Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a rank of the
German military which dates from the early
19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty service.
Oberleutnant is used by both the German Army, Air Force, and Navy with the naval rank typically listed as
Oberleutnant zur See to differentiate between the other services. In the
NATO military comparison system, a German Oberleutnant is the equivalent of a
First Lieutenant in the Army/Air Forces of Allied nations, a
Lieutenant Junior Grade in the
United States Navy, and a
Sub-Lieutenant in the
British Royal Navy.
During the
Second World War, the
Waffen-SS equivalent of Oberleutnant was known as
Obersturmführer.
