Oberschütze
Army and SS insignia
Country	Kingdom of Bavaria  Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany
Service branch	Bavarian Army  Reichsheer  German Army Schutzstaffel
Formation	1920
Abolished	1945
Next higher rank	Gefreiter (Army) Sturmmann (SS)
Next lower rank	Soldat (Army) Schütze (SS)

Oberschütze (German pronunciation:[ˈoːbɐˌʃʏtsə];lit. 'Senior rifleman') was a German military rank first used in theBavarian Army of the late 19th century.

The rank and its equivalents (Oberkanonier, Oberpionier etc.) were generally introduced into theGermanReichswehr around 1920 and continued to be used in its successor, theWehrmacht, until 1945, with the exception of the period from October 1934 to October 1936, during which no promotions to this rank took place. InNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine (navy), there was no equivalent for this particular rank grade. The use ofOberschütze and its equivalents reached its height during theSecond World War when theWehrmacht maintained the rank in both the German Army (Heer) and the ground forces branch of the air force (Luftwaffe).^[1]

The rank ofOberschütze and its specific unit type equivalents (Oberkanonier,Obergrenadier from 1942,Oberpionier,Oberfahrer,Oberfunker, etc.) was created to give recognition and rank promotion to those enlisted soldiers who had achieved or displayed an above-average aptitude and proficiency but would not, however, qualify for promotion to theGefreiter rank. Consideration for promotion to the rank ofOberschütze could usually be achieved after six months to one year of military service.

In the militaries of other nations,Oberschütze was considered the equivalent of aprivate first class.^[2]

• Table of ranks and insignia of the Waffen-SS
• Original German: SS-Oberschütze

• Military ranks of Germany
• SS ranks

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