Leutnant


Leutnant is the lowest Lieutenant officer rank in the armed forces of Germany, Austrian Armed Forces, and military of Switzerland.

History

The German noun from Middle High German «locum tenens» Platzhalter was derived from the French word «Lieutenant» about 1500. In most German-speaking armies it is the lowest officer rank. In the German Bundeswehr the ranks Leutnant OF1b and Oberleutnant OF1a belong to the Leutnant rank group. In some other armed forces there is the lower grade of Unterleutnant.
From about 1500 until the middle of the 17th century the designation of «Leutnant» was commonly used for any deputy to a commanding officer. So at the army level there was the appointment of General-Leutnant, at the regimental level there was that of Oberst-Leutnant, and at the company level the Leutnant was deputy to a Hauptmann.
With the formation of standing armies in the second half of the 17th century, the term commonly came to designate the rank of the least senior commissioned officer.
In the 18th and 19th century, at the unit level several Leutnants served as platoon leaders. At that time the ranks of Premier-Lieutenant and Seconde-Lieutenant came into existence. With effect from January 1, 1899 in the German Empire these ranks were renamed as Oberleutnant and Leutnant.

Germany

The rank of Leutnant has been used in the German armed forces since 1899.

Bundeswehr

In the Bundeswehr today, a Leutnant will be normally appointed as platoon leader. However, the rank of Leutnant might also be held while a junior officer is studying at the University of the German Federal Armed Forces or at another training or education establishment. The Leutnant of the Bundeswehr belongs to the "Leutnant's rank group".

Rank

In Germany, Leutnant is the designation of a soldier of the lowest officer rank. The equivalent in the German Navy is the Leutnant zur See.
Soldiers with that particular OF1b-rank, are mandated and authorized to provide military orders as to the so-called Superior-subordinate relations to private ranks, NCOs without port épée, as well as to Senior NCOs with port épée.
junior Rank
Oberstabsfeldwebel

Leutnant		senior Rank
Oberleutnant

National People's Army

In the GDR National People's Army the OF1b-rank Leutnant was the second lowest commissioned offer rank until 1990. This was in reference to Soviet military doctrine and in line with other armed forces of the Warsaw Pact.
The equivalent rank of the Volksmarine was the Leutnant zur See, often called simply Leutnant for short. In reference to the Soviet armed forces and to other armed forces of the Warsaw pact Leutnant was the second lowest officer rank until 1990.
Junior Rank
Unterleutnant
National People's Army rank
Leutnant
Senior Rank
Oberleutnant

Nazi Germany

In Nazi Germany, within the SS and Waffen-SS, the rank of SS-Untersturmführer was considered to be the equivalent of an Leutnant in the German Army. However, in the SA the equivalent to Leutnant was SA-Sturmführer.

Other countries

Austria

In Austria the Leutnant is the second lowest CO rank. Mandatory to be promoted to that OF1b-rank is a six terms course of high school studies with 180 ECTS points on the Theresian Military Academy in the Wiener Neustadt. The studies are focused on "Military Command and Control" and the academy-leaver graduate to Bachelor.
The career in the Militia is structured in a different way. Here the modular education comprises the so-called one-year volunteer year as well as several courses, seminars, and exercises with a final aptitude test. After an overall service time of five years the promotion to «Leutnant» is possible.

Moreover, the appointment designation «Leutnant» is possible for leading officials of the Austrian executive, e.g. the Austrian Federal Police and prison authority personnel.

Austro-Hungarian Army

Until 1918 Leutnant was in the Austria-Hungarian Army the lowest CO-rank as well, equivalent to Assistenz-Arzt and Leutnant-Rechnungsführer.

Switzerland

In the military of Switzerland the Leutnant is a commissioned officer rank. At the contrary to the so-called Army-95 time a Leutnant / platoon leader might not be promoted to Oberleutnant automatically. However, he remains Leutnant during two reiteration courses.
In United Nations missions and in NATO Partnership for Peace the rank Leutnant will be designated in English with Second lieutenant, NATO-Code: OF-1b.