Bootsmann

Bootsmann (lit. 'Boatswain') is a naval rank used in some navies.

Germany

Boatswain Bootsmann (German)
Shoulder and sleeve insignia
Country	Germany
Service branch	German Navy
Abbreviation	Btsm
Rank group	Non-commissioned officer
Next higher rank	Oberbootsmann
Next lower rank	Obermaat
Equivalent ranks	Feldwebel

The German term Bootsmann translates to Boatswain, i.e. the senior crewman of the deck department.

In a military context, Bootsmann (Btsm or B) is the lowest Portepeeunteroffizier (NCO with portepeé) rank in the German Navy. It belongs to the particular rank group Senior NCOs with port épée. It is grouped as OR6 in NATO, equivalent to Petty Officer First Class in the US Navy, and to Petty Officer in the British Royal Navy.

In navy context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Bootsmann also informally / short Bootsmann.

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:
Unteroffiziere mit Portepee

• OR-9: Oberstabsbootsmann / Oberstabsfeldwebel
• OR-8: Stabsbootsmann / Stabsfeldwebel
• OR-7: Hauptbootsmann / Hauptfeldwebel
• OR-6a: Oberbootsmann / Oberfeldwebel
• OR-6b: Bootsmann / Feldwebel

Russia

These names were adopted for the Russian Navy as botsman (боцман) botsmanmat (боцманмат) by Peter the Great, among many other Prussian and Holland military ranks; they were initially treated as positions rather than ranks.

NATO code

While the rank is used in a number of NATO countries, it is ranked differently depending on the country.

NATO code	Country	English equivalent
		UK	US
OR-7	Finland	Chief petty officer
OR-6	Germany, Latvia, Netherlands	Petty officer	Petty officer first class
OR-5	Netherlands		Petty officer second class
OR-4	Poland	Leading rate	Petty officer third class

See also

• Ranks of the German Bundeswehr
• Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr
• Ranks and insignia of NATO navies enlisted

References

• Schult, J. Segler-Lexikon. (in German). p. 61.
• "Oekonomische Encyklopädie von J. G. Krünitz (1773 bis 1858)" (in German). University of Trier.