Oberfeldwebel
# Oberfeldwebel

Oberfeldwebel (OFw or OF) is the fourth highest non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Army and German Air Force.

## History

The rank was introduced first by the German Reichswehr in 1920. Preferable most experienced Protégée-NCO of the old army have been promoted.

Within the Reichswehr, Oberfeldwebel was taken over as second-highest Protégée-NCO rank by the German Wehrmacht in 1935. 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.

## Rank information

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:

* OR-9: Oberstabsfeldwebel / Oberstabsbootsmann
* OR-8: Stabsfeldwebel / Stabsbootsmann
* OR-7: Hauptfeldwebel / Hauptbootsmann
* OR-6: Oberfeldwebel / Oberbootsmann
* OR-6: Feldwebel / Bootsmann

### Remark

The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"!

