Deutsche Reichsbahn service ranks

Since its beginning until the year 1991, service rank was a permanent element of service with the Deutsche Reichsbahn, the former German national railway system, whether as a civil servant or as an employee. Every railroad employee was obliged to wear the conferred insignia while on duty and entitled to do so off duty. The service rank was conferred with a certificate. The first conferral was designated as a certification, each additional conferral as a promotion.

Certificate for Reichsbahn secretary

Service Ranks from 1924 to 1935

As a result of a competition, a single service uniform that eliminated of the previous badges and embellishments was introduced throughout the Reich for all members of the Reichsbahn. Service rank and respective division were recognizable from the collar insignia.

Service Ranks from 1935 to 1945

Uniform regulations of 1935

In July 1935, a new uniform was introduced with specialty and division badges and epaulets as rank insignia for civil servants and workers.[1]

Rank insignia for the Deutsche Reichsbahn according to the uniform regulations of 1935.

Uniform regulations of 1941

Collar patch for railway officials of the middle career group, 1941.
Rank insignia for a railway official in paygrade 9a/9, serving in Wehrmachts-
Verkersdirektion Brüssel
(occupied Belgium). The yellow armlet denotes him as a combatant according to the law of war.

The first uniform regulations of 1941 exchanged the pips on the epaulets for rosettes. They also introduced collar patches denoting career groups.[2]

Service Ranks from 1945 to 1957

After the end of the Second World War, the pre-war service ranks were retained in the Deutsche Reichsbahn (East Germany). The uniforms, however, were soon brought into accord with the Soviet model. This was especially apparent in the epaulets. Basically, many railway employees wore uniforms, and the military cut and service grades reflected the semi-military character of the railways in the GDR. This was combined with an overly elevated degree of security awareness, readiness, and secrecy.

Service Ranks from 1957 to 1962

The collar insignia borders of rank groups I to IV bore the colors of the respective main service branch. The example shows a collar insignia of the main service branch operations and traffic service (red).

Rank group I

The cap gimp of this rank group was blue interwoven with gold.

Service Rank Abbreviation Epaulet
Lehrling B+V-Helfer Lehrl BV-Helf
Lehrling Lehrl
Eisenbahner Eb
Reichsbahn-Unterassistent and Zugschaffner RUAss und Zsch
Reichsbahn-Assistent RAss

Rank Group II

The cap gimp of this rank group was blue and gold in the relationship of 2:2.

Service Rank Abbreviation Epaulet
Ingenieurschüler first semester Ingsch
Ingenieurschüler after the first semester Ingsch
Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, Zugführer, Lokomotivheizer RUS, Zf, Lokh
Reichsbahn-Sekretär and Reservelokomotivführer RS und ResLf
Reichsbahn-Obersekretär and Lokomotivführer ROS and Lf
Reichsbahn-Hauptsekretär and Oberlokomotivführer RHS and OLf

Service Ranks from 1962 to 1974

The main service branches were recognizable from the colors of the piping on the caps as well as by the borders of the epaulets and collar insignia.

In this context

  1. red for operations and traffic service
  2. blue for mechanical management
  3. gray for coach management
  4. green for railroad property and construction
  5. yellow for security and communications

Rank group I

The cap gimp of this rank group was blue interwoven with gold.

Service Rank Abbreviation Epaulet
Eisenbahner Eb
Reichsbahn-Unterassistent and Zugschaffner RUAss and Zsch
Reichsbahn-Assistent RAss

Apprentices wore epaulets as with the Eisenbahner service rank, but instead of the star, one or two loops in gold with blue stripes were worn.

Rank Group II

The cap gimp of this rank group was blue and gold in the relationship of 2:2.

Service rank Abbreviation Epaulet
Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, Zugführer and Lokomotivheizer RUS, Zf and Lokh
Reichsbahn-Sekretär and Reservelokomotivführer RS and ResLf
Reichsbahn-Obersekretär and Lokomotivführer ROS and Lf
Reichsbahn-Hauptsekretär and Oberlokomotivführer RHS and OLf

Students of the Gotha Engineering School, the Eisenach and Altenburg high schools and the Dresden engineering school for Railroad Studies wore the epaulets similar to the service rank of Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, except that instead of the stars, a gold loop with blue stripes was worn.

After the second semester, students in the engineering schools wore epaulets similar to Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, except that instead of stars, two gold loops with blue stripes were worn.

Service Ranks from 1974 to 1991

The color differentiation of the main service branches was retained (see 1962 to 1974)

The collar insignia borders of rank groups I to IV bore the colors of the respective main service branch. The example shows a collar insignia of the main service branch operations and traffic service (red).

Service ranks were discontinued by the Reichsbahn in 1991. Every employee received a note which stated only that he was entitled to continue wearing the previous rank "off duty".

Rank group I

The cap gimp of this rank group was blue interwoven with gold.

Service Rank Abbreviation Epaulet
Lehrling Teilausbildung Lehrl Teilausb
Lehrling leaving the 8th class Lehrl 8. Kl
Lehrling leaving the 10th class Lehrl 10. Kl
Lehrling leaving the 10th class with Abitur Lehrl Abi
Reichsbahn-Unterassistent RUAss
Reichsbahn-Assistent RAss
Reichsbahn-Oberassistent ROAss
Reichsbahn-Hauptassistent RHAss

Rank Group II

The cap gimp of this rank group was blue and gold in the relationship of 2:2.

Service Rank Abbreviation Epaulet
Reichsbahn-Untersekretär RUS
Reichsbahn-Sekretär RS
Reichsbahn-Obersekretär ROS
Reichsbahn-Hauptsekretär RHS

Rank Group III

Service Rank Abbreviation Epaulet
Student der Ingenieurschulen Stud Ing
Student der Hochschule Stud HfV
Absolvent der Hochschule Abs HfV
Reichsbahn-Inspektor RI
Reichsbahn-Oberinspektor ROI
Reichsbahn-Amtmann RA
Reichsbahn-Oberamtmann ROA

Rank Group IV

Service Rank Abbreviation Epaulet
Reichsbahn-Rat RR
Reichsbahn-Oberrat ROR
Reichsbahn-Hauptrat RHR

Rank Group V

Service Rank Abbreviation Epaulet
Reichsbahn-Direktor RD
Reichsbahn-Oberdirektor ROD
Reichsbahn-Hauptdirektor RHD
Stellvertreter des Generaldirektors der DR Stv. GD
Stellvertreter des Generaldirektors der DR, Staatssekretär, Stv. Minister Stv. GD
Minister für Verkehrswesen und Generaldirektor der DR GD

See also

References

  1. Davis, Brian L. (2012-05-20). The German Home Front 1939–45. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 60–61. ISBN 978-1-78096-806-3.
  2. Patzwall, Klaus (1987). Deutsche Uniform- und Rangabzeichen: 1900-1945 (in German). Patzwall. OCLC 831288495.
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