Hauptfeldwebel (assignment)

In the German Wehrmacht, Hauptfeldwebel (short: HptFw; address: ''Herr Hauptfeldwebel'') was not a rank but a position title, assignment or appointment, equivalent to the Commonwealth company sergeant major or U.S. company-level first sergeant. There was one such non-commissioned officer (NCO) in every infantry company, artillery battery, cavalry squadron, etc. He was the senior NCO of his subunit, but his duties were largely administrative and he was not expected to accompany his unit into an assault or a firefight.

The Hauptfeldwebel had many nicknames, including ''Spieß'' ("Spear") and ''Mutter der Kompanie'' ("company mother"). He wore two 10mm broad rings of NCO braid around the cuff of his sleeves, nicknamed ''Kolbenringe'' (" piston rings"), and carried a ''Meldetasche'' (reporting pouch) tucked into the tunic front, in which he carried blank report forms, rosters and other papers related to his duties. The German Army had no equivalent of the Commonwealth Regimental Sergeant Major.

The appointment could be held by a senior non-commissioned officer ( Unteroffizier mit Portepee), normally Oberfeldwebel or Feldwebel. If the billet was filled out of necessity by an Unteroffizier ohne Portepee, he was termed a ''Hauptfeldwebeldiensttuer'', or "one serving as Hauptfeldwebel." The equivalent appointment in anglophone armed forces might have been ''company sergeant major'' or U.S. ''company-level first sergeant''.

Other armed forces

Waffen-SS

In the Waffen-SS the equivalent to the appointment ''Hauptfeldwebel'' in Heer and Luftwaffe, was the SS-Stabsscharführer until 1945. The traditional nicknames "spear" and "company mother" were used as well. He also wore two rings of NCO braid around the cuff of his sleeves, similar to the Wehrmacht.

National People's Army

In the National People's Army (1956-1990) ''Hauptfeldwebel'' was also an appointment, held by a senior non-commissioned officer ranks, e.g. Oberfeldwebel or Stabsfeldwebel later Fähnrich. It was used in
* 15px ''Landstreitkräfte''
* 15px ''Luftstreitkräfte''
* 15px ''Grenztruppen''

The appointment insignia on the uniform jacket and the overcoat, were almost identical to those used in the Wehrmacht until 1945, but constisted of one "piston ring" around each cuff only. The nicknames were analogue to the Wehrmacht "spear" and "company mother".

Bundeswehr

Today, the former billet ''Hauptfeldwebel'' as a company's Senior NCO has become a regular rank between ''Oberfeldwebel'' and ''Stabsfeldwebel''. The position previously known as Hauptfeldwebel is now called '' Kompaniefeldwebel'', while the nicknames - and, in their general outlines, the duties - have remained. ''Kompaniefeldwebel'' often have the ''rank'' of Oberstabsfeldwebel now, though.

References

Military ranks of Germany
Military appointments

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