This article is about the Austrian and German military rank. For the general term in the English language for "soldier of the lowest rank", see Private (rank).
Soldat is the lowest rank of enlisted men in the armies of some countries. In the land-based armed forces of Germany, Austria, Ukraine, and Switzerland it is usually grouped as OR-1 ([zɔlˈdaːt] short: S, plural Soldaten) within the NATO ranking system, excluding the Swiss armed services which does not follow NATO standards.[1]
The German term Soldat (equivalent to Soldier in English) has its roots as far back as the 16th-century, where it was a common designation for a paid or remunerated ordinary-rank member of a military infantry, especially one who was not an officer. In the German language Sold implies "pay", and as such the term Soldat designated a person in pay (being paid) for providing armed service.
Bundeswehr
In the Federal armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr) it can be the collective term to any person in uniform, e.g. Officers (de: Offiziere), Non-Commissioned Officers (de: Unteroffiziere), and enlisted men (de: Mannschaften).
In the Bundeswehr it is used to describe conscripts (de: Wehrpflichtiger), short/long term serving volunteers (de: Zeitsoldat, or Soldat auf Zeit), and career or regular servicemen (de: Berufssoldat).[2]
The designation of the particular OR1-rank depends on the individual branch and career of the soldier as regulated in the Zentrale Dienstvorschrift 14/5. The sole OR1-rank designation in the Marine is Matrose, and Sanitätssoldat in the Bundeswehr medical service. Other OR1-designations are described in the table below.
Soldat is the lowest rank of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Marine Corps, and Air Force. It was introduced in 1991, replacing the former rank of private.
^Official Website (Bundeswehr): Dienstgrade und Uniformen der Bundeswehr (Service Ranks and Uniforms of the German Federal Defence Forces), in German. [1]
^BROCKHAUS, The encyclopedia in 24 volumes (1796–2001), Volume 20: 3-7653-3680-7, page 396; definition «Soldat».
^The carrier enlisted art to be understood as an example. There are several exemptions. Moreover, the rank designations described may be used in other service branches as well.