Ranks of the National People's Army

This article lists the Ranks and rank insignias of the National People's Army (NPA), the Army of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1956 to 1990.

Design

The design of the rank insignias followed, with some modifications, the tradition of the German Heer. For example, the cuff titles (chevron insignias) of the Gefreiter were replaced by cross-strips on the shoulder straps, which followed Soviet practice.

Shoulder straps, tucks and sleeve insignias

The shoulder straps of the lieutenant and captain ranks were made from silver satin string (German: Silberplattschnur). The Unterleutnant was characterized by one golden CO star, the Leutnant by two rank stars (side by side), and the Oberleutnant by three stars in a triangle. For the Hauptmann, there was an additional star above the triangular formation.

Staff officers were characterized by twisted silver shoulder straps, with one star for Major, two stars for Oberstleutnant, and three stars for Oberst. All of these followed the Soviet rank insignia system.

Generals wore one to four silver rank stars.

Ground forces, Air force, and Border troops

Remark: The different colours represent the appropriate service, branch, branch of service, or special troop.

Generals

General ränks of the NVA
Marschall der DDR	Armeegeneral	Generaloberst	Generalleutnant		Generalmajor
Ground forces			Air Force		Border troops
OF-10[1]	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7		OF-6
(Marshal of the GDR)	(Army general)	(Colonel general)	(Lieutenant general)		(Major general)

Commissioned officers

Commissioned officer ranks of the NPA
Oberst	Oberstleutnant	Major	Hauptmann	Oberleutnant	Leutnant	Unterleutnant	Offiziersschüler
Rocket troops/Artillery	Mech. infantry	Logistics & supply	Rocket troops/Artillery	Communications	Air Force	Engineer corps	3rd year of studies
OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1			OF-D[2]
(Colonel)	(Lieutenant colonel)	(Major)	(Captain)	(First lieutenant)	(Second lieutenant)	(Sub-lieutenant)	(Officer-student)

Fähnrich ranks

Fähnrichkorps and Fähnrichschüler of the NPA
Sleeve insignia (not to Fähnrich-student)	Stabsoberfähnrich	Stabsfähnrich	Oberfähnrich	Fähnrich	Fähnrichschüler
Armor	Mil. engineering	Airborne troops	Border troops	Air Force
W-4[3]	W-3	W-2	W-1	W-1 (Student)
	(Staff-senior-Warrant Officer)	(Staff-Warrant Officer)	(Senior-Warrant Officer)	(Warrant Officer)	(Warrant Officer-Cadet)

Non commissioned officer ranks

Unteroffiziere of the NPA
Stabsfeldwebel	Oberfeldwebel	Feldwebel	Unterfeldwebel	Unteroffizier
Rocket troops/Artillery	Communications	Mil. engineers	Air defence	Border troops
OR-8[4]	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4
(Staff Sergeant)	(Senior Sergeant)	(Sergeant)	(Junior Sergeant)	(Underofficer)

Enlisted men ranks

Enlisted rank soldiers of the NPA
Unteroffiziersschüler	Stabsgefreiter	Gefreiter	Soldat
Armor	Air Force	Mech. infantry	Rocket troops/Artillery
OR-3		OR-2	OR-1
(Underofficer-student)	(Staff Corporal)	(Corporal)	(Private)

Volksmarine

While the sleeve ranks of the Volksmarine officers were of the style used by the Soviet Navy, all shoulder board insignia used were German in origin, with the star arrangement for officers based on the Soviet rank insignia.

Flag officer ranks

Flag officer ranks of the Volksmarine (dark blue / navy blue)
OF-6 to OF-9		OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6
Arabesken	Lampassen	Flottenadmiral	Admiral	Vizeadmiral	Konteradmiral
Cuff insignia
Command flags
(Arabesques)	(Lampasses)	(Fleet Admiral)	(Admiral)	(Vice Admiral)	(Rear Admiral)

Commissioned officers

Unlike most Warsaw pact navies, the People's Navy also used staff corps insignia on the sleeve.

Commissioned officer ranks of the Volksmarine
Kapitän zur See	Fregatten- kapitän	Korvetten- kapitän	Kapitän- leutnant	Ober- leutnant	Leutnant	Unter leutnant	Offiziersschüler
OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1			OF-D
(nautical career)	(administrative career)	(medical career)	(costal career)	(judicial career)	(engineering resp. techn. career)	(nautical career)	(Studen-officer 2nd year of studies)

Fähnrich ranks

Fähnrichkorps and Fähnrichschüler of the Volksmarine
Sleeve insignia	Stabsoberfähnrich	Stabsfähnrich	Oberfähnrich	Fähnrich	Fähnrichschüler (2nd year of studies)
	W-4	W-3	W-2	W-1	W-1 (Student)

Non commissioned officers

Unteroffiziere of the Volksmarine
Stabsobermeister (techn. career)	Obermeister (nautical career)	Meister	Obermaat	Obermaat auf Zeit	Maat	Maat auf Zeit
OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5		OR-4

Enlisted ratings

Enlisted rating insignia of the Volksmarine
Stabsmatrose	Obermatrose	Matrose
OR-3	OR-2	OR-1

References

1. The abbreviation "OF" stands for "officer / officier"
2. Ranks designated as OF(D): In some NATO countries, the term "officer designate"is used. In the NATO rank scale, it comes below the grade of OF-1 and is annotated as OF(D).
3. The abbreviation "WO/W" stands for " Warrant Officer, also warrant-officer ranks / de: ermächtigter Vorgesetzter / ru: уорент-офицер, между сержантами и младшими офицерами" between the rank groups CO and NCO
4. The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"

See also

• Glossary of German military terms