Fånge

Fånge is a Swedish noun meaning a person held in captivity or confinement against their will. It is used for prisoners or captives in various contexts, including prisoners of war and civilian detainees. The term is neutral in tone, and exact meaning depends on context; it can refer to someone detained by a state, by an opposing force in war, or by the criminal justice system in a prison.

Etymology and form: Fånge derives from the verb fånga, to capture. The word denotes the person who has been captured, with fången functioning as the definite form meaning “the captive” or “the prisoner.” The term forms compound expressions such as krigsfånge for a prisoner of war and fånge in a detention setting, while gisslan refers to a hostage, a related but distinct concept.

Usage and contexts: In military contexts, krigsfånge is commonly used for combatants captured during armed conflict. In civilian contexts, fånge can describe someone detained under criminal or administrative detention, though in everyday language more specific terms like prisoner or detainee are often used. The concept encompasses a range of situations where an individual is held against their will and not free to leave.

Legal and historical notes: International humanitarian law distinguishes prisoners of war from civilian detainees, with the treatment of prisoners of war governed by the Geneva Conventions. Domestic law regulates the rights and treatment of civilians in detention. The term fånge appears in legal texts, historical writing, and formal discourse to describe persons who are held in confinement.

See also: Fängelse, Krigsfånge, Gisslan, Fångläger, Fångenskap.