Efreitor

(from the German gefreiter; literally, “freed,” meaning that the rank frees the serviceman from certain duties of the private), the military rank of senior and outstanding soldiers who have taken the place of squad leaders. The rank first appeared in the early 17th century in Germany. It was introduced in Russia in 1716 by the Military Code of Peter I. It was kept into the 20th century in the armies of prerevolutionary Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and others. In the artillery of the Russian Army the rank of bombardier corresponded to efreitor, and in the cossack hosts the rank of orderly corresponded to it. The Soviet Army adopted the rank of efreitor in November 1940; it is immediately above the rank of private and is awarded for service distinction.