Generaloberstabsarzt
Admiraloberstabsarzt
Navy and Army insignia
Country Germany
Service branch German Army
 German Navy
 German Air Force
AbbreviationGenOStArzt (Army & Air force)
AdmOStArzt (Navy)
RankGerman medical service rank
NATO rank codeOF-8
Next higher rankNone
Next lower rankGeneralstabsarzt
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.

Bundeswehr

In accordance with traditions in German armed forces, both ranks might be used in Bundeswehr medical service. Normally the Bundeswehr Surgeon 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
German medical officer rank
Generaloberstabsarzt
Admiraloberstabsarzt		 senior Rank
no

Wehrmacht

Senior Staff-Surgeon General
Generaloberstabsarzt (GenOStArzt)
Arabesque (until 1944)[3] shoulder board
Country Nazi Germany
Service branch German Army
RankThree-star
NATO rank codeOF-8
Next higher rankNone
Next lower rankGeneralstabsarzt
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

  • General of the branch (Heer and Luftwaffe)
  • Admiral (Kriegsmarine)
  • Generaloberstabsarzt, from 1934 (medical service of the Wehrmacht)
  • Generaloberstabsveterinär, from 1934 (veterinarian service of the Wehrmacht)
Ranks Wehrmacht until 1945[5]
Ranks
Medical serviceen translation Equivalent Heeren equivalent
Generaloberstabsarzt Senior Staff-Surgeon GeneralGeneral der Waffengattungthree star rankOF-8
GeneralstabsarztStaff-Surgeon GeneralGeneralleutnanttwo star rankOF-7
GeneralarztSurgeon GeneralGeneralmajorone star rankOF-6
OberstarztColonel (Dr.)OberstColonelOF-5
OberfeldarztLieutenant colonel (Dr.)OberstleutnantLieutenant colonelOF-4
OberstabsarztMajor (Dr.)MajorOF-3
StabsarztCaptain (Dr.)HauptmannCaptain (army)OF-2
OberarztFirst lieutenant (Dr.)OberleutnantFirst lieutenantOF-1a
AssistenzarztSecond lieutenant (Dr.)LeutnantSecond lieutenantOF-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)
Ranks
Medical serviceen translation Equivalent Kriegsmarineen equivalent
Admiraloberstabsarzt Surgeon generalAdmiral (Germany)three star rankOF-8
AdmiralstabsarztRear admiral upper half (Dr.)Vizeadmiraltwo star rankOF-7
AdmiralarztRear admiral lower half (Dr.)Konteradmiralone star rankOF-6
FlottenarztCaptain naval (Dr.)Kapitän zur SeeCaptain (naval)OF-5
GeschwaderarztCommander (Dr.)FregattenkapitänCommanderOF-4
MarineoberstabsarztLieutenant commander (Dr.)KorvettenkapitänLieutenant commanderOF-3
MarinestabsarztLieutenant naval (Dr.)KapitänleutnantLieutenant (naval)OF-2
Marineoberarzt Lieutenant junior grade (Dr.)Oberleutnant zur SeeLieutenant (junior grade)OF-1a
MarineassistenzarztEnsign (Dr.)Leutnant zur SeeEnsignOF-1b

Other armed forces

Stars, shoulder strap, and cuff stripes of a US Surgeon General

Relevant literature

  • Neumann, Alexander: Arzttum ist immer Kämpfertum - Die Heeressanitätsinspektion und das Amt "Chef des Wehrmachtsanitätswesens" im Zweiten Weltkrieg (1939-1945), 2005. ISBN 3-7700-1618-1
  • Süß, Winfried: Der "Völkskörper" im Krieg: Gesundheitspolitik, Gesundheitsverhältnisse und Krankenmord im nationalsozialistischen Deutschland 1939–1945, 2003. ISBN 3-486-56719-5

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"
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