Oberleutnant - Definition and Overview

Oberleutnant is a rank of the German military which dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after 2 to 3 years of active duty service.

Oberleutnant is used by both the German Army, Air Force, and Navy with the naval rank typically listed as Oberleutnant zur See to differentiate between the other services. In the NATO military comparison system, a German Oberleutnant is the equivalent of a First Lieutenant in the Army/Air Forces of Allied nations, a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the United States Navy, and a Sub-Lieutenant in the British Royal Navy.

During the Second World War, the Waffen-SS equivalent of Oberleutnant was known as Obersturmführer.