Fähnrich


Fähnrich is an officer candidate rank in the Austrian Bundesheer and German Bundeswehr. The word Fähnrich comes from an older German military title, Fahnenträger, and first became a distinct military rank in Germany on 1 January 1899. However, Fähnrich ranks are often incorrectly compared with the rank of ensign, which shares a similar etymology but is a full-fledged commissioned officer rank.
In the German Landsknecht armies, recorded from ca. 1480, the equivalent rank of a Cornet existed. The cornet carried the troop standard, known as a "cornet".
The rank also exists in a few other European military organizations, often with historical ties to the German system. Examples are the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. The French Army has a similar position called an Aspirant.
In the Finnish landforces and airforce, Vänrikki is the lowest commissioned officer rank, which is granted to the soldiers in the national service on the day they are released from their 347-day service. Finnish Vänrikki are thus of equal rank to the German lieutenant.

Germany

Bundeswehr

A Fähnrich of the Bundeswehr is a soldier who serves in the ranks, first as Fahnenjunker, then in subsequent grades: Fähnrich, and Oberfähnrich.
In the German Bundeswehr, an officer candidate can reach the rank of Fähnrich after 21 months of service. The German Navy equivalent is ''Ensign at sea".
An officer candidate's career is indicated by the enlisted rank with a thin silver cord on the shoulder strap.

National People's Army

The rank name Fähnrich was in use in East Germany NPA as a direct counterpart from the Soviet Praporshchik rank.

Fähnrich until 1945

Until 1945 in Heer and Luftwaffe of the Wehrmacht there were also three appropriate officer dedicated ranks:
The status of an officer aspirant career was indicated by additional two parallel silver braids as on the appropriate rank epaulet.
In the Waffen-SS there were the four ranks of SS-Junker, SS-Oberjunker, SS-Standartenjunker and SS-Oberstandartenjunker for officer candidates and officer cadets.

Austria

Austrian Bundesheer

Fähnrich, short Fhr, is the lowest rank of the commissioned officers CO rank group in the Austrian Bundesheer.

Austria-Hungaria (until 1918)

Fähnrich was the lowest officer rank in the k.u.k. Common Army. In 1838 it was renamed to Unterleutnant 2. Gebürnisklasse, from 1849 to Unterleutnant 2. Klasse, since 1868 to Unterleutnant, and finally approximately from 1868 to Leutnant. In 1908 Fähnrich was re-introduced as lowest cadet-officer rank in order to replace the 1869 rank designation Kadett-Offiziersstellvertreter. Fähnrich, Kadett-Offiziersstellvertreter respectively completed training and education on the less famous so-called k.u.k. Kadettenschule. As the Kadett-Offiziersstellvertreter was the highest NCO-rank, became Fähnrich a separate rank-class. However, graduates from the much more famous Militärakademie became the officer patent for Leutnant.
In the k.u. Royal Hungarian Honvéd army Zászlós was the equivalent to the Fähnrich rank. It accounted immediately to the officer corps.