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Comparative ranks of Nazi Germany

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The comparative ranks of Nazi Germany contrasts the ranks of the German Wehrmacht to a number of national-socialist organisations in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 in a synoptic table. Nazi organisations used a hierarchal structure, according to the so-called Führerprinzip (leader principle), and were oriented in line with the rank order system of the Wehrmacht.[1]

Nazi rank structure in comparison to the Wehrmacht


rank 		Wehrmacht Heeresverwaltung (HV)[2] Schutzstaffel (SS)[3] Sturmabteilung
(SA) 		NSKK RAD [4] Hitlerjugend NSDAP
Heer, Luftwaffe Kriegsmarine Waffen-SS Allgemeine SS Hitlerjugend (HJ) Deutsches Jungvolk
(DJ)		 Bund Deutscher Mädel (BDM) Jungmädel
(JM)
Führer Adolf Hitler
Reichsmarschall – Oberster Führer der Schutzstaffel Oberster SA-Führer – – – – – – –
OF-10 Generalfeldmarschall Großadmiral –
Reichsführer-SS[5]
Chef des Stabs der SA[6]
(SA Chief of Staff) 		– Reichsarbeitsführer Reichsjugendführer Reichsleiter
OF-9 Generaloberst Generaladmiral – SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer und Generaloberst der Waffen-SS[7] SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer
(SS-Supreme-Group leader)		 – Korpsführer des NSKK
(Corps leader of the NSMC)		 Generaloberstfeldmeister Stabsführer – – – Gauleiter
OF-8 General ... Admiral Generalober- stabsintendant SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS SS-Obergruppenführer
(SS-Senior group leader)		 SA-Obergruppenführer
(SA-Senior group leader)		 NSKK Obergruppenführer Generalfeldmeister – – Obergauführerin Reichsreferentin Hauptbefehlsleiter
OF-7 Generalleutnant Vizeadmiral Generalstabsintendant / Ministerialdirektor SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS SS-Gruppenführer
(SS-Group leader)		 SA-Gruppenführer
(SA-Group leader)		 NSKK Gruppenführer Obergeneralarbeitsführer – – Gauführerin Gebietsmädelführerin Oberbefehlsleiter
OF-6 Generalmajor Konteradmiral Korpsintendant SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS SS-Brigadeführer
(SS-Brigadier leader)		 SA-Brigadeführer
(SA-Brigadier leader)		 NSKK Brigadeführer Generalarbeitsführer Obergebietsführer – – Hauptmädelführerin Befehlsleiter
OF-5a no equivalent Kommodore – SS-Oberführer
(SS-Senior leader)		 SA-Oberführer
(SA-Senior leader)		 NSKK Oberführer – – – – – Hauptdienstleiter
– – – – – – – – – – – – – Oberdienstleiter
– – – – – – – – – – – – – Dienstleiter
OF-5b Oberst Kapitän zur See Obekriegsgerichtsrat SS-Standartenführer
(SS-Standard leader (regiment sized unit))		 SA-Standartenführer
(SA-Standard leader)		 NSKK Standartenführer Oberstarbeitsführer Gebietsführer – Untergauführerin Bannmädelführerin Hauptbereichsleiter (Kreisleiter)
OF-4 Oberstleutnant Fregattenkapitän Oberintendaturrat SS-Obersturmbannführer
(SS-Senior storm unit leader (battalion sized unit))		 SA-Obersturmbannführer
(SA-Senior storm unit leader)		 NSKK Obersturmbannführer Oberarbeitsführer Hauptbannführer Oberjungstammführer – – Bereichsleiter
OF-3 Major Korvettenkapitän Remontenvorsteher SS-Sturmbannführer
(SS-Storm unit leader)		 SA-Sturmbannführer
(SA-Storm unit leader)		 NSKK Sturmbannführer Arbeitsführer Oberbannführer Jungstammführer Mädelringführerin Ringführerin Hauptabschnittsleiter
– – – – – – – – – – – – – Oberabschnitts- leiter
– – – – – – – – – – – – – Abschnitts- leiter
– – – – – – – – – – – – – Haupt- gemeinschafts- leiter (Ortsgruppenleiter)
– – – – – – – – – – – – – Obergemeinschafts- leiter
– – – – – – – – – – – – – Gemeinschafts- leiter
OF-2 Hauptmann Kapitänleutnant Stabsapotheker SS-Hauptsturmführer
(SS-Head storm leader (company sized sub unit))[8]		 SA-Hauptsturmführer
(SA-Head storm leader)		 NSKK Hauptsturmführer Oberstfeldmeister Bannführer Hauptfähnleinführer – Hauptgruppenführerin Haupteinsatzleiter
OF-1a Oberleutnant Oberleutnant zur See Heeresjustizinspektor SS-Obersturmführer
(SS-Senior storm leader)		 SA-Obersturmführer
(SA-Senior storm leader)		 NSKK Obersturmführer Oberfeldmeister – Oberfähnleinführer – – Obereinsatzleiter
OF-1b Leutnant Leutnant zur See Waffenmeister SS-Untersturmführer
(SS-Second/Junior storm leader)		 SA-Sturmführer
(SA-Storm leader)		 NSKK Sturmführer Feldmeister – Fähnleinführer Mädelgruppenführerin Jungmädelgruppenführerin Einsatzleiter
OR-9 - - – SS-Sturmscharführer
(SS-Storm squard leader (platoon sized sub unit))		 SA-Haupttruppführer
(SA-Head troop leader)		 NSKK Haupttruppführer Unterfeldmeister – – – – Hauptbereitschafts- leiter
OR-8 Stabsfeldwebel Stabsbootsmann – – – – – – – – – – –
OR-7 Oberfähnrich

or Hauptfeldwebel

Oberfähnrich zur See – SS-Standartenoberjunker – – – – – – – – –
OR-6 Oberfeldwebel Oberbootsmann – SS-Hauptscharführer
(SS-Chief squad leader)		 SA-Obertruppführer
(SA-Senior troop leader)		 NSKK Obertruppführer Obertruppführer – Oberjungzugführer – – Oberbereitschafts- leiter
Feldwebel

or Fähnrich

Bootsmann

or Fähnrich zur See

– SS-Oberscharführer
(SS-Standartenjunker)		 SS-Oberscharführer
(SS-Senior squad leader)		 SA-Truppführer
(SA-Troop leader)		 NSKK Truppführer Truppführer – Jungzugführer Mädelscharführerin Jungmädelscharführerin Bereitschaftsleiter
OR-5 Unterfeldwebel Obermaat – SS-Scharführer

(SS-Oberjunker)

SS-Scharführer

(SS-Squad Leader)

SA-Oberscharführer
(SA-Senior squad leader)		 NSKK Oberscharführer – – Oberjungenschaftsführer – – Hauptarbeitsleiter
OR-4 Unteroffizier Maat – SS-Unterscharführer
(SS-Junior squad leader)		 SA-Scharführer
(SA-Squad leader)		 NSKK Scharführer Untertruppführer – Jungenschaftsführer Mädelschaftsführerin Jungmädelschafts- führerin Oberarbeitsleiter
Fahnenjunker Seekadett – SS-Junker – – – – – – – – –
OR-3 – Matrosen- oberstabsgefreiter – – – – – – – – – – –
Stabsgefreiter Matrosen- stabsgefreiter – – – – – – – – – – –
Hauptgefreiter
(only Luftwaffe)		 Matrosen- hauptgefreiter – – – – – Hauptvormann – – – – Arbeitsleiter
Obergefreiter Matrosen- obergefreiter – SS-Rottenführer
(SS-Section leader)		 SA-Rottenführer
(SA-Section leader)		 NSKK Rottenführer Obervormann – Oberhordenführer – – Oberhelfer
OR-2 Gefreiter Matrosengefreiter – SS-Sturmmann
(SS-Storm man/Storm trooper)		 SA-Sturmmann
(SA-Storm man/Storm trooper)		 NSKK Sturmmann Vormann – Hordenführer – – Helfer
OR-1 Ober... e. g. Oberschütze, Obergrenadier, Oberkanonier etc. – – SS-Ober...,  e. g. SS-Oberschütze, SS-Obergrenadier, SS-Oberkanonier, etc. – – – – – – – – –
Soldat e. g. Schütze, Grenadier, Kanonier Matrose – SS-Schütze, also SS-Grenadier, SS-Kanonier, etc. SS-Mann
(SS-Man/Trooper)		 SA-Mann
(SA-Man/Trooper)		 NSKK-Mann Arbeitsmann Hitlerjunge Pimpf[9] BDM-Mädel Jungmädel Anwärter

See also

References

  1. ^ Hermann Weiß, ed. (2002). "Appendix". Biographisches Lexikon zum Dritten Reich (in German). Frankfurt am Main: Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag.
  2. ^ The rank insignias of the Heeresverwaltung – HV (Army administration) are partially comparable to the Marineverwakltung (Navy administration), and as well as to the Military Administration on occupied territories.
  3. ^ “The SS: Hitler´s Instrument of the Terror“, appendix, p. 250, service ranks of the SS and the equivalent to the Wehrmacht. Copyright 1994 by Brown Packaging Books Ltd., London.
  4. ^ The NSDAP and RAD ranks might not always be equivalent to these of the Wehrmacht.
  5. ^ In 1934, Heinrich Himmler's title became an actual rank after the Night of the Long Knives. From that point on, Reichsführer-SS became the highest rank of the SS and was considered on paper the equivalent of a Generalfeldmarschall in the Wehrmacht; however, as Himmler's position and authority grew in Nazi Germany, so did his rank in a "de facto" sense. McNab, Chris. (2009) The SS, pp. 9, 30, 46-47
  6. ^ Quotation as to: "Schlag nach!, Bibliographisches Institut AG., Leipzig, 1938, S.203"
  7. ^ Decree paper of the Waffen-SS, 3rd (annual) volume – Berlin, June 15, 1942 – number 12 – p.46: “The Reichsführer-SS gave order regarding the spelling of the new service rank “SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer” (quotation: “SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer” (en: SS-Supreme-Group leader – OF-9), in order to avoid confusion to the SS-Obergruppenführer (en: SS-Senior group leader – OF-8)”. (Quotation as to Klietmann in “Field grey, 13th volume Nr.1, Berlin 1967)
  8. ^ Until castration of the SA in summer 1934 the designation of that particular rank in the SS was SS-Sturmhauptführer (SS-Storm head leader). However, the rank was renamed to SS-Hauptsturmführer (SS-Head storm leader). In line with the formation of the SA-Defence crews (SA-Wehrmannschaften) in 1939/40 it was renamed to “Hauptsturmführer” in the SA and in all other Nazi organizations.
  9. ^ Pimpf = The youngest members of the Hitler Youth organization in Nazi Germany

Further reading

  • Wolfgang Benz (editor): Wie wurde man Parteigenosse? Die NSDAP und ihre Mitglieder. Fischer-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2009, ISBN 978-3-596-18068-4 (Fischer 18068 Die Zeit des Nationalsozialismus).
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