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''Gefreiter'' (''abbr.'' Gefr. (German > "Exempted" )) is a German, Swiss and Austrian military rank that has existed since the 16th century. It is usually the second rank or grade to which an enlisted soldier, airman or sailor could be promoted.〔Duden; Definition of Gefreiter, in German. ()〕〔Official Website (Bundeswehr): Dienstgrade und Uniformen der Bundeswehr (Service Ranks and Uniforms of the German Federal Defence Forces), in German. ()〕 Within the combined NATO rank scale, the modern-day rank of ''Gefreiter'' is usually equivalent to the NATO-standard rank scale OR-2. The word has also been lent into the Russian language, and is in use in several Russian and post-Soviet militaries. ==History== Historically the military rank of ''Gefreiter'' (also ''Gefreite'')〔Duden; Alternative Spelling and Definition of Gefreite, in German. ()〕 emerged in 16th-century Europe for the German ''Landsknechte'' foot soldiers,〔Duden; Origin and meaning of "Landsknecht", in German. ()〕 predominantly made up of German and Swiss mercenary pikemen and supporting infantry foot soldiers.〔"Gefreiter" - Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste, Erste Section, A-G, (Universal Encyclopaedia of the Sciences and Arts, First Section, A-G), Author: Johann Samuel Ersch and Johann Gottfried Gruber, Publisher: F. A. Brockhaus, Leipzig, 1852, Page 471-472, in German. ()〕〔Corpus Juris Militaris Des Heiliges Römisches Reich (Military Law of the Holy Roman Empire), Volume 2, Author: Johann Christian Lünig, Leipzig, 1723, in German.〕〔The Landsknechts, Author: Douglas Miller, Publisher: Osprey Publishing, Great Britain, 1976, ISBN 0850452589.〕〔Landsknecht Soldier 1486-1560, Author: John Richards, Publisher: Osprey Publishing, Great Britain, 2002, ISBN 1841762431.〕 Those soldiers who proved especially reliable and experienced were appointed to ''gefreyten Knechten'' (exempted Servants/Soldiers; a cognate to 'knight') and were installed in critical battlefield positions, among their extra rank privileges they were exempted in general from guard watch duties.〔〔〔〔Lutz Mackensen. Vom Ursprung der Wörter. Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache.〕 From the 18th century, ''Gefreiters'' were the first line members of a military company, and every ''Gefreiter'' led and commanded a section or squad of ''Gemeine''〔Duden; Origin and meaning of "Gemeine", in German. ()〕 (ordinary-rank soldiers), the rank existed in the cavalry, infantry, pioneers, and artillery where the ''Gefreiter'' rank received a greater rank-class status.〔〔 ''Gefreiter'' was the only enlisted rank up until 1918 within the Royal Prussian Army and respectively the imperial army of the German Empire to which an exceptional enlisted soldier could be promoted on the recommendation of the ''Hauptmann'' (Captain) or ''Rittmeister'' (Cavalry-Master otherwise Captain) and ultimately endorsed by the ''Regiments-Commandeur'' (Regimental Colonel), with exception of the rank ''Obergefreiter'' (since 1859) in the foot artillery which later replaced the artillery ''Bombardier'' (Corporal) rank.〔 The ''Gefreiter'' rank was also considered a transition rank for promotion to and wherefrom replacements were selected to the ''Unteroffizier'' (Corporal)〔Duden; Origin and meaning of "Korporal", in German. ()〕 rank.〔 Within the Royal Prussian Army and respectively the imperial army of the German Empire, the rank ''Gefreiter'' was a deputy to the ''Unteroffizier'' (Corporal), and were distinguished by the wearing of a ''Auszeichnungsknopf'' (''rank'' Distinction-button) known as the ''Gefreitenknopf'' (Gefreiter-button) on each side of their uniform collar, similar to the slightly larger rank collar side-buttons worn by both the ''Sergeant'' and ''Feldwebel'' ranks.〔 In the Royal Prussian Army up until its reorganization after 1806, there existed along with ''Gefreiter'' the rank of ''Gefreite-Korporale''〔 who wore a silver ''Portepee'' (sword lanyard) and were officer cadets specifically selected for higher advancement, they stood equal with their officer cadet counterpart the ''Portepee-Fähnriche''.〔 The ''Gefreite-Korporale'' was a rank that also existed along with ''Gefreiter'' in the Austrian Army during the Thirty Years' War.〔 From the 1920s the German rank of ''Gefreiter'' has expanded into several additional ranks and duties, those being ''Obergefreiter'' (Senior Lance Corporal otherwise Second Corporal; Prussian Army since 1859), ''Hauptgefreiter'' (Leading Lance Corporal; Luftwaffe during 1935-1944, Kriegsmarine during 1938-1945, Heer from 1955), ''Stabsgefreiter'' (Staff Lance Corporal; Reichswehr since 1927. Kriegsmarine up until 1945. Luftwaffe from 1944 temporarily replacing ''Hauptgefreiter'' rank) and ''Oberstabsgefreiter'' (Senior Staff Lance Corporal; Kriegsmarine since 1940. Not Heer or Luftwaffe until 1996). All ''Gefreiter'' ranks are now in use with the German Army, Airforce and Navy. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「gefreiter」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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