and are "two-star" ranks and the second highest ranks in the medical service of the German Bundeswehr. Equivalent ranks in the are and in the .
+ Rank insignia German medical service ranks Introduction Rank group Commissioned officers Navy AdmStArzt (ASA) Army / Air Force GenStArzt (GSA) NATOequivalent OF-7US Army/Air ForceAssistant Surgeon General US NavyDeputy Surgeon General
Bundeswehr and are the second highest ranks of the Joint Medical Service of the Bundeswehr. Normally the deputy inspector of the medical service () is assigned this rank, as is the commander of the Bundeswehr Medical Academy.
Address Military surgeons with the rank are addressed "Herr Generalarzt" if male, or "Frau Generalarzt" if female. Naval military surgeons with the rank are addressed "Herr Admiralarzt" or "Frau Admiralarzt", depending on the gender of the person addressed.
Rank insignias Rank insignia are modified forms of the shoulder straps for major generals, two golden stars surrounded by golden oak leaves, with the addition of a rod of Asclepius. This career insignia (), as symbol of medical status or course of studies, is placed above the stars. In the navy, the career insignia is placed three centimeters above the cuff stripes on both sleeves and on the shoulder straps between the stripes of the rank and the button.
Junior rankGeneralarzt AdmiralarztGerman medical officer rankGeneralstabsarztAdmiralstabsarztSenior rankGeneraloberstabsarztAdmiraloberstabsarzt
History
Wehrmacht 1933 – 1945 of the Wehrmacht was comparable to the , as well as to the and of the Waffen-SS.
In line with the Reich's salary order () and appendices to the salary law of the Reich () of 1927Besoldungsgesetz vom 16. Dezember 1927 (RGBl. I …, C Soldaten S. 391), changes 1937 to 1940 (with changes 1937–1940), the comparative ranks were as follows:
in the Heer and Luftwaffe in the Kriegsmarine in the medical service of the Wehrmacht, from 1934 on in the veterinarian service of the Wehrmacht, from 1934 on
Comparative military ranks Wehrmacht ranksF. Altrichter: “The reserve officer”, fourteenth checked addition, Berlin 1941, pages 158-159. (Original title: F. Altrichter: „Der Reserveoffizier“, vierzehnte durchgesehene Auflage, Berlin 1941, Seiten 158-159.) Ranks Medical service English translation Equivalent Heer English equivalent Generaloberstabsarzt Senior Staff-Surgeon General General der Waffengattung three star rank OF-8 Generalstabsarzt Staff-Surgeon General Generalleutnant two star rank OF-7 Generalarzt Surgeon General Generalmajor one star rank OF-6 Oberstarzt Colonel (Dr.) Oberst Colonel OF-5 Oberfeldarzt Lieutenant colonel (Dr.) Oberstleutnant Lieutenant colonel OF-4 Oberstabsarzt Major (Dr.)Major OF-3 Stabsarzt Captain (Dr.) Hauptmann Captain (army) OF-2 Oberarzt First lieutenant (Dr.) Oberleutnant First lieutenant OF-1a Assistenzarzt Second lieutenant (Dr.) Leutnant Second lieutenant OF-1b Unterarzt Sergeant 1st Class (Dr.) Fahnenjunker-OberfeldwebelOfficer Aspirant OR-7The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф" Feldunterarzt (since 1940)
Kriegsmarine Rank designations of the as on 30 March 1934 are contained in the table below.
Kriegsmarine ranks Ranks Medical service English translation Equivalent Kriegsmarine English equivalent Admiraloberstabsarzt Surgeon general Admiral (Germany) three star rank OF-8 Admiralstabsarzt Rear admiral (upper half) (Dr.) Vizeadmiral two star rank OF-7 Admiralarzt Rear admiral (lower half) (Dr.) Konteradmiral one star rank OF-6 Flottenarzt Captain naval (Dr.) Kapitän zur See Captain (naval) OF-5 Geschwaderarzt Commander (Dr.) Fregattenkapitän Commander OF-4 Marineoberstabsarzt Lieutenant commander (Dr.) Korvettenkapitän Lieutenant commander OF-3 Marinestabsarzt Lieutenant naval (Dr.) Kapitänleutnant Lieutenant (naval) OF-2 Marineoberarzt Lieutenant junior grade (Dr.) Oberleutnant zur See Lieutenant (junior grade) OF-1a Marineassistenzarzt Ensign (Dr.) Leutnant zur See Ensign OF-1b
Germany before 1933
In Prussia and Bavaria surgeon general of the army () was an appointment and the official title of the head of the entire military medical service. Officers assigned to this staff position could rise in rank up to (OF-7).
Until 1856 the of the Prussian Army could be promoted to colonel (). From then on he could rise to , and from 1873 to . At the same time the was chief of the medical department of the Prussian Ministry of War and chief of the medical corps. He was also superior to a .
Equivalent authority, mandate and competence was with the of the Imperial German Navy. He was chief of the medical division in the German Imperial Naval Office and chief of the navy's medical corps as well.
Austria-Hungary
In the Common Army there were two regular staff positions established. One was chief of the medical division of the and chief of the military surgeon officer corps. The second was Praeses of the military medical committee. This rank was comparable to the of the Common Army.
In some cases a surgeon general of a corps () could be promoted to the rank of .
Officers with that rank Johann Traugott Dreyer von der Iller (1804-1871), Felix von Kraus (1805-1875),
Ranks of the Common Army Ranks Medical service English translation Equivalent Heer English translationGeneralstabsarzt Staff-Surgeon General Generalmajor Major general OF-6Oberstabsarzt I. Klasse Colonel (Dr. 1st class) Oberst Colonel OF-5 Oberstabsarzt II. Klasse Lieutenant colonel (Dr. 2nd class) Oberstleutnant Lieutenant colonel OF-4 Stabsarzt Major (Dr.)Major OF-3 Regimentsarzt I. Klasse Captain (Dr. 1st class) Hauptmann Captain OF-2 Regimentsarzt II. Klasse Captain (Dr. 2nd class) Oberarzt First lieutenant (Dr.) Oberleutnant First lieutenant OF-1a AssistenzarztSecond lieutenant (Dr.) Leutnant Second lieutenant OF-1b
Relevant literature Neumann, Alexander: Arzttum ist immer Kämpfertum - Die Heeressanitätsinspektion und das Amt "Chef des Wehrmachtsanitätswesens" im Zweiten Weltkrieg (1939-1945), 2005. Süß, Winfried: Der "Völkskörper" im Krieg: Gesundheitspolitik, Gesundheitsverhältnisse und Krankenmord im nationalsozialistischen Deutschland 1939-1945, 2003.
References
sl:Generalstabsarzt