This article is about the military term. For the occupation, see Cashier.
Cashiering (or degradation ceremony), generally within military forces, is a ritual dismissal of an individual from some position of responsibility for a breach of discipline.
From the Flemishkasseren (to dismiss from service; to discard [troops]),[1] the word entered the English language in the late 16th century, during the wars in the Low Countries.
The word is etymologically unrelated to cashier, "a person in charge of money"; the words are simply homographs.
It is especially associated with the public degradation of disgraced militaryofficers. Prior to World War I, this aspect of cashiering sometimes involved a parade-ground ceremony in front of assembled troops with the destruction of symbols of status: epaulettes ripped off shoulders, badges and insignia stripped, swords broken, caps knocked away, and medals torn off and dashed upon the ground.[citation needed]
In the era when British Army officers generally bought their commissions, being cashiered meant that the amount they had paid was lost, as they could not "sell-out" afterwards.[2]
While most closely associated with Captain Dreyfus, the ceremony of formal degradation (French: Dégradation militaire) occurred several times in the French military under the Third Republic. At least one other army officer and a naval officer were subjected to the ritual of having their swords broken and the insignia, braid and buttons publicly torn from their uniforms, after being found guilty of charges of treason. More commonly, a number of NCOs and private soldiers underwent similar punishments for committing various serious offenses, before execution or imprisonment.[4]
The physical acts of ripping away insignia and breaking swords could be made easier by some prior preparation. A contemporary account in The New York Times of the Dreyfus cashiering in 1894 says:
To prepare for stripping the prisoner of his insignia of rank, the prison tailor yesterday removed all the buttons and stripes from Dreyfus’ tunic, the red stripes from his trousers and the regimental number and braid from his collar and cap. These were all replaced with a single stitch so that they could be torn away readily. The condemned man’s sword was also filed almost in two, in order that it might be easily broken. The Adjutant’s quick movement and apparent effort in breaking the sword was consequently mere pretense, as only a mere touch was necessary.[5][6]
^"Δημόσια καθαίρεση αξιωματικών του κινήματος 1ης Μαρτίου" [Public cashiering of the officers of the 1 March coup]. Kathimerini (in Greek). 3 April 1935. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
^Larcade, Jean-Louis (2000). Zouaves & Tirailleurs: les regiments de march et les regiments mixes (1914–1918). p. 529. ISBN2-9515171-1-4.
^"Degradation of Dreyfus: Intensely Humiliating Punishment of a Convicted Officer. (p. 5)". The New York Times. 6 January 1895.
^Schlueter, Roger (2 December 2016). "Breaking the sword of a military man? Thanks to a trick, it's a snap". www.bnd.com. Belleville News-Democrat. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
November 29, 2023
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This article is about the military term For the occupation see Cashier This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Cashiering news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Cashiering or degradation ceremony generally within military forces is a ritual dismissal of an individual from some position of responsibility for a breach of discipline The cashiering of Alfred Dreyfus on January 5 1895 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Military 3 Notable examples 4 See also 5 ReferencesEtymology editFrom the Flemish kasseren to dismiss from service to discard troops 1 the word entered the English language in the late 16th century during the wars in the Low Countries The word is etymologically unrelated to cashier a person in charge of money the words are simply homographs Military editSee also Drumming out nbsp Officer stripes ripped from the uniform of Alfred Dreyfus kept in Paris s Musee d Art et d Histoire du JudaismeIt is especially associated with the public degradation of disgraced military officers Prior to World War I this aspect of cashiering sometimes involved a parade ground ceremony in front of assembled troops with the destruction of symbols of status epaulettes ripped off shoulders badges and insignia stripped swords broken caps knocked away and medals torn off and dashed upon the ground citation needed In the era when British Army officers generally bought their commissions being cashiered meant that the amount they had paid was lost as they could not sell out afterwards 2 Notable examples editFamous victims of cashiering include Francis Mitchell 1621 Thomas Cochrane 10th Earl of Dundonald after the Great Stock Exchange Fraud of 1814 Justus McKinstry Alfred Dreyfus 1894 see trial and conviction of Alfred Dreyfus and Dreyfus affair and Philippe Petain 1945 stripped of all ranks and honors except Marshal of France citation needed Following the failure of the 1935 Greek coup d etat attempt lieutenant colonel Christodoulos Tsigantes his brother captain Ioannis Tsigantes colonel Stefanos Sarafis and other participants of the coup were cashiered in a public ceremony 3 While most closely associated with Captain Dreyfus the ceremony of formal degradation French Degradation militaire occurred several times in the French military under the Third Republic At least one other army officer and a naval officer were subjected to the ritual of having their swords broken and the insignia braid and buttons publicly torn from their uniforms after being found guilty of charges of treason More commonly a number of NCOs and private soldiers underwent similar punishments for committing various serious offenses before execution or imprisonment 4 The physical acts of ripping away insignia and breaking swords could be made easier by some prior preparation A contemporary account in The New York Times of the Dreyfus cashiering in 1894 says To prepare for stripping the prisoner of his insignia of rank the prison tailor yesterday removed all the buttons and stripes from Dreyfus tunic the red stripes from his trousers and the regimental number and braid from his collar and cap These were all replaced with a single stitch so that they could be torn away readily The condemned man s sword was also filed almost in two in order that it might be easily broken The Adjutant s quick movement and apparent effort in breaking the sword was consequently mere pretense as only a mere touch was necessary 5 6 See also editBranded TV series Defrocking Demotion Hazing Dishonorable discharge Drumming out also drubbing out in some varieties of American English Military discipline Political rehabilitation Reduction in rankReferences edit casseren kasseren www ensie nl Stichting Ensie Encyclopedie 4 July 2019 Retrieved 20 July 2022 Holmes Richard 2001 2001 Chapter III Brothers of the Blade Redcoat the British soldier in the age of horse and musket Hardback ed London HarperCollins p 159 ISBN 0 00 257097 1 Dhmosia ka8airesh a3iwmatikwn toy kinhmatos 1hs Martioy Public cashiering of the officers of the 1 March coup Kathimerini in Greek 3 April 1935 Retrieved 4 May 2021 Larcade Jean Louis 2000 Zouaves amp Tirailleurs les regiments de march et les regiments mixes 1914 1918 p 529 ISBN 2 9515171 1 4 Degradation of Dreyfus Intensely Humiliating Punishment of a Convicted Officer p 5 The New York Times 6 January 1895 Schlueter Roger 2 December 2016 Breaking the sword of a military man Thanks to a trick it s a snap www bnd com Belleville News Democrat Retrieved 23 February 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cashiering amp oldid 1169808319, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
