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Men-at-Arms

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The German Army

1939 45 (1)
Blitzkrieg

Nigel Thomas

Illustrated by Stephen Andrew

Men-at-Arms 311

The German Army

193945 (1)
Blitzkrieg

Nigel Thomas

Illustrated by Stephen Andrew

Series editor Mar tin Windrow

TABLE 3 Rank insignia of the German Army 1 September 1939 9 May 1945
Staff and Infantry ranks are normally given, but are in brackets where the insignia illustrates a rank variant. Most Bandmaster
Officer and both Technical NCO ranks are omitted, and insignia on camouflage and fatigue tunics are excluded.

1.Generalfeldmarschall
(Field Marshal)
(1.9.1939 2.4.1941)

2. Generaloberst
(General)

3. General der
Infanterie etc.
(Lieutenant General)

4. Generalleutnant
(Major General)

5. Generalarzt
(General Major)
(Brigadier)

6. Oberst
(Colonel)

7. Oberfeldrichter
(Oberstleutnant)
(Lieutenant Colonel)
Judge Advocate
Service

8. Major
(Major)
Infantry Regiment
Hoch und
Deutschmeister

9. Stabszahlmeister
(Hauptmann)
(Captain)
Administrative Service

10. Oberveterinr
(Oberleutnant)
(Lieutenant)
Veterinary Corps

11. Obermusikmeister
(Oberleutnant)
(Lieutenant)
Bandmaster

12. Leutnant
(2nd Lieutenant)
Army AA Artillery

13. Stabsfeldwebel
(WOII, RQMS)
21 Engineer
Battalion

14. Hauptfeldwebel
(WOII, CSM)

15. Oberwachtmeister
(Oberfeldwebel)
(Colour Serjeant)
11 Division Recce
Battalion

16. Wachtmeister
(Feldwebel)
(Serjeant)
Artillery

17. Unterfeldwebel
(Lance-Serjeant)
Infantry Regiment
Grodeutschland

18. Oberjger
Unteroffizier
(Corporal)
Light Infantry

19. Stabsgefreiter
(Lance-Corporal
5 years total service)
24.4.1942 9.5.1945

38

20. Obergefreiter mit

mehr als 6
Dienstjahren
(Lance-Corporal
6 years total service)

21. Obergefreiter mit

mehr als 6
Dienstjahren
(Lance-Corporal
2 years total service)

22. Gefreiter
(Lance-Corporal
6 months total service)

23. Obersoldat
(Private 6 months total
service)

24. Schze/Grenadier
(Private) Infantry
Regiment
Feldherrnhalle

INDEX
(References to illustrations are shown in bold. Plates are shown with caption locators in brackets: e.g. A1 (37).)

Abwehr (Army Intelligence) 37, 39

armies of occupation 12, H (55)
armoured forces 5, 6
army groups 5
Army Patrol Service 20, 50
artillery 8, 23, 39
Austria, annexation of, 1939: 7, 50
Bandmaster Officers 13 (table), 36 (table), 40,
46, 50
bandsmen 50
Belgium, invasion of, 1940: 11, 21, E23 (5354)
belts 17, 18, 23
Blitzkrieg 7, 1112
Blomberg, Generalfeldmarschall Werner von
(18781946) 3
branch colours 4144 (table), 47
Brauchitsch, Generalfeldmarschall Walter von
(18811948) 4, 18
camouflage 20
captured clothing 15
cavalry 39, B3 (52), 55
Czechoslovakia, occupation of, 1939: 78
Denmark, invasion of, 1940: 9, 12, D1 (53)
dispatch riders 12, 35, 39, D1 (53)
Dress Regulations 14, 15
engineers 15, 46, G1 (5455)
equipment 8, 14, 16, 2021, G2 (55)
establishment 3, 4
Fechtende Truppen (combat troops) 4, 4143 (table)
Field Army, the 4, 56, 48
Flower Wars, the (Blumenkriege) 78
France, Battle of, 1940: 11, 40, 45, 47, 48, 49, F
(54), G (5455)
gas masks 9, 15, 34, 35
general officers 13 (table), 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,
39, 45
General Staff 7, 35
greatcoats 6, 11, 12, 1718, 19, 20, 23, 34, 35, 39
Grodeutschland Infantry Regiment 49, 52, F3 (54)
Gruppe Imker 8, 49
Guard of Honour 19, 33
Guderian, Heinz (18881954) 6, 7
Halder, Generaloberst Franz (18841972) 4, 18
headdress 20, 2324, 3435, 37
officers 6, 16, 19, 21, 24, 33, 53

56

helmets 3, 12, 14, 17, 19, 20

High Command 34, 1112
Hitler, Adolf (18891945) 3, 7, 9, 11
Hoheitsabzeichen (Sovereignty Badge) 14
infantry divisions 5, 56
insignia 16, 18, 35
branch 19, 4144 (table), 48
rank 3, 38, 4547
unit 4144 (table), 4850
Jger 48
Jodl, Generalmajor Alfred (18901946) 3
Keitel, Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm von
(18821946) 3
Luftwaffe, the 7, 8
Luxembourg, invasion of, 1940: 11, 55
marksmans lanyard, the 23, 35, 54
medals and awards 21, 23, 24, 5051, 54
Medical Corps 10, 39, 46, D2 (53)
military districts 7, 9, 11
Military Police 34, 4950
Motor Transport drivers 39
motorised divisions 5, 6
mountain troops 5, 6, 35, 37, 48, 51, D3 (53)
Music Directors 46, 50
Netherlands, invasion of, 1940: 10, E1 (53)
Norway, invasion of, 1940: 910, 12, 51, D23 (53)
officers 4, 13 (table), 15, 36 (table), 39, 40,
4546, 53
ceremonial uniform 1517, A1 (52), 54
field uniform 17, 1921, 24, 33, B12 (52),
D3 (53), E1 (53), F3 (54)
Panzer troops 21, 35, 46, F1 (54)
parade uniform 1718
service uniform 6, 1819, H2 (55)
undress uniform 18, 19
walking out uniform 18
orders of dress 13 (table), 15
organisation 57, 33
other ranks 13 (table), 15, 3637 (table), 40, 45,
4647, 48
ceremonial uniform A23 (52)
fatigue uniform 5, 22, 34, 47, G3 (55)
field uniform 8, 9, 14, 16, 33, 48, C (5253),
E2 (53), G2 (55)
guard uniform 33, 52, H3 (55)

parade uniform 2123, 55

reporting uniform 24
service uniform 3, 23, 24, 45
undress uniform 5, 11, 20, 24, 33
walking out uniform 2324, 54
Panzer divisions 34
Penal Battalions 39
Phoney War, the 9
pioneers 39, E3 (5354)
Polish Campaign, 1939: 5, 7, 89, 12, 12, 14, 15,
16, 17, B (52), C (5253)
ranks 3637 (table), 38, 3940, 45
Reichswehr, the 3
Replacement Army, the 4, 7, 15
Rundstedt, Generaloberst Gerd von (18751953)
8, 10, 11
Saar, occupation of, 1939: 7
Scandinavian campaigns, 1940: 7, 910, 12
Sicherungstruppen (Security Troops) 4, 44 (table)
Smoke Troops 39
Spanish Civil War, the, 193639 8, 49, 50, 51
strategy 7
Sudetenland, occupation of, 1939: 8, 50
tank crew, uniforms 21, 3435, 45, 46,
F12 (54)
Third Reich, ideology 7
Traffic Control 34, 50, H1 (55)
tunics 3, 2122, 34, 39, 40
officers 7, 1617, 18, 1819, 20
uniforms, development of 1315
Versailles, Treaty of, 1919: 3
Versorgungstruppen (Supply Troops) 4, 4344
(table)
Waffen-SS 4, 14
war correspondents 20, 49
weapons
bayonets 23
machine guns 33, 40, 49, C23 (5253),
E2 (53)
pistols 20, 33
rifles 8, 48, C1 (52)
submachine guns 21, 33, E3 (5354)
Wehrmact, the 3, 4
Weimar Republic 3
Western Offensive, the, 1940: 5, 7, 10, 12

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OSPREY
PUBLISHING

MAA311 new imprint p2.qxd:Imprint

16/7/12

17:20

Page 1

First published in Great Britain in 1997 by Osprey Publishing,

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1997 Osprey Publishing Ltd.
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Print ISBN: 978 1 85532 639 2
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ePub e-book ISBN: 978 1 78200 441 7
Series Editor: Martin Windrow
Military Editor: Sharon van der Merwe
Design by The Black Spot
Filmset in Singapore by Pica Ltd.
Dedication
This book is respectfully dedicated to my late father, War Substantive Lieutenant William Rowland Thomas,
Royal Fusiliers, and the late Oberfeldarzt a.D. Dr. Med. Friedrich Herrmann, formerly of 198. Infanteriedivision
and the Bundeswehr two men from whom I have learnt a lot.
Acknowledgements
This book would not have been possible without the generous help of many people, especially Mark Axworthy,
Phillip Buss (MA), Josef Charita, Brian Davis, Dr. Friedrich Herrmann, David Littlejohn, Pierre C.T. Verheye and
Stephen Andrew. The author would like to thank his family, Heather, Alexander and Dominick, for their continued
support and encouragement.
Artists note
Readers may care to note that the original paintings from which the colour plates in this book were prepared are
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be addressed to:
Stephen Andrew
87 Ellisland
Kirkintilloch
Glasgow
G66 2UA
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