Fähnrichschüler


Fähnrichschüler were German Democratic Republic soldiers who were in training for a career as Fähnrich in the. The two-year training was offered in the National People's Army, the Border Troops and in parts of the Ministry for State Security.

Training

The Fähnrichkorps, was supposed to provide highly specialized "long service members" below the officer level and close a skills gap in the technical careers. While NCOs had the Meisterabschluss, the officers completed their training at the with a Diplom in engineering, military science, or social sciences. For Fähnriche of the NVA a specialized technical education was aimed for.
First advanced senior NCOs, usually in the rank of Stabsfeldwebel, were promoted to the rank of Fähnrich, even without them having a specialist technical college qualification. This allowed them to retain specialists who would otherwise have retired after their ten years of service.
Later, only Fähnrichschüler could be appointed Fähnrich if they had successfully completed a two-year training course at a military technical school or an Offiziershochschulen of the GDR. This training was carried out partly within the branch of the armed forces the person was serving in, for example, for the NVA Air Forces this was carried out at the. During this training, the soldiers wore Fähnrichschüler ranks that corresponded to their service branch.

Development after 1989/90

After German reunification in October 1990, the remaining Fähnrichschüler, similar to the Offiziersschülern, were initially taken into the Bundeswehr and kept until 1992 to successively complete their diplomas.

Rank insignia

⇒ see main article Ranks of the National People's Army
⇒ see main article Corps colours


Fähnrichschüler		senior rank
Fähnrich