Wachtmeister

Wachtmeister (Wm) (ge: for master-sentinel; watch-master) is in Austria and Switzerland a military rank of non-commissioned officers (NCO). The Wachtmeister was initially responsible for the guard duty of the army. Later he became the Feldwebel equivalent NCO-grade of the Cavalry and Artillery. Besides Austria and Switzerland today, the rank was also used for example in Germany, Russia, and Poland (Wachmistrz).

The Wachtmeister was in the beginning responsible guard, sentry, or sentinel, responsible for the armies’ guard duty. Later he became the Feldwebel equivalent NCO-grade of the Cavalry and Artillery.

In the lansquenet armies and in the town of the 16th century Wachtmeister was the official title to a «war experienced, skilful, and honest fellow», which was – in line to the order of his superior – responsible for the security of the military compound, or/and had to take care for the marching troops. He organized and controlled the guards, was responsible for discipline and attention, and took care for knowing the watchword. The watch service was provided almost by the cavalry, and often the mounted troops were responsible to guard the whole army, what was the case for instance in Brandenburg about 1620.

With the formation of standing armies, the designation Wachtmeister became of universally valid for the Feldwebel of the cavalry, later also of the artillery and other armed service branches. As regards to the three Feldwebel-ranks until 1945 there were the equivalent ranks Unterwachtmeister, Wachtmeister and Oberwachtmeister. Until 1970 in the GDR NPA the Feldwebel of the artillery was designated Wachtmeister.

Until the 1970th years the artillery and air defence troops used the designation Feuerwerker instead of Wachtmeister. Today, the Wachtmeister is in the Austrian Bundesheer the lowest NCO-rank (assignment group M BUO 2 / professional NCO; respectively M ZUO 2 / longer-serving volunteer). The Wachtmeister will be normally deployed as leader (Austrian: Kommandant) of a squad (8 to 13 soldiers). Regarding the promotion to that OR5-rank there are three possibilities.

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Wikipedia