 As early as 1892 they were seen as equal to judges or magistrates, acknowledged as "higher service officials of the fifth class".This higher ranking and the coveted title of a councillor ("Rat") boosted the previously rather low social prestige of the grammar school teachers, a success mainly owed to the unremitting efforts of the "Vereinsverband akademisch gebildeter Lehrer" ("Association of unions of academically educated teachers"), founded in 1903, which from 1921 onwards called itself "Philologenverband" ("Association of philologians").The teachers' union represented the professional interests of the 95% of grammar school teachers who were union members.