imported>Willthacheerleader18: updated infobox

2025-05-08T18:58:35Z

updated infobox

New page

{{Short description|Former commander of the Swiss Guard}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[Colonel]]
| name = Daniel Anrig
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
|office = 34th [[List of commanders of the Swiss Guard|Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard]]
|term_start = 19 August 2008
|term_end = 31 January 2015
|predecessor = [[Elmar Mäder]]
|successor = [[Christoph Graf]]
|monarch = [[Pope Benedict XVI|Benedict XVI]] (2008–2015)<br/>[[Pope Francis|Francis]] (2013–2015)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|7|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Walenstadt]], [[Switzerland]]
| nickname =
| birth_name =
| alma_mater = [[University of Fribourg]]
| allegiance = {{flag|Vatican City|size=15px}}
| branch = [[Pontifical Swiss Guard]]<br />[[Swiss Army]]
| serviceyears = 1992–1994<br />2008–2015
| rank = [[Colonel]]
| servicenumber =
| unit =
| commands = [[Pontifical Swiss Guard]]
| battles =
| battles_label =
| awards =
| spouse = 
| relations =
| occupation = military officer<br>police officer
}}
[[File:BANDERA GUARDIA VATICA PANCHO.svg|thumb|Banner of the Pontifical Swiss Guard of [[Pope Francis]] under the command of Anrig (2013–2015)]]
[[Colonel]] '''Daniel Rudolf Anrig''' (born 10 July 1972) is a Swiss military officer and police officer. He served as the 34th [[Papal Swiss Guard|Commandant of the Pontifical Swiss Guard]], appointed by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] on 19 August 2008.<ref name="Bunson2008">{{cite book|last=Bunson|first=Matthew|title=Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Almanac|url=https://archive.org/details/catholicalmanac200matt|url-access=registration|accessdate=12 June 2012|date=15 October 2008|publisher=Our Sunday Visitor Publishing|isbn=9781592764419|pages=[https://archive.org/details/catholicalmanac200matt/page/261 261]–}}</ref> He replaced [[Elmar Mäder]] who had served as Commandant of the Swiss Guard since 2002.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/3540262/Swiss-guard-row-over-brutal-police-raid.html|title=Swiss guard row over brutal police raid|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|accessdate=4 May 2014}}</ref> He was succeeded by [[Christoph Graf]] as his term ended on 31 January 2015 and was not extended by [[Pope Francis]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/03/pope-francis-removes-swiss-guard-chief|title=Pope Francis removes Swiss Guard chief|work=[[Theguardian.com|Guardian]]|accessdate=3 December 2014}}</ref><ref name=klppav>{{Cite web|url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/ex-swiss-guard-head-defends-leadership-style/41247358|title=Ex-Swiss Guard head defends leadership style|date=31 January 2015 }}</ref>

== Life ==

Anrig was born in [[Walenstadt]] (Canton of Saint Gallen), [[Switzerland]]. He is married and has four children. Anrig served as [[halberdier]] in the Swiss Guard between 1992 and 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guardiasvizzera.va/content/guardiasvizzera/en/guardia/organizzazione.html |title=Swiss Guard — Organization |accessdate=12 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219105042/http://www.guardiasvizzera.va/content/guardiasvizzera/en/guardia/organizzazione.html |archive-date=19 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He graduated in civil and [[ecclesiastical law]] from the [[University of Fribourg]] in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ein ehemaliger Freiburger Student wird Kommandant der Schweizergarde |url=https://www.unifr.ch/news/de/3642/ein-ehemaliger-freiburger-student-wird-kommandant-der-schweizergarde |access-date=14 April 2025 |website=Unifr News}}</ref>

In 2020, he was fined by the Zurich district court for threatening to kill himself, his ex-partner and their son.<ref name=20min>{{Cite news |title=Deshalb war der Ex-Kommandant der Schweizergarde monatelang in U-Haft |url=https://www.20min.ch/story/deshalb-war-der-ex-kommandant-der-schweizer-garde-monatelang-in-u-haft-976015079338 |last=Kunz |first=Samira |date=27 March 2023 |access-date=27 March 2023 |publisher=[[20 Minuten]] |language=de |trans-title=This is why the ex-commander of the Swiss Guard was in pre-trial remand for months}}</ref>

In 2024, Anrig was sentenced by a Swiss court to a conditional sentence of ten months and to a fine of 1,000 francs; where in November 2022 he had threatened a man with a running chainsaw.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/bezirksgericht-meilen-verurteilt-wegen-drohung-mit-kettensaege |title=Verurteilt wegen Drohung mit Kettensäge |work=Regionaljournal Zürich Schaffhausen |publisher=SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen |date=24 June 2024 |language=de |access-date=15 December 2024}}</ref>

== Career ==

Anrig held the rank of a captain in the [[Swiss Army]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Neuer Kommandant der Schweizergarde |language=de |work=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |url=https://www.nzz.ch/kommandant_schweizergarde-ld.506346?reduced=true |access-date=22 January 2023}}</ref>

He was head of criminal police in the canton of [[Glarus (canton)|Glarus]] from 2002 to March 2006, when he became commanding general of police in the canton of Glarus. In 2003, Anrig was jointly responsible for a controversial raid by the Glarus cantonal police on human and drug trafficking in a home for asylum seekers. Following a complaint by [[Amnesty International]], the investigating judge dropped the investigation into disproportionate action by the police because no findings relevant to criminal law were made. However, Anrig had to bear part of the legal costs.<ref name=":0" />

On 19 August 2008, Anrig was appointed as the thirty-fourth [[Papal Swiss Guard|Commandant of the Pontifical Swiss Guard]] by [[Pope Benedict XVI]].<ref name="Bunson2008">{{cite book|last=Bunson|first=Matthew|title=Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Almanac|url=https://archive.org/details/catholicalmanac200matt|url-access=registration|accessdate=12 June 2012|date=15 October 2008|publisher=Our Sunday Visitor Publishing|isbn=9781592764419|pages=[https://archive.org/details/catholicalmanac200matt/page/261 261]–}}</ref>

The period between 2012 and 2014 was increasingly overshadowed by internal quarrels. In 2012, the head of the [[Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City|Vatican police]], [[Domenico Giani]], and not Anrig, was honored by the international Catholic association "Tu es petrus" for his services to the security of the pope. In the tribute, Giani was referred to as the "Guardian Angel of the Pope".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Krempelt der Papst die Schweizergarde um? |url=https://www.watson.ch/!106959456 |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=[[Watson (newspaper)|Watson]]|language=de}}</ref>

On 2 December 2014, Anrig was unexpectedly dismissed. He was reported to rule with an iron fist and lived in a luxury apartment. His military style was alleged to irritate Pope Francis. The pope and ex-guards denied this.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jürgensen |first=Nadine |title=Der Papst nimmt Daniel Anrig in Schutz |language=de |work=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |url=https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/der-papst-nimmt-daniel-anrig-in-schutz-ld.1036307?reduced=true |access-date=22 January 2023}}</ref>

From July 2015 to 2020, Anrig was head of the Staff Department – the smallest of four departments – at the office of the [[Kantonspolizei Zürich|Zurich cantonal police]] at [[Zürich Airport]], which was questioned critically.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ex-Kommandant beschäftigt Regierungsrat |url=https://www.zuonline.ch/ex-kommandant-beschaeftigt-regierungsrat-616897619373 |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=Zürcher Unterländer |date=30 June 2015 |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 June 2015 |title=Ex-Kommandant beschäftigt Regierungsrat |url=https://www.zuonline.ch/ex-kommandant-beschaeftigt-regierungsrat-616897619373 |access-date=13 April 2025 |website=Zürcher Unterländer |language=de}}</ref>

From 1 November 2020, Anrig was in charge of public administration in [[Zermatt]] as a [[communal secretary]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 July 2020 |title=Daniel Anrig neuer Gemeindeschreiber Media release Municipality of Zermatt |url=https://gemeinde.zermatt.ch/pdf/medienmitteilung/Daniel-Anrig-neuer-Gemeindeschreiber-2020-07-07.pdf |access-date=16 April 2025 |website=Municipality of Zermatt}}</ref> In November 2022, he was reported missing for several weeks before the commune declared that he was sitting in [[pre-trial detention]] for a "relationship conlict". In February 2023, he was released and his employment with the commune of Zermatt was terminated.<ref name=20min />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Elmar Mäder]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of commanders of the Pontifical Swiss Guard|Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard]] | years=2008–2015}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Christoph Graf]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anrig, Daniel Rudolf}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:20th-century Swiss military personnel]]
[[Category:21st-century Swiss military personnel]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Swiss Guard]]
[[Category:People from Walenstadt]]
[[Category:Swiss military officers]]
[[Category:Swiss police officers]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre]]
[[Category:University of Fribourg alumni]]

Daniel Anrig - Revision history

imported>Willthacheerleader18: updated infobox