Field marshal () was usually the highest military rank in various German armed forces. It had existed, under slightly different names, in several German states since 1631. After the unification of Germany it was the highest military rank of the Imperial German Army and later in the Wehrmacht until it was abolished in 1945.
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. 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 () 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) Name Date of promotion Birth and Death Portrait Reference Hans Georg von Arnim-Boitzenburg 1583–1641 Irmer 2005, pp. 5, 35. Francis Albert of Saxe-Lauenburg 1598–1642 Rudolf Graf von Marzin 1585–1645 Guthrie 2003, p. 48. Ernst Albrecht von Eberstein 1605–76 Joachim Rüdiger of Goltz 1620–88 Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 790. Heino Heinrich Graf von Flemming 1632–1706 Hans Adam von Schöning 1641–96 Jeremias of Chauvet Unknown–1699 Glozier & Onnekink 2007, p. 209. Heinrich VI Reuß zu Obergreiz 1649–97 Adam Heinrich von Steinau Unknown–1712 Georg Benedikt von Ogilvy 1651–1710 Jacob Heinrich von Flemming 1667–1728 Christoph August of Wackerbarth 1662–1734 Phillips 1871, p. 943. Johann Adolf II, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels 1685–1746 Long 1844, p. 360. Frederick Augustus Rutowsky 1702–64 Johann Georg, Chevalier de Saxe 1704–74 Carlyle 2002, p. 709. Frederick of Anhalt-Dessau 1705–81 Albert of Saxony 1828–1902 Riley 2014, p. 232. Georg of Saxony 1832–1904
Electorate (1623–1806) and Kingdom of Bavaria (1806–1918) Name Date of promotion Birth and Death Portrait Reference Johann Jakob von Anholt 1599–1645 Johann Heilmann, pp. 1107-1117.Schmidt-Brentano, p. 4. Gottfried von Pappenheim 1594–1632 Johann Heilmann, pp. 1107-1117.Schmidt-Brentano, p. 73. Johann von Götzen 1582–1630 Johann Heilmann, pp. 1107-1117.Schmidt-Brentano, p. 36. Joachim Christian von Wahl 1590–1644 Johann Heilmann, pp. 1107-1117. Franz von Mercy 1597–1645 Johann Heilmann, pp. 1107-1117.Schmidt-Brentano, p. 63. Gottfried Huyn von Geleen 1598–1657 Johann Heilmann, pp. 1107-1117.Schmidt-Brentano, p. 34. Jost Maximilian von Bronckhorst 1598–1662 Johann Heilmann, pp. 1107-1117. Johann von Reuschenberg 1603–1660 Johann Heilmann, pp. 1107-1117.Schmidt-Brentano, p. 81. Adrian von Enkevort 1603–1663 Johann Heilmann, pp. 1107-1117.Schmidt-Brentano, p. 28. Philip Florinus of Sulzbach 1630–1703 Schmidt-Brentano, p. 75. Jean Baptist, Comte d'Arco 1650–1715 Schmidt-Brentano, p. 5. Friedrich Heinrich von Seckendorff 1673–1763 Schmidt-Brentano, p. 92. Karl Philipp von Wrede 1767–1838 Die_Generale_des_k_bayerischen_Heeres, p. 3. Prince Karl Theodor of Bavaria 1795–1875 Prince Leopold of Bavaria 1846–1930 Stefan März, p. 102. Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria 1869–1955 Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 1007.
Brandenburg-Prussia and the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1870) Name Date of promotion Birth and Death Portrait Reference Otto Christoph von Sparr 1599–1668 John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau 1627–93 Georg von Derfflinger 1606–95 Alexander Hermann, Count of Wartensleben 1650–1734 Gruyter 2006, p. 355. Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau 1676–1747 Paret & Morgan 2014, p. 391. Carl Philipp, Reichsgraf von Wylich und Lottum 1650–1719 König 1789, p. 434. Alexander zu Dohna-Schlobitten 1661–1728 Johannes 2004, p. 34. Dubislav Gneomar von Natzmer 1654–1739 Albrecht Konrad Finck von Finckenstein 1660–1735 Colby & Williams 1906, p. 620. Friedrich Wilhelm von Grumbkow 1678–1739 Kurt Christoph Graf von Schwerin 1684–1757 Tucker 2009, p. 239. Caspar Otto von Glasenapp 1664–1747 Ohm & Boehlke & Boehlke 1997, p. 6. Samuel von Schmettau 1684–1751 Lund 1999, p. 182. Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst 1690–1747 Alexeevna 2007, p. 236. Leopold II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau 1700–51 Siebigk 1883, pp. 352, 356. Friedrich Wilhelm von Dossow 1669–1758 Siebigk 1883, pp. 364, 365. Henning Alexander von Kleist 1677–1749 Anton Balthasar König, Henning Alexander von Kleist,Biographisches Lexikon aller Helden und Militärpersonen: T. G-L, A. Wever, 1789, pp. 275–276. Accessed 26 September 2015. Christoph Wilhelm von Kalckstein 1682–1759 Dietrich of Anhalt-Dessau 1702–69 James Francis Edward Keith 1696–1758 MacKillop & Murdoch 2003, p. 103. Hans von Lehwaldt 1685–1768 Siebigk 1883, pp. 166, 167. Prince Moritz of Anhalt-Dessau 1712–60 Ross 1997, p. 134, 135. Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 1721–92 Ballard 2011, p. 54. Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick 1735–1806 Debrett 1836, p. 151. Wichard Joachim Heinrich von Möllendorf 1724–1816 Stoker 2014, p. 52. Alexander von Knobelsdorff 1723–99 Bruce & Stanard 1958, p. 88. Ludwig Karl von Kalckstein 1725–1800 Friedländer 1882, pp. 18-19. Friedrich Adolf Graf von Kalckreuth 1737–1818 Phillips 1871, p. 378. Wilhelm René de l'Homme de Courbière 1733–1811 Fischer 1907, p. 50. Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher 1742–1819 Leggiere 2014, p. 535. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington 1769–1852 Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf 1762–1823 Siebigk 1883, p. 127. Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg 1759–1830 Droysen 1851, p. 158. August Neidhardt von Gneisenau 1760–1831 Gneisenau & Marston 1815, pp. 1, 8. Hans Ernst Karl, Graf von Zieten 1770–1848 Veve 1992, p. 30. Karl Freiherr von Müffling 1775–1851 Muffling 1997, p. 174. Hermann von Boyen 1771–1848 Parkinson 2000, p. 259. Karl Friedrich von dem Knesebeck 1768–1848 Jensen & Rothstein 2000, p. 110. Karl Friedrich Emil zu Dohna-Schlobitten 1784–1859 Siborne 1895, p. 96. Friedrich Graf von Wrangel 1784–1877 Röhl 1996, p. 274. Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia 1828–85 Prince Frederick William of Prussia 1831–88
German Empire (1871–1918) Name Date of promotion Birth and Death Portrait Reference 1796–1884 Chisholm & Garvin 1926, p. 405. 1796–1877 Hughes 2009, p. 423. Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke 1800–91 Heal 2012, p. 206. Albert, Crown Prince of Saxony 1828–1902 Maitland 1762, p. 24. 1803–79 Large 2007, p. 2. 1809–85 Marrs 2010, p. 25. 1810–1900 Darmstaedter 2008, p. 414. Georg, Crown Prince of Saxony 1832–1904 Prince Albert of Prussia 1837–1906 Burke 2012, p. 17. Archduke Albrecht, Duke of Teschen 1817–95 Hakim 1995, p. 65. Franz Joseph I of Austria 1830–1916 Murad 1968, p. 61. 1832–1904 Clarke 2000, p. 12. 1836–1919 Ross 1997, p. 452. 1833–1912 Hahnke 2012, p. 47. 1828–1908 Steinberg 2011, p. 407. Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn 1850–1942 Browne 2013, p. 105. Carol I of Romania 1839–1914 Roberts & Tucker 2005, pp. 666, 667. 1833–1913 Ehlert 2014, pp. 1, 2. George V of the United Kingdom 1865–1936 Constantine I of Greece 1868–1923 Vatikiotis 2014, p. 1. 1847–1934 Hargreaves 2010, p. 20. 1846–1921 Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 243. Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen 1856–1936 Riley 2013, p. 471. 1849–1945 Sandler 2002, p. 523. Ludwig III of Bavaria 1845–1921 Pawly 2012, p. 63. 1852–1925 Rothenburg 1976, p. 143. Ferdinand I of Bulgaria 1861–1948 Tague 2011, p. 359. Mehmed V of the Ottoman Empire 1844–1918 William II of Württemberg 1848–1921 Blumberg 1990, p. 238. Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria 1869–1955 Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 1007. Prince Leopold of Bavaria 1846–1930 Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 687. Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg 1865–1939 Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 82. Charles I of Austria 1887–1922 Wheatcroft & Keegan, 2014. p. 62. 1848–1918 Roberts & Tucker 2005, p. 390. 1847–1920 Pope & Wheal 2007, p. 476.
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. The military restrictions imposed by the treaty required the reduction of the German Army to 100,000 men, a reduction of the German Navy, and the abolition of the German Air Force. 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 (Russia) Fältmarskalk List of Swedish field marshals List of German colonel generals
External links Selected Biographies of German Generals and Admirals
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