List of German field marshals

Field marshal (German: Generalfeldmarschall) was usually the highest military rank in various German armed forces. It had existed, under slightly different names, in several German states since 1631.^[1] After the unification of Germany it was the highest military rank of the Imperial German Army and later in the Wehrmacht^[a][b] until it was abolished in 1945.^[2]

The vast majority of the people promoted to field marshal won major battles in wars of their time. Field marshals played a compelling and influential role in military matters, were tax-exempt, members of the nobility, equal to government officials, under constant protection or escort, and had the right to directly report to the royal family.^[3] In the Prussian military tradition, which set the tone for the 19th century and the German Empire, field marshals could only be promoted in wartime and the royal family was excluded, both resulting in the creation of the rank of colonel general with the rank of general field marshal (German: Generaloberst mit dem Range eines Generalfeldmarschalls) in 1854. Both restrictions would eventually end with the first royals being promoted during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, and later honorary promotions to foreign monarchs would follow. Adolf Hitler effectively disregarded the wartime prerequisite by two promotions in 1936 and 1938, though all subsequent promotions were during wartime.

Electorate (1356–1806) and Kingdom of Saxony (1806–1918)

Brandenburg-Prussia and the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1870)

German Empire (1871–1918)

Weimar Republic (1918–33)

After the loss of the First World War, Germany was transformed into what became known as the Weimar Republic, which was subject to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. It required the reduction of the German Army to 100,000 men,^[78] a reduction of the German Navy,^[78] and the abolition of the German Air Force.^[78] As a result of the new military arrangements, there were no field marshals created during the Weimar Republic.

Nazi Germany (1933–45)

See also

• Field marshal (United Kingdom)
• Field marshal (Russian Empire)
• List of Swedish field marshals
• List of German colonel generals

Notes

1. The Imperial German Navy and the Kriegsmarine used the rank of Grand Admiral (German: Großadmiral) instead.
2. In 1940 Hermann Göring was promoted to Reichsmarschall, a rank higher than that of field marshal and was the only one to hold this rank. This was done so as to make Göring superior to other field marshals and recognize him as the second man in Hitler's Reich.^[100]
3. Until 1915

References

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2. Hakim 1995, pp. 100, 105.
3. Snyder 1976, p. 111.
4. Irmer 2005, pp. 5, 35.
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19. Tucker 2009, p. 239.
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21. Lund 1999, p. 182.
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23. Siebigk 1883, pp. 352, 356.
24. Siebigk 1883, pp. 364, 365.
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30. Debrett 1836, p. 151.
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37. Siebigk 1883, p. 127.
38. Droysen 1851, p. 158.
39. Gneisenau & Marston 1815, pp. 1, 8.
40. Veve 1992, p. 30.
41. Muffling 1997, p. 174.
42. Parkinson 2000, p. 259.
43. Jensen & Rothstein 2000, p. 110.
44. Siborne 1895, p. 96.
45. Röhl 1996, p. 274.
46. Chisholm & Garvin 1926, p. 405.
47. Hughes 2009, p. 423.
48. Heal 2012, p. 206.
49. Maitland 1762, p. 24.
50. Large 2007, p. 2.
51. Marrs 2010, p. 25.
52. Darmstaedter 2008, p. 414.
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54. Hakim 1995, p. 65.
55. Murad 1968, p. 61.
56. Clarke 2000, p. 12.
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59. Steinberg 2011, p. 407.
60. Browne 2013, p. 105.
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62. Ehlert 2014, pp. 1, 2.
63. Vatikiotis 2014, p. 1.
64. Hargreaves 2010, p. 20.
65. Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 243.
66. Riley 2013, p. 471.
67. Sandler 2002, p. 523.
68. Pawly 2012, p. 63.
69. Rothenburg 1976, p. 143.
70. Tague 2011, p. 359.
71. Blumberg 1990, p. 238.
72. Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 1007.
73. Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 687.
74. Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 82.
75. Wheatcroft & Keegan, 2014. p. 62.
76. Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 390.
77. Pope & Wheal 2007, p. 476.
78. Kershaw 2008, pp. 80, 90, 92.
79. Tague 2011, p. 62.
80. Alford 2003, p. 67.
81. Wheeler-Bennett 1967, p. 497.
82. Biesinger 2006, p. 288.
83. Kesselring 1970, p. 64.
84. Goldensohn 2010, p. 157.
85. Biesinger 2006, p. 510.
86. Mineau 2004, p. 109.
87. Williamson 2006, p. 109.
88. Wright 2009, p. 110.
89. Tague 2011, p. 28.
90. Wood 2014, p. 35.
91. Frankel 2004, p. 14.
92. Mitcham 2006, p. 14.
93. Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 216.
94. Breuer 2002, p. 131.
95. Matthews 2013, p. 349.
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