Fahnenjunker

Fahnenjunker (short Fhj or FJ, English: officer cadet; lit. 'colors junker') is a military rank of the Bundeswehr and of some former German armed forces. In earlier German armed forces it was also the collective name for many Officer aspirant ranks. It was established by the Presidential order of the Federal president on rank insignia and uniforms of soldiers[1]

Fahnenjunker
Heer and Luftwaffe shoulder insignia
Country Germany
Service branch German Army
 German Air Force
AbbreviationFhj
RankGerman NCO rank
NATO rank codeOR-5
Non-NATO rankE-5
Formation1966
Next higher rankStabsunteroffizier
Next lower rankOberstabsgefreiter
Equivalent ranksSeekadett

Rank

Fahnenjunker is the entrance rank to the Officer Aspirant career. According to the salary class it is equivalent to the Unteroffizier ohne Portepee ranks Unteroffizier of the army or the air force, and Maat of Deutsche Marine. It is also grouped as OR-5 in NATO, equivalent to Sergeant, Staff Sergeant in the US Armed forces.

In army context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr/ Frau Fahnenjunker also informally / short Fahnenjunker.

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:
Unteroffizier ohne Portepee

Preceded by
junior Rank
Oberstabsgefreiter
Fahnenjunker		 Succeeded by
senior Rank
Stabsunteroffizier
Unteroffizier

Rank insignia

Bundeswehr

An officer candidate's career is indicated by the enlisted rank with a thin silver cord on the shoulder strap in the army and the air force, and with the golden nautical star on the shoulder strap and sleeve in the Deutsche Marine.

The rank insignia of Fahnenjunker consist of shoulder straps, bordered by a golden braid that is open to the sleeve seam. Fahnenjunker of the air force wear additional Air Force wing on the open end of the braid. The rank insignia on field- and battle dress are in black colour.

Already below the lowest officer designated rank "Fahnenjunker" any military person, assigned to an officer career, has to wear additionally to the particular rank the two capital letters “OA”, indicating to the “Officer Aspirant” career.

from
1956
Distinction Oberfähnrich
(Senior cadet sergeant)		 Fähnrich
(Cadet sergeant)		 Fahnenjunker
(Officer cadet
senior grade)		 Oberfähnrich
(Senior aviation cadet)		 Fähnrich
(Aviation cadet)		 Fahnenjunker'
(Officer cadet
senior grade)		 Oberfähnrich zur See
(Senior midshipman)		 Fähnrich zur See
(Midshipman)		 Seekadett[2]


(Naval cadet)

Rangcode (OR-7) (OR-6)(OR-5)(OR-7)(OR-6)(OR-5)(OR-7)(OR-6) (OR-5)
NATO Cadet sergeant Midshipman
USAF Aviation cadet and Warrant Officer
RAF Acting pilot officer

Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS
Table
to
1945		 Heer  and  Luftwaffe Kriegsmarine Waffen-SS
Distinction Fahnenjunker-
Stabsfeldwebel
(Cadet Stabsfeldwebel)		 Fahnenjunker-
Oberfeldwebel
(Cadet Oberfeldwebel)		 Fahnenjunker-
Feldwebel
(Cadet Feldwebel)		 Fahnenjunker-
Unterfeldwebel
(Cadet Unterfeldwebel)		 Fahnenjunker-
Unteroffizier
(Cadet Unteroffizier)		 Sleeve insignia
Oberfähnrich zur See
Fähnrich zur See		 Oberfähnrich
zur See
(Senior midshipman)		 Fähnrich
zur See
(Midshipman)		 collar insignia
to all
FA ranks		 SS-Standarten-
oberjunker		 SS-Standarten-
junker		 SS-Oberjunker SS-Junker

See also

References
  1. The Federal president (publisher): Order of the Federal president (de: Bundespräsident) on rank insignia and uniform of soldiers (short title: BPräsUnifAnO), issued July 14, 1978.
  2. Langenscheidt´s Encyclopaedic Dictionary of the English and German language: „Der Große Muret-Sander“, Part II German-English, Second Volume L–Z, 8th edition 1999, ISBN 3-468-01126-1; p. 1.381
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