Oberfeldwebel (OFw or OF) is the second-lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Army and German Air Force.
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It is grouped as OR6 in NATO, equivalent in the US Army to Staff Sergeant, or in British Army / RAF to Sergeant.
In army/ air force context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Oberfeldwebel also informally / short Oberfeld.
The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group (Senior NCOs with portepee) is as follows:
The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"!
History
The rank was introduced first by the German Reichswehr in 1920. Preferable most experienced Protégée-NCO of the old army have been promoted.
The Reichswehr Oberfeldwebel (OR-7) was taken over as second-highest Protégée-NCO rank by the German Wehrmacht in 1920. In the military branch cavalry, artillery and anti-aircraft artillery it was called Oberwachtmeister.
The equivalent rank to the Oberfeldwebel in the Waffen-SS was the SS-Hauptscharführer from 1938 until 1945.
The rank has been used in the GDR National People's Army from 1956 until 1990 as well.