkofer, Andreas (16 April 2019). "Die Ärmeldienstgradabzeichen". phalerika.de (in German). Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  9. ^ Hoyer, K; Brennecke, F (1925). Die Uniformen des Reichsheeres und der Reichsmarine nebst amtlichen Uniformtafeln; mit Genehmigung des Reichswehrministeriums (in German). Charlottenburg: Verlag "Offene Worte, ". OCLC 44571687.
  10. ^ Knötel & Knötel 1956, p. 48-50.

Bibliography

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Further reading

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  • Haarcke, Ingo G (1983). Die Uniformen des Friedensheeres, der vorlaufigen Reichswehr und die Reichsheeres von 1919 bis 1921 (in German). Hamburg: Verlag Militaria-Archiv Klaus D. Patzwall.
  • Schlicht, Adolf; Kraus, Jürgen (2006). Rest, Stefan (ed.). The German Reichswehr: Uniforms and Equipment of the German Army from 1919 to 1932. Verlag Militaria. ISBN 978-3902526014.
  • Saßmann, Anton. Die Deutsche Reichswehr in ihrer neuesten Bekleidung, Bewaffnung und Ausrüstung (in German). Leipzig: Moritz Ruhl.