The Russellville Democrat., 1883-01-25
Appointments in the German Army.


 It Is only exceptionally and as re- ward for distinguished bravery in ac- ton that German non-commissioned of- ficers are promoted officers Appoint ments of this kind are so rare that itmay be laid down as rule that a non-com- missioned officer cannot hope to receive a commission. He Is content with his position, and is looked up to by the mass of the people. Such is not the case, however. with the Porte -Epee- Fahnrich This category of non-commissioned of ficers is entirely distinct from the oth- CTS. The Porte Epee- Fahnrich arc. in fact, all aspirant officers, and tho rank that they hold is the first step that all must take who desire to enter the corps of officers of the German army. This grade is conferred, in proportion to the number of vacancies, on young men who have been six months in active service, who can produce a certificate of excellence in studies from certain speci- fled seats of public instruction, or who have passed successfully prescribed examination before military commis- sion sitting at Berlin. In order to be adm tied to this examination an appli- cant must be either Cadet or must have enlisted as an drdntaQeur; that of an officer, and us claimant, by this title. to the enjoyment of certain. privileges attaching to this par ticular condition. These privileges vary according to the corps certain lati- tude is allowed to the Colonels in the treatment Of the dvdntdqeurs, who arc in principle only enlisted men. In Germany the term Cadet is applied to a student at the military schools that have been established to insure the fill ing of vacancies among the officers of the army. These schools are nine in number, of which seven are in Prussia, one at Dresden. for the Saxon army, and one at Munich for the Bavarian army. Of the seven Prussian schools, six are only primary; they do not finish the education of their scholars, who, at fifteen years of age, are all sent to the principal school established at Lichter- field. The Cadet schools all receive the pupils at ten years of age and upward; the latter can enter only after an ex- animation whose scope varies with the age of the applicant Although these schools have n military organization, the time spent there is not counted as effective service; consequently, at the expiration of the required number of years of study, the cadets are distributed among the regiments of the different arms of the service, where they commence by serving six months as enlisted men under the same conditions as the drantagenrs. Once that they have been appointed Porte Epee Fahnrich, the aspirant off, cers, whether Cadets or dudntdqegrs, must pass through one of the war schools (Kriegsschulen) of the German Empire in order to be promoted off, cers. It is only after five months serv- ice at least with the rank of ensign porte-epee. and, consequently. after eleven months of active service, that they can be sent to the war schools. There are nine of these schools; the course of studies is from nine to ten months On leaving the students go to Berlin to undergo before the Military Commission sitting in that city new examination that decides their fitness for the grade of Second Lieutenant But before promotion they must stand another test; they must be accepted by the corps of officers they desire to join In each regiment the officers assembled, with the Colonel presiding. decide upon the suitableness of the candidate ss re- gards character. honor, social standing, etc. Finally, for the special branches. artillery or engineers, officers must pass through the school of application at Berlin, where the duration of the course is two years. The Unissd Service.