Army general (), was the highest peacetime general officer rank in the so-called Armed Organs of the GDR (Bewaffnete Organe der DDR), that is, the Ministry of National Defence, the Stasi, and the Ministry of the Interior. It is comparable to the four-star rank in many NATO armed forces. It was aligned with Soviet military doctrine and other armed forces of the Warsaw Pact.
The rank was reserved to minister level exclusively. Consequently, in the National People's Army service branches, Landstreitkräfte, Luftstreitkräfte/Luftverteidigung, Border troops, and Volksmarine there was no equivalent. However, if a Navy flag officer was designated or appointed Minister of National Defence he would be promoted to Flottenadmiral. When the armed organs of the GDR were disbanded in October 1990, the rank was abolished.
Rankholders East German officers who achieved the rank were:
Name Portrait Position Year of Rank Willi Stoph Minister of National Defence 1959 Heinz Hoffmann Minister of National Defence 1961 Erich Mielke Minister for State Security 1980 Friedrich Dickel Minister of Interior 1984 Heinz Keßler Minister of National Defence 1985
Insignia Armeegeneral / Flottenadmiral (OF-9) GDR MFS GDR MOD Ministry of Interior Armeegeneral FlottenadmiralArmeegeneral
Army general in other countries The rank widely used in other armed forces of socialist countries, such as: Bulgaria: Армейски генерал (Armeyski general) Czechoslovakia: Armádní generál / Armádny Generál Hungary: Hadseregtábornok Poland: Generał armii Romania: General de armată Soviet Union: Генерал армии (General armii) Yugoslavia: Генерал армије
Junior RankArmeegeneral(Flottenadmiral)Senior rankMarshal of the GDR (wartime only)
See also General (Germany) Military ranks of East Germany Corps colours (NPA)
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