Stabsoberfähnrich (East Germany)

Stabsfähnrich
Armoured corps / Volksmarine
Rank insignia	NPA Fänrich rank
Utilisation	1979-1990
Rank group	Fähnrichs
Army / Air Force	Stabsoberfähnrich
Navy	Stabsoberfähnrich
NATO equivalent	WO-4
Army	Warrant Officer 4
Navy	Warrant Officer 4

Stabsoberfähnrich (short: StOFähnr / in lists: SOFR; en: Staff-senior-fähnrich) was a military rank in the Army of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1956 to 1990. Stabsfähnrich did belong to the autonomous Fähnrich rank group between commissioned officer (CO) and non-commissioned officer (NCO) ranks.^[1]

The position of that career group might be compared to the Warrant Officer (WO) rank group in English speaking armed forces.

The bottom up approach in that rank group was as follows:

• Fähnrich WO-1,^[2] (en: Fähnrich)
• Oberfähnrich (WO-2), (Senior-fähnrich)
• Stabsfähnrich WO-3, (Staff-fähnrich)
• Stabsoberfähnrich WO-4, (Staff-senior-fähnrich)

⇒ see main article Ranks of the National People's Army

Junior Rank Stabsfähnrich

(NPA rank) Stabsoberfähnrich

Senior Rank Unterleutnant

References

1. Dictionary to the German military history, 1st edition (Liz.5, P189/84, LSV:0547, B-Nr. 746 635 0), military publishing house of the GDR (VEB) – Berlin, 1985, Volume 1, page 190, definition: Fähnrich.
2. The abbreviation "WO/W" stands for " Warrant Officer, also warrant-officer ranks / de: ermächtigter Vorgesetzter / ru: уорент-офицер, между сержантами и младшими офицерами" between the rank groups CO and NCO

• Glossary of German military terms