Major (Germany)

Major (German pronunciation: [maˈjoːɐ]) is the lowest staff officer rank in the German Army, German Air Force. The rank is rated OF-3 in NATO. The rank insignia is a silver oakleaf cluster with a silver pip (star).

Major
Army and Air Force insignia
Country	Germany
Service branch	German Army  German Air Force
Abbreviation	Maj
NATO rank code	OF-3
Pay grade	A13
Formation	1956 (current)
Next higher rank	Oberstleutnant
Next lower rank	Hauptmann
Equivalent ranks	Korvettenkapitän

The OF-3 equivalent of the German Navy is the Korvettenkapitän.

History

The rank in German-speaking armed forces dates back to the Middle Ages.

World War II

Major Helmut Viedebantt (1943)

During World War II, the SS equivalent was Sturmbannführer.^[1]

Current rules

To be appointed to the rank of major, the officer has to pass a staff officer basic course (Stabsoffizierlehrgang) which is held at the German Armed Forces Command and Staff College (Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr), and serve in a post coded A13 or A13/A14.

In the German Army and the Joint Support Service (Streitkräftebasis), the waiting period between meeting the requirements for promotion and actual promotion to the rank of major averages 15 months due to budget problems (as of July 2010).^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Ranks of the German Bundeswehr
• Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr
• Comparative military ranks of World War I
• Comparative military ranks of World War II