German: Hauptmann (pronounced as /de/) is an officer rank in the armies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is usually translated as captain.
While German: Haupt in contemporary German means 'main', it also has, and originally had, the meaning of 'head', i.e. German: Hauptmann literally translates to 'head-man', which is also the etymological root of captain (from Latin Latin: caput, 'head').
This rank is equivalent to the rank of captain in the British and US Armies, and is rated OF-2 in NATO.
Currently, there is no female form within the German military (such as Hauptfrau): the correct form of address is "Frau Hauptmann."[1] [2]
More generally, a Hauptmann can be the head of any hierarchically structured group of people, often as a compound word. For example, a German: Feuerwehrhauptmann is the captain of a fire brigade, while German: Räuberhauptmann refers to the leader of a gang of robbers.
Official Austrian and German titles incorporating the word include German: [[Landeshauptmann]], German: [[Bezirkshauptmann]], German: [[Burghauptmann]], and German: [[Berghauptmann]].
In Saxony during the Weimar Republic, the titles of German: [[Kreishauptmann]], and German: [[Amtshauptmann]] were held by senior civil servants.
German: Hauptmann (from Early Modern High German German, Middle High (ca.1050-1500);: Heubtmann) is cognate with the Swedish Swedish: [[hövitsman]], which also has the root meaning 'head-man' or 'the man at the head', and is closely related to Swedish: hövding, meaning 'chieftain'. Since medieval times, both titles have been used for state administrators rather than military personnel. German, Middle High (ca.1050-1500);: Heubtmann may also be the origin of the title hetman, used in Central and Eastern Europe.
See main article: Ranks of the Bundesheer.
See main article: Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr.
| Captain | |
| Native Name: | Hauptmann |
| Country: |  Germany |
| Service Branch: | |
| Abbreviation: | H or Hptm |
| Nato Rank: | OF-2 |
| Formation: | 19th century |
| Higher Rank: | Stabshauptmann |
| Lower Rank: | Oberleutnant |
| Equivalents: | Kapitänleutnant (Navy) |
On the shoulder straps (Heer, Luftwaffe) there are three silver pips (stars).
| Heer | Luftwaffe | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hauptmann i.G. (Gen. staff service)HA OS5 43 Hauptmann PzGren.svg | Hauptmann (Mechanized infantry)HA OS5 43 Hauptmann d.R. PzGren.svg | Hauptmann d.R. (Mech. infantry reserves) | Hauptmann (field suit) |
See main article: Military ranks of Switzerland.