Since its beginning until the year 1991, service ranks were a permanent element of service with the Deutsche Reichsbahn, the former German national railway system, whether as a civil servant or as an employee. Every railroad employee was obliged to wear the conferred insignia while on duty and entitled to do so off duty. The service rank was conferred with a certificate. The first conferral was designated as a certification, each additional conferral as a promotion.
As a result of a competition, a single service uniform that eliminated of the previous badges and embellishments was introduced throughout the Reich for all members of the Reichsbahn. Service rank and respective division were recognizable from the collar insignia.
In July 1935, a new uniform was introduced with specialty and division badges and epaulets as rank insignia for civil servants and workers.[1]
The first uniform regulations of 1941 exchanged the pips on the epaulets for rosettes. They also introduced collar patches denoting career groups.[2]
After the end of the Second World War, the pre-war service ranks were retained in the German Democratic Republic in the Deutsche Reichsbahn (East Germany). The uniforms, however, were soon brought into accord with the Soviet model. This was especially apparent in the epaulets. Basically, many railway employees wore uniforms, and the military cut and service grades reflected the semi-military character of the railways in the GDR. This was combined with an overly elevated degree of security awareness, readiness, and secrecy.
The collar insignia borders of rank groups I to IV bore the colors of the respective main service branch. The example shows a collar insignia of the main service branch operations and traffic service (red).
The cap gimp of this rank group was blue interwoven with gold.
| Service Rank | Abbreviation | Epaulet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lehrling B+V-Helfer | Lehrl BV-Helf | ||
| Lehrling | Lehrl | ||
| Eisenbahner | Eb | ||
| Reichsbahn-Unterassistent and Zugschaffner | RUAss und Zsch | ||
| German: Reichsbahn-Assistent | RAss |
The cap gimp of this rank group was blue and gold in the relationship of 2:2.
| Service Rank | Abbreviation | Epaulet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ingenieurschüler first semester | Ingsch | ||
| Ingenieurschüler after the first semester | Ingsch | ||
| Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, Zugführer, Lokomotivheizer | RUS, Zf, Lokh | ||
| Reichsbahn-Sekretär and Reservelokomotivführer | RS und ResLf | ||
| Reichsbahn-Obersekretär and Lokomotivführer | ROS and Lf | ||
| Reichsbahn-Hauptsekretär and Oberlokomotivführer | RHS and OLf |
The main service branches were recognizable from the colors of the piping on the caps as well as by the borders of the epaulets and collar insignia.
In this context
The cap gimp of this rank group was blue interwoven with gold.
| Service Rank | Abbreviation | Epaulet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eisenbahner | Eb | ||
| Reichsbahn-Unterassistent and Zugschaffner | RUAss and Zsch | ||
| German: Reichsbahn-Assistent | RAss |
Apprentices wore epaulets as with the Eisenbahner service rank, but instead of the star, one or two loops in gold with blue stripes were worn.
The cap gimp of this rank group was blue and gold in the relationship of 2:2.
| Service rank | Abbreviation | Epaulet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, Zugführer and Lokomotivheizer | RUS, Zf and Lokh | ||
| Reichsbahn-Sekretär and Reservelokomotivführer | RS and ResLf | ||
| Reichsbahn-Obersekretär and Lokomotivführer | ROS and Lf | ||
| Reichsbahn-Hauptsekretär and Oberlokomotivführer | RHS and OLf |
Students of the Gotha Engineering School, the Eisenach and Altenburg high schools and the Dresden engineering school for Railroad Studies wore the epaulets similar to the service rank of Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, except that instead of the stars, a gold loop with blue stripes was worn.
After the second semester, students in the engineering schools wore epaulets similar to Reichsbahn-Untersekretär, except that instead of stars, two gold loops with blue stripes were worn.
The color differentiation of the main service branches was retained (see 1962 to 1974)The collar insignia borders of rank groups I to IV bore the colors of the respective main service branch. The example shows a collar insignia of the main service branch operations and traffic service (red).
Service ranks were discontinued by the Reichsbahn in 1991. Every employee received a note which stated only that he was entitled to continue wearing the previous rank "off duty".
The cap gimp of this rank group was blue interwoven with gold.
| Service Rank | Abbreviation | Epaulet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lehrling Teilausbildung | Lehrl Teilausb | ||
| Lehrling leaving the 8th class | Lehrl 8. Kl | ||
| Lehrling leaving the 10th class | Lehrl 10. Kl | ||
| Lehrling leaving the 10th class with Abitur | Lehrl Abi | ||
| Reichsbahn-Unterassistent | RUAss | ||
| German: Reichsbahn-Assistent | RAss | ||
| Reichsbahn-Oberassistent | ROAss | ||
| Reichsbahn-Hauptassistent | RHAss |
The cap gimp of this rank group was blue and gold in the relationship of 2:2.
| Service Rank | Abbreviation | Epaulet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reichsbahn-Untersekretär | RUS | ||
| Reichsbahn-Sekretär | RS | ||
| Reichsbahn-Obersekretär | ROS | ||
| Reichsbahn-Hauptsekretär | RHS |
| Service Rank | Abbreviation | Epaulet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student der Ingenieurschulen | Stud Ing | ||
| Student der Hochschule | Stud HfV | ||
| Absolvent der Hochschule | Abs HfV | ||
| Reichsbahn-Inspektor | RI | ||
| Reichsbahn-Oberinspektor | ROI | ||
| Reichsbahn-Amtmann | RA | ||
| Reichsbahn-Oberamtmann | ROA |
| Service Rank | Abbreviation | Epaulet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reichsbahn-Rat | RR | ||
| Reichsbahn-Oberrat | ROR | ||
| Reichsbahn-Hauptrat | RHR |
| Service Rank | Abbreviation | Epaulet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reichsbahn-Direktor | RD | ||
| Reichsbahn-Oberdirektor | ROD | ||
| Reichsbahn-Hauptdirektor | RHD | ||
| Stellvertreter des Generaldirektors der DR | Stv. GD | ||
| Stellvertreter des Generaldirektors der DR, Staatssekretär, Stv. Minister | Stv. GD | ||
| Minister für Verkehrswesen und Generaldirektor der DR | GD |