My rule of thumb for German NCOs during the World Wars when I encounter them in narratives goes roughly Private -> Gefreiter (Corporal) -> Feldwebel (Sergeant) -> Oberfeldwebel (Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer) -> ?Stabsfeldwebel? (Sergeant Major). I know I'm missing several intermediate ranks and my sequence may not be technically correct, but it allows me to note what kind of subunit the person referenced may be in charge of and doesn't interrupt the flow of what I'm reading.
My rule of thumb for German NCOs during the World Wars when I encounter them in narratives goes roughly Private -> Gefreiter (Corporal) -> Feldwebel (Sergeant) -> Oberfeldwebel (Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer) -> ?Stabsfeldwebel? (Sergeant Major). I know I'm missing several intermediate ranks and my sequence may not be technically correct, but it allows me to note what kind of subunit the person referenced may be in charge of and doesn't interrupt the flow of what I'm reading.