Fhnlein means little flag, not regiment, and where did you get Alpdrcken? Shouldn it be Alptraum?
Fhnlein is the correct 16th century military term for company, even though we like to call ourselves a “regiment” in English, because it sounds a little more impressive. “Alpdrcken” is a fine old fashioned word, that surprisingly few Germans know anymore. It is listed in numerous dictionaries, including Langenscheidt’s, das Duden, and most conveniently, LEO’s which you can find here: LEO English/German Dictionary Look up “nightmare”, and you’ll find not only Alpdrcken, but Albdrcken, Albtraum, Alptraum, and even Nachtmahr. Alpdrcken is the older word, with wonderful connotations of being pressed by the dream, which is just one of the reasons we use it, even though more than one native German speaker has come up to us at events, insisting that it should be “Alptraum”. Of course, there was also this delightful older gentleman who not only commended us for “Alpdrcken”, but positively loved it when one of the soldiers referred to a campfollower as “Schnukiputzi”. (please don’t mind my spel
