An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Kamerad
Kamerad, m., ‘comrade, companion,’ ModHG. only, from Fr. camarade (Ital. camerata, ‘society,’ lit. ‘comrades living together in a room,’ then too ‘companion’), whence also E. comrade. OTeut. had a number of terms for ModHG. Kamerad; comp. Geselle, Gesinde, OHG. gidofto, ‘companion’ (comp. Decht and Dost), simply forms illustrative of the OTeut. heroic age, which were partly disused in the MidHG. period in favour of the foreign terms Kumpan and Kamerad.