Landeshauptmann - Misplaced Pages

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Landeshauptmann (literally "country captain" or "state captain") is the German language title of the governor of a state of Austria or of the Italian province of Südtirol.

The female version of this title would be Landeshauptfrau. Whether female Landeshauptmänner are to be called Landeshauptfrau or Landeshauptmann, is still the subject of public debate. This question first arose with the assumption of office by Waltraud Klasnic (from the conservative ÖVP) in Styria on the 23 January 1996, who preferred to be addressed as Frau Klasnic (Mrs. Klasnic) or Frau Landeshauptmann. However, Gabi Burgstaller (from the social democratic SPÖ), the governor of Salzburg since 7 March 2004, prefers the title Frau Landeshauptfrau.

Since 1 July 1988, the Constitution of Austria states that office designations can be used in gender-specific form (Article 7 Paragraph 3 B-VG). The use of the designation Landeshauptfrau is therefore explicitly permitted by the constitution.

For example, the same question also arises for the office designation Bezirkshauptmann (chief administrator of a non-municipal disctrict in Austria), military rank Hauptmann (captain) and Feuerwehrmann (firefighter). Sometimes, according to Austrian custom, the wife of a male incumbent is addressed as Frau Landeshauptmann. The reverse form - Herr Landeshauptfrau - is not common. Additionally the deputies of the Salzburg Landeshauptfrau have so far preferred the designation Landeshauptmannstellvertreter.

See also