Soldat (rank)

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

Soldat ([zɔlˈdaːt] short: S, plural Soldaten) refers to 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

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 Zentraler 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	Luftwaffe uniformed personnel with the lowest OR1-rank, with exception of Flugabwehrraketengeschwader 1 soldiers of the lowest OR1-rank in the units of the Heeresfliegertruppe
Funker	Fu	soldiers with the lowest OR1-rank in the Signal Corps, not involved to units of tactical combat forces like Armoured Corps of the Heer in stationary communications centers in signal units of the Electronic Warfare in units of the Operational Communications
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 of the Artillery Corps (except Panzerhaubitze units) in the Flugabwehrraketengeschwader 1 of the Luftwaffe of the Geo-Information Service belonging to the Heer
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	soldier with the lowest OR1-rank in units of the Panzergrenadiertruppe Panzergrenadier is also the collective name to all personnel of the Panzergrenadiertruppe
Panzerjäger	PzJg	This OR1-rank was discontinued in line with the abolishment of the Panzerjägertruppe (Anti-tank troops) in 2006. from 1955 to 2006 it was the lowest OR1-rank of the Panzerjägertruppe Panzerjäger was also the collective name for all Panzerjägertruppe personnel
Panzerkanonier	PzKan	soldier with the lowest OR1-rank of Artillery Corps batteries equipped with armored self-propelled howitzers (de: Panzerhaubitze)
Panzerpionier	PzPi	soldier with the lowest OR1-rank of Panzerpionier units (en: Armored engineer) Panzerpionier is also the collective name to all persons in uniform of the Bundeswehr Panzerpionier companies / Panzerpionier battalions
Panzerschütze	PzSchtz	soldier with the lowest OR1-rank of units of the Panzertruppe (en: Armoured corps)
Pionier	Pi	soldier with the lowest OR1-rank of Pioniertruppe (en: Combat engineering), with the exception of armored engineer units Pionier is also the collective name for all Pioniertruppe personnel
Sanitätssoldat	SanSdt	soldier with the lowest OR1-rank in the Joint Medical Service (Germany) or the Heer medical service Sanitätssoldat is also the collective name for personnel of the Sanitätsdienst der Bundeswehr (en: Bundeswehr Medical Service)
Schütze	Schtz	Normally all military personnel with the lower OR-1 rank serving in Heer that is not mentioned above.

Wehrmacht until 1945

Final ranks to enlisted men until 1945
Waffen-SS	Heer (Army)	Luftwaffe (Air Force)	Kriegsmarine (Navy)
SS-Schütze	Soldat	Flieger	Matrose
SS-Oberschütze	Oberschütze	Flieger	Matrose
SS-Sturmmann	Gefreiter		Matrosengefreiter
SS-Rottenführer	Obergefreiter		Matrosenobergefreiter
No equivalent		Hauptgefreiter	Matrosenhauptgefreiter
No equivalent	Stabsgefreiter		Matrosenstabsgefreiter
No equivalent			Matrosenoberstabsgefreiter

References

Official Website (Bundeswehr): Dienstgrade und Uniformen der Bundeswehr (Service Ranks and Uniforms of the German Federal Defence Forces), in German.
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.

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[BDWRUS-1] Official Website (Bundeswehr): Dienstgrade und Uniformen der Bundeswehr (Service Ranks and Uniforms of the German Federal Defence Forces), in German.

[2] BROCKHAUS, The encyclopedia in 24 volumes (1796–2001), Volume 20: 3-7653-3680-7, page 396; definition «Soldat».

[3] In lists indicated always „S“

[4] 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.