Modern German Gefreiter insignia

Gefreiter today is the German equivalent for Private. Gefreiter was the lowest rank to what an ordinary soldier could be promoted. As a military rank it has existed since at least the 16th century. In the 20th century Gefreiter has expanded into several ranks, those being Obergefreiter, Hauptgefreiter, Stabsgefreiter and Oberstabsgefreiter. German Corporal Shoulder Board (various sources) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... German Corporal Shoulder Board (various sources) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Look up private in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Bundeswehr Obergreiter insignia Obergefreiter is rank of the German military which dates from the 19th century. ...

In today's German Bundeswehr, each soldier or sailor passing the 3 months basic training is promoted to Gefreiter. Following the NATO-RANK-CODE, Gefreiter ranks as Private (OR-2), Obergefreiter as PFC (OR-3 lower half), Hauptgefreiter as Lance-Corporal (OR-3 upper half), Stabsgefreiter and Oberstabsgefreiter as Corporal (OR-4) (no NCOs!). The Bundeswehr ( (help· info)) is the armed forces of Germany and its administration. ... The NATO flag NATO 2002 Summit in Prague The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for defence collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, D.C., on...

Second World War Gefreiter Chevron

Many sources report that during World War I and World War II, Gefreiter was considered more to be a lance corporal, with the rank of full corporal known as Unteroffizier (lowest grading Junior Non-Commissioned Officer), which ranked between an American sergeant and corporal and approximately equivalent to a British corporal in responsibility. The German Navy, Kriegsmarine, has also periodically maintained a rank known as Matrosengefreiter, translated as "Seaman Corporal", and equivalent to a Leading Seaman. German WWII Corporal Chevron (U.S. National Archives) File links The following pages link to this file: Gefreiter Categories: National Archives and Records Administration images ... German WWII Corporal Chevron (U.S. National Archives) File links The following pages link to this file: Gefreiter Categories: National Archives and Records Administration images ... World War I, also known as the First World War, and (before 1939) the Great War, the War of the Nations, and the War to End All Wars, was a world conflict lasting from August 1914 to the final Armistice (cessation of hostilities) on November 11, 1918. ... Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 8 million military deaths {{{notes}}} World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a military conflict that took place between 1939 and 1945. ... Lance Corporal (LCpl or L/Cpl) is a military rank used by some elements of the British, Commonwealth, and U.S. armed forces. ... Unteroffizier insignia Unteroffizier is a military rank (non-commissioned officer) of the German Bundeswehr that has existed since the 19th century. ... A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO or noncom, is a non-commissioned member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. ... Seaman can be a generic term for sailor. ...

However, in practice, soldiers holding the rank of Gefreiter or Obergefreiter were equal in status to private soldiers; they had no powers of command or authority, and the rank represented little more than a pay raise. They were not considered non-commissioned officers (in German, Unteroffiziere mit Portepee (Senior NCO) or Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee (Junior NCO).)

One of the best known holders of the rank of Gefreiter was Adolf Hitler, who held the rank in the Bavarian Infantry during World War I. (help· info) (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945) was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 and Führer (Leader) of Germany from 1934 until his death. ... The Free State of Bavaria  (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... World War I, also known as the First World War, and (before 1939) the Great War, the War of the Nations, and the War to End All Wars, was a world conflict lasting from August 1914 to the final Armistice (cessation of hostilities) on November 11, 1918. ...