Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Hauptfeldwebel (rank)

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit

Hauptfeldwebel (HptFw or HF) is the third highest Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Army and German Air Force.

Contents

It is grouped as OR7 in NATO, equivalent to a US Army Sergeant 1st Class, US Marine Gunnery Sergeant, or US Air Force Master Sergeant, and to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army and Royal Navy.

In army/ air force context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Hauptfeldwebel also informally / short Hauptfeld.

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group (Senior NCOs with portepee) is as follows:

  • OR-9: Oberstabsfeldwebel / Oberstabsbootsmann
  • OR-8: Hauptfeldwebel / Hauptbootsmann and Stabsfeldwebel / Stabsbootsmann
  • OR-7: Hauptfeldwebel / Hauptbootsmann
  • OR-6a: Oberfeldwebel / Oberbootsmann
  • OR-6b: Feldwebel / Bootsmann
  • Remark

    The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"!

    History

    The Hauptfeldwebel was introduced by the German Wehrmacht in 1938 not as a military rank but as the assignment to “company sergeant (de: Kompaniefeldwebel or Spiess). Most experienced Protégée-NCO with the rank Stabsfeldwebel or Oberfeldwebel (more seldom Feldwebel) have been assigned to that distinguished position.

    The assignment Spiess/Hauptfeldwebel, equivalent to the company sergeant major in Anglo-phonic armed forces, has been used before in the GDR National People's Army from 1956 until 1990 as well.

    The equivalent assignment to the company sergeant major in the Waffen-SS was the SS-Stabsscharführer from 1938 until 1945 .

    Equivalent in other NATO countries Army/Air Force

  • – Rreshter/no equivalent
  • – 1er sergeant-major; 1ste sergeant-majoor
  • – Старши сержант (en: Strshi sershant)
  • – Warrant Officer; Adjudant
  • – Nadnarednik
  • – praporčík/
  • – Oversergent
  • – Vanemveebel/
  • – no equivalent
  • – Επιλοχίας; Epilochias/N.N.
  • – Főtörzsőrmester/N.N.
  • – no equivalent
  • – Sergente maggiore capo
  • – Štāba virsseržants/N.N.
  • – Štabo seržantas/N.N.
  • – N.N.
  • – Sergeant-majoor; Opperwachtmeester/Sergeant-majoor
  • – no equivalent
  • – Pomocnik dowódcy kompanii
  • – Sargento-ajudante
  • – Maistru Militar clasa III
  • – rotmajster
  • – štabni vodnik
  • – Sargento primero
  • – Astsubay Kıdemli Üstçavuş and Astsubay Üstçavuş/
  • – Старшина (en: Starshina)
  • – Staff Sergeant and Colour Sergeant/Flight sergeant, Flight sergeant aircrew and Chief sergeant
  • – Master Sergeant/Sergeant First Class
  • References

    Hauptfeldwebel (rank) Wikipedia