The military ranks of the German Empire were the ranks used by the military of the German Empire 1871–1918. It inherited the various traditions and military ranks of its constituent states.

Ranks of the Imperial German Army

Officer corps Critics long believed that the Army's officer corps was heavily dominated by Junker aristocrats, so that commoners were shunted into low-prestige branches, such as the heavy artillery or supply. However, by the 1890s, the top ranks were opened to highly talented commoners.Ulrich Trumpener, "Junkers and Others: The Rise of Commoners in the Prussian Army, 1871–1914," Canadian Journal of History (1979) 14#1 pp 29–47Dennis E. Showalter, "The Political Soldiers of Bismarck's Germany: Myths and Realities," German Studies Review (1994) 17#1 pp. 59–77 in JSTOR

The rank insignia of commissioned officers. Epaulette<br/ > Shoulder board<br/ >

Warrant officers and officer cadets Cadet (, ranking between Sergeant and Vizefeldwebel) – served as cadets in the various military academies and schools. After graduation, they became a Fähnrich. Ensign (, ranking between and ) A probationary officer waiting to become a 2nd Lieutenant (Leutnant). Deputy Officer (, ranking above ) A warrant officer usually used as a brevet Leutnant or an acting platoon leader. Uncommissioned Lieutenant (, a reserve rank for promoted sergeants serving as a junior 2nd Lieutenant with Lieutenant's pay, but without an officer's commission.) They wore an officer's dress sword (degen) rather than an NCO's dagger, and wore the rank insignia of a Vizefeldwebel on the collar with second lieutenant's shoulder straps.Great Britain (1918). Handbook of the German Army in War. War Office. General Staff, p. 109. 2025-02-27. Still a member of the NCO's Mess until 1917, when he became eligible for the Officer's Mess.

Non-commissioned officers / + Rank group Collar (portepee, sleeve braid) Title Cavalry/Artillery

Unteroffizier mit Portepee ("Non-Commissioned Officer with Sword Knot"). Senior NCOs with the right to wear a ceremonial lanyard tied to the hilt of their NCO service dagger. Etatmäßiger Feldwebel ("Budgetary Sergeant Major") A company's senior NCO. They were equivalent to a British Company Sergeant Major or an American First Sergeant. Vizefeldwebel ("Assistant Sergeant Major") A platoon's senior NCO. They were equivalent to a British Sergeant. Unteroffizier ohne Portepee ("Non-Commissioned Officer without Sword Knot"). Junior NCOs who did not have the right to wear the sword knot. Sergeant A junior NCO who leads a section, equivalent to a British Lance-Sergeant. Unteroffizier ("Subordinate Officer") A junior NCO who leads a section.Great Britain (1918). Handbook of the German Army in War. War Office. General Staff, pp. 38-39, 109. 2025-02-27. They were equivalent to a British Corporal.

Enlisted () ranks Rank group Enlisted Collar Epaulette Title English designation Capitulant One-Year Volunteer Enlistee Senior Lance Corporal Lance Corporal Private

Musketeer (, Prussian army infantry regiments), Infantryman (, Bavarian army infantry regiments), Soldier (, Saxon army infantry regiments), Gunner (, foot artillery), Pioneer (, pioneer branch). Other unit-specific enlisted ranks were: Fusilier (), Grenadier (), Huntsman otherwise Light-Infantryman (), Dragoon (), Hussar (), Cuirassier (), Uhlan (), Fusilier Guard (), Grenadier Guard (), Wehrmann (Landwehr), etc. Lance Corporal (); up until 1918 the only rank (with exception of in the foot artillery) to which a conscripted soldier could be promoted. The rank was a deputy rank to the Corporal () rank."Gefreiter" – Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste, Erste Section, A-G, (Universal Encyclopaedia of the Sciences and Arts, First Section, A-G), Author: Johann Samuel Ersch and Johann Gottfried Gruber, Publisher: F. A. Brockhaus, Leipzig, 1852, Page 471-472, in German. Senior Lance Corporal (); established in the Prussian Army from 1846 to 1853, reestablished in 1859, then in foot artillery only, replacing the artillery Bombardier rank that had been introduced in 1730.

Additionally, the following voluntary enlistees were distinguished: One-Year Volunteer Enlistee (): despite the name, one-year volunteers were actually conscripts who served a short-term form of active military service, open for enlistees up to the age of 25. Such enlisted soldiers were usually high school graduates (), who would opt to serve a one-year term rather than the regular two or three-year conscription term, with free selection of their chosen military service branch and unit, but throughout were obligated to equip and subsist themselves at entirely their own cost. In today's monetary value, this could at bare minimum cost some 10,000 euro, which purposely reserved this path open to sons from mostly affluent social class families wishing to pursue the Reserve-Officer path; it was the specific intention of Wilhelm II that such Reserve-Officer career path should only be open to members of so-called "officer-material" social classes.Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 4th Edition, Volume 6, Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig 1885–1892, Page 659. in German On absolving their primary recruit training, those aspiring to become Reserve-Officers would have to qualify and achieve suitability for promotion to the rank and then would continue to receive further specialized instruction until the end of their one-year term, usually attaining and leaving as surplus Corporals () (Reservists), with the opportunity to advance further as reservists. Enlistees who did not aspire to officer grade would leave at the end of their one-year term as (Ordinary soldier) enlisted rank (for example or ) and a six-year reserve duty obligation. Eligibility for this specific one-year path of military service was a privilege approved upon examining the enlistee's suitability and academic qualifications. Long-Term Volunteer Enlistee "Capitulant" (): enlisted soldiers who had already absolved their regular two or three-year military conscription term and had now volunteered to continue serving for further terms, minimum was 4 years, generally up to 12 years.Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 4th Edition, Volume 10, Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig 1885–1892, Page 116, in German

Note: and were not ranks as such during this specific period of use, but voluntary military enlistee designations. They, however, wore a specific uniform distinction (twisted wool piping along their shoulder epaulette edging for , the a narrow band across their lower shoulder epaulette) in the colours of their respective nation state. This distinction was never removed throughout their military service nor during any rank grade advancements.

Naval ranks and ratings The Imperial German Navy's rank and rating system combined that of Prussia's with the navies of other northern states.

Commissioned officer ranks The rank insignia of commissioned officers. Epaulette Sleeve insignia

Rank flags Title Command flag

Officer cadets + Officer training ranks Title Oberfähnrich zur See Fähnrich zur See Seekadett Epaulette Sleeve English designation Midshipman Sea cadet Junior sea cadet

Warrant officers Warrant officers Title Deckoffiziereals Offizier-Stellvertreter Oberdeckoffizier Deckoffizier Shoulder English designation Chief Warrant Officer Chief Warrant Officer Warrant Officer Specialty designations Offizier-Stellvertreter OberbootsmannObersteuermannOberfeuerwerker BootsmannSteuermannFeuerwerker English designation Acting Commissioned Officer Chief BoatswainChief HelmsmanChief Artificer BoatswainHelmsmanArtificer

Petty officers Senior Petty Officers Junior Petty Officers Title Feldwebel Vize-Feldwebel Obermaat Maat Sleeve English designation Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Chief Petty Officer Petty Officer 1st Class (Chief Mate) Petty Officer (Mate)

Seamen Seamen Title Obermatrose Einjährig-Freiwilliger Matrose Sleeve"Dienstgrade und Uniformen." Kleinen Kreuzers “Dresden” (I). Retrieved 2017-09-22. English designation Seaman 1st Class Seaman Volunteer Seaman

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References

Bibliography

Further reading

External links