Gefreiter

Gefreiter is a German, Swiss and Austrian military rank. The rank of Gefreiter is usually the second rank or grade to which an enlisted soldier, airman or sailor could be promoted. As a military rank it has existed since the 16th century. From the 1920s on, Gefreiter has expanded into several additional ranks, those being Obergefreiter, Hauptgefreiter, Stabsgefreiter and Oberstabsgefreiter.

A similar military rank also exists in Russia ("Ефрейтор"; yefreytor, efreitor), Ukraine ("Єфрейтор"; yefreytor, efreitor), Belarus and in the former Soviet Union.