Soldat (rank)
{{short description|German military rank}}
{{Italic title}}
{{About|the Austrian and German military rank|the general term in the English language for "soldier of the lowest rank"|Private (rank)}}
Soldat is the lowest rank of enlisted men in the armies of some countries. In the land-based armed forces of Germany, Austria, Ukraine, and Switzerland it is usually grouped as OR-1 ({{IPA|de|zɔlˈdaːt|}} short: S, plural Soldaten) within the NATO ranking system, excluding the Swiss armed services which does not follow NATO standards.Official Website (Bundeswehr): Dienstgrade und Uniformen der Bundeswehr (Service Ranks and Uniforms of the German Federal Defence Forces), in German. [http://www.bundeswehr.de/portal/a/bwde/!ut/p/c4/DcLBDYAgDADAWVyA_v25hfIrtpAGLaYUWV9zBxF-iq8UdGmKF-xwnLKmGdIkDt2NxashZ-cwVHKzm3UokbB2L4bE8NRt-QAtole8/]
Germany
{{Infobox military rank
| name = Soldat
| image = {{nowrap|75px 75px}}
| caption = Heer and Luftwaffe shoulder insignia
| image2 =
| image3 =
| caption2 =
| country = {{flag|Germany}}
| service branch = {{army|Germany}}
{{air force|Germany}}
| abbreviation = S
| rank = German enlisted rank
| NATO rank = OR-1
| Non-NATO rank = E-1
| formation = 1955
| abolished =
| higher rank = Gefreiter
| lower rank = None
| equivalents = Matrose
| history =
}}
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).BROCKHAUS, The encyclopedia in 24 volumes (1796–2001), Volume 20: 3-7653-3680-7, page 396; definition «Soldat».
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)
{{sequence|noclear=yes
| prev = junior rank
None
| list = 24px55px
(German enlisted rank)
Soldat
| next = 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.
| class="wikitable" | ||
| align="center"| Rank designation || align="center"| Abbrev.In lists indicated always „S“ || align="center"| Carrier grout (e.g.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.) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Flieger | Flg | *Luftwaffe uniformed personnel with the lowest OR1-rank, with exception of Flugabwehrraketengeschwader 1
|
| 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=
{{WWII German enlisted ranks}}
Ukraine
Soldat is the lowest rank of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Marine Corps, and Air Force. It was introduced in 1991, replacing the former rank of private.