The shortest question

[christerd]

Hi, just want to know what the z.V stands for? I been looking in all books I have but cant find it

Is about a Hauptmann z.V is he retired or reused in the second world war ?

sorry for this probably stupid question

Christer

[arb]

Christer,

z.V. = zur Verwendung. Loosely translated "at the disposal of", normally, but not always, followed by a unit, such as a division, army corps and the like.

Andy

[Guest Rick Research]

For a person, following his rank, it indicates retired officers called back up only for the duration of the war.

Hauptmann dR zV, Major zV, Fregattenkapitän zS zV etc were called back up at their last previous military rank and most got only ONE promotion, usually around the end of 1940 or early 1941.

So a 1914 Leutnant promoted Oberleutnant in 1918, demobilized in 1920, who was called back up in 1939 would have been an Oberleutnant zV initially. Because this made them woefully elderly in rank, they got promoted quickly--but only once normally.

Promotions were more liberal in the air force than the army, but they usually only got the one "bump up."

The zV indicated that they were not "active" reserve officers, for instance.

zV only existed in the Wehrmacht. During the First war, a recalled retiree was still a "Hauptmann aD" for instance, but wore special shoulder boards indicating...

a "retired" officer on war's duration service. "Real" retired officers in the imperial forces had other insignia.

Wehrmacht zV officers had NO distinguishing insignia-- they were simply waaaaaaay too old for their ranks.

[christerd]

:jumping:

Thanks, I will show the result in another thread " Arnold Kuschler"

I learn new things about German Army every day, bought the great book "handbook of imperial army" recently but havent have time to read it yet.

Thanks again

Christer