Generalfeldmarschall
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Replica of the marshall's baton of Generalfeldmarschall von Richthofen (Third Reich) |
Generalfeldmarschall () (General Field Marshal, usually translated simply as
Field Marshal, and sometimes written only as
Feldmarschall) was a rank in the armies of several
German states, the
Holy Roman Empire, and
Austrian Empire. The rank was the equivalent of a
General of the Army in some other nations, and to a
Grand Admiral in the German Navy.
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Shoulder boards of a Generalfeldmarschall |
In the Prussian Army and later in the German Army the rank had several privileges, such as a constant escort/protection. In 1854 the rank of
Generaloberst (
Colonel-General) was created in order to promote Prince Wilhelm to senior rank without breaking the rule that only wartime field commanders could receive the rank of field marshal. In 1870 Prince
Friedrich Karl and Kronprinz
Friedrich Wilhelm became the first Prussian princes appointed field marshals.
In the German armies and
Luftwaffe, the rank of
Generalfeldmarschall was the highest military rank until 1941, when it was made subordinate to the even higher rank of
Reichsmarschall (held solely by
Hermann Göring). The equivalent of a
Generalfeldmarschall in the navy was
Großadmiral (
Grand Admiral). The rank of
Generalfeldmarschall was abolished after the fall of the
Third Reich. Currently, the highest rank in the reconstituted
Bundeswehr is
General, but among these, there is a
Generalinspekteur. By permanent enactment of the Commander-in-Chief (
Inhaber der Befehls- und Kommandogewalt) of the
Bundeswehr, who is in peacetime, according to Art. 65 a GG, the
Bundesminister der Verteidigung, he has special command authority over all soldiers.
The
Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) of the
German Democratic Republic created the rank of
Marschall der DDR (Marshal of the GDR) on the
25 March 1982. A general could be appointed to this rank by the
Staatsrat (the head-of-state council of the GDR) during war or for exceptional military achievement. During the few years between the rank's creation and the fall of the GDR in
1990, no one had been appointed to the rank.
*
List of German Field Marshals*
List of Austrian Field Marshals*
List of Field Marshals of the Holy Roman Empire*
Comparative military ranks of World War I*
Comparative military ranks of World War II
