Vizeadmiral, short VAdm in lists VADM, (en: Vice admiral) is a senior naval flag officer rank in the German Navy. It is equivalent to Generalleutnant in the Heer and Luftwaffe or to Admiraloberstabsarzt and/or Generaloberstabsarzt in the Zentraler Sanitätsdienst der Bundeswehr.
Contents
- Address
- Rank insignia and rating
- National Peoples Army
- Imperial German Navy and Kriegsmarine
- KuK Kriegsmarine
- References
In the German Navy Vizeadmiral is, as in many navies, a three-star rank with a NATO code of OF-8. However, in other German speaking naval forces, e.g. Kaiserliche Marine, Kriegsmarine, Volksmarine, and the Austro-Hungarian K.u.K. Kriegsmarine, Vizeadmiral was an OF-7 two-star flag officer rank.
Address
The official manner of formal addressing of military people with the rank Vizeadmiral (OF-8) is "Herr/Frau Vizeadmiral". However, as to German naval traditions the “Vizeadmiral“ will be addressed "Herr/Frau Admiral".
Rank insignia and rating
Its rank insignia, worn on the sleeves and shoulders, are one five-pointed star above a big gold stripe and two normal once (without the star when rank loops are worn). It is grade B8 in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence.
The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:
National People´s Army
Vizeadmiral (OF-7) was the second lowest flag officer grade of the Volksamarine, equivalent to the two-star rank Generalleutnant (OF-7 as well).
In the GDR Volksmarine there were 3 flag officer ranks: Konteradmiral, Vizeadmiral, and Admiral. The GDR State Council decided from 25 March 25, 1982 to introduce the rank of Flottenadmiral.
Imperial German Navy and Kriegsmarine
In the Kaiserliche Marine and Kriegsmarine, Vizeadmiral was an OF-7 one-star flag officer rank equivalent to a Heer or Luftwaffe Generalleutnant, and to an SS-Gruppenführer and Generalleutnant of the Waffen-SS.
The rank insignia consisted of shoulder strap and sleeve stripes. Shoulder straps had to be worn on uniform jackets and consisted of twisted gold-braids (one pip or star) on padding in navy blue weapon color.
Cuff insignia consisted of one golden big stripe, two normal stripes, and a five-point naval star above. The sleeve rings encircled the lower cuffs.
K.u.K. Kriegsmarine
In the Austro-Hungarian K.u.K. Kriegsmarine (1849 to 1918) there were the flag-officer ranks Kontreadmiral (also spelled Konterdmiral in the 20th century), Viceadmiral , and Admiral, as well as Großadmiral.