Officer corps Critics long believed that the Army's officer corps was heavily dominated by
Junker aristocrats, so that commoners were shunted into low-prestige branches, such as the heavy artillery or supply. However, by the 1890s, the top ranks were opened to highly talented commoners. ; The rank insignia of
commissioned officers.
Warrant officers and officer cadets •
Cadet (''
, ranking between Sergeant and Vizefeldwebel) – served as cadets in the various military academies and schools. After graduation, they became a Fähnrich''. •
Ensign ('
, ranking between ' and ''
) A probationary officer waiting to become a 2nd Lieutenant (Leutnant''). •
Deputy Officer ('
, ranking above ') A warrant officer usually used as a brevet
Leutnant or an acting platoon leader. •
Uncommissioned Lieutenant ('''', a reserve rank for promoted sergeants serving as a junior 2nd Lieutenant with Lieutenant's pay, but without an officer's commission.) They wore an officer's dress sword (
degen) rather than an NCO's dagger, and wore the rank insignia of a
Vizefeldwebel on the collar with second lieutenant's shoulder straps. Still a member of the NCO's Mess until 1917, when he became eligible for the Officer's Mess.
Non-commissioned officers / •
Unteroffizier mit Portepee ("Non-Commissioned Officer with Sword Knot"). Senior NCOs with the right to wear a ceremonial lanyard tied to the hilt of their NCO service dagger. •
Etatmäßiger Feldwebel ("Budgetary Sergeant Major") A company's senior NCO. They were equivalent to a British Company Sergeant Major or an American First Sergeant. •
Vizefeldwebel ("Assistant Sergeant Major") A platoon's senior NCO. They were equivalent to a British Sergeant. •
Unteroffizier ohne Portepee ("Non-Commissioned Officer without Sword Knot"). Junior NCOs who did not have the right to wear the sword knot. •
Sergeant A junior NCO who leads a
section, equivalent to a British Lance-Sergeant. •
Unteroffizier ("Subordinate Officer") A junior NCO who leads a section. They were equivalent to a British Corporal.
Enlisted ('''') ranks •
Musketeer ('
, Prussian army infantry regiments), Infantryman (',
Bavarian army infantry regiments), Soldier ('
, Saxon army infantry regiments), Gunner (', foot artillery), Pioneer ('
, pioneer branch). Other unit-specific enlisted ranks were: Fusilier ('),
Grenadier ('
), Huntsman otherwise Light-Infantryman ('),
Dragoon ('
), Hussar ('),
Cuirassier ('
), Uhlan ('), Fusilier Guard ('
), Grenadier Guard ('), Wehrmann (
Landwehr), etc. •
Lance Corporal ('
); up until 1918 the only rank (with exception of ' in the foot artillery) to which a conscripted soldier could be promoted. The rank was a deputy rank to the
Corporal ('''') rank. • Senior Lance Corporal ('
); established in the Prussian Army from 1846 to 1853, reestablished in 1859, then in foot artillery only, replacing the artillery Bombardier rank that had been introduced in 1730. On absolving their primary recruit training, those aspiring to become Reserve-Officers would have to qualify and achieve suitability for promotion to the ' rank and then would continue to receive further specialized instruction until the end of their one-year term, usually attaining and leaving as surplus Corporals ('
) (Reservists), with the opportunity to advance further as reservists. Enlistees who did not aspire to officer grade would leave at the end of their one-year term as ' (Ordinary soldier)
enlisted rank (for example '
or ') and a six-year reserve duty obligation. Note: '
and ' were not ranks as such during this specific period of use, but
voluntary military enlistee designations. They, however, wore a specific uniform distinction (twisted wool piping along their shoulder
epaulette edging for '
, the ' a narrow band across their lower shoulder epaulette) in the colours of their respective
nation state. This distinction was never removed throughout their military service nor during any rank grade advancements. ==Naval ranks and ratings==