Fähnrich (pronounced as /de/) is an officer candidate rank in the Austrian Bundesheer and German Bundeswehr. The word German: Fähnrich comes from an older German military title, German: Fahnenträger (flag bearer), and first became a distinct military rank in Germany on 1 January 1899. However, German: Fähnrich ranks are often incorrectly compared with the rank of ensign, which shares a similar etymology but is a full-fledged (albeit junior) commissioned officer rank.
In the German Landsknecht armies, recorded from ca. 1480, the equivalent rank of a Cornet existed. The cornet carried the troop standard, also known as a "cornet".
The rank also exists in a few other European military organizations, often with historical ties to the German system. Examples are the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland (see Fänrik). The French Army has a similar position called an Aspirant.
In the Finnish Army and Air Force, Finnish: Vänrikki (Swedish: Fänrik) is the lowest commissioned officer rank, which is granted to the soldiers in the national service on the day they are released from their 347-day service. Finnish Finnish: Vänrikki are thus of equal rank to the German lieutenant (also a platoon leader).
See also: Ranks of the Austrian Bundesheer.
| German: Fähnrich | |
| Country: |  Austria |
| Service Branch: | Austrian Armed Forces |
| Abbreviation: | Fhr |
| Rank Group: | Junior officer |
| Non-Nato Rank: | OF-1[1] |
| Formation: | 1955 |
| Higher Rank: | German: [[Leutnant]] |
| Lower Rank: | German: [[Vizeleutnant]] |
German: Fähnrich, short German: Fhr, is the lowest commissioned officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces.
See also: Rank insignias of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces. German: Fähnrich was the lowest officer rank in the k.u.k. Common Army. In 1838 it was renamed to German: Unterleutnant 2. Gebürnisklasse, from 1849 to German: Unterleutnant 2. Klasse, since 1868 to Unterleutnant, and finally approximately from 1868 to German: [[Leutnant]]. In 1908 German: Fähnrich was re-introduced as lowest cadet-officer rank in order to replace the 1869 rank designation German: Kadett-Offiziersstellvertreter. German: Fähnrich, German: Kadett-Offiziersstellvertreter respectively completed training and education on the less famous so-called k.u.k. German: Kadettenschule. As the German: Kadett-Offiziersstellvertreter was the highest NCO-rank, became German: Fähnrich a separate rank-class. However, graduates from the much more famous German: Militärakademie became the officer patent for German: Leutnant.
In the k.u. Royal Hungarian Honvéd army Hungarian: Zászlós was the equivalent to the German: Fähnrich rank. It accounted immediately to the officer corps.
| Designation | Cadet officer-deputy until 1908 | Fähnrich 1908-1918 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paroli | ||||
| Rank description | German: Kadett-Offizierstellvertreter | German: Fähnrich | ||
| (Hungarian) | (Hungarian: Hadapród-Tiszthelyettes) | (Hungarian: Zászlós) | ||
In 1609, Christian IV of Denmark created a permanent organization with regiments of the Royal Danish Army. A regiment would be assigned one Danish: [[Rittmeister|ritmester]], one Danish: [[Lieutenant|løjtnant]], one Danish: fænrik, and two Danish: [[korporal]]s.[2]
By 1717, the ranks of Danish: Fendrich and Danish: [[Cornet (rank)|Cornet]] of the Royal Life Guards were placed in the Eight class in the Danish order of precedence, normal Danish: Fendrichs and Danish: Cornets were placed in the Ninth class.[3]
Between 1951 and 1970, Danish: Fenrik and Danish: Overfenrik were part of Danish: Fenriksgruppen, which served as Warrant officers.[4] [5]
See main article: Vänrikki.
| German: Fähnrich | |
| Country: |  Germany |
| Service Branch: | |
| Abbreviation: | Fähnr |
| Rank: | German NCO rank |
| Nato Rank: | OR-6 |
| Non-Nato Rank: | E-6 |
| Formation: | 1956 |
| Higher Rank: | German: [[Oberfähnrich]] |
| Lower Rank: | German: [[Fahnenjunker]] |
| Equivalents: | German: [[Fähnrich zur See]] |
See also: Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr. A German: Fähnrich of the Bundeswehr is a soldier who serves in the ranks, first as German: [[Fahnenjunker]] (OR-5, comparable to the junior non-commissioned officer rank German: [[Unteroffizier]]), then in subsequent grades: German: Fähnrich (OR-6, equivalent to German: [[Feldwebel]]), and German: [[Oberfähnrich]] (OR-7 equivalent to German: [[Hauptfeldwebel]]).
In the German Bundeswehr, an officer candidate (German: Offiziersanwärter) can reach the rank of German: Fähnrich after 21 months of service. The German Navy equivalent is "Ensign at sea" (German: Fähnrich zur See).
An officer candidate's career is indicated by the enlisted rank with a thin silver cord on the shoulder strap.
See main article: Fähnrich (NPA).
See also: Ranks of the National People's Army. Following the creation of the National People's Army, a German: Fähnrich rank group was created.
See also: Military ranks and insignia of Norway. In the Norwegian Armed Forces, the rank of Norwegian: Fenrik is the lowest ranking commissioned officer,[6] with the NATO code of OF-1.
See main article: Fänrik.
