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 described 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.