hauptmann
{{Italic title}}
{{Short description|Officer's rank in the German, Austrian, and Swiss armies}}
{{about|the military rank and title|other uses|Hauptmann (disambiguation)}}
{{refimprove|date=February 2021}}
{{lang|de|Hauptmann}} ({{IPA|de|ˈhaʊ̯pman|lang|De-Hauptmann.ogg}}) is an officer rank in the armies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is usually translated as captain.
Background
While {{lang|de|Haupt}} in contemporary German means 'main', it also has, and originally had, the meaning of 'head', i.e. {{lang|de|Hauptmann}} literally translates to 'head-man', which is also the etymological root of captain (from Latin {{lang|la|caput}}, 'head').
This rank is equivalent to the rank of captain in the British and US Armies, and is rated OF-2 in NATO.
:{{crossref|For the German maritime counterpart to captain, see Kapitän.}}
Currently, there is no female form within the German military (such as Hauptfrau): the correct form of address is "Frau Hauptmann."{{cite web |url=https://vsb-bund.de/index.php/infothek/item/748-weibldstgrd |work=Verband der Soldaten der Bundeswehr |title=VSB-Statement "weibliche Dienstgrade" |accessdate=February 12, 2021 |archive-date=August 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805201526/https://vsb-bund.de/index.php/infothek/item/748-weibldstgrd |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article189989647/Genderdebatte-Wann-gibt-s-die-Hauptfrau-bei-der-Bundeswehr.html |title=Wird "Frau Hauptmann" zur "Hauptmännin" oder "Hauptfrau"? |date=March 8, 2019 |first=Gerhard |last=Hegmann |work=Die Welt |accessdate=February 12, 2021 }}
More generally, a Hauptmann can be the head of any hierarchically structured group of people, often as a compound word. For example, a {{lang|de|Feuerwehrhauptmann}} is the captain of a fire brigade{{cn|date=June 2021}}{{dubious|date=June 2021}}, while {{lang|de|Räuberhauptmann}} refers to the leader of a gang of robbers.
Official Austrian and German titles incorporating the word include {{lang|de|Landeshauptmann}}, {{lang|de|Bezirkshauptmann}}, {{lang|de|Burghauptmann}}, and {{lang|de|Berghauptmann}}.
In Saxony during the Weimar Republic, the titles of {{lang|de|Kreishauptmann}}, and {{lang|de|Amtshauptmann}} were held by senior civil servants.
{{lang|de|Hauptmann}} (from Early Modern High German {{lang|gmh|Heubtmann}}) is cognate with the Swedish {{lang|sv|hövitsman}}, which also has the root meaning 'head-man' or 'the man at the head', and is closely related to {{lang|sv|hövding}}, meaning 'chieftain'. Since medieval times, both titles have been used for state administrators rather than military personnel. {{lang|gmh|Heubtmann}} may also be the origin of the title hetman, used in Central and Eastern Europe.
Military ranks
=Austria=
{{empty section|date=October 2022}}
{{main|Ranks of the Bundesheer}}
File:Bundesheer - Rank insignia - Hauptmann.png|Army
=Germany=
{{main|Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr}}
{{Infobox military rank
| name = Captain
| native_name = Hauptmann
| image = {{nowrap|88px 88px}}
| image_size =
| caption = Army and Air Force insignia
| image2 =
| image_size2 =
| caption2 =
| country = {{flag|Germany}}
| service branch = {{army|Germany}}
{{air force|Germany}}
| abbreviation = H or Hptm
| rank =
| NATO rank = OF-2
| Non-NATO rank =
| formation = 19th century
| abolished =
| higher rank = Stabshauptmann
| lower rank = Oberleutnant
| equivalents = Kapitänleutnant (Navy)
}}
== Rank insignia ==
On the shoulder straps (Heer, Luftwaffe) there are three silver pips (stars).
| class="wikitable centered" | |
| style="background-color:#CEDAF2"
! Heer | Luftwaffe |
HA OS5 43 Hauptmann i.G..svg|Hauptmann i.G. HA OS5 43 Hauptmann PzGren.svg|Hauptmann HA OS5 43 Hauptmann d.R. PzGren.svg|Hauptmann d.R. | LA OS5 43 Hauptmann.svg|Hauptmann |
=Switzerland=
{{empty section|date=October 2022}}
{{main|Military ranks of Switzerland}}
File:OF-2 CH.gif|Army
==Swiss Guard==
{{empty section|date=October 2022}}
Rank insignia of Hauptmann (OF-2) Pontifical Swiss Guard.svg|Army
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://germa83.uni-trier.de/cgi-bin/DWBcgi/getDWBArticle.tcl?hauptmann+100+1+960 Deutsches Wörterbuch, Hauptmann]{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
{{German military ranks}}
Category:Military ranks of Germany