Stabsarzt (short: StArzt or SA), 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 (German: Hauptmann) in the army and the air force or lieutenant (German: Kapitänleutnant) in the navy. In the Austrian and Swiss armies, the rank is Hauptmann.
This rank corresponds to NATO code OF2, and is known in English as captain (Dr.) for army or air force officers or lieutenant (Dr.) for naval officers. The rank was historically also used in the Austro-Hungarian Common Army and corresponded to major or the NATO code OF-3, known as major (Dr.) in English.
The German word Arzt is the general term for a medical practitioner in German. In English the word surgeon in a military context is applied to any medical practitioner, due to the historical evolution of the term, and does not refer exclusively to the modern specialty of surgery. Thus the title is translated as Staff Surgeon in English. The rank of Staff Surgeon has also existed in English-speaking countries; it was used in the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom until 1918. [1]
Holders of this rank are commissioned officers; in practice their authority is often limited to medical matters and medical staff (such as other doctors, nurses and other medics working under their supervision). Under international humanitarian law (specifically the First and Second Geneva Conventions) they are regarded as neutral non-combatants and accorded the status of "protected persons" when participating in humanitarian work during armed conflicts, such as caring for the sick or wounded. They may wear the red cross as a protective sign. As such, they may not be attacked, harmed or taken as prisoners of war (attacking medical personnel is a war crime), and are entitled under the Geneva Conventions to carry out their work without being inhibited. They may be armed, usually with service pistols, strictly for defensive purposes, including self defense and the defense of patients.
Stabsarzt | |||
Rank insignia | German medical service ranks | ||
Introduction | |||
Rank group | Commissioned officers | ||
Heer/Luftwaffe Marine | *Stabsarzt *Stabsapotheker *Stabsveterinär | ||
short (in lists) | *StArzt (SA) *StApotheker (SAP) *StVeterinär (SV) | ||
NATO equivalent | OF-2 | ||
In the Joint Medical Service of the German Bundeswehr Stabsarzt (en: Staff surgeon), Stabsapotheker (en: Staff pharmacist), and Stabsveterinär (en: Staff veterinary) are comparable in NATO to the OF-2 ranks Hauptmann , and Kapitänleutnant . The grades belong to the captain rank group (de: Hauptleute).
The manner of formal addressing of military surgeons/dentists with the rank Stabsarzt is, "Herr/Frau Stabsarzt"; with the rank Stabsapotheker, "Herr/Frau Stabsapotheker"; with the rank Stabsveterinär, "Herr/Frau Stabsveterinär". 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" and not "Frau Stabsärztin". [2] [3]
On the shoulder straps (Heer, Luftwaffe) there are three silver stars and the career insignia (de: Laufbahnabzeichen) as symbol of the medical standing, or course of studies. The piping on shoulder straps shows the Waffenfarbe (en: corps- or troop-function colour), corresponding to the appropriate military service, branch, or special force. The corps colour of the "Bundeswehr Joint Medical Service" is dark blue.
In the Marines, the career insignia is in the middle of both sleeves, 3 cm above the cuff strips, and on the shoulder straps between strips and button.
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junior Rank Leutnant SanOA Oberleutnant SanOA | German medical officer rank Stabsarzt | senior Rank Oberstabsarzt |
Stabsarzt of the German Wehrmacht was comparable to the Hauptmann / Kapitänleutnant (OF-2), as well as to the Hauptsturmführer and Hauptmann of the Waffen-SS.
During wartime, the regular assignment of a Stabsarzt was the management of a main dressing station (German: Hauptverbandsplatz), maintained by the 2nd platoon of the medical company, and supported by first lieutenants (Dr.), second lieutenants (Dr.), and help surgeons (German: Ober-, Assistenz-, and Hilfsärzte). A Stabsarzt also could serve in a variety of other roles.
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 7
The corps colour of the military Health Service Support (HSS) in German armed forces was traditional dark bluedark blue, and of the veterinarian service carmine red. [5] This tradition was continued by the medical service corps in Heer and Luftwaffe of the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht. However, the corps colour of the Waffen-SS and Kriegsmarine HSS was cornflower blue.
Ranks Wehrmacht until 1945 [6] | Ranks | |||
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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 [7] |
Feldunterarzt (since 1940) |
Rank designations of the Kriegsmarine as to Match 30, 1934, are contained in the table below.
Ranks Kriegsmarine (medical service) | Ranks | |||
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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 the Austro-Hungarian Common Army (de: Gemeinsame Armee or k.u.k. Armee) there were the OF2-ranks Regimentsarzt I. Klasse and Regimentsarzt II. Klasse (en: Regiment surgeon 1st class / – 2nd class) until 1918, equivalent to the OF2-rank Stabsarzt in Germany. That particular rank was comparable to the Hauptmann/Captain OF2-rank as well.
Ranks k.u.k. Army until 1918 | Ranks | |||
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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) | |||
Oberazt | First lieutenant (Dr.) | Oberleutnant | First lieutenant | OF-1 |
Assistenzarzt | Second lieutenant (Dr.) | Leutnant | Second lieutenant |
Stabshauptmann meaning "Staff Captain", is a German Senior Captain rank and the highest military rank in the Bundeswehr for specialist officers.
Kapitänleutnant, short: KptLt/in lists: KL, is an officer grade of the captains' military hierarchy group of the German Bundeswehr. The rank is rated OF-2 in NATO, and equivalent to Hauptmann in the Heer and Luftwaffe. It is grade A11 or A12 in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence.
Gefreiter is a German, Swiss and Austrian military rank that has existed since the 16th century. It is usually the second rank or grade to which an enlisted soldier, airman or sailor could be promoted.
Unteroffizier is a junior non-commissioned officer rank used by the Bundeswehr. It is also the collective name for all non-commissioned officers in Austria and Germany. It was formerly a rank in the Imperial Russian Army.
Korvettenkapitän is the lowest ranking senior officer in a number of Germanic-speaking navies.
Admiral, short Adm, is the most senior flag officer rank in the German Navy. It is equivalent to general in the German Army or German Air Force. In the Central Medical Services there is no equivalent. In the German Navy Admiral is, as in many navies, a four-star rank with a NATO code of OF-9. The most recent officer of the German Navy to hold the rank is Admiral Joachim Rühle, who serves as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium since 2020.
Generalstabsarzt and Admiralstabsarzt are in the German armed forces the rank designations of the second highest grade of the generals rank group.
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 rank insignia of the federal armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany indicate rank and branch of service in the German Army, German Air Force, or the German Navy.
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.
The ranks of the German Armed Forces,, were set up by the President with the Anordnung des Bundespräsidenten über die Dienstgradbezeichnungen und die Uniform der Soldaten on the basis of section 4, paragraph 3 of the Soldatengesetz. The Bundesbesoldungsordnung regulates the salary scales of all Federal office holders and employees including soldiers. The 'ZdV-64/10 – Abkürzungen in der Bundeswehr' gives the abbreviations and a list of the abbreviations.
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.
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.
Stabsunteroffizier is a military rank of the German Bundeswehr. It was preceded by the rank Unterfeldwebel that was used between 1935 and 1945 in the armed forces of Nazi Germany, the Wehrmacht. The East German National People's Army used the rank Unterfeldwebel from 1956 to 1990. In the Austrian Armed Forces Stabsunteroffizier is the collective name to all higher Non-commissioned officers.
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.