The following article lists the historical military ranks used by personnel of the Swedish Armed Forces.
Ranks 1901–1925 - Army
With the introduction of the conscript system to replace the Swedish allotment system there were initially no changes in the rank structure.
Överbefäl
Officerare
Fältmarskalk
General
Generallöjtnant
Generalmajor
Överste
Överstelöjtnant
Major
Kapten
Löjtnant
Underlöjtnant
Fänrik (from 1914)
Underbefäl
Underofficerare
Fanjunkare
Sergeant
Manskap
Befäl av manskapet
Distinktionskorpral(to 1914) Furir(from 1914) Korpral Vicekorpral Menig
Conscripted personnel
Conscripts served 8–9 months in the infantry and 12 months in the cavalry and artillery. These personnel carried the rank of menig (private). Later conscripts could also be trained for and given corporal ranks.
Employed personnel
Employed personnel were divided into two groups, överbefäl and underbefäl. Överbefäl consisted of Officerare(Officers) who had a studentexamen (high school degree) and served as cadets for two years at the Karlberg Military Academy before being commissioned.
Underbefäl were divided into two groups, underofficerare and manskap(enlisted men). The category manskap consisted of the ordinary privates and corporals. The status of the underofficerare was lowered with the introduction of conscription for several reasons. The old system had consisted of the allotment regiments and enlisted troops. The enlisted troops had a much lower status than the allotment soldiers and the new conscription system copied more features from the enlisted part of the army than the allotment part. Earlier, the underofficerare were educated in their own national school and the allotment underofficerare, following French practice, were recruited directly, i.e. they did not have to serve as privates or corporals before they could advance to underofficerare. In the conscription army this practice was ended and like to enlisted troops pre 1901 the underofficerare were all recruited from the manskap category.
For the enlisted men the start of the military career was as a private after they had signed a three-year contract. The first year was a training year(volontärskola) after which the most able privates could apply (applications were accepted once a year) for corporal school(korpralskola). Those who were not admitted to the corporal school continued to serve as privates or lance corporals (vicekorpral), if they had special skills such as farrier. After their three-year service was finished they could enlist for additional periods, but if they had not been promoted before 28 years of age, they had to quit. Usually, soldiers who had failed to be accepted to corporal school after their first term (i.e. been rejected three times) would choose to serve for one or two years more at most, since the pay and conditions of privates were poor. The main reason such individuals did not quit directly after three years was that after five years of service(later shortened to four) the privates were eligible for extra benefits, e.g., priority for employment in post offices, government-owned railways, police, etc.
Those who were accepted to corporal school were promoted to vicekorpral and after one year of training promoted to korpral. Advancement to corporal meant that one had to serve one additional year (i.e., four years if the corporal did not re enlist). Corporals could apply to furirskola, a one-year training, after which they were promoted to furir. Korpral and furir worked as instructors and squad leaders and had a mandatory retirement age of 32. Enlisted personnel did not receive pension after their service, but they were entitled to severance pay upon discharge.
A furir who had graduated the furirskola with high marks could apply for underofficersskola, after which they were promoted to sergeant. After two years as sergeant they were given a fullmakt(warrant) and were guaranteed employment until retirement, after which they received pension. Underofficerare were responsible for the training of the conscripts and recruits and could also work as platoon leaders or deputy platoon leaders.
Ranks 1901–1925 - Navy
Fleet forces
Överbefäl
Officerare
Amiral
Viceamiral
Konteramiral
Kommendör
Kommendörkapten of the 1st/2nd rank
Kapten
Löjtnant
Underlöjtnant
Fänrik (from 1914 onward)