Rank insignia of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Empire" class="extiw" title="w:German Empire">German Empire</a> 1871 until 1918, here shoulder strap of the Imperial-German Army: twisted of silver- and golden-braids (colour of the thread in the silver-braids – «light-blue» for Bavaria) with three stars to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_General" class="extiw" title="w:Colonel General">«Colonel general»</a> (OF-9).
German government,
before 1918 <div style="display: none;">date QS:P,+1918-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P1326,+1918-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
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