Information AboutOberst |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT OBERST | |
| military ranks of germany | |
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Oberst is a military rank in several German -speaking countries, equivalent to Colonel . It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria , Germany , Liechtenstein and Denmark , although the latter is not German -speaking. The Swedish rank ''överste'' is a direct translation. HISTORY Translated as "superior" or "supreme", the rank of Oberst can trace its origins to the Middle Ages where the term most likely described the senior Knight on a Battlefield . With the founding of professional armies in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries , an Oberst became the officer in charge of Regiment or Battalion -sized formations. By the Eighteenth Century , Obersts were typically afforded Aide s or Lieutenants , often called by the title '' Oberstleutnant ''. This lead to formation of the modern German rank of the same name, translated as Lieutenant Colonel . Oberst was used in the militaries of Germany and Austria during both World Wars. Oberst was also used as the prefix of the now obsolete SS Rank of '' Oberstgruppenführer ''. The direct SS equivalent to an Oberst was known as a '' Standartenführer ''. A Colonel General during the World Wars was called ''Generaloberst''. POPULAR CULTURE The rank of Oberst is known in American Cinema , since several popular movies (such as '' The Great Escape '', '' Stalag 17 '', and '' Hart's War '') have featured characters holding the rank. American Stereotype s of an Oberst usually entail a World War II era Wehrmacht Officer, sometimes wearing a Monocle , speaking English with a heavy German accent and usually up to some sinister plan to foil Americans. Colonel Klink of the television series Hogan's Heroes was a caricature of such a stereotype. |
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