Oberarzt (military)

Oberarzt (short: OArzt or OA), literally meaning "senior physician," in English known as first lieutenant (Dr.), was a military commissioned officer rank in the Austro-Hungarian Common Army until 1918, and in the German Reichswehr and Wehrmacht until 1945.

uniform of an Oberarzt of the Bavarian Army, 1916 (Bayerisches Armeemuseum)

It describes a qualified or licensed surgeon or dentist with a rank equal to 1st lieutenant (de: Oberleutnant) or sub-lieutenant lieutenant (de: Oberleutant zur See) NATO-Rangcode OF1a[1] in anglophone armed forces.

While holders of this rank were commissioned officers, their authority was usually limited to medical matters and medical staff, and they were regarded as non-combatants and accorded the status of "protected persons" under international humanitarian law when participating in humanitarian work during armed conflicts. As such, they could not be attacked, harmed or taken as prisoners of war, and were entitled under the Geneva Conventions to carry out their work without being inhibited.

During the German airborne invasion of Crete, 20 May 1941, one military medical doctor (Oberarzt Doctor Neumann) took command of the first battalion of the Parachute Storm Regiment when all other officers were killed or wounded. He commanded the battalion during the first assault oh Hill 107.

Germany

Wehrmacht

In the German Wehrmacht from 1933 until 1945 there were the OF1a-ranks Oberarzt (physician), Oberapotheker (pharacologis), and Oberveterinär (veterinary), comparable to the Oberleutnant/First lieutenant OF2a-rank.

During wartime, the regular assignment of Oberarzt was the management of a battalion dressing station (de. Truppenverbandsplatz), supported by second lieutenants (Dr.), and help surgeons (de: Assistenz-, and Hilfsärzte). However, a battalion dressing station could be managed by an Assistenzarzt (OF1b) as well.

In line to the so-called Reichsbesoldungsordnung (en: Reich's salary order), appendixes to the Salary law of the German Empire (de: Besoldungsgesetz des Deutschen Reiches) of 1927[2] (changes 1937 – 1940), the comparative ranks were as follows: C 8/C 9

  • Oberleutnant, Leutnant (Heer and Luftwaffe)
    • Leutnant
  • Oberleutnant zur See (Kriegsmarine)
    • Leutnant zur See
  • Oberarzt (medical service of the Wehrmacht)
    • Assistenzarzt
  • Marineoberassistenzarzt, introduced June 26, 1935 (medical service of the Kriegsmarine)
    • Marineassistenzarzt
  • Oberveterinär (veterinarian service of the Wehrmacht)
    • Veterinär

The corps colour of the military Health Service Support (HSS) in German armed forces was traditional  dark bluedark blue, and of the veterinarian service  carmine red.[3] This tradition was continued by the medical service corps in Heer and Luftwaffe of the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht. However, the corps colour of the Waffen-SS and Kriegsmarine HSS was  cornflower blue.

junior Rank
Assistenzarzt

German medical officer rank
Oberarzt
senior Rank
Stabsarzt

Address

The manner of formal addressing of military surgeons/dentists with the rank Oberarzt was, "err Oberarzt"; with the rank Marineoberarzt - "Herr Marineoberarzt".

Ranks Wehrmacht until 1945[4]
Ranks
Medical serviceen translation Equivalent Heeren equivalent
Generaloberstabsarzt Senior Staff-Surgeon GeneralGeneral der Waffengattungthree star rankOF-8
GeneralstabsarztStaff-Surgeon GeneralGeneralleutnanttwo star rankOF-7
GeneralarztSurgeon GeneralGeneralmajorone star rankOF-6
OberstarztColonel (Dr.)OberstColonelOF-5
OberfeldarztLieutenant colonel (Dr.)OberstleutnantLieutenant colonelOF-4
OberstabsarztMajor (Dr.)
Major
OF-3
StabsarztCaptain (Dr.)HauptmannCaptain (army)OF-2
OberarztFirst lieutenant (Dr.)OberleutnantFirst lieutenantOF-1a
AssistenzarztSecond lieutenant (Dr.)LeutnantSecond lieutenantOF-1b
Unterarzt Sergeant 1st Class (Dr.) Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel Officer Aspirant OR-7[5]
Feldunterarzt (from 1940)
Ranks Kriegsmarine (medical service)
Ranks
Medical serviceen translation Equivalent Kriegsmarineen equivalent
AdmiraloberstabsarztSurgeon generalAdmiral (Germany)three star rankOF-8
AdmiralstabsarztRear admiral upper half (Dr.)Vizeadmiraltwo star rankOF-7
AdmiralarztRear admiral lower half (Dr.)Konteradmiralone star rankOF-6
FlottenarztCaptain naval (Dr.)Kapitän zur SeeCaptain (naval)OF-5
GeschwaderarztCommander (Dr.)FregattenkapitänCommanderOF-4
MarineoberstabsarztLieutenant commander (Dr.)KorvettenkapitänLieutenant commanderOF-3
MarinestabsarztLieutenant naval (Dr.)KapitänleutnantLieutenant (naval)OF-2
Marineoberarzt Lieutenant junior grade (Dr.)Oberleutnant zur SeeLieutenant (junior grade)OF-1a
MarineassistenzarztEnsign (Dr.)Leutnant zur SeeEnsignOF-1b

Austria-Hungary

In the Austria-Hungarian Common Army (de: Gemeinsame Armee or k.u.k. Armee) there were the OF1a-ranks Oberarzt and Obertierarz until 1918. That particular ranks were comparable to the Oberleutnant/1st lieutenant OF1-rank as well.[6]

Ranks k.u.k. Army until 1918
Ranks
Medical serviceen Equivalent Heeren
GeneralstabsarztStaff-Surgeon GeneralGeneralmajorMajor generalOF-6
Oberstabsarzt I. KlasseColonel (Dr. 1st class)OberstColonelOF-5
Oberstabsarzt II. KlasseLieutenant colonel (Dr. 2nd class)OberstleutnantLieutenant colonelOF-4
StabsarztMajor (Dr.)
Major
OF-3
Regimentsarzt I. KlasseCaptain (Dr. 1st class)HauptmannCaptainOF-2
Regimentsarzt II. KlasseCaptain (Dr. 2nd class)
OberarztFirst lieutenant (Dr.) OberleutnantFirst lieutenantOF-1
AssistenzarztSecond lieutenant (Dr.)LeutnantSecond lieutenant

References

  1. The abbreviation "OF" stands for de: "Offizier / en: officer / fr: officier / ru: офицер"
  2. Besoldungsgesetz vom 16. Dezember 1927 (RGBl. I …, C Soldaten S. 391), changes 1937 to 1940
  3. “War and victory 1870-71”, culture history, published by Julius von Pflugk-Harttung. (Original title: Krieg und Sieg 1870-71, Kulturgeschichte, Herausgeber Julius von Pflugk-Harttung.)
  4. F. Altrichter: “The reserve officer”, fourteenth checked addition, Berlin 1941, pages 158-159. (Original title: F. Altrichter: „Der Reserveoffizier“, vierzehnte durchgesehene Auflage, Berlin 1941, Seiten 158-159.)
  5. The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"
  6. Schriften des Heeresgeschichtlifhen Museums in Wien Das k.u.k. Heer im Jahre 1895 Edition Leopold Stocker Graz 1997 ISBN 3-7020-0783-0.
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