The term Einjährig-Freiwilliger (one-year volunteer) has caused some confusion in haškology. Jaroslav Hašek held the status and privileges of a one-year volunteer, leading some to conclude that he must have volunteered for army service[1]. As far as we know, this was not the case: had he volunteered for wartime service, he would have been described as Kriegs-Freiwilliger, not simply Einjährig-Freiwilliger.
Heerwesen, , 1916
One-year volunteer status was an entitlement granted to young men who had completed middle or higher education. It allowed them to serve in the army for one year instead of the compulsory three (from 1912, two years).
, daný dne 5. prosince 1868
, 1972
© LA-PNP
The system was created in 1868, modelled on Prussia, and remained in operation until 1918. Its aim was to save the state money while limiting the disruption to recruits’ careers. The “volunteer” element was that soldiers could, though they did not have to, attend a course during their term of service in order to become reserve officers. Until 1912, anyone who failed the reserve-officer examination had to serve a second year; this requirement was abolished that year. A one-year volunteer could also apply to serve outside his home unit, but such requests were granted only if manpower levels allowed.
Eligibility required the recruit to have completed an eight-year middle school (gymnasium, “Realschule”, teachers’ academy, commercial academy or similar). Candidates had to apply for one-year volunteer status and pass an examination. Anyone convicted of property crimes or immorality automatically forfeited the right to one-year service.
Thus Reserveoffizier-Schulen were institutions where one-year volunteers trained to become reserve officers. Jaroslav Hašek may therefore seem mistaken in using the terms “one-year volunteer school” or “school for one-year volunteers”, but he was not. Until the army reforms of 1912, these establishments were officially called Einjährig-Freiwilligenschule. Obsolete terms often persist for years after a change (see, for instance, Salmova ulice).
Literature
- Jednoroční dobrovolníci rakousko-uherské armády,
- Jednoroční praesenční služba vojenská, ,1910
- Der k.k. Einjährig-Freiwillige des stehenden (Gemeisamen) Heeres und Landwehr,
- Zákon branný, ,1869
- Reserveoffiziere, Hugo Schmied,1916
- Einjährig-Freiwilligen-Recht, ,22.5.1912
- Officer Aspirant Insignia in the k.u.k. Army/k.k./k.u. Landwehr 1867-1918, ,2001 - 2016
- Instruktionsbuch für die Einjährigfreiwilligen,