Talk:Feldwebel

Etymology

In older texts "Feldwebel" is spelled Feldweibel (Still so in Swiss German). Does somebody know if this is in any way related to the German Word "Weib" (Woman)?

It is. In the 16th and 17th century, the Feldweibel's main responsibility was to maintain order among the women (soldiers' wifes, but also prostitutes) who followed the army in the field and lived in the camps. And no, that is not a joke, it's really like that. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 87.122.48.132 (talk) 03:06, 20 December 2006 (UTC).

If it's not a joke then what is it? The correct explanation is already given in the article. 91.34.93.66 00:12, 4 October 2007 (UTC)

(outdent)The explanation given in the article is not referenced, so it is no more "correct" than the explanation given here, is it? A source for either would be useful...Xyl 54 (talk) 15:58, 19 April 2010 (UTC)

I really doubt any such connection. However, there probably is an etymological connection: Weibel still suggests, to the native German, someone who "weibels around" (though that is not an actually existing word): someone hustling here and there, ushering around, taking all sorts of responsibilities as day-to-day occasions require, and all that. (Difficult to describe.) Now this pretty much describes a Feldwebel - that is, an etatmäßiger Feldwebel (now called Kompaniefeldwebel or Spieß; in English, Company First Sergeant)'s actual duties. Etymologists tell us that this is actually the origin of Weib, which apparently first meant what its English relative "wife" still does: a housewife does just that in the household. (Now, of course, Weib just means "woman" - mostly in local, or derogatory, or scientific use -, and has lost any such feel about it.) By coincidence, the Company First Sergeant does have the accolade "mother of the company".--2001:A61:260C:C01:383A:A72:D779:9687 (talk) 19:33, 9 October 2018 (UTC)

Incorrectly Translated?

Why is it incorrect to translate Feldwebel as Sergeant? Sergeant could mean either the specific rank of sergeant (E5 in the US forces, typically called a "buck sergeant") or more generally as any rank from sergeant through sergeant major (which are typically called "sergeant" conversationally, excluding first sergeants and sergeants major). CsikosLo (talk) 15:13, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

It isn't; see below. Xyl 54 (talk) 15:48, 19 April 2010 (UTC)

Rank insignia

The Rang insignia in this articel is not correct. A german Feldwebel ist not a US Senior NCO. A german Feldwebel is a Staff Sergeant, a german Oberfeldwebel is a Sergeant First Class, see here: www.aktivepolitik.de/index.php?id=95 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.59.45.181 (talk) 02:17, 2 December 2009 (UTC)

What is "Rang"? The NATO Warrant Officer class would be more useful. 2.31.162.111 (talk) 05:40, 9 January 2022 (UTC)

Do you mean a Hauptfeldwebel, rather than an "Ober"Feldwebel? That's a Sergeant First Class, as per https://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/Hauptfeldwebel_(rank) 2.31.162.111 (talk) 05:42, 9 January 2022 (UTC)

Introduction

I’ve changed the introduction to this, because it is wrong.
It is not "incorrect" to translate this term as “sergeant”; the Feldwebel is rated OR-6 in the NATO rank comparison scale, equivalent to sergeant (British army) and staff sergeant (US Army). And the higher grades of Fw are rated OR-7 to 9, equivalent to the higher grades of sergeant (US) and to the various grades of Sergent major (British).

Table

NATO	German Army	British Army	US Army
OR-6	Feldwebel Ober-Feldwebel	Sergeant	Staff Sergeant
OR-7	Haupt-Feldwebel	Colour Sergeant	Sergeant First Class
OR-8	Stabs-Feldwebel	Company Sergeant-Major	Master Sergeant First Sergeant
OR-9	Oberst-Feldwebel	Regimental Sergeant-Major	Sergeant-Major

I’ve added a table for comparison but I can't figure out how to align it to the right (which is where I wanted to put it).Xyl 54 (talk) 15:46, 19 April 2010 (UTC)

It is Oberstabsfeldwebel and not Oberstfeldwebel. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.184.136.18 (talk) 09:16, 28 May 2010 (UTC)

NVA

Waht's anbout the Feldwebel grades in the NVA, the Nationale Volksarmee of the late German Democratic Republic? Greetings Kotofeij K. Bajun (talk) 09:46, 30 January 2011 (UTC)

Finland

The part about Finnish "vääpeli" (which, by the way, is equivalent to Ober-Feldwebel) is incorrect. For a while, there was a drop in the number of professional warrant officers in Finnish military. It is long gone, and now there is a decent amount of professional WO:s again. I don't have any references to quote, but I myself am a freshly promoted (last Independence day, 6th Dec 2012) vääpeli in Finnish Army.--193.66.68.168 (talk) 17:46, 1 February 2013 (UTC)

This is useless

What is the NATO rank equivalent? WO1–5? The article is pretty damned near useless without this information. 2.31.162.111 (talk) 05:39, 9 January 2022 (UTC)