While similar in most respects to the system used by the other major combatants there are enough major differences to make a table of equivalent ranks as found in most references inaccurate. The german army of the second world war was a complex organization which is reflected by their often misunderstood rank structure. Career officers usually start out as enlisted personnel with the lowest rank in one of the three officer candidate battalions of the german army located in hammelburg idar oberstein and munster after six months of officer candidate training course in these battalions containing basic military drill military law and history the officer candidates proceed with.
Officer education in the army. There were few alterations and adjustments made as the army grew from a limited peacetime defense force of 100 000 men. The reichsheer was renamed wehrmacht heer in may 1935.
The german army of the nazi era inherited its uniforms and rank structure from the reichsheer of the weimar republic 1921 1935 many of whose traditions went back to the imperial army of the german empire and earlier. The german army from 1871 to 1914 inherited the various traditions and military ranks of its constituent states thus becoming a truly federal armed service. Ranks of the imperial german army.
The zdv 37 10 anzugsordnung für soldaten der bundeswehr zdv. They are regulated by the presidential order on rank designation and military uniform. The rank insignia of the federal armed forces of the federal republic of germany indicate rank and branch of service in the german army heer german air force luftwaffe or the german navy marine.
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. 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.
