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Generalstabsarzt and Admiralstabsarzt are in the German armed forces the rank designations of the second highest grade of the generals rank group.
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| Rank insignia | German medical service ranks | ||
| Introduction | |||
| Rank group | Commissioned officers | ||
| Navy | AdmStArzt(ASA) | ||
| Army / Air Force | GenStArzt(GSA) | ||
| NATO equivalent | OF-7 | ||
| US Army/Air Force | Assistant Surgeon General | ||
| US Navy | Deputy Surgeon General | ||
Generalstabsarzt and Admiralstabsarzt are the second highest general ranks of the Joint Medical Service or the military medical area of the Bundeswehr.
Normally the Bundeswehr Surgeon General of the medical service (de: Inspekteur des Sanitätsdienstes) might be assigned.
Equivalent to that two-star ranks (NATO-Rangcode OF-7) are Generalmajor (en: Major general) of the German Army or German Air Force, and the Konteradmiral (en: Rear admiral) of the German Navy.
The manner of formal addressing of military surgeons with the rank Generalarzt (OF6, one-star), Generalstabsarzt (OF7, two stars) or Generaloberstabsarzt is, „Herr/Frau Generalarzt“. At the other hand, military surgeons with the rank Admiralarzt (OF6, one-star), Admiralstabsarzt (OF7, two stars) or Admiraloberstabsarzt is, „Herr/Frau Admiralarzt“.
On the shoulder straps (Heer, Luftwaffe) there are two 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, tree cm above the cuff strips, and on the shoulder straps between strips and button.
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| junior Rank Generalarzt Admiralarzt |  German medical officer rank Generalstabsarzt Admiralstabsarzt | senior Rank Generaloberstabsarzt Admiraloberstabsarzt |
Generalstabsarzt of the Wehrmacht was comparable to the Generalleutnant (OF-7, two stars), as well as to the Gruppenführer and Generalleunant 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 [2] (changes 1937 – 1940), the comparative ranks were as follows: C 2
| Ranks Wehrmacht until 1945 [3] |  Ranks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical service | en translation | Equivalent Heer | en 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-Oberfeldwebel | Officer Aspirant | OR-7 [4] |
| Feldunterarzt (since 1940) | ||||
Rank designations of the Kriegsmarine as to 30 Match 1934 are contained in the table below.
| Ranks Kriegsmarine (medical service) | Ranks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical service | en translation | Equivalent Kriegsmarine | en 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 |
In Prussia and Bavaria Generalstabsarzt der Armee (en: Surgeon General of the Army) was an appointment and the official title of the Chief of the entire military medical service. Officers, assigned to that particular staff position, could rise in ranks op to Generalleutnant (OF7).
In the first instance the Generalstabsarzt of the Prussian Army could be promoted to the Oberst OF5-rank. Since 1856 he could rise to Generalmajor, and since 1873 to Generalleutnant. At the same time the Generalstabsarzt was Chief of the Medical department of the Prussian Ministry of War, and Chief of the Medical corps. He was also superior to the Generalarzt.
Equivalent authority, mandate and competence was with the Generalstabsarzt of the Imperial German Navy. He was also Chief of the Medical division in the German Imperial Naval Office, and Chief of the Navy's Medical corps.
In the Austria-Hungarian Heer there were two regular Generalstabsarzt staff positions established. One Generalstabsarzt was Chie of the Medical division of the Reichskriegsministerium and Chief of the military surgeon officer corps. The second Generalstabsarzt was Praeses of the Military medical committee. That particular rank was comparable to the Generalmajor OF6-rank (Major general).
In some cases a Surgen General of a Generalkommando (en: Army corps or Corps — XXX —) could be promoted to the rank of Generalstabsarzt.
| Ranks k.u.k. Army until 1918 | Ranks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical service | en | Equivalent Heer | en | |
| Generalstabsarzt | Staff-Surgeon General | Generalmajor | Major general | OF-6 |
| Oberstabsarzt 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 |
| Assistenzarzt | Second lieutenant (Dr.) | Leutnant | Second lieutenant | OF-1b |
Konteradmiral is a senior naval flag officer rank in several German-speaking countries, equivalent to counter or rear admiral.
Generalmajor is the Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central and Northern European countries.
Flotilla admiral is the lowest flag rank, a rank above captain, in the modern navies of Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Sweden. It corresponds to the rank of commodore in the navies of the United Kingdom and certain other countries or rear admiral in the navy of the United States.
Brigadegeneral is the Germanic variant of Brigadier general.
General is the highest rank of the German Army and German Air Force. As a four-star rank it is the equivalent to the rank of admiral in the German Navy.
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During World War II, Nazi Germany created military-led regimes in occupied territories which were known as a Military administration or Military administration authority. These differed from Reichskommissariate which were led by Nazi Party officials. A Military administration was normally led by a "military commander".
Oberstarzt (OTA) is a military rank in German speaking armed forces. It denotes a medical staff officer surgeon or medical staff officer dentist and is comparable to Colonel (de: Oberst) or Captain (naval) (de: Kapitän zur See) NATO-Rangcode OF5 in anglophone armed forces.
The Heer as the German army and part of the Wehrmacht inherited its uniforms and rank structure from the Reichsheer of the Weimar Republic (1921–1935). There were few alterations and adjustments made as the army grew from a limited peacetime defense force of 100,000 men to a war-fighting force of several million men.
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A general of the branch, general of the branch of service or general of the ... is a three or four-star general officer rank in some armies. Several nations divide — or used to divide — their senior general officer ranks by the branch of troops they are qualified to command, or simply as an honorific title.
Oberstabsarzt is a military rank in German speaking armed force. It describes a medical staff officer surgeon or medical staff officer dentist comparable to major or lieutenant commander NATO-Rangcode OF3 in anglophone armed forces.
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.
Generalarzt is the designation of a military rank as well as the official title in German speaking armed forces. It is equivalent to the Admiralarzt / Generalapotheker and Brigadegeneral / Flottillenadmiral.
Oberfeldarzt is a military rank in German speaking armed forces. It denotes a medical staff officer surgeon or medical staff officer dentist and is comparable in rank to lieutenant colonel or (naval) commander NATO-Rangcode OF4 in anglophone armed forces.
Stabsarzt, in English Staff Surgeon, is a military commissioned officer rank in German speaking armed forces. In the German Bundeswehr and the former Wehrmacht and Reichswehr, it describes a qualified or licensed surgeon or dentist who practises military medicine, with a rank equal to captain in the army and the air force or lieutenant in the navy. In the Austrian and Swiss armies, the rank is Hauptmann.
Oberarzt, literally meaning "senior physician," in English known as first lieutenant (Dr.), was a military commissioned officer rank in the Austro-Hungarian Common Army until 1918, and in the German Reichswehr and Wehrmacht until 1945.
Assitenzarzt was a military rank in the Austrian-Hungary Common Army until 1918 and in German Reichswehr and Wehrmacht until 1945.
Unterarzt was a military rank in the German Reichswehr and Wehrmacht until 1945.
Feldunterarzt was a military rank in the German Wehrmacht until 1945. It was established additional to the Unterarzt July 25, 1940. Uniform and shoulder board were identical to the Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel (Oberfähnrich), however without the double unterofficer galloons. The Gothic letter A between the two silver felwebel stars indicated the membership to the Military Medical Academy in Berlin. The Feldunterarzt was an officer aspirant in the Military Health Service.
