Gefreiter

Gefreiter (abbr. Gefr.; plural Gefreite, English: private, in the military context) is a German, Swiss and Austrian military rank that has existed since the 16th century. It is usually the second rank or grade to which an enlisted soldier, airman or sailor could be promoted.
The word has also been lent into the Russian language and is in use in several Russian and post-Soviet militaries.
History
Historically the military rank of (female and plural form: ) emerged in 16th-century Europe for the German foot soldiers, predominantly made up of German and Swiss mercenary pikemen and supporting infantry foot soldiers. Those soldiers who proved especially reliable and experienced were appointed to (exempted/freed servants/soldiers; a cognate to 'knight') and were installed in critical battlefield positions; along with their extra rank privileges they were exempted in general from sentry duties.
From the 18th century, were the first line members of a military company, and every led and commanded a section or squad of (ordinary-rank soldiers). The rank existed in the cavalry, infantry, pioneers, and artillery where rank received a greater rank-class status. was the only enlisted rank until 1918 within the Royal Prussian Army and respectively the imperial army of the German Empire to which an exceptional enlisted soldier could be promoted on the recommendation of the (Captain) or (Cavalry-Master otherwise Captain) and ultimately endorsed by the (Regimental Colonel), with exception of the rank (since 1859) in the foot artillery which later replaced the artillery (Corporal) rank. The rank was also considered a transition rank for promotion to and wherefrom replacements were selected to the (Corporal) rank. Within the Royal Prussian Army and respectively the imperial army of the German Empire, the rank was a deputy to the (Corporal), and were distinguished by the wearing of an (award button) known as the (button) on each side of their uniform collar, similar to the slightly larger rank collar side-buttons worn by both the and ranks.
In the Royal Prussian Army until its reorganization after 1806, there existed along with the rank of who wore a silver (sword lanyard). These were officer cadets specifically selected for higher advancement, they stood equal with their officer cadet counterpart the . The was a rank that also existed along with in the Austrian Army during the Thirty Years' War.
From the 1920s the German rank of has expanded into several additional ranks and duties, those being (Senior Lance Corporal otherwise Second Corporal in the Prussian Army since 1859); (Leading Lance Corporal in the during 1935–1944, the during 1938–1945, and the from 1955); (Staff Lance Corporal in the since 1927, the until 1945, the from 1944 temporarily replacing rank); and (Senior Staff Lance Corporal in the Kriegsmarine since 1940, not in the Heer or Luftwaffe until 1996). All ranks are now in use with the German army, air force, and navy.
The female form is not used by the military; the formal address is .
Austria
Gefreiter (abbr. Gfr) is a military rank of the Austrian Bundesheer. It is officially translated as Lance corporal.
Austro-Hungarian Army
In the Austro-Hungarian Army (1867–1918), corresponded to and . It was used by the as well as the , troops,
cavalry, medical corps, and infantry.
Then rank insignia was a single white celluloid-star on the stand-up collar of the so-called (tunic) on gorget patch. Stand-up collar and background of the gorget patch showed a particular egalisation colour.
Gefreiter in adjustation of the infantry
Germany
Bundeswehr
(abbr. Gefr. or G.) is the second enlisted rank grade within the modern-day Army, Air Force and Navy of the Bundeswehr. Following the NATO ranking system, equates to OR-2 on the NATO-standard rank scale, the rank is thus equivalent to either private, private first class, vice corporal or corporal rank depending on the chosen NATO-allied force used for the comparison. It is grade A4 in the pay scale of the Federal Ministry of Defence.
The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in this particular group is as follows:
OR-4a:
OR-4b:
OR-3a:
OR-3b:
OR-2:
OR-1: (Army), (Air Force), (Navy)
In line with Bundeswehr rank advancement conditions, enlisted personnel OR-1 may be promoted to OR-2 level after passing primary recruit training (usually after three months) to the rank of .
Throughout the periods of the Royal Prussian Army, Imperial Army of the German Empire, the and the FRG , the rank of was considered the equivalent to a junior lance corporal rank, with as senior lance corporal or rather second corporal in the artillery, and a full corporal rank known as (subordinate non-commissioned officer) which replaced the rank from 1856. Within the army branch of the FRG , a rank of (senior rifleman) once existed between the ranks of and ("[enlisted] ordinary-rank rifleman/soldier"). A was considered an "exempted man", who was not normally assigned more menial duties, such as guard detail. A soldier promoted to was seen as showing some promise of leadership capability, while those who did not were promoted to .
"Bohemian corporal"
The best-known holder of the rank of was Adolf Hitler, who held the rank in the Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment 16 of the Royal Bavarian Army during World War I.
"Bohemian corporal" was a derogatory term used (privately) in World War II for Adolf Hitler by German generals (many of whom were Prussian aristocrats) dissatisfied with Hitler's military leadership and detailed control such as Gerd von Rundstedt, Erich von Manstein and Friedrich Paulus. Rundstedt said often during and after the war, "Without Hitler's consent, I can't even move my own sentry from my front door around to the back!" Wilhelm Keitel once asked Hitler, "Do you realise that Rundstedt called you a Bohemian corporal?" Hitler replied, "Yes, but he is the best field marshal I have". Von Rundstedt used the term , which he had gotten in the 1930s from a World War I hero, German President Paul von Hindenburg. Hindenburg, who took an instant mutual dislike to Hitler on their first meeting, mistook Hitler's home town of Braunau in Austria (Braunau am Inn) for another town of the same name (Broumov, German: ) in Bohemia and initially said "Austrian corporal" but later used "Bohemian corporal", which was a pejorative term, as he regarded Bohemians as "essentially gypsies", unlike the more cultured Prussians or even Austrians.
Russia
Yefreytor is a German loanword in Russian and denotes a similar rank in the Russian army.
In Russia, the rank of yefreytor was introduced by Peter I in 1716 to the infantry, cavalry and engineer forces. The rank was not used after 1722. During the reign of Paul I it was made an equivalent rank to private, which after the reign of Alexander I was used only for the Imperial Guard. Yefreytor was re-introduced in the course of the military reforms of 1826.
In the armed forces of the Soviet Union (and later the Russian Federation) yefreytor is the highest rank of enlisted personnel. According to NATO-rank system the rank might be comparable to OR-4 in Anglophone armed forces.
Rank insignia
Imperial Russian Army
Red Army (RA) and Soviet Armed Forces (SA)
Russian Armed Forces
Other uses of Yefreytor
Switzerland
See also
Military ranks of the German Empire
World War II German Army ranks and insignia
Rank insignia of the German armed forces
Ranks and insignia of NATO armies enlisted
History of Russian military ranks
References
Military ranks of Germany
Military ranks of Switzerland
Military ranks of Austria
Military ranks of the Soviet Union
Military ranks of Russia