Generalmajor

Generalmajor;
	Army and Air Force insignia
Country	Germany
Service branch	German Army; German Air Force
Abbreviation	GenMaj
Rank	Two-star
NATO rank	OF-7
Non-NATO rank	O-8
Formation	1956
Next higher rank	Generalleutnant
Next lower rank	Brigadegeneral
Equivalent ranks	Konteradmiral
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For the use of this Two-star rank in other countries, see Major general.

Not to be confused with Generalmajor (Sweden).

Generalmajor, short GenMaj, (English: major general) is a general officer rank in many countries, and is identical to and translated as major general.

It is currently the third highest general officer rank in the German Army (Heer), German Air Force (Luftwaffe). This rank is also used in the Austrian Armed Forces, but is abbreviated as GenMjr.

Historically, German Army ranks for their Generals prior to 1945 were offset by one from western nomenclature. Thus, prior to 1945 the Generalmajor rank in the German Army was equivalent to the Brigadier General rank in the West, and so forth.

Rank[]

The rank is rated OF-7 in NATO, and is grade B7 in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence. It is equivalent to Konteradmiral in the German Navy (Marine) or to Generalstabsarzt, and Admiralstabsarzt in the Zentraler Sanitätsdienst der Bundeswehr.

Rank insignia[]

On the shoulder straps (Heer, Luftwaffe) there are two golden pips (stars) in golden oak leaves.

Heer	Luftwaffe	... to service uniform
Generalmajor (field suit) Generalmajor (retired) General-stabsarzt (dental medicine)	Generalmajor (field suit) General-stabsarzt (human medicine)	Arabesque (right) Arabesque (left)

Bundeswehr sequence of ranks ascending

junior rank:
Brigadegeneral

(German officer rank)
Generalmajor

senior rank:
Generalleutnant

Generalmajor in East Germany[]

Generalmajor (en: major general) was in the so-called armed organs of the GDR (German language: Bewaffnete Organe der DDR), represented by Ministry of National Defence, and Ministry for State Security, the lowest general officer rank, comparable to the one-star rank in many NATO-Armed forces (Rangcode OF-6). This was in reference to Soviet military doctrine and in line with other armed forces of the Warsaw Pact.

The equivalent rank of the Volksmarine (en: GDR Navy) was the Konteradmiral, often called simply Herr Admiral for short.

For the use of this one-star rank in modern NATO armed forces, see brigadier general.

Junior Rank
Oberst

National People's Army rank
Generalmajor
(Konteradmiral)

Senior Rank
Generalleutnant

Rank insignias Generalmajor / Konteradmiral (OF-6)
Stasi	Land forces	Air Force	GDR Border troops	Volksmarine

Generalmajor				Konteradmiral

See also: Ranks of the National People's Army

Generalmajor of the Wehrmacht[]

Generalmajor (en: major general) was in the German Reich, and Nazi Germany the lowest general officer rank, comparable to the one-star rank in many NATO-Armed forces (Rangcode OF-6). It was equivalent to Konteradmiral in the Kriegsmarine, and SS-Brigadeführer in the Waffen-SS until 1945.