Unterfeldwebel (lit. "Under Field Sergeant") Was a rank of the East German National People's Army from 1956 to 1990. It was also used in the armed forces of Nazi Germany, the Wehrmacht, from 1935 until 1945, when Nazi Germany was defeated in The Second World War. The equivalent to Unterfeldwebel in the Bundeswehr of West Germany and later the Federal Republic of Germany is the rank Stabsunteroffizier (OR-5).
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Unterfeldwebel (in Cavalry, Artillery, and Armoured corps: Unterwachtmeister) was in Germany the designation to a person in uniform with the second lowest NCO-rank (after Unteroffizier). It was counted to the rank-group Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee.
The rank-designations Unterfeldwebel, respectively Unterfeldwebel were created by renaming of the Sergeant rank of the German Empire Army.
Independent to the military assignment an Unteroffizier could be promoted to Unterfeldwebel after a service time of three to four years. Since 1936 this rank could normally be skipped in Heer and Luftwaffe, and NCOs with the rank Unteroffizier were promoted to Feldwebel.
Equivalent to that rank was the Obermaat of Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine until 1945. The appropriate rank of the Waffen-SS war SS-Scharführer.
Nationale People's Army
By the GDR National People's Army and the Border Troops the rank was introduced in 1962. The rank insignia remained almost identically to these Wehrmacht and Reichswehr.