Keep in mind that promoting NCO ranks to officer ranks was not common, and would only have been done in emergencies.
Generally the less educated would have joined as sailors (Matrosen), and if they were lucky, may have reached the rank of stabsoberbootsman in their 30s.
Those from higher class backgrounds with better education would have joined the officer class as young as 17 as a Midshipman (Fähnrich).
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