First of all thank you for taking the time to read my question. Most unfortunately it is a long one. In Germany there is a Social class of people who derive from men who had some kind of military achievement and were given a heridetary title (no longer existent as a title but as part of their name nowadays). Prior to 1919 all military officers had to come from this class.
Some people from this class are rich, while others are poor. Some are educated, while others are uneducated. What they share is a military history as well as some traditions/manners and they often marry among themselves.
I used to think the correct term was „gentry“, because in the UK all officers had to be gentry, but that would not be the correct term would it? In order to be gentry a person would have to be extremely rich, wouldn‘t they?
Would aristocrats be the correct term, because they have a heridetary title, but then I do think that it was much easier to get a hereditary title in Germany then in the UK. Circa five percents if Germans do have a heridetary title for their ancestors military achievement.
Am I right to assume that nobody ever would call himself an „aristocrat“ because it sounds snobby?
Would a person whose parents did not serve but maybe the great-great-grandfather still call himself „military brat“?
Thank you so much for your answers in advice.