Collection of historical ranks

Users who are viewing this thread

http://www.napoleon-online.de/html/cant_infanterie.html

http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/Bavaria/Cantler/c_cantler.html

Maybe those will help, translating with Chrome or Google is helpful.
 
I can't find anything published in Baierisch or Boarisch, but in this standard German text about the Bavarian 5th Infantry Regiment Preysing, at the very end circa 1803 there's a table examining pensions, and it breaks down the regiment by rank. The terms seem consistent with Prussian and Austrian terms of the era, they're definitely more outdated than what was used at the time of the book's publication, 1883, so I think it's reliable. It's a shame it's not in Bavarian German though. The most interesting quirk is that the two grades of captain clash, one is traditionally German and the other is borrowed from Latin (probably via French).

books

Oberst - Colonel
Oberstlieutenant - Lieutenant Colonel
Major - Major
Hauptmann - Captain (probably Rittmeister in the cavalry, if Bavaria follows the pattern of other German states)
Stabskapitän - literally Staff-Captain, an administrative position when the Captain is present, a leadership position in his absence or refusal to lead (prob. Stabsrittmeister for cavalry)
Oberlieutenant - Upper-Lieutenant (First Lieutenant)
Unterlieutenant - Under-Lieutenant (Second Lieutenant)
Feldwebel - Sergeant Major
Fourier - from the French fourrier, an NCO tasked with provisions and foraging. In the table it's equal with Feldwebel, but that may be only for pension.
Sergent - Sergeant.
Korporal - Corporal
Gefreiter - Private First Class, literally freed man, like a medieval servant-soldier rewarded for his service.
Gemeiner - Ranker, Private. In most German states this is replaced with something specific to the company's or battalion's class, like "Musketier", "Füsilier", "Grenadier", etc. Gemeiner is a convenient catch-all.
 
Does anyone know where I can find a list of Danish ranks during the Napoleonic wars?

If anyone knows please pm me or reply when you can. Thanks :smile:
 
Well, i might ADD something in that case.
this are the complete table of ranks in Prussia. nothing is wrong in there
even one due to that's the thing that is written to the history of Von Blucher.
I'll begin on the rank of Marshal.

Feldmarschall
Generalmajor
Generalleutnant
Generalstab
Oberst
Hauptmann
Oberleutnant
Leutnant
Stabsfeldwebel
Oberfeldwebel
Feldwebel
Fanentraager
Unteroffizier
Gefreiter
Oberschutze
Schutze
Rekrut
Landwehr - Militia.

NOTICE : That is not a regiment rank or any foot or cavalry that's the ARMY. Main Army rank.
Was used on that time of Konig Frederick, 1700 - 1850.
Good luck on what will you use it for..
 
Generalstab and Landwehr are organizations and not ranks. General der Infanterie/Kavallerie is missing. Oberst-Lieutenant and Major are also missing. Also the two ranks of Leutnant for Prussia were "Premier-Lieutenant" and Seconde-Lieutenant" at the time while Hauptmann was called "Captain", later Germanized as Kapitän. Ober- and Stabsfeldwebel weren't created until 1920 and 1938 respectively. And then there's the troublesome cadet position of "Gefreiten-Korporal" (Gefreyte-Corporal) which you've omitted. Schütze was not a catch-all lower rank yet, it was specifically a sharpshooter and equal to but not synonymous with Musketier (Musquetier), Füsilier and Grenadier. These terms were derived from the type of unit the private soldier served in. The catch-all was "Gemeine".

Reglement für die Königlich Preußische Infanterie. 1788
Exerzir-Reglement für die Infanterie der Königlich-Preußischen Armee. 1812

Napoleon-Online.de - Offiziere der Preußischen Infanterie von 1806
Napoleon-Online.de - Unteroffiziere der Preußischen Infanterie von 1806
 
Back
Top Bottom