General field marshal / General rank

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The field marshal, also general field marshal (ahdt of. "marahscalc", marshal, stable master or horse farmhand) were in 16. Century of the leaders of the Reiterei. In the war the field marshal was a higher general rank. Since the end 17. Century the designation was used as the highest military rank in many European armies.

History

From the original office for yard of a stable master the position of the commander in chief of the Reiterei developed in the Middle Ages. In 16. Century was normally the field marshal the commander of the Kavallerie and the deputy commander in chief with judicial authority. Since that 18. Century is the field marshal the highest general rank.

The rank of the field marshal did not only mean a military rank, it applied protokollarisch for the Minister on an equal footing and received thereby also a political dimension. The marshal staff, with the national emblems national gentlemen decorated, and only of this or sent, made him the partner at the power national gentlemen lent.

The general field marshal was in the Prussian army a rank, which could be lent to active officers only in the war. General field marshal could become, who had conquered for example a fortress or had won an important battle. Erwin Rommel was appointed after the storm on Tobruk and Erich von Manstein after conquest from Sewastopol to the general field marshal. In times of peace he was assigned in addition, honour for the sake of at princes of friendly states or as a "character" (honour rank is called) to earned generals for transfer into the retirement.

In the Prussian army and in the armed forces a general field marshal Anspruch on certain privileges had. Thus for example a constant was entitled to it escort to the protection and as honour company, besides a field marshal did not separate from that active service and became up to his death as an active soldier led and honoured (this last regulation applied similarly in US armed forces also to their five-star generals (general OF the Army)). In addition in Prussia all field marshals were born members of the Prussian Council of State.

With prince Friedrich Karl and Kronprinz Friedrich William was appointed 1870 for the first time in history Prussian princes field marshals. Still in the year 1854 the rank of the general-upper had to be invented, in order to be able to carry prince Wilhelm, without offending against this rule.

In the German armies the rank was general field marshal as the highest military rank until 1945 used. Its correspondence at the navy was the large admiral. Today the rank in the German Federal Armed Forces is not no more used, highest rank is a general and/or admiral.

The national People's Army knew following the Red Army of the Soviet Union the rank marshal of the GDR, to which however never one lent.

Field marshal in other countries

In the Roman languages the marshal corresponds to the field marshal. The French de Camp as well as the Spanish Mariscal del campo meant literally field marshal, was not however contrary to the marshal of France a marshal rank, but a general rank, which corresponded to the major general, compared also the Austrian-Hungarian Feldmarschalleutnant (lieutenant general) and/or the British air Marshal (air marshal). A French of the Logis is today again only one NCO.