sergeant / policeman
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sergeant
A rank for civil servants in the intermediate service in the police, or historically in the military.
Nach erfolgreicher Ausbildung wurde sie zur Polizeiwachtmeisterin ernannt.
After successfully completing her training, she was appointed police sergeant.
'Wachtmeister' is a compound word made from 'Wacht' (watch/guard, from 'wachen' — to keep watch) and 'Meister' (master). So it literally describes a 'master of the watch'.
Früher war der Wachtmeister eine Respektsperson im Dorf.
In the past, the village policeman was a respected figure in the village.
The official rank (meaning 1) is used in formal contexts or in official documents. The colloquial form of address (meaning 2) is found in informal conversations or in older stories.
Sein offizieller Titel lautet Polizeihauptwachtmeister.
His official title is Polizeihauptwachtmeister.
As a general term for a police officer, 'Wachtmeister' is considered outdated today. A direct form of address like 'Herr Wachtmeister' (Mr. Policeman/Sergeant) can sound old-fashioned or even ironic.
Mein Großvater erzählt oft Geschichten vom „Wachtmeister“ aus seiner Jugend.
My grandfather often tells stories about the 'policeman' from his youth.
police officer
'der Polizist' and 'der Wachtmeister' can both mean a person in the police. 'Polizist' is the normal and general word for a male police officer. 'Wachtmeister' can be a specific rank or colloquially mean a police officer, but then it often sounds outdated. Learners may confuse the words because 'Wachtmeister' can seem like a normal word for police officer in stories or older texts. In everyday German today, 'Polizist' is almost always more natural. 'Wachtmeister' fits mainly when it really refers to the rank or to an older, colloquial way of speaking.
In dem alten Film spricht der Wachtmeister streng mit dem jungen Fahrer.
In the old film, the sergeant speaks sternly to the young driver.
Als der Unfall passiert, ruft eine Zeugin sofort einen Polizisten.
When the accident happens, a witness immediately calls a police officer.