''Oberleutnant zur See'' (''OLt zS'' or ''OLZS''
in the
German Navy, ''Oblt.z.S.'' in the ''
Kriegsmarine
The (, ) was the navy of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official branches, along with the a ...
'') is traditionally the highest rank of Lieutenant in the German Navy. It is grouped as OF-1 in
NATO.
The rank was introduced in the
Imperial German Navy by renaming the former rank of ''Premier Lieutenant'' in 1890. Within the navy officers of this rank were simply addressed as ''Herr Oberleutnant''. To distinguish naval officers from those of the army, the suffix ''zur See'' (at sea) was added in official communications, sometimes shortened to ''z.S.'' (''Oblt.z.S.''). The rank has since been used by the ''
Reichsmarine
The ''Reichsmarine'' ( en, Realm Navy) was the name of the German Navy during the Weimar Republic and first two years of Nazi Germany. It was the naval branch of the ''Reichswehr'', existing from 1919 to 1935. In 1935, it became known as the ''K ...
'', ''
Kriegsmarine
The (, ) was the navy of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official branches, along with the a ...
'', and ''
Bundesmarine''. In the ''
Volksmarine'' the rank was originally used in the same way until the suffix ''zur See'' was dropped. In the ''Kriegsmarine'' engineers (''Ingenieur – Ing.'') of the same rank were distinguished as ''Oberleutnant (Ing.)''.
See also
*
Ranks of the German Bundeswehr
*
Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr
The rank insignia of the federal armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany indicate rank and branch of service in the German Army (), German Air Force (), or the German Navy ().
They are regulated by the "presidential order on rank designat ...
References
{{German military ranks
Naval ranks of Germany