[1] After the unification of Germany it was the highest military rank of the Imperial German Army and later in the Wehrmacht[a][b] until it was abolished in 1945.
Field marshals played a compelling and influential role in military matters, were tax-exempt, members of the nobility, equal to government officials, under constant protection or escort, and had the right to directly report to the royal family.
[3] In the Prussian military tradition, which set the tone for the 19th century and the German Empire, field marshals could only be promoted in wartime and the royal family was excluded, both resulting in the creation of the rank of colonel general with the rank of general field marshal (German: Generaloberst mit dem Range eines Generalfeldmarschalls) in 1854.
After the loss of the First World War, Germany was transformed into what became known as the Weimar Republic, which was subject to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
[79] As a result of the new military arrangements, there were no field marshals created during the Weimar Republic.