Coloured sidearm
tassels were introduced in the Prussian army in 1808. They were used as a decorative equipment and to differentiate companies within a regiment. Ranks below were issued either the or depending on their unit. The was used by infantry, artillery, pioneer, signal, anti-tank and supply troops, while the was worn by cavalry and rifle troops. Some units would wear honorary tassels of Russian red leather, to indicate their relation to the
1st Regiment of (Prussian) Grenadier Guards. would wear tassels independently of their company relations. The top-down sequence of ranks in that group is: • OR-9:
Oberstabsfeldwebel /
Oberstabsbootsmann this rank was introduced by the
Bundeswehr in 1983 • OR-8:
Stabsfeldwebel /
Stabsbootsmann (in the
Kriegsmarine Stabsoberbootsmann,
Stabsobersteuermann, and
Stabsobermaschinist) • OR-7:
Hauptfeldwebel (
Oberfähnrich)/
Hauptbootsmann (
Oberfähnrich zur See), this rank was introduced by the
Bundeswehr after an assignment/position of service (informally
Spieß and officially now
Kompaniefeldwebel in the
Reichswehr,
Wehrmacht, and
National People's Army) • OR-6:
Oberfeldwebel /
Oberbootsmann • OR-6:
Feldwebel /
Bootsmann Naval equivalents—replacing
Feldwebel with
Bootsmann—and, historically, the Cavalry and Artillery (replacing with
Wachtmeister). The latter is not to be confused with the Navy's "Kompaniefeldwebel" of today which are also called
Wachtmeister. German NCOs were identified by the use of metallic lace (called
Tresse) on the collar of the uniform jacket, as well as the edges of the shoulder straps. Senior non-commissioned officers in the
Wehrmacht also used silver "stars" on the shoulder strap to differentiate between ranks; one star for a Feldwebel, two for an Oberfeldwebel, and three for a Stabsfeldwebel. == Table of Portepee-ranks ==