German military abbreviations

Enigma networks

Introduction

Messages encrypted with the Enigma use many abbreviations and as a result are almost unreadable.

Hut 3 intelligence officers who were responsible for translating and interpreting the Enigma messages had to learn to interpret them to extract all the intelligence carried by the messages.

Some abbreviations

Dates

27.X corresponds to October 27.

Ranks

  • Ber.: a shortcut of “Oberst”, i.e. “Colonel”.
  • The term Feldwebel is generally translated as that of sergeant or warrant officer. He is therefore the equivalent of the sergeant-chef / maréchal des logis-chef in the French Army or the sergeant in the Canadian Army. Abbr: Feldw.
  • Hptm = Hauptmann (Captain).
  • Kdr.: Kommandeur (Bezeichnung für einen Befehlshaber von Division an abwärts bis zum Bataillon).
  • Oberfeldwebel : sergeant.
  • Ritmeister : Captain of cavalry
  • Uffz: Officer
    Unteroffizier is a military rank of the former German-speaking armed forces (Heer and Luftwaffe). Abbreviation: Uffz. There is no equivalent in the British Army, Royal Marines and various Commonwealth armies (it is senior to an OR-4 Corporal and junior to an OR-6 Sergeant), In French: sous-officier, in English: non-commissioned officer.

Military Units and Organizations

  • Abt. : Abteilung : Battalion
  • Bez = Bezirk = district
  • Flg.Korps : Fliegerkorps : Aerial Corps.
  • Hoeh.Kdo : (German : Höheres Kommando): Higher Command.
  • Kampfgeschwader: Combat Squadron. Leithorst : the flight control base
  • LFL (ou Lfl) Luftflotte Air Force Fleet
  • L.G.K or LG.Kdo. are the abbreviation of Luftgaukommando.
  • LN. Kp is undoubtedly the abbreviation of Luftnachrichten-Kompanie (i.e. a listening service; signal intelligence).
  • Nachricht(en) – signals / news / communication, also intelligence.
  • Nafü: abbreviation of “Nachrichten Führer”, the direction of the Signal Intelligence Agency of the German Air Force.
  • Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) : was the Nazi Germany's Army High Command..
  • OKH = Oberkommando des Heeres (German High Command)
  • Wehrkr. : Wehrkreis – German military district centered on an important city.

Miscellaneous

  • Funkst.: Funkstelle: Radio Station.
  • gez = signed
  • Hafen : Port
  • Hza Heerezugämer = depot (army ordnance department)

References

Abbreviations

  • German Air Force glossary (link)
  • Feldgrau.com: German Military Abbreviations (link)
  • German Military Abbreviations (PDF)

German military terms

  • Glossary of German military terms Wikipedia
  • Google: Vocabulary of German Military Terms and Abbreviations (free E-book) (Link)