# Assistenzarzt (military)

Assitenzarzt (short: AArzt or AA) was a military rank in the Austrian-Hungary Common Army until 1918 and in German Reichswehr and Wehrmacht until 1945.
It describes a qualified or licensed surgeon or dentist comparable to 2nd lieutenant (de: Leutnant) or sub-lieutenant (de: Leutant zur See) NATO-Rangcode OF1b in anglophone armed forces.

## Germany
### Wehrmacht

In the German Wehrmacht from 1933 until 1945 there were the OF1b-ranks Assitenzarzt (physician), Assitenzapotheker (pharmacologist), and Assitenzveterinär (veterinary), comparable to the Leutnant/Second lieutenant OF1b-rank.
During wartime, the regular assignment of Assitenzarzt was the management of a battalion dressing station (de. Truppenverbandsplatz), supported by help surgeons (de: Hilfsärzte). However, a battalion dressing station could be managed by an Oberarzt (OF1a) as well.
In line to the so-called Reichsbesoldungsordnung (en: Reich's salary order), appendixes to the Salary law of the German Empire (de: Besoldungsgesetz des Deutschen Reiches) of 1927 (changes 1937 – 1940), the comparative ranks were as follows: C 8/C 9
* Oberleutnant, Leutnant (Heer and Luftwaffe)
** Leutnant
* Oberleutnant zur See (Kriegsmarine)
** Leutnant zur See
* Oberarzt (medical service of the Wehrmacht)
** Assistenzarzt
* Marineoberassistenzarzt, introduced June 26, 1935 (medical service of the Kriegsmarine)
** Marineassistenzarzt
* Oberveterinär (veterinarian service of the Wehrmacht)
** Veterinär
The piping on shoulder straps shows the Waffenfarbe (en: corps- or troop-function colour), corresponding to the appropriate military service, branch, or special force. The corps colour of the Military Health System in German armed forces was traditional ﻿ dark blue, and of the veterinarian service ﻿ carmine red. This tradition was continued by the medical service corps in Heer and Luftwaffe of the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht. However, the corps colour of the Waffen-SS HSS was ﻿ cornflower blue.

### Address

The manner of formal addressing of military surgeons/dentists with the rank Assitenzarzt was, "Herr Assitenzarzt"; with the rank "Marineassistenzarzt" - "Herr Marineassisgtenzarzt".
| Ranks Wehrmacht until 1945 | Ranks Wehrmacht until 1945 | Ranks Wehrmacht until 1945 | Ranks Wehrmacht until 1945 | Ranks |
| Medical service | en translation | Equivalent Heer | en equivalent | Ranks |
| Generaloberstabsarzt | Senior Staff-Surgeon General | General der Waffengattung | three star rank | OF-8 |
| Generalstabsarzt | Staff-Surgeon General | Generalleutnant | two star rank | OF-7 |
| Generalarzt | Surgeon General | Generalmajor | one star rank | OF-6 |
| Oberstarzt | Colonel (Dr.) | Oberst | Colonel | OF-5 |
| Oberfeldarzt | Lieutenant colonel (Dr.) | Oberstleutnant | Lieutenant colonel | OF-4 |
| Oberstabsarzt | Major (Dr.) | Major | Major | OF-3 |
| Stabsarzt | Captain (Dr.) | Hauptmann | Captain (army) | OF-2 |
| Oberarzt | First lieutenant (Dr.) | Oberleutnant | First lieutenant | OF-1a |
| Assistenzarzt | Second lieutenant (Dr.) | Leutnant | Second lieutenant | OF-1b |
| Unterarzt | Sergeant 1st Class (Dr.) | Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel | Officer Aspirant | OR-7 |
| Feldunterarzt (from 1940) | Sergeant 1st Class (Dr.) | Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel | Officer Aspirant | OR-7 |
| Ranks Kriegsmarine (medical service) | Ranks Kriegsmarine (medical service) | Ranks Kriegsmarine (medical service) | Ranks Kriegsmarine (medical service) | Ranks |
| Medical service | en translation | Equivalent Kriegsmarine | en equivalent | Ranks |
| Admiraloberstabsarzt | Surgeon general | Admiral (Germany) | three star rank | OF-8 |
| Admiralstabsarzt | Rear admiral upper half (Dr.) | Vizeadmiral | two star rank | OF-7 |
| Admiralarzt | Rear admiral lower half (Dr.) | Konteradmiral | one star rank | OF-6 |
| Flottenarzt | Captain naval (Dr.) | Kapitän zur See | Captain (naval) | OF-5 |
| Geschwaderarzt | Commander (Dr.) | Fregattenkapitän | Commander | OF-4 |
| Marineoberstabsarzt | Lieutenant commander (Dr.) | Korvettenkapitän | Lieutenant commander | OF-3 |
| Marinestabsarzt | Lieutenant naval (Dr.) | Kapitänleutnant | Lieutenant (naval) | OF-2 |
| Marineoberarzt | Lieutenant junior grade (Dr.) | Oberleutnant zur See | Lieutenant (junior grade) | OF-1a |
| Marineassistnezarzt | Ensign (Dr.) | Leutnant zur See | Ensign | OF-1b |

## Austria-Hungary

In the Austria-Hungarian Common Army (de: Gemeinsame Armee or k.u.k. Armee) there were the OF1b-ranks Assitenzarzt and Assitenztierarz until 1918. That particular ranks were comparable to the Leutnant/2nd lieutenant OF1b-rank as well.
| Ranks k.u.k. Army until 1918 | Ranks k.u.k. Army until 1918 | Ranks k.u.k. Army until 1918 | Ranks k.u.k. Army until 1918 | Ranks |
| Medical service | en | Equivalent Heer | en | Ranks |
| Generalstabsarzt | Staff-Surgeon General | Generalmajor | Major general | OF-6 |
| Oberstabsarzt I. Klasse | Colonel (Dr. 1st class) | Oberst | Colonel | OF-5 |
| Oberstabsarzt II. Klasse | Lieutenant colonel (Dr. 2nd class) | Oberstleutnant | Lieutenant colonel | OF-4 |
| Stabsarzt | Major (Dr.) | Major | Major | OF-3 |
| Regimentsarzt I. Klasse | Captain (Dr. 1st class) | Hauptmann | Captain | OF-2 |
| Regimentsarzt II. Klasse | Captain (Dr. 2nd class) | Hauptmann | Captain | OF-2 |
| Oberarzt | First lieutenant (Dr.) | Oberleutnant | First lieutenant | OF-1 |
| Assistenzarzt | Second lieutenant (Dr.) | Leutnant | Second lieutenant | OF-1 |