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General Admiral




General Admiral was a Danish, Dutch, German, Russian, and Spanish naval Rank . Its historic origin is a title high military or naval dignitaries of early modern Europe sometimes held, for example the (nominal) Commander-in-Chief of the Dutch Republic 's navy (usually the Prince Of Orange ).


THIRD REICH


In the German Kriegsmarine of the Second World War , Generaladmiral was a rank senior to an Admiral , but junior to a Grand Admiral . Generaladmiral was a four-star Admiral rank, as in the traditional German ranking system until World War II an Admiral is equivalent to a British or American Vice Admiral.

The sleeve insignia for a Generaladmiral was the same as that of a regular Admiral, being a thick rank stripe below three regular stripes ("''Kolbenringe''" in German naval parlance). Generaladmirals wore a third pip on their shoulder boards to differentiate them from regular Admirals. The German Army and Air Force equivalent of ''Generaladmiral'' was the rank Colonel General (''Generaloberst'').

In 1943, a directive was issued that should the Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine (Commander of the Navy) hold the rank of Generaladmiral, he would wear the sleeve insignia of a Grand Admiral, but the shoulder boards of a Generaladmiral.

A similar practice was used in the German Army, allowing Colonel Generals to wear four pips on the shoulder board when engaged in duties befitting a Field Marshal .

The rank of Generaladmiral was first given to the future Grand Admiral Erich Raeder on 20 April 1936 .

Other holders of the rank were:

It is interesting to note that Karl Dönitz was promoted to Grand Admiral without becoming a
Generaladmiral first.


RUSSIAN EMPIRE

General-admiral () was the highest rank of the Russian Navy as established by the Table Of Ranks and equivalent to Field Marshal .
This was purely honorific rank and for the most time of its existence, it was awarded to the only person in active duty, typically a descendant of Romanov Royal Family .

There were only six holders of this rank:



General Admiral rank was abolished with the fall of Empire. Admiral Of The Fleet Of The Soviet Union can be considered as a modern equivalent.


KINGDOM OF SPAIN

Almirante General is a rank in the Spanish Navy that is above an admiral, but subordinate to a Captain General .