Oberstabsarzt

Oberstabsarzt (short: OStArzt or OSA) is a military rank in German speaking armed force. It describes a medical staff officer surgeon or medical staff officer dentist comparable to major (de: Major) or lieutenant commander (de: Korvettenkapitän) NATO-Rangcode OF3 in anglophone armed forces.

Oberstabsarzt
Rank insigniaGerman medical service ranks
Introduction
Rank groupCommissioned officers
Heer / Luftwaffe*Oberstabsarzt
*Oberstabsapotheker
*Oberstabsveterinär
Marine*Oberstabsarzt
*Oberstabsapotheker
*Oberstabsveterinär
short (in lists)*OStArzt (OSA)
*OStApotheker (OSAP)
*OStVeterinär (OSV)
NATO
equivalent
OF-3

Germany

Bundeswehr

In the Joint Medical Service of the German Bundeswehr Oberstabsarzt, Oberstabsapotheker, and Oberstabsveterinär comparable in NATO to the OF-3 ranks Major, and to Korvettenkapitän.

Address

The manner of formal addressing of military surgeons/dentists with the rank Oberstabsarzt is "Herr/Frau Oberstabsarzt", with the rank Oberstabsapotheker, "Herr/Frau Oberstabsapotheker", and veterinaries with the rank Oberstabsveterinär "Herr/Frau Oberstabsveterinär".

Rank insignias

On the shoulder straps (Heer, Luftwaffe) there is one silver star in silver oak leaves and the career insignia (de: Laufbahnabzeichen) as symbol of the medical standing, or course of studies. The piping on shoulder straps shows the Waffenfarbe (en: corps- or troop-function colour), corresponding to the appropriate military service, branch, or special force. The corps colour of the "Bundeswehr Joint Medical Service" is dark blue.

In the Marines, the career insignia is in the middle of both sleeves, 3 cm above the cuff strips, and on the shoulder straps between strips and button.

junior Rank
Stabsarzt

German medical officer rank
Oberstabsarzt
senior Rank
Oberfeldarzt
Flottillenarzt

Wehrmacht

Oberstabsarzt of the German Wehrmacht was comparable to the Major / Korvettenkapitän (OF-3), as well as to the Sturmbannführer and Major of the Waffen-SS.

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[1] (changes 1937 – 1940), the comparative ranks were as follows: C 6

  • Major (Heer and Luftwaffe)
  • Korvettenkapitän (Kriegsmarine)
  • Oberstabsarzt (medical service of the Wehrmacht)
  • Marineoberstabsarzt, introduced June 26, 1935 (medical service of the Kriegsmarine)
  • Oberstabsveterinär (veterinarian service of the Wehrmacht)

During wartime, regular assignments of Oberstabsarzt were commander of a medical company, or chief of a, field-, evacuation-, or war hospital (de. Feldlazarett / Kreislazarett). However, a field hospital could be managed by an Oberfeldarzt (OF4) as well. An Oberstabsarzt was assisted by first lieutenants (Dr.), second lieutenants (Dr.), and help surgeons (de: Ober-, Assistenz-, and Hilfsärzte).

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.[2] 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.

Ranks Wehrmacht until 1945[3]
Ranks
Medical serviceen translation Equivalent Heeren equivalent
GeneraloberstabsarztSenior 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[4]
Feldunterarzt (since 1940)

Kriegsmarine

Rank designations of the Kriegsmarine as to Match 30, 1934, are contained in the table below.

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 was the OF3-rank Stabsarzt (en: Staff surgeon) until 1918, equivalent to the OF3-rank Oberstabsarzt in Germany. That particular rank was comparable to the Major OF3-rank as well.

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. Besoldungsgesetz vom 16. Dezember 1927 (RGBl. I …, C Soldaten S. 391), changes 1937 to 1940
  2. “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.)
  3. 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.)
  4. The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"
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