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<h2 id="austria">Austria</h2> <h2 id="belgium">Belgium</h2> <h2 id="denmark">Denmark</h2> <p class="note">See also: <a href="/facts/Ranks_and_insignia_of_Royal_Danish_Army/XADoawGm">Ranks and insignia of Royal Danish Army</a> and <a href="/facts/Ranks_and_insignia_of_Royal_Danish_Air_Force/VoLB3EeV">Ranks and insignia of Royal Danish Air Force</a></p> <p><i>Generalmajor</i> is the second lowest <a href="/facts/General_officer/0xmYEU4a">general officer</a> rank in the <a href="/facts/Royal_Danish_Army/WFHWFdoJ">Royal Danish Army</a> and <a href="/facts/Royal_Danish_Air_Force/LgmMr1SN">Royal Danish Air Force</a>. As a <a href="/facts/Two-star_rank/VR6uFm8p">two-star rank</a> it is the equivalent to the rank of <a href="/facts/Counter_admiral/Gc6qbXxL">counter admiral</a> in the <a href="/facts/Royal_Danish_Navy/vmm6zA4L">Royal Danish Navy</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> </p><p>The rank is rated <a href="/facts/Ranks_and_insignia_of_NATO_armies_officers/DBL6fVul">OF-7</a> within <a href="/facts/NATO/dCeTddMY">NATO</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> It has the grade of M404 within the <a href="/facts/Ministry_of_Defence_(Denmark)/fLgx2YX2">Ministry of Defence's</a> pay structure.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> The rank of major general is reserved for the <a href="/facts/Chief_of_the_Royal_Danish_Army/cIocFgjQ">Chief of the army</a> and <a href="/facts/Chief_of_the_Royal_Danish_Air_Force/nKv92lPY">air force</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> <h3>History</h3> <p>On 25 May 1671, the ranks were codified, by <a href="/facts/Christian_V_of_Denmark/8guxyKud">King Christian V</a>, with the publication of the <a href="/facts/Danish_order_of_precedence/B0t1FMQS">Danish order of precedence</a>. Here <a href="/facts/General_of_the_branch/XaV5rmu5">generals of the branch</a> were placed below <a href="/facts/Lieutenant_field_marshal/oPjs3X51">Lieutenant field marshal</a> (<a href="/facts/Danish_language/sTcGXTMJ">Danish</a>: <i>Feltmarskal Lieutenant</i>), and above the <a href="/facts/Imperial%2c_royal_and_noble_ranks/aIUxhIXf">noble rank</a> of <a href="/facts/Count/kSkKcsK1">Count</a> and the military rank of <a href="/facts/Lieutenant_general/kwDr2Kf8">Lieutenant general</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p><p>As part of the Army Reform of 1867, the ranks of Major, Lieutenant colonel were removed and only a single "General" rank was kept.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> After the 1880 reform, the general officer ranks were reintroduced.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> Commanding generals of the <a href="/facts/Eastern_Regional_Command_(Denmark)/oqNE0QKs">1st</a> and <a href="/facts/Western_Regional_Command_(Denmark)/4evPby0C">2nd General Command</a> were made Lieutenant generals while everyone else were made Major general.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p> <h3>Insignia</h3> <p>The first official uniform was instituted on 29 September 1737.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> The first few uniform designs have not survived, though they were likely red, highly ornamented <a href="/facts/Justacorps/p6CuENPl">coats without collar</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> The red coat remained until 1768, when <a href="/facts/Claude_Louis%2c_Comte_de_Saint-Germain/UKApQcMh">Comte de Saint-Germain</a> instituted white uniforms for generals, these were however removed shortly after, in 1769.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> In 1772, the first real ranks were introduced to the Danish Army; these were <a href="/facts/Goldwork_(embroidery)/x1fXtqYq">gold rings on the cuffs</a>, with three for full generals, two for Lieutenant generals, and one for major generals.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> This uniform saw a number of changes until 1785, when the cuff ranks were removed.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p><p>In 1801, new uniforms were introduced for the whole army. Along with the new uniforms, <a href="/facts/Epaulette/uHjjLub1">epaulette</a> ranks were introduced for officers, with generals wearing six-pointed stars on their epaulettes.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> The general ranks remained largely unchanged from their introduction until 1979, and the adoption of NATO STANAG 2116.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> The adoption created the new rank of Brigadier general, which would receive the one star, meaning the major general would receive two stars.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> </p> <h4>Rank insignia</h4> <h2 id="finland">Finland</h2> <h2 id="germany">Germany</h2> <p>It is the third-highest <a href="/facts/General_officer/0xmYEU4a">general officer</a> rank in the <a href="/facts/German_Army/yPG8nt0E">German Army</a> (<i>Heer</i>) and <a href="/facts/German_Air_Force/ayXl2F4g">German Air Force</a> (<i>Luftwaffe</i>). This rank is also used in the <a href="/facts/Austrian_Armed_Forces/JNHJ8mgK">Austrian Armed Forces</a>, but is abbreviated as <i>GenMjr</i>. </p><p>Historically, German Army ranks for its generals <a href="/facts/Comparative_officer_ranks_of_World_War_II/DScrJHHb">prior to 1945</a> were offset by one from those of most other major <a href="/facts/Europe/DTAtrKfh">European</a> armies. Thus, prior to 1945, the <i>Generalmajor</i> rank in the German Army was equivalent to the <a href="/facts/Brigadier_general/PwvzgxKv">brigadier general</a> rank in other armies, and so forth. </p> <h3><i>Generalmajor</i> in modern Germany</h3><p> The rank is rated <a href="/facts/Ranks_and_insignia_of_NATO_armies_officers/DBL6fVul">OF-7</a> in <a href="/facts/NATO/dCeTddMY">NATO</a>, and is grade B7 in the pay rules of the <a href="/facts/Federal_Ministry_of_Defence_(Germany)/oRGpzQay">Federal Ministry of Defence</a>. It is equivalent to <i><a href="/facts/Konteradmiral/J8ng8I81">Konteradmiral</a></i> in the <a href="/facts/German_Navy/gPB0Nrba">German Navy</a> (<i>Marine</i>) or to <i><a href="/facts/Generalstabsarzt/T9DrrW9m">Generalstabsarzt</a></i>, and <i><a href="/facts/Admiralstabsarzt/T9DrrW9m">Admiralstabsarzt</a></i> in the <i><a href="/facts/Joint_Medical_Service_(Germany)/JzBka3EL">Zentraler Sanitätsdienst der Bundeswehr</a></i>.</p> <p>On the shoulder straps (<i>Heer</i>, <i>Luftwaffe</i>) there are two golden pips (stars) in golden oak leaves. </p> <table><tbody><tr><th><i>Heer</i></th><th><i>Luftwaffe</i></th><th>... to service uniform</th></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <i><a href="/facts/Bundeswehr/J0yobW5P">Bundeswehr</a></i> sequence of ranks ascending <h3><i>Generalmajor</i> in East Germany</h3> <p><i>Generalmajor</i> was in the so-called "armed organs of the GDR" (<a href="/facts/German_language/oWaQIDA8">German</a>: <i>Bewaffnete Organe der DDR</i>), represented by <a href="/facts/Ministry_of_National_Defence_(East_Germany)/pCkAMqhP">Ministry of National Defence</a>, and <a href="/facts/Stasi/jQ91taz4">Ministry for State Security</a>, the lowest <a href="/facts/General_officer/0xmYEU4a">general officer</a> rank, comparable to the <a href="/facts/One-star_rank/DdaDQQbm">one-star rank</a> in many NATO-Armed forces <a href="/facts/Ranks_and_insignia_of_NATO/JycRwANc">(Rangcode OF-6)</a>. This was in reference to Soviet military doctrine and in line with other armed forces of the <a href="/facts/Warsaw_Pact/SLEsUSAS">Warsaw Pact</a>. </p><p>The equivalent rank of the <i><a href="/facts/Volksmarine/fk5aCE5B">Volksmarine</a></i> (GDR Navy) was the <i><a href="/facts/Konteradmiral/J8ng8I81">Konteradmiral</a></i>, often called simply <i>Herr Admiral</i> for short. </p> <table><tbody><tr><th colspan="10">Rank insignias <i>Generalmajor</i> / <i>Konteradmiral</i> (OF-6)</th></tr><tr><th> <a href="/facts/Stasi/jQ91taz4">Stasi</a></th><th> <a href="/facts/Land_Forces_of_the_National_People%2527s_Army/cvY3FDBS">Land forces</a></th><th> <a href="/facts/Air_Forces_of_the_National_People%2527s_Army/Y9Uge7lB">Air Force</a></th><th> <a href="/facts/Border_Troops_of_the_German_Democratic_Republic/CV0GlFMt">GDR Border troops</a></th><th colspan="2"> <i><a href="/facts/Volksmarine/fk5aCE5B">Volksmarine</a></i></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th colspan="4"><i>Generalmajor</i></th><th colspan="2"><i>Konteradmiral</i></th></tr></tbody></table> <h3><i>Generalmajor</i> of the <i>Wehrmacht</i></h3> <p><i>Generalmajor</i> was in the <a href="/facts/German_Reich/yPUEaDFT">German Reich</a> and <a href="/facts/Nazi_Germany/8kRbqRpo">Nazi Germany</a> the lowest <a href="/facts/General_officer/0xmYEU4a">general officer</a> rank, comparable to the <a href="/facts/One-star_rank/DdaDQQbm">one-star rank</a> in many NATO-Armed forces <a href="/facts/Ranks_and_insignia_of_NATO/JycRwANc">(Rangcode OF-6)</a>. It was equivalent to <i><a href="/facts/Konteradmiral/J8ng8I81">Konteradmiral</a></i> in the <i><a href="/facts/Kriegsmarine/uaRl8jgc">Kriegsmarine</a></i>, and <i><a href="/facts/SS-Brigadef%25C3%25BChrer/aMJ0d0o2">SS-Brigadeführer</a></i> in the <i><a href="/facts/Waffen-SS/KBYTW6jY">Waffen-SS</a></i> until 1945. </p> Rank insignia <i>Generalmajor</i> / <i>Konteradmiral</i> <table><tbody><tr><th>Branch</th><th><a href="/facts/German_Army_(1935%25E2%2580%25931945)/yP5zyQ76">German Army</a></th><th><i><a href="/facts/Luftwaffe/k7PAsBlo">Luftwaffe</a></i></th><th><i><a href="/facts/Waffen-SS/KBYTW6jY">Waffen-SS</a></i></th><th><a href="/facts/Uniforms_and_insignia_of_the_Kriegsmarine/3bLMu8IY"><i>Kriegsmarine</i></a></th></tr><tr><th>Collar</th><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>None</td></tr><tr><th>Shoulder</th><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>Sleeve</th><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>Rankdesignation</th><td colspan="2">Generalmajor</td><td><a href="/facts/Brigadef%25C3%25BChrer/aMJ0d0o2"><i>SS-Brigadeführer</i><i>und Generalmajor</i><i>der Waffen-SS</i></a></td><td><i><a href="/facts/Konteradmiral/J8ng8I81">Konteradmiral</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table> Sequence of ranks ascending <h2 id="norway">Norway</h2> <h2 id="sweden">Sweden</h2> <p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Generalmajor_(Sweden)/sJaKDavn">Generalmajor (Sweden)</a></p> <p>Generalmajor is a <a href="/facts/Military_rank/SC0dzyhz">military rank</a> in <a href="/facts/Sweden/u3qC7lyj">Sweden</a> that is equivalent to a <a href="/facts/Two-star_general/VR6uFm8p">two-star general</a>. It is the third highest military rank, positioned above brigadgeneral (brigade general) and below generallöjtnant (general lieutenant).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Comparative_officer_ranks_of_World_War_I/Um7vCpJr">Comparative officer ranks of World War I</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Comparative_officer_ranks_of_World_War_II/DScrJHHb">Comparative officer ranks of World War II</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Ranks_of_the_National_People%2527s_Army/XdvvtbmS">Ranks of the National People's Army</a></li></ul> Bibliography <ul><li>danmarkshistorien.dk (17 May 2017). <a href="https://danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/rangforordningen-25-maj-1671/">"Rangforordningen, 25. maj 1671"</a> (in Danish). danmarkshistorien.dk. Retrieved 15 March 2021.</li> <li>Hedegaard, Ole A. (1 January 1986). <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180828203249/https://www.krigsvidenskab.dk/nyt-militaert-gradstegn-en-nygammel-tradition">"Nyt militært gradstegn - en ny/gammel tradition!"</a>. <i>Krigsvidenskab.dk</i> (in Danish). Archived from <a href="https://www.krigsvidenskab.dk/nyt-militaert-gradstegn-en-nygammel-tradition">the original</a> on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018.</li> <li>Klint, Helge (1965). "Træk af Hærstabens historie". <i>Hærkommandoens Årsskrift</i> (in Danish). Nyt Nordisk Forlag: 5–11.</li> <li>Military Committee Land Standardization Board (13 January 2021). <i>STANAG 2116</i> (7th ed.). NATO Standardization Agency.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Ministry_of_Defence_(Denmark)/fLgx2YX2">Ministry of Defence</a> (9 January 2017). <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190222185850/https://forpers.dk/hr/Pages/Historik.aspx">"Historik"</a>. <i>forpers.dk</i> (in Danish). Forsvarsministeriets Personalestyrelse. Archived from <a href="https://forpers.dk/hr/Pages/Historik.aspx">the original</a> on 22 February 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2021.</li> <li>Ministry of War (1880). "Love og Bestemmelser, som angaae hæren". <i>Kundgjørelser for hæren samt Love og Bestemmelser, som angaae hæren</i> (in Danish). Copenhagen.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)</li> <li>Petersen, Karsten Skjold (2014). <i>Kongens klæder - Hærens uniformer og udrustning i Danmark-Norge</i> (in Danish) (1st ed.). Slovenia: Historika. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 9788793229006.</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>STANAG 2116, p. B-2. - Military Committee Land Standardization Board (13 January 2021). STANAG 2116 (7th ed.). NATO Standardization Agency. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>STANAG 2116, p. A-2. - Military Committee Land Standardization Board (13 January 2021). STANAG 2116 (7th ed.). NATO Standardization Agency. <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Ministry of Defence 2017. - Ministry of Defence (9 January 2017). "Historik". forpers.dk (in Danish). Forsvarsministeriets Personalestyrelse. Archived from the original on 22 February 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2021. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190222185850/https://forpers.dk/hr/Pages/Historik.aspx" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20190222185850/https://forpers.dk/hr/Pages/Historik.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Hedegaard 1986. - Hedegaard, Ole A. (1 January 1986). "Nyt militært gradstegn - en ny/gammel tradition!". Krigsvidenskab.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180828203249/https://www.krigsvidenskab.dk/nyt-militaert-gradstegn-en-nygammel-tradition" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20180828203249/https://www.krigsvidenskab.dk/nyt-militaert-gradstegn-en-nygammel-tradition</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>danmarkshistorien.dk 2017. - danmarkshistorien.dk (17 May 2017). "Rangforordningen, 25. maj 1671" (in Danish). danmarkshistorien.dk. Retrieved 15 March 2021. <a href="https://danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/rangforordningen-25-maj-1671/" target="_blank">https://danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/rangforordningen-25-maj-1671/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Klint 1965, p. 8. - Klint, Helge (1965). "Træk af Hærstabens historie". Hærkommandoens Årsskrift (in Danish). Nyt Nordisk Forlag: 5–11. <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Ministry of War 1880, p. 35. - Ministry of War (1880). "Love og Bestemmelser, som angaae hæren". Kundgjørelser for hæren samt Love og Bestemmelser, som angaae hæren (in Danish). Copenhagen. <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Ministry of War 1880, p. 35. - Ministry of War (1880). "Love og Bestemmelser, som angaae hæren". Kundgjørelser for hæren samt Love og Bestemmelser, som angaae hæren (in Danish). Copenhagen. <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Petersen 2014, p. 31. - Petersen, Karsten Skjold (2014). Kongens klæder - Hærens uniformer og udrustning i Danmark-Norge (in Danish) (1st ed.). Slovenia: Historika. ISBN 9788793229006. <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Petersen 2014, pp. 31–32. - Petersen, Karsten Skjold (2014). Kongens klæder - Hærens uniformer og udrustning i Danmark-Norge (in Danish) (1st ed.). Slovenia: Historika. ISBN 9788793229006. <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Petersen 2014, p. 36. - Petersen, Karsten Skjold (2014). Kongens klæder - Hærens uniformer og udrustning i Danmark-Norge (in Danish) (1st ed.). Slovenia: Historika. ISBN 9788793229006. <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Petersen 2014, p. 39. - Petersen, Karsten Skjold (2014). Kongens klæder - Hærens uniformer og udrustning i Danmark-Norge (in Danish) (1st ed.). Slovenia: Historika. ISBN 9788793229006. <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Petersen 2014, p. 41. - Petersen, Karsten Skjold (2014). Kongens klæder - Hærens uniformer og udrustning i Danmark-Norge (in Danish) (1st ed.). Slovenia: Historika. ISBN 9788793229006. <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Petersen 2014, p. 42. - Petersen, Karsten Skjold (2014). Kongens klæder - Hærens uniformer og udrustning i Danmark-Norge (in Danish) (1st ed.). Slovenia: Historika. ISBN 9788793229006. <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Hedegaard 1986. - Hedegaard, Ole A. (1 January 1986). "Nyt militært gradstegn - en ny/gammel tradition!". Krigsvidenskab.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180828203249/https://www.krigsvidenskab.dk/nyt-militaert-gradstegn-en-nygammel-tradition" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20180828203249/https://www.krigsvidenskab.dk/nyt-militaert-gradstegn-en-nygammel-tradition</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Hedegaard 1986. - Hedegaard, Ole A. (1 January 1986). "Nyt militært gradstegn - en ny/gammel tradition!". Krigsvidenskab.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180828203249/https://www.krigsvidenskab.dk/nyt-militaert-gradstegn-en-nygammel-tradition" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20180828203249/https://www.krigsvidenskab.dk/nyt-militaert-gradstegn-en-nygammel-tradition</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Hedegaard 1986. - Hedegaard, Ole A. (1 January 1986). "Nyt militært gradstegn - en ny/gammel tradition!". Krigsvidenskab.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180828203249/https://www.krigsvidenskab.dk/nyt-militaert-gradstegn-en-nygammel-tradition" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20180828203249/https://www.krigsvidenskab.dk/nyt-militaert-gradstegn-en-nygammel-tradition</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>"Svensk militär rang 2021 – Tjelvar.se" (in Swedish). 2021-10-29. Retrieved 2025-04-15. <a href="https://www.tjelvar.se/militar-rang/" target="_blank">https://www.tjelvar.se/militar-rang/</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/contentassets/a8e97e16e38b41a2bb46eb7dcf097370/gradbeteckningar-191001.pdf <a href="https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/contentassets/a8e97e16e38b41a2bb46eb7dcf097370/gradbeteckningar-191001.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/contentassets/a8e97e16e38b41a2bb46eb7dcf097370/gradbeteckningar-191001.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>