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Konteradmiral (abbreviated KAdm) is a senior naval flag officer rank in several German-speaking countries, equivalent to counter or rear admiral.
Austria-Hungary
edit
In the Austro-Hungarian K.u.K. Kriegsmarine (1849 to 1918) there were the flag officer ranks Kontreadmiral (also spelled Konteradmiral in the 20th century), Viceadmiral , Admiral and Großadmiral.
Germany
edit| Counter admiral Konteradmiral | |
|---|---|
  Shoulder board and mounting loop | |
 Cuff title | |
| Country |  Germany |
| Service branch |  German Navy |
| Abbreviation | KAdm |
| Rank group | Flag officer |
| NATO rank code | OF-7 |
| Pay grade | B7 |
| Next higher rank | Vizeadmiral |
| Next lower rank | Flottillenadmiral |
| Equivalent ranks | Generalmajor |
Konteradmiral, abbreviated KAdm or KADM, is the second lowest naval flag officer rank in the German Navy. It is equivalent to Generalmajor in the Heer and Luftwaffe or to Admiralstabsarzt and Generalstabsarzt in the Zentraler Sanitätsdienst der Bundeswehr.
Rank insignia and rating
editThe rank insignia, worn on the sleeves and shoulders, is a single five-pointed star above a single normal stripe and a wide stripe. The star is omitted on rank loops. Konteradmiral is a B7 grade in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence.
The sequence of ranks in decreasing seniority is:
- OF-9: Admiral / General
- OF-8: Vizeadmiral / Generalleutnant
- OF-7: Konteradmiral / Generalmajor
- OF-6: Flottillenadmiral / Brigadegeneral
History
editImperial German Navy and Kriegsmarine
editIn the Kaiserliche Marine and Kriegsmarine, Konteradmiral was an OF-6 one-star officer rank equivalent to a Heer or Luftwaffe Generalmajor, and to an SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor 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 (no pips or stars) on padding in navy blue weapon color.
Cuff insignia consisted of one golden big stripe, one normal stripe, and a five-point naval star above. The sleeve rings encircled the lower cuffs.
The last surviving Kriegsmarine Konteradmiral, Eberhard Godt, died at the age of 95 on 13 September 1995.
National People's Army
editKonteradmiral (OF-6) was the lowest flag officer grade of the Volksmarine, equivalent to the one-star rank Generalmajor (OF-6 as well).
In the GDR Volksmarine there were three flag officer ranks: Konteradmiral, Vizeadmiral, and Admiral. The GDR State Council decided from 25 March 25, 1982 to introduce the rank of Flottenadmiral .
- Konteradmirals of the GDR Volksmarine
| Name | Dates | Name | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernig, Herbert | 1931– | Lau, Wolfgang | 1929–96 | |
| Dönitz, Hans-Joachim | 1934–2010 | Miet, Peter | 1944– | |
| Elchlepp, Friedrich | 1924-2002 | Milzow, Helmut | 1932– | |
| Fischer, Richard | 1906–91 | Müller, Gerhard | 1941– | |
| Grießbach, Eberhard | 1935– | Nitz, Egon | 1934–2011 | |
| Heinecke, Lothar | 1933–85 | Partzsch, Hans | 1930–2012 | |
| Heniger, Werner | 1929– | Pöschel, Günther | 1933– | |
| Heß, Hans | 1929– | Rödel, Rolf | 1940–2013 | |
| Irmscher, Heinz | 1920–2004 | Scheffler, Felix | 1915–86 | |
| Jordt, Heinrich | 1917–87 | Städtke, Herbert | 1931–2008 | |
| Kahnt, Klaus | 1935– | Streubel, Johannes | 1921–90 | |
| Kotte, Werner | 1931– | Wegner, Rudi | 1923–95 | |
| Münch, Joachim | 1941– | Weiß, Karl | 1935–2012 |
Insignia
edit| Insignia | Shoulder | Sleeve | Rank flag | Higher/lower rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Imperial German Navy[1]
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Vizeadmiral Kapitän zur See |
 Reichsmarine[2]
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| |
 Kriegsmarine[3]
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Vizeadmiral Kommodore |
 Volksmarine[4]
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Vizeadmiral Kapitän zur See |
| German Navy[5]
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Vizeadmiral Flottillenadmiral |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Dienstgrade und Uniformen". kleiner-kreuzer-dresden.de (in German). Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Mollo 2001, p. 19.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Dienstgradabzeichen Marine". bundeswehr.de (in German). Bundeswehr. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- Mollo, Andrew (2001). The Armed Forces of World War II: Uniforms, Insignia & Organisation. Leicester: Silverdale books. ISBN 1-85605-603-1.