Hypothetical Ranks of Marshals

[punkhung]

Admiral of the USSR Navy:

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Internal Marshal of the USSR:

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Indian Marshal:

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Admiral of the Fleet of East German:

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Grand Marshal of Yugoslavia:

[marcpasquin]

Canadian Marshal (before the re-introduction of british style insignias)

[marcpasquin]

SS-volksmarschall, first recipient was Sepp Dietriech.

[Helios88]

SS-volksmarschall, first recipient was Sepp Dietriech.

A step below the SS-Reichsfuhrer?

[Cobra Kebab]

SS-volksmarschall, first recipient was Sepp Dietriech.

Nice work, but I think that the collar patch needs to be longer for the batons device to align better with the oakleaves.

[marcpasquin]

SS-volksmarschall, first recipient was Sepp Dietriech.

A step below the SS-Reichsfuhrer?

Yes. In 1945, it was proposed to give that rank to sepp dietrich so that the waffen-ss would have a rank equivalent to the grossadmiral and generalfeldmarschall. The failure of the Ardennes offensive put an end to the idea.

No insignias were actualy designed (it is possible he would have worn oberstgruppenfuehrer collar tabs with generalfeldmarschall epaulettes) although apparently a sketch exist for a ceremonial baton of a ss-volksmarschall in Russian archive which is *supposed* (note emphasis) to look like this:

[marcpasquin]

SS-volksmarschall, first recipient was Sepp Dietriech.

Nice work, but I think that the collar patch needs to be longer for the batons device to align better with the oakleaves.

It already is a bit longer then a normal ss tab. I might try a different approach.

[Helios88]

The image is very nice, like all other insignia shown in this page, but I wonder wether (Waffen)SS would had used a susch traditional military insigna such as crossed batons. At least from a graphic point of view, but also in other fields, they rejected the distinction between Officers and enlisted personnel, so I wonder if a SS-Volksmarschall would had used this traditionalist and very Wehrmacht-ish graphic element.

[Toushu]

Finnish Field Marshal with marshal's batons and the general's four lions on a further extended general's collar board.

Presented model has precedent with Mannerheim's m/22 field marshal collar board having the three lions of a full general and crossed batons.
His promotion to Marshal of Finland gave him collar boards in line with the m/36 model insignia. Since that is a separate rank which if reinstated will be using the same insignia as Mannerheim did, the field marshal doesn't as yet have m/36-style collar boards.
Modern insignia have remained somewhat unchanged from m/36, so this is my take on the concept.

m/91 concepts of redesigning the generals' collar boards was rejected already, thus I'm not using oak leaves in this design.

Materials would be red felt, gold bullion embroidery and gold/brass pins.

And before you ask, no the crossed batons cannot take the place of the fir branch embroidery. That's only for specialist officers, e.g. engineering, medicine, music, etc.

[marcpasquin]

The image is very nice, like all other insignia shown in this page, but I wonder wether (Waffen)SS would had used a susch traditional military insigna such as crossed batons. At least from a graphic point of view, but also in other fields, they rejected the distinction between Officers and enlisted personnel, so I wonder if a SS-Volksmarschall would had used this traditionalist and very Wehrmacht-ish graphic element.

I think the fact they wanted to use volksmarschall (and not a rank called something along the lines of "Höchste Gruppenführer") as well as the fact it was strictly for the waffen as opposed to the allgemeine SS lead me to pick it.

If you wanted to pick an alternative, there is firstly the problem that you couldn't realy give him four leaves (since Himmler's insignia contain only 3) or a wreath (same reason) and 4 pips wouldn't be as demonstrative of being above gruppenfuehrer level in my mind.

So the batons, already used by all 3 services in some fashions, remains for me the best choice.

[Helios88]

It is a good logic.

[Toushu]

Marshal of Finland updated collar board.
Field marshal (sotamarsalkka) Mannerheim was promoted to (or given the title of) Marshal of Finland in 1942. At least during Adolf Hitler's visit on Mannerheim's 75th birthday Mannerheim wore m/36-pattern collar boards with the crossed batons and the three lions of a full general.

Honestly I'm not certain whether the Marshal of Finland would wear different insignia than a field marshal (if either would be reinstated), but I'm putting this here regardless.

Collar board is white felt with a full general's length, embroidery uses gold and silver bullion and pins are gold.