Vizeadmiral (abbreviated VAdm) is a senior naval flag officer rank in several German-speaking countries, equivalent to Vice admiral.

Austria-Hungary

edit

In the Austro-Hungarian Navy there were the flag-officer ranks Kontreadmiral (also spelled Konterdmiral in the 20th century), Viceadmiral , and Admiral, as well as Großadmiral.

K.u.K. Kriegsmarinerank
Command flag
Cuff title
K.u.K. Konteradmiral

Belgium

edit

In the Belgian Navy, the rank is known as Vizeadmiral (in German), Vice-admiraal (in Flemish) and Vice-amiral (in French).[1]

Germany

edit
Vice admiral
Vizeadmiral
   
Shoulder board and mounting loop
 
Cuff title
Country  Germany
Service branch  German Navy
AbbreviationVAdm
Rank groupFlag officer
NATO rank codeOF-8
Pay gradeB8
Next higher rankAdmiral
Next lower rankKonteradmiral
Equivalent ranksGeneralleutnant

Rank insignia and rating

edit

Its rank insignia, worn on the sleeves and shoulders, are one five-pointed star above a big gold stripe and two normal ones (without the star when rank loops are worn). It is grade B8 in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence.

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:

History

edit

Imperial German Navy and Kriegsmarine

edit

In the Kaiserliche Marine and Kriegsmarine, Vizeadmiral was a flag officer rank equivalent to a Heer or Luftwaffe Generalleutnant, and to an SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant of the Waffen-SS.

The rank insignia consisted of shoulder strap and sleeve stripes. Shoulder straps had to be worn on uniform jackets and consisted of twisted gold-braids (one pip or star) on padding in navy blue weapon color.

Cuff insignia consisted of one golden big stripe, two normal stripes, and a five-point naval star above. The sleeve rings encircled the lower cuffs.

National People's Army

edit

Vizeadmiral was the second lowest flag officer grade of the Volksamarine, equivalent to the Generalleutnant.

In the GDR Volksmarine there were 3 flag officer ranks: Konteradmiral, Vizeadmiral, and Admiral. The GDR State Council decided 25 March 1982 to introduce the rank of Flottenadmiral.

Insignia

edit
Insignia Shoulder Sleeve Rank flag Higher/lower
rank
  Imperial German Navy[2]       Admiral
Konteradmiral
  Reichsmarine[3]      
  Kriegsmarine[4]      
  Volksmarine[5]      
  German Navy[6]      

References

edit
  1. ^ "Marinecomponent". mil.be (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 20 February 2005. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Dienstgrade und Uniformen". kleiner-kreuzer-dresden.de (in German). Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  3. ^ Hoyer, K; Brennecke, F (1925). Die Uniformen des Reichsheeres und der Reichsmarine nebst amtlichen Uniformtafeln; mit Genehmigung des Reichswehrministeriums (in German). Charlottenburg: Verlag "Offene Worte, ". OCLC 44571687.
  4. ^ Mollo 2001, p. 19.
  5. ^ Luft, Kathleen (1988). "National Security". In Burant, Stephen R. (ed.). East Germany: a country study. Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 264–265. LCCN 87600490. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Dienstgradabzeichen Marine". bundeswehr.de (in German). Bundeswehr. Retrieved 30 May 2021.