Feldwebel

(Fw or F, ) is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in several countries. The rank originated in Germany, and is also used in Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia. The rank has also been used in Russia, Austria-Hungary, occupied Serbia and Bulgaria.

 is a contraction of  meaning 'field' and , an archaic word meaning 'usher'.  comes from the Old High German , meaning to go back and forth (as in 'wobble').

There are variations on , such as Oberstabsfeldwebel ('Superior Staff Field Usher'), which is the highest non-commissioned rank in the German army and air force.

in different languages 
The rank is used in several countries: , , ,  and .

In Swiss German the spelling  is used.

in different countries and armed forces

Austria

 was a typical infantry rank of the k.u.k. Austro-Hungarian Army (1867–1918). It might have been comparable to NCO-rank OR8./ Company Sergeant-major ranks in the British Army.

In the k.u.k. Austro-Hungarian Army  was equivalent to:
 (Master-Blacksmith 1st class) cavalry,
Feuerwerker (Master-Sergeant, ) artillery,
Oberjaeger (Master-Sergeant) of the mountain troops and rifles,
 (Fiscal sergeant 1st class),
 (Regimental bugler), 
 (Regimental drummer), 
Wachtmeister (Master-Sergeant) cavalry,
 (Weapon master 1st class) artillery and weapon arsenal,
 (Master-Sergeant – volunteer serving one year), and 
 (Cadet-Master-Sergeant).

The rank insignia was a gorget patch on the stand-up collar of the so-called Waffenrock (tunic), and consisted of three white stars on 13 mm ragged yellow silk galloon. The gorget patch and the stand-up collar showed the particular Waffenfarbe (corps colour).

Examples (selection)

Bulgaria
In the Bulgarian army,  (pronounced ) existed from the late 19th century to the late 1940s, when the German-type military organization was phased out in favor of a new doctrine, identical to the Soviet one.

Estonia
The Estonian rank of  is derived from the name of the German rank .

Finland

The Finnish Defence Force uses the ranks of  and  which are the third and second highest NCO ranks, respectively.  is also the highest rank that can be awarded to a female non-conscript NCO who has not completed the volunteer female military service (equivalent to the male conscription service). The Finnish Navy's equivalent rank is  ().

In addition, the Finnish Defence Force uses  to indicate an NCO position (which might or might not be occupied by an NCO of the rank ) subordinate to the company commander. The unit's  is in charge of the company's personnel management as well as supply, provisioning and maintenance, including the maintenance of the premises inhabited by the unit. They are also responsible for maintaining the general order, discipline and unit cohesion. The company's  is the lowest-ranking FDF position that can conduct a preliminary investigation into suspected service-related crimes. Their powers with regard to punishment are limited to conscripts, who they can punish with either a warning or up to six hours of extra duties.

Germany

German  

In the modern German ,  is considered a senior NCO, due in part to the large number of corporal positions which exist as junior grades.

The modern  NCO grades are as follows:
Junior NCOs () – ,  (NATO-Rank Code OR 5a, 5c)
 ranks:  (OR-5b),  (OR-6b) and  (OR-7) are ranks only held by Officer aspirants (OA)  (Officer candidate or Officer Designate)
 (Senior NCOs)

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group (NCOs with portepee or Senior NCOs with portepee) is as follows:
OR-9:  / 
OR-8:  / 
OR-7:  / 
OR-6a:  / 
OR-6b:  /

19th century and 
 gained its widest usage under the German military beginning from the early 19th century. The highest-ranking non-commissioned officer until 1918, the Feldwebel acted as Company Sergeant Major. By contrast with some other countries, the position and duty of Regimental Sergeant Major never existed in Germany.

From 1877 veteran NCOs could be promoted to the rank of . This Army Reserve officer ranked with the Commissioned Officers, but was always inferior to the lowest .

From 1887 the  (Deputy Officer) ranked as a kind of Warrant Officer (more NCO than officer) between  and the commissioned officers.

There were three further NCO ranks:  (Vice , senior NCO),  (junior NCO) and  (Lance Sergeant or Corporal, junior NCO). The  was not an NCO as he had no powers of authority, and was a higher grade of private soldier.

and 
After World War I, in the German  and , the  rank group was divided into several grades:

 (deputy), in the meaning of platoon sergeant,
 (platoon sergeant, possible appointment to  (in the meaning of company sergeant major),
 (special rank reserved for 25-year volunteers only).

 and above were  (Senior NCOs);  and  were  (Junior NCOs). In 1921, the rank of  was renamed . s did duty as squad/section leaders.

The  rank was reserved for those who had enlisted for 25 year terms of service in the pre-war German military and those who were enlisted for shorter terms were not eligible to hold this rank.

The appointment of Hauptfeldwebel (Company sergeant major/First sergeant) could be held by s or s only. NCOs of a lower rank (, , ) holding this position were titled  (i.e. acting ).

Rank insignia  until 1945

In the German Wehrmacht  () and  () were rank insignia as follows.

Rank insignia GDR National People's Army until 1990
In the German Democratic Republic National People's Army  (junior NCO grades) were replaced by , and  (senior NCO grades) were called . The shoulder board rank insignia were as follows.

Russia
In the Imperial Russian Army a  () held the highest  () rank from 1722 (its introduction into Peter the Great's Table of Ranks until 1826 (the introduction of the still-higher  ranks  ( ) OR-7 and later  (; ) OR-8 in 1884). s, even after the introduction of these senior ranks, were usually the most senior s in a unit and held the positions of the unit's CO senior assistant or  (; Sergeant Major). When they were promoted to  OR-8 or  OR-7 ranks, but still held the  OR-6 positions, they were authorized to still wear the 's bands on their shoulder boards. The cavalry equivalent of this rank was the vakhtmistr or  (, derived from German ), also OR-6.

 Rank insignia

Switzerland
 is the lowest rank of higher non-commissioned officers in the Swiss Army. Until the Reform XXI agenda, there were two branches of s: technical and company level.

The  oversees unit-level military service and operations. In 2004, the rank of  was introduced. Since then, only technical specialists have remained in the rank of .

See also
 History of Russian military ranks
 Ranks and insignia of NATO Armies Enlisted (Army)
 Ranks and insignia of NATO

References

Sources 
BROCKHAUS, Die Enzyklopädie in 24 Bänden (1796–2001), Band 5: 3-7653-3665-3, S. 487, Feldwebel

Military ranks of Germany