Officer
Candidates (Fähnrich/Offizieranwärter)
The rank of Fähnrich is something that has
no direct comparison in the English speaking world (though the French Army has a similar
position called an Aspirant). A Fähnrich was a soldier who served in the ranks,
first as a junior NCO then in subsequent grades equivalent to Unterfeldwebel, Feldwebel,
and Oberfeldwebel. The end goal was to create an officer out of the Fähnrich.
The word Fähnrich comes from an older German military title,
Fahnenträger, and first become a distinct military rank on 1 January 1899.
Senior officer candidates were also entitled to distinctions
of dress normally accorded to officers; specifically
TRAINING
Up until 29 January 1940, any soldier who enlisted as a
regular (aktiv) officer first went through basic military training at a
Replacement Army unit. Afterwards, he attended a military school - Kriegsschule
- which catered to all arms of the Army. The soldier - now called a cadet - did,
however, begin to wear his branch colour at the Kriegsschule. After
Kreigsschule, the cadet entered either a school that catered to his arm of service, or a
military academy if becoming an engineering, medical or veterinary officer. After
passing out from school or academy, the prospective officer then served as a probationary
officer equivalent to Leutnant before finally becoming commissioned.
PROGRESSION OF OFFICER CANDIDATES (1 SEPTEMBER 1939 - 29 JANUARY
1940) |
| Rank
Insignia |
Function
|
Rank
Titles |
A standard Mannschaften shoulder strap, with standard unit
embroidered unit numerals. |
|
Identified a soldier accepted for officer
training. He underwent four months of basic training in a Replacement Army
battalion. |
| Fahnenjunker (im San.Korps) |
Medical |
| Fahnenjunker (im Vet. Korps) |
Veterinary |
| Fahnenjunker (im Ing. Korps) |
Engineer Specialist |
| Fahnenjunker |
All other branches |
|
A standard Mannschaften shoulder strap, as well as a Gefreiter's
chevron, and the NCO's bayonet knot. |
|
Identified a soldier accepted for officer
training who had completed basic recruit training. He now underwent advanced
training in a Replacement Army battalion. |
| Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter (im San.Korps) |
Medical |
| Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter (im Vet. Korps) |
Veterinary |
| Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter (im Ing. Korps) |
Engineer Specialist |
| Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter |
All other branches |
|
A shoulder strap as for an Unteroffizier, with a white metal
senior NCO's numeral. |
|
Identified a soldier attending a two month
course at a Kreigsschule (military school). |
| Fahnenjunker-Oberjäger |
Rifle Regiment |
| Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (im San.Korps) |
Medical |
| Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (im Vet. Korps) |
Veterinary |
| Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (im Ing. Korps) |
Engineer Specialist |
| Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier |
All other branches |
|
A shoulder strap as for an Unterfeldwebel, with a white metal
senior NCO's numeral.
|
|
Identified a soldier who passed out from
military school. Underwent a four month course at an Arm of Service School, or
military academy (Medical, Veterinary or Engineering) |
| Fähnrich (im San.Korps) |
Medical |
| Fähnrich (im Vet. Korps) |
Veterinary |
| Fähnrich (im Ing. Korps) |
Engineer Specialist |
| Fähnrich |
All other branches |
|
A shoulder strap as for an Oberfeldwebel, worn on an Officer's
uniform (including collar patches). No unit devices, except for:
Unterarzt
(Medical Corps) |
 |
| Untervetrinär (Veterinary
Corps) |
 |
| Oberfeuerwerker (mit
bestandener Offiziersprüfung) (Ordnance) |
 |
|
|
Identified a soldier passed out from the Arm of
Service School, or alternately, having passed the Final Professional Examination of a
military academy (Medical, Veterinary or Engineering) and serving a probationary period of
two months in a field unit before commissioning.. |
| Unterarzt |
Medical |
| Untervetrinär |
Veterinary |
| Oberfähnrich (im Ing. Korps) |
Engineer Specialist |
| Oberfeuerwerker (mit bestandener
Offizieraprüfung) |
Ordnance |
| Oberfähnrich |
All other branches |
|
| TRAINING The system changed widely on 30 January 1940. The growing need
for officers in the Army meant that senior NCOs could now become officer candidates, in
addition to officer candidates selected before joining the Army.
Candidates (who from 1941 on were known as Cadets) completing
basic training went to a Waffenschule (renamed in 1942 to become known as Schule
für Offizieranwärter, or Officer Candidate School) or to a military academy if
studying medicine, engineering or to become a veterinarian. On 28 April 1943, the
Officer Candidate Schools were again renamed, to become Cadet Schools (Schule für
Fahnenjunker).
During the war, it was found necessary to interrupt the
studies of certain specialist officer candidates undergoing veterinary, medical or
engineering studies, and have them serve in field units as probationary officers ranked
equivalent to Leutnant. The insignia for these ranks are shown in the
table below, and these men were ranked as Feldunterarzt, Feldunterveterinär and
Fahnenjunker-Ingenieur.
INSIGNIA
On 30 January 1940, ordinary ranks were introduced for
officer candidates, and insignia was no different than that for ordinary soldiers.
On 20 October 1942, to better differentiate between common
soldiers and officer candidates, two loops of NCO lace were ordered worn on the shoulder
straps of certain aspirant officers, as listed below.
RANK TITLES
After 30 January 1940, ordinary rank titles were used for
officer candidates equivalent to Mannschaften, suffixed with (OB), short for Offizierbwerber
(Officer Applicant). For officer candidates equivalent to NCOs, the suffix (OA)
was used, short for Offizieranwärter (Officer Candidate). After 1941, the
rank titles for NCO equivalent officer candidates were again changed, dropping the OA
suffix and using the prefix Fahnenjunker (meaning Cadet).
|
Decorated former NCO wearing the
insignia of an officer candidate. Note the enlisted men's uniform and insignia; he
would not have worn an officer's uniform until after passing an Officer's Candidate
Course, or Professional Exam in a military academy.
|
PROGRESSION OF OFFICER CANDIDATES (30 JANUARY 1940 - MAY 1945)
Field Grey shoulder straps are shown; dark green as above were also
possible. |
Rank
Insignia
30 Jan 40 - 20 Oct 42 |
Rank
Insignia
20 Oct 42 - May 45 |
Function
|
Rank
Titles |
|
|
Accepted for officer training, having completed
four months basic training in the Replacement Army, and one month with the Field Army. |
| Schütze (SOB) |
Medical |
| Schütze (VOB) |
Veterinary |
Schütze (OB)
Kanonier (OB)
etc. |
All other branches. |
|
|
|
Accepted for officer training and undertaking
two months of platoon commander training with the Field Army. |
| Gefreiter (SOB) |
Medical |
| Gefreiter (VOB) |
Veterinary |
| Gefreiter (OB) |
All other branches. |
|
 |
 |
Denoted a soldier beginning either an Officer
Candidate course or professional studies at a Military Academy (Medical or Veterinary). |
30
January 1940 - 1941 |
| Oberjäger (OA) |
Rifle regiments |
| Offizieranwärter (W) |
Ordnance |
| Fahnenjunker (im San. Korps) |
Medical |
| Fahnenjunker (im Vet. Korps) |
Veterinary |
| Unteroffizier (OA) |
All other branches. |
1942
- 1945 |
| Fahnenjunker Oberjäger |
Rifle regiments |
| Fahnenjunker (W) |
Ordnance |
| Fahnenjunker (im San. Korps) |
Medical |
| Fahnenjunker (im Vet. Korps) |
Veterinary |
| Fahnenjunker Unteroffizier |
All other branches. |
|
 |
 |
Denoted a soldier either completing an Officer
Candidate course before promotion to officer, or a soldier after three months study at a
Military Academy (Medical or Veterinary). |
30
January 1940 - 1941 |
| Wachtmeister (OA) |
Artillery, cavalry and other mounted units. |
| Fahnenjunker Feuerwerker |
Ordnance |
| Fahnenjunker Feldwebel (im San. Korps) |
Medical |
| Fahnenjunker Feldwebel (im Vet. Korps) |
Veterinary |
| Feldwebel (OA) |
All other branches. |
1942
- 1945 |
| Fahnenjunker Wachtmeister |
Artillery, cavalry and other mounted units. |
| Fahnenjunker Feuerwerker |
Ordnance |
| Fahnenjunker Feldwebel (im San. Korps) |
Medical |
| Fahnenjunker Feldwebel (im Vet. Korps) |
Veterinary |
| Fahnenjunker Feldwebel |
All other branches. |
|
 |
 |
Denoted a soldier formerly ranked Oberfeldwebel
(or equivalent) attending an Officer Candidate course before promotion to officer. |
30
January 1940 - 1941 |
| Oberwachtmeister (OA) |
Artillery, cavalry and other mounted units. |
| Fahnenjunker Oberfeuerwerker |
Ordnance |
| Oberfeldwebel (OA) |
All other branches. |
1942
- 1945 |
| Fahnenjunker Oberwachtmeister |
Artillery, cavalry and other mounted units. |
| Fahnenjunker Oberfeuerwerker |
Ordnance |
| Fahnenjunker Oberfeldwebel |
All other branches. |
|
 |
 |
Denoted a soldier formerly ranked Stabsfeldwebel
(or equivalent) attending an Officer Candidate course before promotion to officer. |
30
January 1940 - 1941 |
| Stabswachtmeister (OA) |
Artillery, cavalry and other mounted units. |
| Fahnenjunker Stabsfeuerwerker |
Ordnance |
| Stabsfeldwebel (OA) |
All other branches. |
1942
- 1945 |
| Fahnenjunker Stabswachtmeister |
Artillery, cavalry and other mounted units. |
| Fahnenjunker Stabsfeuerwerker |
Ordnance |
| Fahnenjunker Stabsfeldwebel |
All other branches. |
|
Officer's
uniform was worn by this rank.
Medical
(Feldunterarzt ) |
 |
Veterinary
(Feldunterveterinär) |
|
Engineer specialists
(Fahnenjunker-Ingenieur) |
|
|
Indicated a candidate in a specialist field
(medical, veterinary or engineer) having passed a Preliminary Professional Examination at
a Military Academy (Medical, Veterinary or Engineering) and serving as a
probationary officer in a Field Army unit before resuming their studies. |
Feldunterarzt
(from 25 Jul 1940) |
Medical |
Feldunterveterinär
(from 6 Feb 1942) |
Veterinary |
Fahnenjunker-Ingenieur
(from 7 Nov 1940) |
Engineer specialists |
|
Officer's
uniform was worn by this rank.
Medical
(Unterarzt) |
 |
Veterinary
(Unterveterinär) |
 |
Engineer specialists
(Feldingenieur) |
|
All others
(Oberfähnrich)
Waffenfarbe dependent on branch |
 |
|
Indicated a candidate having passed either an
Officer Candidate course, or passed the Final Professional Examination at a Military
Academy (Medical, Veterinary or Engineering), and was serving a two month probationary
period in a Field Army unit before finally being promoted to officer. |
| Unterarzt |
Medical |
| Unterveterinär |
Veterinary |
Oberfähnrich (W)
(from 16 July 1943) |
Ordnance |
Feldingenieur
(from 7 Nov 1940) |
Engineer specialists |
Oberfähnrich
(from 1 July 1943) |
All other branches. |
|
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|
