Generalfeldmarschall
Encyclopedia : G : GE : GEN : Generalfeldmarschall
Generalfeldmarschall ([listen] ) (General Field Marshal, usually translated simply as Field Marshal, and sometimes written only as Feldmarschall) was a rank in the armies of several German states, the Holy Roman Empire, and Austrian Empire. The rank was the equivalent of a General of the Army in some other nations, and to a Grand Admiral in the German Navy.
In the Prussian Army and later in the German Army the rank had several privileges, such as a constant escort/protection. In 1854 the rank of Generaloberst (Colonel-General) was created in order to promote Prince Wilhelm to senior rank without breaking the rule that only wartime field commanders could receive the rank of field marshal. In 1870 Prince Friedrich Karl and Kronprinz Friedrich Wilhelm became the first Prussian princes appointed field marshals.
In the German armies and Luftwaffe, the rank of Generalfeldmarschall was the highest military rank until 1941, when it was made subordinate to the even higher rank of Reichsmarschall (held solely by Hermann Göring). The equivalent of a Generalfeldmarschall in the navy was Großadmiral (Grand Admiral). The rank of Generalfeldmarschall was abolished after the fall of the Third Reich. Currently, the highest rank in the reconstituted Bundeswehr is General, but among these, there is a Generalinspekteur. By permanent enactment of the Commander-in-Chief (Inhaber der Befehls- und Kommandogewalt) of the Bundeswehr, who is in peacetime, according to Art. 65 a GG, the Bundesminister der Verteidigung, he has special command authority over all soldiers.
The Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) of the German Democratic Republic created the rank of Marschall der DDR (Marshal of the GDR) on the 25 March 1982. A general could be appointed to this rank by the Staatsrat (the head-of-state council of the GDR) during war or for exceptional military achievement. During the few years between the rank's creation and the fall of the GDR in 1990, no one had been appointed to the rank.
See also
- List of German Field Marshals
- List of Austrian Field Marshals
- List of Field Marshals of the Holy Roman Empire
- Comparative military ranks of World War I
- Comparative military ranks of World War II
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.