Ranks and insignia of the Red Army 1935–1940

Kapitan/ military pilot of the Red Army´s Air Force, uniform with distinction insignia ca. 1935/40.

Individual rank insignia to the (Army) ground forces and (Navy) naval forces (1935–1940) were established by orders 2590 and 2591 with effectivity from September 22, 1935.^[1]

This was mainly aimed to supreme commanders, commanding officers, and personnel in charge to exert command and control in the “Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, published by order of the number 176 of the USSR People's Commissariat of Defence, dated from December 03, 1935.^[2]

Situation in 1935

In line to the orders, mentioned above, the new distinction insignia of commanding personnel should provide indication as follows:

• Adherence to the particular branch of service (e.g. Army, Air Force, or Navy), or special troops
• Qualification, professional responsibility, specific knowledge
• rank insignia, operational/ tactical responsibility, e.g. level of military command, formation, unit, or subunit.

The top military rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was created by order of the USSR Central Executive Committee and the “Council of People's Commissars” from September 22, 1935 onward, even before the new ranks were issued.

Military ranks

The military ranks created as a result of the joint decision of the “USSR Central Executive Committee” and the “Council of People's Commissars” from November 21, 1935 are contained in the table below. These replaced the ranks used from 1924.

Land forces Air Force		Naval forces		equivalent in GUGB/NKWD
Enlisted men & junior leading staff
Red Army Man	OR1[3]	Red Fleet Man (from 1943: Matros)	OR1	no equivalent
Otdeljonnyi komandir			OR6
Junior commander	OR7	No equivalent
Starshina			OR8
Commanding staff
Lieutenant			OF1[4]	Sergeant of the state security
Starshy leytenant				Mladshy leytenant of state security
Kapitan	OF2	Captain lieutenant	OF2	Lieutenant of state security
Major	OF3	Captain 3rd rank	OF3	Starshy leytenant of state security
Polkovnik	OF5	Kapitan 2nd rank	OF4	Kapitan of state security
Kombrig	OF6	Kapitan 1st rank	OF5	Mayor of state security
Komdiv	OF7	Flag officer 2nd rank	OF6	Starshy mayor of state security
Komkor	OF8	Flag Officer 1st rank	OF7	Commissioner of state security 3rd rank
Komandarm 2nd rank	OF9	Fleet Flag Officer 2nd rank	OF8	Commissioner of state security 2nd rank
Komandarm 1st rank		Fleet Flag Officer 1st rank	OF9	Commissioner of state security 1st rank
Marshal of the Soviet Union	OF10	No equivalent		State Security Commissioner general

Additional regulations

The same orders mentioned above provided for separate ranks for the Political commissars and military specialists, the ranks introduced for them are contained in the table below.

Military-political staff all service branches		Military-technician staff		Military-administration and support all service branches	Military-medical service all service branches	Military-veterinarian all service branches	Military-legal service all service branches
Land forces & Air Force	Naval forces
No rank established		Mil-technician 2nd rank		Technical-intendant 2nd rank	Army-surgeon	Veterinarian army-surgeon	Junior military jurist
Politleader		Mil-technician 1st rank		Technical-intendant 1st rank	Senior army-surgeon	Senior veterinarian army-surgeon	Military jurist
Senior political leader		Mil-engineer 3rd rank		Intendant 3rd rank	Military physician 3rd rank	Military veterinarian 3rd rank	Military jurist 3rd rank
Bataillon commissar		Mil-engineer 2nd rank		Intendant 2nd rank	Mil-physician 2nd rank	Mil-vet-physician 2nd rank	Military jurist 2nd rank
Regimental commissar		Mililitary engineer 1st rank		Intendant 1st rank	Mil-physician 1st rank	Mil-vet-physician 1st rank	Military jurist 1st rank
Brigade commissar		Brig-engineer	Engineer Flag officer 3rd rank	Brig-intendant	Brig-physician	Brig-vet-physician	Brig-mil-jurist
Division commissar		Div-engineer	Engineer Flag officer 2nd rank	Div-intendant	Div-physician	Div-vet-pysician	Div-mil-jurist
Corps commissar		Cor-engineer	Engineer Flag officer 1st rank	Cor-intendant	Cor-physician	Cor-vet-pysician	Cor-military-jurist
Army commissar 2nd rank		Army engineer	Fleet Engineer Flag officer	Army intendant	Army physician	Army veterinarian	Army military-jurist
Army commissar 1st rank		No equivalent ranks created

1937

More regulations were established in 1937, in line to general instructions of the Red Army. In line to paragraph 10 of this instruction, the subdivision of personnel in uniform to rank groups and assignments (in the following rank groups) was granted.

• Leading staff: this group contained military officers and heads of departments, military administration and commissariat, medical service, veterinarian service, military legal service
• Commanding staff: to this group counted personnel with the ranks commander in chief and commander
• Junior commanding staff
• Enlisted men/ratings

Paragraph 14 of this instruction contained the so-called individual ranks and rank designations in line to the order from September 22, 1935, and thus officially sanctioned the additional established OF-1c ranks (Junior lieutenant and Junior military technician) with the amendments taking effect from August 5, 1937.

1939

By decision of the extraordinary session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (end of August until early September 1939) the law on universal compulsory service took effect, and the new OF4-ranks of Podpolkovnik and Battalion commissar were introduced as a result of the amendments to the rank regulations of 1935. An equivalent OF4-rank for the Soviet navy was not established, however.

Rank designations

Example Polkovnik armoured corps with rank insignia big (coat), small (battle jacket) 1940.

In line to the individual ranks the establishment of defined ran insignia were determined in December 1935 as well. From this time military staff, including political commissars, military administration/ commissariat, medical service, veterinarian service, military legal service of the Red Army wore rank insignia as follows.

• Rank insignia chevron: on both sleeves (short above the cuff)
• Rank insignia big: on both collar-edges of the uniform coat
• Rank insignia small: on both collar-edges of the battle jacket, the so-called Gymnastjorka

However, naval military staff wore sleeve insignia (stripes and stars) on both sleeves of the uniform. The rank insignia were in line to rank group differently designed.

Commander in chief, higher commanding officers and top appointments OF10 to OF6

• Rank insignia big (over coat): on a rhombic padding, gold coloured border, one to four rhombic red enameled badges, gold colourer Soviet star small/ big
• Rank insignia small (Gymnastjorka): on rectangle padding, gold coloured border, one to four rhombic red enameled badges
• Sleeve insignia (over coat): one to four gold colored chevrons, Soviet star small/ big, one red coloured extra chevron OF10

Commanding officers and unit leaders OF5, OF3 und OF2

• Rank insignia big (over coat): on rhombic padding, gold coloured border, one to three red enameled rectangle badges
• Rank insignia small (Gymnastjorka): on rectangle padding, gold coloured border, one to four red enameled rectangle badges

Subunit leader OF1

• Rank insignia big (over coat): on rhombic padding, gold coloured border, one to four red enameled square badges
• Rank insignia small (Gymnastjorka): on rectangle padding, gold coloured border, one to four red enameled square badges

Sub-subunit leader and enlisted men OR8 to OR1

• Sub-subunit leader
  • Rank insignia big (over coat): on rhombic padding, gold coloured border, one to three red enameled trigonal badges
  • Rank insignia small (Gymnastjorka): on rectangle padding, gold coloured border, one to four red enameled trigonal badges
• Enlisted men: simple rank insignia big (over coat)/ simple rank insignia small (Gymnastjorka)

Table of rank insignia land forces and Air Force 1935–1940

Generals

Designation		Commander in chief, higher commanders and top appointments
Rank insignia	Coat-collar
	Gymnastjorka
			no	no
	Coat-chevron
Rank designation		Marshal of the Soviet Union	Komandarm 1st rank	Komandarm 2nd rank	Komkor	Komdiv	Kombrig
(native designation)		(Маршал Советского Союза)	(Командарм 1-го ранга)	(Командарм 2-го ранга)	(Комкор)	(Комдив)	(Комбриг)
OF-equivalent		OF10	OF9		OF8	OF7	OF6
Rank designation after 1940		No change	General of the Army (Chief marshal of the branch & Marshal of the branch)		Colonel general	Lieutenant general	Major General

Officers

Designation		Commanding officers and unit leaders
Rank insignia	Coat-collar	On rhombic padding, golden coloured border, 1–3 badges (rectangles / square) as depicted below
	Gymnastjorka
Rank designation		Polkovnik (until middle of 1937)	Podpolkovnik (since late 1937)	Major	Kapitan	Starshy leytenant	Lieutenant	Mladshy leytenant (adopted 1937)
(Native designation)		(Полковник)	(Подполковник)	(Майор)	(Капитан)	(Старший лейтенант)	(Лейтенант)	(Младший лейтенант)
OF-equivalent		OF5	OF4	OF3	OF2	OF1

Sub-unit leaders and enlisted men

Designation		Sub-subunit leaders, specialists & enlisted men
Rank insignia	Coat-collar	On rhombic padding, 1 – 4 trigonal badges
	Gymastjorka
Rank designation		Starshina 1935-1940	Junior platoon leader 1935-1940	Subunit leader 1935-1940	Specialist 1940-1943	Red army man 1935-1940
(native designation)		(Сташина)	(Младший командир взвода)	(Отделённый командир)	(Звеньевый)	(Красноармеец)
OR-equivalent		OR8	OR7	OR6	OR5	OR1
Rank designation after 1940		Starshina	Starshiy sershant	Sershant	Mladshy sershant	Rjadovoy
(native designation)		(Старшина)	(Старший сержант)	(Cержа́нт)	(Mла́дший сержа́нт)	(Pядово́й)

Table of rank insignia for the navy 1935–1940

The following ranks and insignia were used by the Soviet Navy from 1935 to 1940.

Flag officers

Designation	Commander in chief, higher commanders and top appointments
Sleeve insignia
Rank designation	Flag officer of the fleet 1st rank	Flag officer of the fleet 2nd rank	Flag officer 1st rank	Flag officer 2nd rank
(native designation)	(Флагман флота 1-го ранга)	(Флагман флота 2-го ранга)	(Флагман 1-го ранга)	(Флагман 2-го ранга)
OF-equivalent	OF9	OF8	OF7	OF6
Rank designation after 1940	Admiral of the Fleet	Admiral	Vice admiral	Counter admiral

Officers

Designation	Commanding officers and unit leaders
Sleeve insignia
Rank designation	Kapitan 1st rank	Kapitan 2nd rank	Kapitan 3rd rank	Kapitan leytenant	Starshy leytenant	Leytetant	Mladshiy leytenant (from 1937 onward)
(native designation)	(Капитана 1-го ранга)	(Капитана 2-го ранга)	(Капитана 3-го ранга)	(Капитан-лейтенанта)	(Стазший лейтенанта)	(Лейтенанта)	(Младший лейтенант)
OF-equivalent	OF5	OF4	OF3	OF2	OF1

Sub-subunit leader and enlisted men

Designation	Sub-subunit leaders, specialists & enlisted men
Sleeve insignia
Rank designation	Starshina	Squad commander	Krasnoflotets
(native designation)	(Старшина)	(Отделенный командир)	(Краснофлотеец)
OR-equivalent	OR7	OR6	OR1

See also

• History of Russian military ranks
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian armed forces until 1917
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Red Army 1918–1935, and ... 1940–1943
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Army 1943–1955, and ... 1955–1991
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian Federation´s armed forces 1994–2010

References

1. Rank insignia and sequence of ranks of the “Workers' and Peasants' Red Army” as to order number 2590 of the “USSR Central Executive Committee” and “Council of People's Commissars” from September 22, 1935. Other solutions to ground forces and navy of the “Workers' and Peasants' Red Army” were disposed by order 2591.
2. Order number 176 of the „People's Commissar of Defence of the USSR” from December 3, 1935 pertaining individual military ranks of the land forces and the Navy of the “Workers' and Peasants' Red Army”.
3. The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"
4. The abbreviation "OF" stands for de: "Offizier / en: officer / fr: officier / ru: офицер"