Stabsarzt
Stabsarzt, in English Staff Surgeon, is a military commissioned officer rank in German speaking armed forces. In the German Bundeswehr and the former Wehrmacht and Reichswehr, it describes a qualified or licensed surgeon or dentist who practises military medicine, with a rank equal to captain in the army or air force or lieutenant in the navy.
This rank corresponds to NATO code OF2, and is known in English as captain for army or air force officers or lieutenant for naval officers. The rank was historically also used in the Austro-Hungarian Common Army and corresponded to major or the NATO code OF-3, known as major in English.
The German word Arzt is the general term for a medical practitioner in German. In English the word surgeon in a military context is applied to any medical practitioner, due to the historical evolution of the term, and does not refer exclusively to the modern specialty of surgery. Thus the title is translated as Staff Surgeon in English. The rank of Staff Surgeon has also existed in English-speaking countries; it was used in the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom until 1918.
Holders of this rank are commissioned officers; in practice their authority is often limited to medical matters and medical staff. Under international humanitarian law they are regarded as neutral non-combatants and accorded the status of "protected persons" when participating in humanitarian work during armed conflicts, such as caring for the sick or wounded. They may wear the red cross as a protective sign. As such, they may not be attacked, harmed or taken as prisoners of war, and are entitled under the Geneva Conventions to carry out their work without being inhibited. They may be armed, usually with service pistols, strictly for defensive purposes, including self defense and the defense of patients.
Germany
Bundeswehr
In the Joint Medical Service of the German Bundeswehr Stabsarzt, Stabsapotheker, and Stabsveterinär are comparable in NATO to the OF-2 ranks Hauptmann, and Kapitänleutnant. The grades belong to the captain rank group.Address
The manner of formal addressing of military surgeons/dentists with the rank Stabsarzt is, „Herr/Frau Stabsarzt“; with the rank Stabsapotheker, „Herr/Frau Stabsapotheker“; with the rank Stabsveterinär, „Herr/Frau Stabsveterinär“.Rank insignias
On the shoulder straps there are three silver stars and the career insignia as symbol of the medical standing, or course of studies. The piping on shoulder straps shows the Waffenfarbe, corresponding to the appropriate military service, branch, or special force. The corps colour of the "Bundeswehr Joint Medical Service" is dark blue.In the Marines, the career insignia is in the middle of both sleeves, 3 cm above the cuff strips, and on the shoulder straps between strips and button.
| junior Rank Leutnant SanOA Oberleutnant SanOA | Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr#Commissioned officers |German medical officer rank Stabsarzt | senior Rank Oberstabsarzt |
Wehrmacht
Stabsarzt of the German Wehrmacht was comparable to the Hauptmann / Kapitänleutnant, as well as to the Hauptsturmführer and Hauptmann of the Waffen-SS.During wartime, the regular assignment of a Stabsarzt was the management of a main dressing station, maintained by the 2nd platoon of the medical company, and supported by first lieutenants, second lieutenants, and help surgeons. A Stabsarzt also could serve in a variety of other roles.
In line to the so-called , appendixes to the Salary law of the German Empire of 1927, the comparative ranks were as follows: C 7
- Hauptmann
- Kapitänleutnant
- Stabsarzt
- Marinestabsarzt, introduced June 26, 1935
- Stabsveterinär