Cadet
Cadet (French cadet ), also cadet pupil, is a name for a pupil of a military educational institution in preparation for a possible military career, possibly as an officer . In a generalized form, the term was used throughout Europe. In the 18th century, for example, cadet was a common name for teenagers or young nobles in the military in many countries .
Concept history
The word cadet is derived from the western Gascon dialect: capdèth means something like "little head", from Latin capitellum , Latin capitellum , diminutive of capet "head". Originally it referred to a gentry son of Gascon who served as an officer in the army of the French king. Later cadet was used in France as a synonym for "(the) younger / (the) youngest" and, in a narrower sense, for "(younger / youngest) son of a nobleman". Since the family inheritance usually only went to the eldest son, the later sons of the nobility traditionally sought their fortune in a clerical office or in the military.
France
King Louis XIV organized the cadets into special companies , in which they served as volunteers until they were officially certified. Alexandre Dumas set a literary monument in the novel The Three Musketeers and Edmond Rostand in the play Cyrano de Bergerac to the famous Gascon cadets .
Germany
In the German Navy of the Federal Armed Forces , the sea officer candidates in the rank of NCO are called sea cadets . In the German-speaking area, the terms officer candidate (Federal Republic of Germany) or officer candidate (Austria) and aspirant (Switzerland) are common.
In the NVA of the GDR , the terms were cadet , cadet and officer students use.
Austria-Hungary
In Austria-Hungary, the cadets wore Imperial Army to the collar ends the Distinktionsborte the sergeant , but gold instead of imperial yellow. In addition, there were the distinctive stars of the suitably dressed batch , for example a six-pointed star made of white cloth for the cadet corporal (since 1901: celluloid) or three stars for the cadet platoon leader. If a cadet dressed the sergeant charge, he also put on the imperial yellow sergeant distinction bracelets, half of which protruded from the upper edge of the gold bracelets. The deputy cadet officer was marked with a simple gold braid with a silver lieutenant star on it, but plated (instead of raised, as is usual for officers).
Lithuania
In Lithuania, there is the General Povilas Plechavičius Cadet School , a general secondary school in Kaunas .
Russia
In Russia , cadet schools have a long tradition that goes back to the times of the Tsars. These educational institutions were also very popular in the Soviet Union and are now considered to be elite schools. The students are generally referred to as course students , but they can also be named after the school's namesake or sponsor, for example Nachimow students or Suvorov students . The proportion of graduates who take up a military profession after graduating from high school is relatively high here.
In Russia today there are still more than 25 cadet schools for boys from grade 5 to high school, as preparation for a future military career.
United States
Cadet schools are still widespread in the United States today. The proportion of graduates who actually take up the military profession after completing their schooling is low.
"Cadets" in sports
International winter sports competitions are contested in the age groups cadets (16-18 years), juniors (19-20 years), espoirs (21-23 years) and seniors (from 24 years) (see also class division in sport ).
literature
- Hermann Hinterstoisser: The adjustment of the k. (U.) K. Army 1868 - 1914, Bd 1: Die Infanterie, In: Heide Stöhr (Ed.): Austrian military history. Special edition 1998. Vienna 1998.