Generalleutnant

Generalleutnant is the German-language variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries.

Austria

Generalleutnant
Service and field uniform
Country	Austria
Non-NATO rank	OF-8[a]

Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (Bundesheer), roughly equivalent to the NATO rank of OF-8.^[1]

Germany

Generalleutnant
Gorget patches
Army and Air Force insignia
Country	Germany
Service branch	German Army  German Air Force
Abbreviation	GenLt
Rank group	General officer
NATO rank code	OF-8
Pay grade	B9
Formation	1956 (current)
Next higher rank	General
Next lower rank	Generalmajor
Equivalent ranks	Vizeadmiral

Generalleutnant, short GenLt, ('lieutenant general') is the second highest general officer rank in the German Army (Heer) and the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). This three-star rank in other countries is lieutenant general.

Rank in modern Germany

The rank is rated OF-8 in NATO, and is grade B9 in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence. It is equivalent to Vizeadmiral in the German Navy (Marine), or to Generaloberstabsarzt, and Admiraloberstabsarzt in the Zentraler Sanitätsdienst der Bundeswehr. On the shoulder straps (Heer, Luftwaffe) there are three golden pips (stars) in golden oak leaves.

History

German armies and air forces until 1945

Generalleutnant of the Wehrmacht

Generalleutnant was in the German Reich, and Nazi Germany the second lowest general officer rank, comparable to the two-star rank in many NATO-armed forces (Rangcode OF-7). It was equivalent to Vizeadmiral in the Kriegsmarine, and SS-Gruppenführer in the Waffen-SS until 1945.

Rank insignia Generalleutnant/ Vizeadmiral

Branch	German Army	Luftwaffe	Waffen-SS	Kriegsmarine
Collar				None
Shoulder
Sleeve
Rank designation	Generalleutnant		SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS	Vizeadmiral

National People's Army

Generalleutnant was in the so-called armed organs of the GDR (German: Bewaffnete Organe der DDR), represented by Ministry of National Defence, and Ministry for State Security, the second lowest general officer rank, comparable to the two-star rank in many NATO-Armed forces. This was in reference to Soviet military doctrine and in line with other armed forces of the Warsaw Pact.

Insignia

Insignia	Shoulder	Higher/lower rank
German Empire  Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany		General der Waffengattung Generalmajor
East Germany		Generaloberst Generalmajor
Germany		General Generalmajor

See also

• Comparative military ranks of World War I
• Comparative military ranks of World War II
• Ranks of the National People's Army

Notes

1. Although Austria is not a NATO member, there are official NATO rank approximations.^[1]

References

1. "Rank Insignias". Bundesheer. Archived from the original on 2022-05-17. Retrieved 2022-05-17.