Oberstleutnant () (English: Lieutenant Colonel)
Austria
The Habsburg Monarchy used the rank
obristlieutenant (or
oberstleutnant) in the 18th century.
Austria armed forces, the Bundesheer, uses the rank Oberstleutnant as its sixth-highest officer rank. Like in Germany and Switzerland, Oberstleutnants are above Majors and below Obersts. The term also finds usage with the Austrian Bundespolizei (federal police force) and Justizwache (prison guards corps). These two organizations are civilian in nature, but their ranks are nonetheless structured in a military fashion.
Belgium
File:Army-BEL-OF-04.svg|
Denmark
The Danish rank of oberstløjtnant is based around the German term. Ranked OF-4 within NATO and having the paygrade of M401, it is used in the Royal Danish Army and the Royal Danish Air Force. The equivalent rank in the Royal Danish Navy is kommandørkaptajn.
On 25 May 1671, the ranks were codified, by King Christian V, with the publication of the Danish order of precedence. Here there were two types of oberstløjtnants. The oberstløjtnant of the Life Guards placed below oberstløjtnants of the infantry and cavalry, and above general-qvarteermester. Standard oberstløjtnants was below general-qvarteermester and above Majors.
As part of the Army Reform of 1867, the ranks of major and oberstløjtnant were removed, making oberst the only senior officer. By 1889, oberstløjtnant was reintroduced.
Germany
Typically,
Suffix can be applied to the word Oberstleutnant to specify the individual type of officer. Retired officers that are not incapacitated (i.e. theoretically available for reactivation) from service continue to use their title with the suffix
a.D. (Germany)
[Bundesbeamtengesetz (BBG) §86] or
aD (Switzerland),
[Verordnung über die Militärdienstpflicht (VMDP), Artikel 95.] an abbreviation of
außer Dienst, 'out of service'. Suffixes that specify military specialization in active service include
Oberstleutnant i.G. ('im Generalstabsdienst') for general staff officers or
Oberstleutnant d.R. ('der Reserve') for reservists. The suffix
i.R. ('im Ruhestand'), implying retirement without the legal specification of a.D., is unofficial.
Bundeswehr
The armed forces of
West Germany and unified
Germany since 1955, the
Bundeswehr uses the Oberstleutnant rank in the
German Army and German Air Force. Equivalents in the other branches are
Fregattenkapitän for the
German Navy,
Oberfeldarzt for medical staff,
Flottillenarzt for naval medical staff,
Oberfeldapotheker for apothecary staff,
Flottillenapotheker for naval apothecary staff, and
Oberfeldveterinär for veterinary medical staff.
Within the German state employee paygrade system, the Oberstleutnant is placed within Besoldungsgruppe A and receives either the A14 or A15 paygrades, depending on individual seniority. Thus, the Oberstleutnant is paid an equivalent wage to that of first-class consuls and legates in the foreign service (A14) or state-employed school directors, ambassadors and general consuls (A15).
The age limit for Oberstleutnant-rank officers is 61.[Gesetz über die Rechtsstellung der Soldaten (Soldatengesetz - SG) §45 Abs. 2 (3)]
The Oberstleutnant's shoulder straps in Army and Air Force are marked by two vertically aligned stars above oak leaves.
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HA OS5 52 Oberstleutnant i.G..svg | HA OS5 52 Oberstleutnant HAufkl.svg | HA OS5 52 Oberstleutnant d.R. PzGren.svg |
LA OS5 52 Oberstleutnant.svg | LA 3S3 52 Oberstleutnant.svg | |
Bundesgrenzschutz
The Federal Border Guard (
Bundesgrenzschutz) used the rank
Oberstleutnant until 1976, after which it was replaced by the terms
Polizeioberrat and
Polizeidirektor as part of the government's effort to transform
West Germany's federal border guard agency into a less militarized structure.
[Gesetz über die Personalstruktur des Bundesgrenzschutzes (BGSPersG), Art. 5]
Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS
The
Wehrmacht (1935-1945) of
Nazi Germany used the rank of Oberstleutnant for Army and Air Force, much in the same style the Bundeswehr does. The
Waffen-SS (1933-1945) used the rank
Obersturmbannführer as an equivalent.
Nationale Volksarmee (NVA)
The National People's Army (1956-1990) of
East Germany used the rank Oberstleutnant (abbr. OSL) for its army and air force, whereas the
Volksmarine used the term
Fregattenkapitän.
Norway
The rank of Oberstløytnant was introduced around the same time as
Denmark, as Norway at the time was part of Denmark–Norway.
Norway-army-OF-4.svg|Army
Norway-air force-OF-4.svg|Air Force
Sweden
The Swedish variant överstelöjtnant, is a senior
field officer military officer
military rank in the
Swedish Army and the Swedish Air Force, immediately below the rank of colonel and just above the rank of major. It is equivalent to the naval rank of Commodore captain in the
Swedish Navy.
Sweden-Army-OF-4 (M1987).svg|Army
OF-4 Överstelöjtnant AMF hylsa.jpg|Amphibious Corps
OF-4 Överstelöjtnant FV hylsa.svg|Air Force
Switzerland
CHE OF4 Oberstlt2.svg|Army
Swiss Guard
Rank insignia of Oberstleutnant (OF-4) Pontifical Swiss Guard.svg|Army
See also
-
Ranks of the German Bundeswehr
-
Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr
-
Comparative military ranks of World War I
-
Comparative military ranks of World War II
- Citations
- Bibliography
