Reichsmarschall

'''''' (; ) was an honorary military rank, specially created for Hermann Göring during World War II, and the highest rank in the . It was senior to the rank of (, equivalent to field marshal, which was previously the highest rank in the ), but was merely a ceremonial appointment to accentuate Göring's position as Hitler's designated successor. No actual subordination of the other field marshals or a superior position of the holder followed from it. It was equivalent to General of the Armies in the United States, or in other countries.

==History== Until July 1940, the highest rank in the German military was . At the beginning of World War II, the only active holder of that rank was Hermann Göring, Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. On 19 July 1940, following the German victory in the Battle of France, Adolf Hitler held a ceremony in which he promoted twelve generals to the newly awarded rank of . During the same ceremony, Göring was elevated to the newly created rank of , a symbolic move to highlight his seniority over other commanders and to fulfill his ambitions for prestige, though it conferred no additional authority. This was done in order to ensure that the (, abbreviated in German to OKW), which was headed by Hitler, would retain overall control and authority over the German military.