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 that have completed their reserve officer course 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 (de|Offiziersanwärter) can reach the rank of German: Fähnrich after 21 months of service. The German Navy equivalent is "Ensign at sea" (de|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.
