Military Ranks of the Luftwaffe (1935–45)
Okay, so imagine you and your friends were playing soldiers. You would need someone to lead your group, right? That person would be like the "boss" or "leader" of your group. Well, in the Luftwaffe (which is the German air force from a long time ago, between 1935 and 1945), there were a lot of different "bosses" for different groups of people.
The first level of "boss" was called the "enlisted" level. This means these were the people doing the basic jobs like fixing planes or loading bombs. They were called things like Flieger or Gefreiter depending on their job and how long they had been doing it.
The next level up was called the "non-commissioned officer" level (try saying that ten times fast!). These were the people who were in charge of a small group of enlisted people. They were like team leaders or squad leaders. Some of them were called Unteroffizier or Feldwebel.
The third level was called "commissioned officer." These people were in charge of bigger groups of soldiers, like an entire platoon. They were like your "big boss" who told your squad leader what to do. Some examples of commissioned officers in the Luftwaffe were Leutnant, Oberleutnant, and Hauptmann.
Next, there were "field-grade officers" who were in charge of even bigger groups of people. They were like the "boss" of a whole division of soldiers. Some examples of field-grade officers in the Luftwaffe were Major, Oberstleutnant and Oberst.
Finally, there was the highest level called "general officers." These were the top bosses of the Luftwaffe. One example is the famous Hermann Göring who was a General Field Marshal.
So, just like how you have different people in charge when you play soldiers with your friends, the Luftwaffe had different people in charge of different groups of soldiers too!
The first level of "boss" was called the "enlisted" level. This means these were the people doing the basic jobs like fixing planes or loading bombs. They were called things like Flieger or Gefreiter depending on their job and how long they had been doing it.
The next level up was called the "non-commissioned officer" level (try saying that ten times fast!). These were the people who were in charge of a small group of enlisted people. They were like team leaders or squad leaders. Some of them were called Unteroffizier or Feldwebel.
The third level was called "commissioned officer." These people were in charge of bigger groups of soldiers, like an entire platoon. They were like your "big boss" who told your squad leader what to do. Some examples of commissioned officers in the Luftwaffe were Leutnant, Oberleutnant, and Hauptmann.
Next, there were "field-grade officers" who were in charge of even bigger groups of people. They were like the "boss" of a whole division of soldiers. Some examples of field-grade officers in the Luftwaffe were Major, Oberstleutnant and Oberst.
Finally, there was the highest level called "general officers." These were the top bosses of the Luftwaffe. One example is the famous Hermann Göring who was a General Field Marshal.
So, just like how you have different people in charge when you play soldiers with your friends, the Luftwaffe had different people in charge of different groups of soldiers too!