- Field Marshal General
Field Marshal General, in German "Generalfeldmarschall" (Audio|De-Generalfeldmarschall-pronunciation.ogg|listen) (usually translated simply as
field marshal , and sometimes written only as "Feldmarschall") was a rank in the armies of several German states, theHoly Roman Empire , and theAustrian Empire . The rank was the equivalent to aGrand Admiral in the German Navy.In the
Prussian Army and later in theGerman 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, who had commanded armies during the Franco-Prussian War, became the first Prussian princes appointed field marshals.In the armies and
Luftwaffe ofNazi Germany , the rank of "Generalfeldmarschall" was the highest military rank until July 1940, when it was made subordinate to the even higher rank of "Reichsmarschall " (held solely byHermann 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.Hitler promoted
Friedrich Paulus , commander of the 6th Army at Stalingrad, to the rank of Field Marshal shortly before his army's inevitable surrender in order to encourage him to continue to fight until death or commit suicide (no German field marshal at that point in history had ever been captured alive). Paulus surrendered anyway, responding to the promotion: "I have no intention of shooting myself for that Bohemian corporal."Currently, the highest rank in the reconstituted
Bundeswehr isGeneral . 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 " (Federal Minister of Defence), he has special command authority over all soldiers. The "Generalinspekteur" ("Inspector General of the Bundeswehr "), which is a post, heads the "Führungsstab der Streitkräfte" (Command Staff of the Armed Forces).The "
Nationale Volksarmee " (NVA) of theGerman Democratic Republic created the rank of "Marschall der DDR" (marshal of the GDR) on25 March 1982 . A general could be appointed to this rank by the "Staatsrat " (the head-of-state council of the GDR) during wartime or for exceptional military achievement; no one ever held the rank, however.ee 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 External links
* [http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=5443 Photo of Field Marshal Hermann Göring's Baton]
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