- low est , ▁roughly ▁equivalent ▁of ▁a ▁general ▁in ▁the ▁He er ▁or ▁Luft wa ffe . ▁When ▁the ▁Bundes wehr ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁Admir al ▁became ▁the ▁highest ▁rank ▁again . ▁The ▁Volks marine ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁People ' s ▁Army ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁Democratic ▁Republic ▁used ▁ranks ▁similar ▁to ▁those ▁in ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Navy . ▁While ▁techn ically ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁rank ▁of ▁Fl ot ten ad mir al ▁( F le et ▁Admir al ), ▁Admir al ▁was ▁the ▁highest ▁rank ▁any ▁naval ▁officer ▁achieved . ▁ ▁V ize ad mi rale ▁ ▁V ize ad mir al ▁was ▁a ▁flag ▁officer ▁rank ▁introduced ▁in ▁the ▁Pr uss ian ▁Navy ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 8 ▁and ▁used ▁subsequently ▁in ▁all ▁other ▁German ▁nav ies . ▁ ▁V ize ad mi rale ▁( Char akter ) ▁ ▁Kon ter ad mi rale ▁ ▁Kon ter ad mir al ▁( R ear ▁Admir al ) ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁flag ▁officer ▁rank ▁in ▁the ▁naval ▁forces ▁of ▁Germany ▁since ▁ 1 8 4 9 . ▁ ▁Kon ter ad mi rale ▁( Char akter ) ▁ ▁Fl ott ill en ad mi rale ▁ ▁The ▁rank ▁of ▁Fl ott ill en ad mir al ▁( R ear ▁Admir al , ▁lower ▁half ) ▁was ▁newly ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁as ▁the ▁naval ▁equivalent ▁to ▁Brigade general . ▁The ▁rank ▁roughly ▁corresponds ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Kom mod ore ▁in ▁earlier ▁German ▁naval ▁forces