Soviet general ranks
With the ukase of September 22, 1935, personal ranks were introduced into the Red Army of Workers and Peasants . These ranks were essentially the same as those in the tsarist army , with the exception of the general ranks . The Soviet general ranks were designated with the service position. With ukase of May 7, 1940, general ranks were finally reintroduced while retaining the old insignia.
On the other hand, it happened that commanders who were in custody for the purges and who were released after June 22, 1941, were still in their old ranks.
At the end of 1942 / beginning of 1943 the political officers were given military ranks.
General ranks from 1935 to 1940
| Short name | Full name | Badge of rank | Rank from May 1940 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevron | Collar badge (small, Gymnastjorka ) |
Collar badge (large, coat) |
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KomBrig (Комбриг) |
Командир бригады ( brigadier , brigade leader or brigade commander) |
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Генера́л-майо́р ( Major General ) |
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Komdiv (Комдив) |
Командир дивизии ( division general , division leader or division commander) |
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Генера́л-лейтена́нт ( lieutenant general ) |
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KomKor (Комкор) |
Командир корпуса ( corps commander , corps commander or corps commander) |
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генера́л-полко́вник ( Colonel General ) |
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KomandArm II (Командарм 2-го ранга ) |
Коммандующий армии 2-го ранга (Army Commander, Army Commander or Army Commander II Class) |
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Генерал армии ( Army General ) |
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KomandArm I (Командарм 1-го ранга ) |
Коммандующий армии 1-го ранга (Army Commander, Army Commander, First Class) |
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| Marshal (Маршал) |
Маршал Советского Союза ( Marshal of the Soviet Union ) |
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Маршал Советского Союза (Marshal of the Soviet Union) |
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General ranks from 1943
In 1943 the marshals and main marshals of the branch of arms were introduced.
Commander-in-chief of armies and fronts, chiefs of staff of fronts, the chief of staff and his deputies, deputy minister of defense, etc. were promoted from colonel general to army general and could later be appointed marshal of the Soviet Union.
Commander-in-chief of tank armies, chiefs of tank troops of fronts, the chief of tank and mechanized troops was appointed Marshal of the tank troops by the Colonel General and could later be promoted to main marshal of the tank troops. Analogous to artillery, air force, engineer troops.
Above all stood the Generalissimo of the Soviet Union, a rank which was only given to the Supreme Commander in times of war and which so far only Josef Stalin has held.
With ukas of January 6, 1943 epaulets were reintroduced to emphasize the position of the officers and to improve the morale of the troops.
| General rank | Badge of rank 1943–1955 | comment |
|---|---|---|
| Генера́л-майо́р (general-maior) |
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Major general |
| Гнера́л-лейтена́нт (general manager) |
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Lieutenant General |
| Генера́л-полко́вник (General-polkownik) |
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Colonel General |
| Генерал армии (General armii) |
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Army General |
| Маршал рода войск (Marshal roda woisk) |
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Marshal of the branch of service (here armored force) |
| Главный маршал рода войск (Glawni marshal roda woisk) | Main Marshal of the branch of service | |
| Маршал Советского Союза (Marshal Sowjetskowo Soyusa) |
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Marshal of the Soviet Union |
| Генералиссимус Советского Союза (Generalissimo Sowjetskowo Sojusa) |
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Generalissimo of the Soviet Union Planned badge of rank |