Replica of the marshal's baton of Generalfeldmarschall von Richthofen (Third Reich)

Generalfeldmarschall (listen (help· info)) (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 the 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. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 135 × 598 pixelsFull resolution (169 × 748 pixel, file size: 39 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 135 × 598 pixelsFull resolution (169 × 748 pixel, file size: 39 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Generalfeldmarschall Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen (10 October 1895 - 12 July 1945) was a German fighter ace during World War I and a general and field marshal of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Von Richthofen was a distant cousin of the German World War I flying ace Manfred von Richthofen... Image File history File links De-Generalfeldmarschall-pronunciation. ... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... The extent of the Holy Roman Empire in c. ... Anthem: Volkshymne (Peoples Anthem) Capital Vienna Language(s) German Religion Roman Catholic Government Monarchy History  - Established 1804  - Disestablished 1867 Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy The Crown of the Austrian Emperor The Austrian Empire (German: ) was an empire centred on what is modern day Austria that officially lasted from 1804... General of the Army is a military rank used in some countries of the world to denote a senior military leader, usually a General in command of a nations Army. ... German Grand Admiral Sleeve Insignia Grand Admiral Shoulder Insignia In the German Navy the rank of Grand Admiral (Großadmiral) was considered the highest Naval rank. ...

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. A standard of the Prussian Army. ... The German Army (German: Heer, [IPA: heɐ]  ) is the land component of the Bundeswehr (Federal Defence Forces) of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... Colonel General is a senior military rank which is used in some of the world’s militaries. ... Prince Friedrich Karl Nicholas of Prussia (20 March 1828-15 June 1885) was the son of Karl of Prussia (1801-1883) and his wife Marie Louise of Saxe-Weimar (1808-1877). ... Friedrich III (October 18, 1831 – June 15, 1888), German Emperor (Kaiser) and King of Prussia, ruled 1888. ...

In the armies and Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany, 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. This or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... The original uniform of the Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring shown in the Luftwaffe-Museum in Berlin. ... Hermann Wilhelm Göring ( ) (also Goering in English) (January 12, 1893 – October 15, 1946) was a German politician and military leader, a leading member of the Nazi Party, second in command of the Third Reich, and commander of the Luftwaffe. ... German Grand Admiral Sleeve Insignia Grand Admiral Shoulder Insignia In the German Navy the rank of Grand Admiral (Großadmiral) was considered the highest Naval rank. ...

Currently, the highest rank in the reconstituted Bundeswehr is General. 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 Bundeswehr (German for Federal Defence Force;  ) is the name of the unified armed forces of Germany. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Federal Minister of Defence (in German, Bundesminister der Verteidigung) is the member of the German Federal Cabinet in charge of the Federal Ministry of Defence. ... Coat of Arms of the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr The Inspector General of the Bundeswehr (German: Generalinspekteur der Bundeswehr (GenInspBw)) is the highest-ranking general or admiral in the Bundeswehr, the federal armed forces of Germany. ...

The Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) of the German Democratic Republic created the rank of Marschall der DDR (marshal of the GDR) on 25 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. Categories: Stub | East Germany ... “East Germany” redirects here. ... Marschall der DDR The Marshal of the German Democratic Republic (German: Marschall der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, was by regulation the highest rank in the National Peoples Army of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... The Staatsrat (Council of State) was in the German Democratic Republic the formally highest collective body, which was created with law over the formation of the Council of State from 12 September 1960 as follow-up organ of the abolished office of the president of the GDR after the death...

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

The following list of German Field Marshals denotes those who have held the German rank of Generalfeldmarschall. ... The following list of Austrian Field Marshals denotes those who have held the rank of Generalfeldmarschall in the Austrian or Austro-Hungarian armies. ... This is a list of those who held the rank of Generalfeldmarschall under the Holy Roman Empire. ... The following table shows comparative officer ranks of the principle Allied and Central powers during World War I. For modern ranks refer to Comparative military ranks. ... The following table shows comparative officer ranks of major Allied and Axis powers during World War II. For modern ranks refer to Comparative military ranks. ...

Miscellaneous

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." Friedrich Paulus. ...