Feldwebel is a German military rank which has existed since at least the 18th century with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. The word Feldwebel translates as Sergeant. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... This article is about the rank of sergeant. ...

19th Century and German Kaiserreich

Unterfeldwebel, obsolete Insignia (Reichswehr or Wehrmacht)

Feldwebel gained its widest usage under the German military beginning from the early 19th century. The highest ranking Senior Non-Commissioned Officer until 1918, the Feldwebel acted as Company Sergeant Major or Regimental Sergeant Major). Second World War German Sergeant patch (Released by US National Archives) File links The following pages link to this file: Feldwebel Categories: National Archives and Records Administration images ... Second World War German Sergeant patch (Released by US National Archives) File links The following pages link to this file: Feldwebel Categories: National Archives and Records Administration images ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), or NCO, is an enlisted member of an armed force who has been delegated leadership or command authority by a commissioned officer. ... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Company Sergeant Major (CSM) is an appointment held by Warrant Officers Class 2 in the British Army and Royal Marines. ... Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) is an appointment held by Warrant Officers Class 1 in the British Army and Royal Marines. ...

From 1877 veteran NCO's could be promoted to the rank of Feldwebel-Leutnant. This Army Reserve Officer ranked with the Commissioned Officers, but was always inferior to the youngest Second Lieutenant. 1877 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Reserve can mean several things; 1. ... In military organizations, a commissioned officer is a member of the service who derives authority directly from a sovereign power, and as such holds a commission from that power. ... Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned rank in many armed forces. ...

Since 1887 the Offizierstellvertreter (Deputy Officer) ranked as kind of Warrant Officer First Class (more NCO than Officer) between Feldwebel and the Commissioned Officers. 1887 is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). ... A warrant officer (WO) or a chief warrant officer (CWO) is a member of a military organization, with a rank subordinate to other commissioned officers and senior to noncommissioned officers, or a senior noncommissioned officer depending on the nationality. ... In military organizations, a commissioned officer is a member of the service who derives authority directly from a sovereign power, and as such holds a commission from that power. ...

There were three further NCO-ranks: Vizefeldwebel (Vice Feldwebel, Senior NCO), Sergeant (Junior NCO) and Unteroffizier (Lance Sergeant or Corporal, Junior NCO). The Gefreiter was not a NCO but a Private First Class. Modern German Gefreiter insignia Gefreiter is the German equivalent more for Private First Class than for Lance-Corporal. ...

Reichswehr and Wehrmacht

After World War I, in the German Reichswehr and Wehrmacht, the Feldwebel was divided into several NCO-Ranks above Unteroffizier (as Squad-Leader): Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... The Reichswehr (literally National Defence or National Militia) formed the military organization of Germany from 1918 until 1935, when the government rebranded it as the Wehrmacht (Defence Force). ... Wehrmacht   listen? was the name of the armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. ... Unteroffizier insignia Unteroffizier is a military rank (non-commissioned officer) of the German Bundeswehr that has existed since the 19th century. ...

• Unterfeldwebel (a Junior NCO, Squad-Leader or Vice-Platoon-Leader)

• Oberfeldwebel (Senior NCO, Platoon-Leader)
• Hauptfeldwebel (Company Sergeant Major (CSM), Oberfeldwebel in a temporary appointment)
• Stabsfeldwebel (long-service Senior NCO, acting as CSM, Platoon-Leader etc.)

In World War II the Oberscharführer of the Waffen-SS was the equivalent of Feldwebel. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (over 11 miles) into the air, August 9, 1945. ... SS-Oberscharführer insignia SA-Oberscharführer insignia Oberscharführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that existed between the years of 1932 and 1945. ... Waffen-SS recruitment poster; Volunteer to the Waffen-SS The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel. ...

Bundeswehr

Feldwebel, modern Insignia (Bundeswehr)

In the modern German Bundeswehr, Feldwebel is considered a Senior NCO, due in part to the large number of Corporal positions which exist as junior grades. Typically, a soldier will rise to the rank of Feldwebel only after three to five years of service. Modern German Sergeant Rank File links The following pages link to this file: Feldwebel Categories: United States government images ... Modern German Sergeant Rank File links The following pages link to this file: Feldwebel Categories: United States government images ...

The modern Bundeswehr-NCO-ranks are as follows:

Junior NCOs - Unteroffizier, Stabsunteroffizier

Senior NCOs - Feldwebel, Oberfeldwebel, Hauptfeldwebel,

Stabsfeldwebel, Oberstabsfeldwebel (receive officer's pay)

In the Bundeswehr, Hauptfeldwebel is no more an appointment but a rank. The appointment of a CSM may be hold by Hauptfeldwebel and above: Kompaniefeldwebel (Infantry-Company), Batteriefeldwebel (Artillery-Battery) or Staffelfeldwebel (Air Force-Wing).

In the Deutsche Marine (German Navy, as part of the Bundeswehr), the equivalent to Feldwebel is the rank Bootsmann (boatswain).