Soldat ([zɔlˈdaːt] short: S, plural Soldaten) is the lowest rank of enlisted men in the land-based armed forces of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is usually grouped as OR-1 within the NATO ranking system, excluding the Swiss armed services which is not part of NATO.[1]
Germany
| Soldat | |
|---|---|
  Heer and Luftwaffe shoulder insignia | |
| Country |  Germany |
| Service branch |  German Army German Air Force |
| Abbreviation | S |
| Rank | German enlisted rank |
| NATO rank code | OR-1 |
| Non-NATO rank | E-1 |
| Formation | 1955 |
| Next higher rank | Gefreiter |
| Next lower rank | None |
| Equivalent ranks | Matrose |
The German term Soldat (equivalent to Soldier in English) has its roots as far back as the 16th-century, where it was a common designation for a paid or remunerated ordinary-rank member of a military infantry, especially one who was not an officer. In the German language Sold implies "pay", and as such the term Soldat designated a person in pay (being paid) for providing armed service.
Bundeswehr
In the Federal armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr) it can be the collective term to any person in uniform, e.g. Officers (de: Offiziere), Non-Commissioned Officers (de: Unteroffiziere), and enlisted men (de: Mannschaften).
In the Bundeswehr it is used to describe conscripts (de: Wehrpflichtiger), short/long term serving volunteers (de: Zeitsoldat, or Soldat auf Zeit), and career or regular servicemen (de: Berufssoldat).[2]
It is grade A3 in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence.
The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:
- OR-4a: Oberstabsgefreiter
- OR-4b: Stabsgefreiter
- OR-3a: Hauptgefreiter
- OR-3b: Obergefreiter
- OR-2: Gefreiter
- OR-1: Soldat (Army, Air Force, Navy)
| Preceded by junior rank None |
'  (German enlisted rank) Soldat' |
Succeeded by senior rank Gefreiter |
Designation
The designation of the particular OR1-rank depends on the individual branch and career of the soldier as regulated in the Zentrale Dienstvorschrift 14/5. The sole OR1-rank designation in the Marine is Matrose, and Sanitätssoldat in the Bundeswehr medical service. Other OR1-designations are descript in the table below.
| Rank designation |
Abbrev.[3] | Carrier grout (e.g.[4]) |
|---|---|---|
| Flieger | Flg |
|
| Funker | Fu | soldiers with the lowest OR1-rank
|
| Grenadier | Gren | Heer uniformed personnel with the lowest OR1-rank serving in the Wachbataillon beim Bundesministerium der Verteidigung since 1991 (until 1991 Jäger) |
| Jäger | Jg | soldiers with the lowest OR1-rank in the units of Jägertruppe, Fallschirmjägertruppe and Gebirgsjägertruppe |
| Kanonier | Kan | soldier with the lowest OR1-rank
|
| Matrose | Matr | German Navy uniformed personnel with the lowest OR1-rank |
| Panzerfunker | PzFu | soldiers with the lowest OR1-rank of signal troops, integrated to units of the Armoured Corps |
| Panzergrenadier | PzGren, PG |
|
| Panzerjäger | PzJg | This OR1-rank was discontinued in line with the abolishment of the Panzerjägertruppe (Anti-tank troops) in 2006.
|
| Panzerkanonier | PzKan | soldier with the lowest OR1-rank of Artillery Corps batteries equipped with armored self-propelled howitzers (de: Panzerhaubitze) |
| Panzerpionier | PzPi |
|
| Panzerschütze | PzSchtz | soldier with the lowest OR1-rank of units of the Panzertruppe (en: Armoured corps) |
| Pionier | Pi |
|
| Sanitätssoldat | SanSdt |
|
| Schütze | Schtz | Normally all military personnel with the lower OR-1 rank serving in Heer that is not mentioned above. |
Wehrmacht until 1945
| Waffen-SS | Heer (Army) | Luftwaffe (Air Force) | Kriegsmarine (Navy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SS-Schütze | Schütze | Flieger | Matrose |
| SS-Oberschütze | Oberschütze | ||
| SS-Sturmmann | Gefreiter | Matrosengefreiter | |
| SS-Rottenführer | Obergefreiter | Matrosenobergefreiter | |
| No equivalent | Hauptgefreiter | Matrosenhauptgefreiter | |
| No equivalent | Stabsgefreiter | Matrosenstabsgefreiter | |
| No equivalent | Matrosenoberstabsgefreiter | ||
See also
- Soldat (Romania)
- Ranks of the German Bundeswehr
- Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr
- Ranks and insignia of NATO armies enlisted
- Ranks and insignia of enlisted personnel in NATO air forces
References
- ^ Official Website (Bundeswehr): Dienstgrade und Uniformen der Bundeswehr (Service Ranks and Uniforms of the German Federal Defence Forces), in German. [1]
- ^ BROCKHAUS, The encyclopedia in 24 volumes (1796–2001), Volume 20: 3-7653-3680-7, page 396; definition «Soldat».
- ^ In lists indicated always „S“
- ^ The carrier enlisted art to be understood as an example. There are several exemptions. Moreover, the rank designations described may be used in other service branches as well.
This page was last edited on 11 February 2024, at 08:14