Hauptfeldwebel (rank)

The Hauptfeldwebel introduced by the German Wehrmacht in 1938, was not as a military rank, but an assignment to "company sergeant" ( or ). Most experienced Portepée-NCO with the rank Stabsfeldwebel (more rarely Oberfeldwebel) have been assigned to that distinguished position. The equivalent assignment in the Waffen-SS was the SS-Stabsscharführer. The assignment was also used in the GDR National People's Army from 1956 until 1990. In 1957, the rank was introduced in the West German Armed Forces. ==Rank sequence==

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group (Senior NCOs with portepee) is as follows: • OR-9: / • OR-8: / • OR-7: / • OR-6: / • OR-6: / == References ==