Obergefreiter
| Obergefreiter | |
|---|---|
  Heershoulder andMarinesleeve insignia | |
| Country |  Germany |
| Service branch |  German Army German Navy German Air Force |
| Abbreviation | OGefr. |
| Rank | German enlisted rank |
| NATOrank code | OR-3 |
| Non-NATOrank | E-3 |
| Formation | 1955 |
| Next higher rank | Hauptgefreiter |
| Next lower rank | Gefreiter |
Obergefreiter(abbr.OGefr.) is anenlisted rankof theGermanandSwissmilitaries which dates from the 19th century.
In today'sBundeswehr,everyGefreiteris normally promotedObergefreiterafter six months. The NATO-Code is OR-3 which would makeObergefreiterthe equivalent toprivate/airman/seaman first classin most forces or, e.g.,lance corporalin theAustralian/New ZealandForces. Like all enlisted personnel in the German Bundeswehr, soldiers of this rank have no military authority over lower ranking enlisted personnel (for instanceSchützeorGefreiter), except given by a higher rank.[clarification needed]
In the Bundeswehr the lower rank isGefreiterwhile the next rank isHauptgefreiter.The lower rank in the Swiss Army is alsoGefreiter,the next rank isKorporal.
History
[edit]The rank was only used in the German army's heavy artillery branch (Fußartillerie) before 1919 and commonly established with the founding of theReichswehr.Translated as "senior lance-corporal", inWorld War IIthe rank was normally given to soldiers who had command over small squads or to those soldiers who held the rank ofGefreiterand below. Soldiers that had performed a significant feat of achievement were given this title. AnObergefreiterwas considered an Enlisted Man in the German Wehrmacht, equivalent to the Schutzstaffel's Sturmmann.
A somewhat large portion of the German Army in the Second World War consisted of enlisted men, especially during the later years of the war with conscription laws being increased to fight off the advancing Soviet Army. Of the 13 million soldiers in Germany's fighting force, 7.5 million were enlisted men, with 2.2 million of the enlisted men being Obergefreiters.
| Waffen-SS | Heer(Army) | Luftwaffe(Air Force) | Kriegsmarine(Navy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SS-Schütze | Schütze | Flieger | Matrose |
| SS-Oberschütze | Oberschütze | ||
| SS-Sturmmann | Gefreiter | Matrosengefreiter | |
| SS-Rottenführer | Obergefreiter | Matrosenobergefreiter | |
| No equivalent | Hauptgefreiter | Matrosenhauptgefreiter | |
| No equivalent | Stabsgefreiter | Matrosenstabsgefreiter | |
| No equivalent | Matrosenoberstabsgefreiter | ||
Swiss Armed Forces
[edit]
In theSwiss Armed Forcesthe rank of Obergefreiter(short: Obgfr) was introduced after a long debate on 1 January 2004. They are specialists, who take over tasks of responsibility or hold the position of a group commander.
References
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