Wehrmacht Salaries
The tables below shows the salaries in Reichmark in the German armed forces as of 1945. In addition to rank, the salary depended on marital status and the number of children the soldier had.
In addition to his salary, the soldier, his wife, and their children had the right to free medical consultation and treatment from a military doctor, and in some cases a civilian doctor. If the soldier died while serving, his wife and children retained these rights for three months after the end of the month in which he died.
The three numbers show the gross tax salary, tax, and net salary. In addition to the tax, a WHW contribution was subtracted from the gross salary. The WHW contribution and the tax groups are not elaborated in the source document.
Salary Groups
The salaries were the same across the different branches of the German armed forces, and were grouped in salary groups. The ranks for each salary group are listed below.
- Salary Group W 1
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- Oberbefehlshaber der Wehrmachtteile
- Der chef des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht
- Generalfeldmarschälle
- Großadmirale
- Salary Group W 2
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- Generalobersten
- Generaladmirale
- SS-Oberstgruppenführer
- Salary Group W 3
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- Generale
- Admirale
- SS-Obergruppenführer
- Generaloberstabsärzte
- Admiraloberstabsärzte
- Generaloberstabsveterinäre
- Generaloberstabsintendanten
- Admiraloberstabsintendanten
- Generaloberstabsrichter
- Admiraloberstabsrichter
- Salary Group W 4
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- Generalleutnante
- Vizeadmirale
- SS-Gruppenführer
- Generalstabsärzte
- Admiralstabsärzte
- Generalstabsveterinäre
- Generalstabsintendanten
- Admiralstabsintendanten
- Generalstabsrichter
- Admiralstabsrichter
- Salary Group W 5
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- Generalmajore
- Konteradmirale
- SS-Brigadeführer
- Generalärzte
- Admiralärzte
- Generalveterinäre
- Generalintendanten
- Admiralintendanten
- Generalrichter
- Admiralrichter
- Salary Group W 6
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- Obersten
- Kapitäne zur See
- SS-Oberführer
- SS-Standartenführer
- Oberstärzte
- Flottenärzte
- Oberstveterinäre
- Oberstintendanten
- Flottenintendanten
- Oberstrichter
- Flottenrichter
- Salary Group W 7
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- Oberstleutnante
- Fregattenkapitäne
- SS-Obersturmbannführer
- Oberärzte
- Geschwaderärzte
- Oberveterinäre
- Oberintendanten
- Geschwaderintendanten
- Oberrichter
- Geschwaderrichter
- Salary Group W 8
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- Majore
- Korvettenkapitäne
- Oberstabsärzte
- SS-Sturmbannführer
- Marineoberstabsärzte
- Oberstabsveterinäre
- Oberstabsintendanten
- Marineoberstabsintendanten
- Oberstabsrichter
- Marineoberstabsrichter
- Sonderführer in Stellen der Stellengruppe B
- Bei Kriegsmarine und Luftwaffe Sonderführer in Stellen eines Stabsoffiziers
- Salary Group W 9
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- Hauptleute
- Kapitänleutnante
- SS-Hauptsturmführer
- Stabsärzte
- Marinestabsärzte
- Stabsveterinäre
- Stabsintendanten
- Marinestabsintendanten
- Stabsrichter
- Marinestabsrichter
- Sonderführer in Stellen der Stellengruppe K
- Bei Kriegsmarine und Luftwaffe Sonderführer in Stellen eines Hauptmanns (Kapitänleutnants)
- Salary Group W 10
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- Oberleutnante
- SS-Obersturmführer
- Oberärzte
- Marineoberassistentärzte
- Oberveterinäre
- Oberzahlmeister
- Marineoberzahlmeister
- Assistenzärzte
- Marineassistenzärzte
- Veterinäre
- Salary Group W 11
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- Leutnante
- SS-Untersturmführer
- Zahlmeister
- Marinezahlmeister
- Sonderführer in Stellen der Stellengruppe Z
- Bei Kriegsmarine und Luftwaffe Sonderführer in Stellen eines Oberleutnants oder Leutnants
- Salary Group W 12
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- Obermusikinspizienten
- Salary Group W 13
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- Musikinspizienten
- Reitmeister der Spanischen Hofreitschule Wien
- Salary Group W 14
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- Stabsmusikmeister
- Oberbereiter I. Klasse der Spanischen Hofreitschule Wien
- Salary Group W 15
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- Obermusikmeister
- Oberbereiter II. Klasse der Spanischen Hofreitschule Wien
- Salary Group W 16
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- Musikmeister
- Bereiter der Spanischen Hofreitschule Wien
- Salary Group W 17
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- Oberhufbeschlaglehrmeister
- Festungsoberwerkmeister
- Oberwaffenwarte
- Salary Group W 18
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- Hufbeschlaglehrmeister
- Festungswerkmeister
- Salary Group W 19
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- Stabsfeldwebel
- Stabsoberfeldwebel
- SS-Sturmscharführer
- Waffenwarte im Dienstgrad des Stabsoberfeldwebels
- Reitgehilfen der Spanischen Hofreitschule Wien
- Salary Group W 20
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- Oberfeldwebel
- Stabsfeldwebel (F)
- SS-Hauptscharführer
- Waffenwarte with more than 12 years of service
- Salary Group W 21
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- Oberfeldwebel with less than 12 years of service
- SS-Hauptscharführer with less than 12 years of service
- Unterärzte
- Unterveterinäre
- Sonderführer in Stellen als Unterführer nach Stellengruppe O
- Bei Kriegsmarine Sonderführer in Stellen eines Stabsoberfeldweels uber Oberfeldwebels
- Salary Group W 22
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- Feldwebel with more than 12 years of service
- SS-Oberscharführer with more than 12 years of service
- Salary Group W 23
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- Feldwebel with less than 12 years of service
- SS-Oberscharführer with less than 12 years of service
- Oberfähnriche
- SS-Oberjunker
- Sonderführer in Feldwebelstellen bei der Kriegsmarine
- Salary Group W 24
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- Unterfeldwebel with more than 12 years of service
- Obermaate with more than 12 years of service
- SS-Scharführer with more than 12 years of service
- Salary Group W 25
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- Unterfeldwebel with less than 12 years of service
- Obermaate with less than 12 years of service
- SS-Scharführer with less than 12 years of service
- Salary Group W 26
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- Unteroffiziere with more than 12 years of service
- Maate with more than 12 years of service
- SS-Unterscharführer with more than 12 years of service
- Salary Group W 27
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- Unteroffiziere with less than 12 years of service
- Maate with less than 12 years of service
- SS-Unterscharführer with less than 12 years of service
- Sonderführer in Unteroffizierstellen
- Salary Group W 28
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- Oberstabsgefreite bei der Kriegsmarine
- Salary Group W 29
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- Stabsgefreite bei der Kriegsmarine
- Salary Group W 30
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- Stabsgefreite neuer Art
- Hauptgefreite bei der Kriegsmarine
- Salary Group W 31
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- Obergefreite neuer Art
- SS-Rottenführer
Generals
Salary Group | W 1 | W 2 | W 3 | W 4 | W 5 | ||
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Without paid residence | With paid residence | ||||||
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Single, with married status, tax group I |
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Married, without children | Tax group I |
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Tax group II |
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Married of single with married status | One child |
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Two children |
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Three children |
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Four children |
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Five children |
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Six children |
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Seven children |
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Eight children |
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Nine children |
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Ten children |
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Senior Officers
Salary Group | W 6 | W 7 | W 8 | |
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Single |
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Single, with married status, tax group I |
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Married, without children | Tax group I |
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Tax group II |
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Married of single with married status | One child |
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Two children |
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Three children |
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Four children |
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Five children |
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Six children |
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Seven children |
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Eight children |
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Nine children |
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Ten children |
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Junior Officers
Salary Group | W 9 | W 10 | W 11 | |
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Single |
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Single, with married status, tax group I |
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Married, without children | Tax group I |
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Tax group II |
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Married of single with married status | One child |
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Two children |
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Three children |
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Four children |
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Five children |
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Six children |
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Seven children |
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Eight children |
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Nine children |
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Ten children |
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Warrant Officers
Salary Group | W 12 | W 13 | W 14 | W 15 | W 16 | W 17 | W 18 | |
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Single |
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Single, with married status, tax group I |
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Married, without children | Tax group I |
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Tax group II |
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Married of single with married status | One child |
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Two children |
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Three children |
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Four children |
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Five children |
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Six children |
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Seven children |
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Eight children |
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Nine children |
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Ten children |
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Non-commissioned Officers
Salary Group | W 19 | W 20 | W 21 | W 22 | W 23 | W 24 | W 25 | W 26 | W 27 | W 28 | W 29 | W 30 | W 31 | |
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Single |
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Single, with married status, tax group I |
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Married, without children | Tax group I |
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Tax group II |
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Married of single with married status | One child |
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Two children |
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Three children |
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Four children |
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Five children |
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Six children |
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Seven children |
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Eight children |
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Nine children |
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Ten children |
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Sources
- KEITEL, Wilhelm. Wehrmacht-Gebührnisse; Einsatzgebührnisse - Amtlische Texte. Berlin : Führer-Hauptquartier, 1945. 10 p.