Generaloberstabsarzt

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Generaloberstabsarzt
Admiraloberstabsarzt
MDS 63b Admiraloberstabsarzt San HM L.svg HD H 63b Generaloberstabsarzt HM L.svg
Navy and Army insignia
CountryFlag of Germany.svg  Germany
Service branchColour of Germany.svg  German Army
Naval Ensign of Germany.svg  German Navy
Flag of Germany (state).svg  German Air Force
AbbreviationGenOStArzt(Army & Air force)
AdmOStArzt(Navy)
Rank German medical service rank
NATO rank code OF-8
Next higher rankNone
Next lower rank Generalstabsarzt
Admiralstabsarzt

Generaloberstabsarzt and Admiraloberstabsarzt are the top Joint Medical Service OF8-ranks of the German Bundeswehr . The equivalent to this ranks in the Heer is Generalleutnant and in the German Navy the Vizeadmiral .

Contents

Bundeswehr

In accordance with traditions in German armed forces, both ranks might be used in Bundeswehr medical service. Normally the BundeswehrSurgeon General of the medical service (de: Inspekteur des Sanitätsdienstes), or the Chief of Medical Operation´s Command (de: Kommandeur Sanitätsführungskommando) might be assigned. However, in future the Chief position might remain vacant, because the Deputy Surgeon General is mandated to command the Medical Operation´s Command.

Equivalent to that three-star ranks (NATO-Rangcode OF-8) are Generalleutnant ("Lieutenant general") of the Heer or Luftwaffe, and the Vizeadmiral (en: Vice admiral) of the Marine.

Address

The manner of formal addressing of military surgeons with the rank Generalarzt (OF-6, one-star rank), Generalstabsarzt (OF-7, two-star rank) or Generaloberstabsarzt is, "Herr/Frau Generalarzt". At the other hand, military surgeons with the rank Admiralarzt (OF-6, one-star rank), Admiralstabsarzt (OF-7, two-star rank) or Admiraloberstabsarzt is, "Herr/Frau Admiralarzt". Although the grammatically female form of Arzt is Ärztin, the military does not have separate gendered ranks, so the correct form of address for a female doctor is "Frau Stabsarzt". [1] [2]

Rank insignias

On the shoulder straps (Heer, Luftwaffe) there are three golden stars in golden oak leaves and the career insignia (de: Laufbahnabzeichen) as symbol of the medical standing, or course of studies. Regarding the Marine, the career insignia is in the middle of both sleeves, three centimeters above the cuff strips, and on the shoulder straps between strips and button.

junior Rank
Generalstabsarzt
Admiralstabsarzt
Bundeswehr Logo Sanitaetsdienst with lettering.svg
German medical officer rank
Generaloberstabsarzt
Admiraloberstabsarzt
senior Rank
no
Bundeswehr Logo Heer with lettering.svg Bundeswehr Logo Luftwaffe with lettering.svg Bundeswehr Logo Marine with lettering.svg

Wehrmacht

Senior Staff-Surgeon General
Generaloberstabsarzt (GenOStArzt)
Collar tabs for the Generals of the Heer.svg WMacht H OF8 GenOStArzt 1945.jpg
Arabesque (until 1944) [3] shoulder board
CountryFlag of Germany (1935-1945).svg Nazi Germany
Service branchWar ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  German Army
Rank Three-star
NATO rank code OF-8
Next higher rankNone
Next lower rank Generalstabsarzt
Equivalent ranksSee list

The General of the branch grade Generaloberstabsarzt was the most senior ranks of the medical service of the German Wehrmacht 1933 to 1945.

Siegfried Handloser was assigned to Generaloberstabsarzt of the Wehrmacht. He was simultaneous "Chief of the Wehrmacht's Medical Service in Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht" (Chef des Wehrmachtsanitätswesens im Oberkommando der Wehrmacht) as of July 28, 1942. Curt Schulze was Generaloberstabveterinär of the Wehrmacht.

Comparative ranks

Generaloberstabsarzt of the Wehrmacht was comparable to the General of the branch (OF8, three stars), as well as to the Obergruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS.

In line to the so-called Reichsbesoldungsordnung (en: Reich's salary order), appendixes to the Salary law of the German Empire (de: Besoldungsgesetz des Deutschen Reiches) of 1927 [4] (changes 1937 – 1940), the comparative ranks were as follows: C 1

Ranks Wehrmacht until 1945 [5] Flag of NATO.svg
Ranks
Medical service en translationEquivalent Heeren equivalent
GeneraloberstabsarztSenior Staff-Surgeon GeneralGeneral 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-Oberfeldwebel Officer Aspirant OR-7 [6]
Feldunterarzt (from 1940)
See also main article
Ranks and insignia of the German Army (1935–1945)

Kriegsmarine

Rank designations of the Kriegsmarine as to Match 30, 1934, are contained in the table below.

Ranks Kriegsmarine (medical service) Flag of NATO.svg
Ranks
Medical service en translationEquivalent Kriegsmarineen 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

Other armed forces

Stars, shoulder strap, and cuff stripes of a US Surgeon General US PHS O9 insignia.svg
Stars, shoulder strap, and cuff stripes of a US Surgeon General

Relevant literature

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oberarzt</span>

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<i>Unterarzt</i> (military)

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References

  1. "Ärztin aus Doberlug-Kirchhain im Bundeswehreinsatz in Kundus". Lausitzer Rundschau . 30 October 2003.
  2. Hegmann, Gerhard (March 8, 2019). "Wird "Frau Hauptmann" zur "Hauptmännin" oder "Hauptfrau"?". Die Welt . Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  3. Afterwards specialist general officers wore branch-specific colours; the background being cornflower blue for medical and crimson for veterinary services.
  4. Besoldungsgesetz vom 16. Dezember 1927 (RGBl. I …, C Soldaten S. 391), changes 1937 to 1940
  5. F. 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.)
  6. The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"