Oberleutnant zur See

This article is about the German Marine “Oberleutnant zur See” OF1a. For the equivalent US naval rank, see Lieutenant Junior Grade. For the equivalent Royal Navy grad, see Sub-Lieutenant.

Oberleutnant zur See
shoulder board / cuff title / mounting loop
Rank insignia	German officer rank
Introduction	1898
Rank group	Commissioned officers
Navy	Oberleutnant zur See
Army / Air Force	Oberleutnant
NATO equivalent	OF-1a
Army	First lieutenant
Navy	*Lieutenant Junior Grade *Sub-Lieutenant

Oberleutnant zur See (OLt zS or OLZS^[1] in the German Navy, Oblt.z.S. in the Kriegsmarine) is traditionally the first and highest Lieutenant grade in the German Navy. It is grouped as OF-1a in NATO, equivalent to a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the United States Navy, and a Sub-Lieutenant in the British Royal Navy

The rank was introduced in the Imperial German Navy by renaming the former rank of Premier Lieutenant in 1890. In navy context officers of this rank were simply addressed as Herr Oberleutnant. To distinguish naval officers from officers of the army, the suffix zur See (at sea) was added in official communication, sometimes shortened to z.S. or Oblt.z.S. The rank has since been used by the Reichsmarine, the Kriegsmarine, and the German Navy. In the Volksmarine the rank was originally used in the same way until the suffix zur See was dropped. In the Kriegsmarine engineers (Ingenieur - Ing.) of the same rank would be Oberleutnant (Ing.).

junior rank Leutnant zur See

(German officer rank) Oberleutnant zur See

senior rank Kapitänleutnant

See also:

Equivalent in other countries

• K.u.k. Navy – Fregattenleutnant
• - Vaandrig-ter-zee/Enseigne de vaisseau
• - Sub-Lieutenant
• - Poručnik fregate
• - Premierløjtnant
• - Enseigne de vaisseau de 1re classe
• - Ανθυποπλοίαρχος
• - 2. Stýrimaður
• - sottotenente di vascello
• - Luitenant ter zee der 2de klasse
• - Løytnant
• - Porucznik marynarki
• - Segundo-tenente
• - Locotenent
• - Поручник фрегат
• - Poročnik fregate
• - Alférez de Navío
• - Üsteğmen
• - Sub Lieutenant (here: OF-1a and OF-1b)
• - Lieutenant (junior grade)

References