Ranks and insignia of the Ordnungspolizei

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by CommonsDelinker (talk | contribs) at 18:25, 8 September 2012 (Replacing Oberstleutnant_der_Polizei.gif with File:Oberstleutnant_der_Polizei_shoulderboard.gif (by INeverCry because: File renamed: ''File renaming criterion #3: Correct misl...). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The wreathed Polizeiadler (police eagle) was worn as a cap badge and on the left sleeve by all uniformed police

The ranks and insignia of the Ordnungspolizei were developed in 1936 after the nationalization of Germany's regular police forces.

Ordnungspolizei rank titles

Ordnungspolizei ("Orpo") ranks were based on local police titles and were considered a separate system from the ranks of the SS. It was also possible for Orpo members to hold dual status in both the Orpo and the SS, meaning that two ranks could be held simultaneously. In the case of Orpo generals, equivalent SS rank was always held in which case the Orpo general would be addressed by their SS rank first, followed by their police titles (for example: SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei). In 1944, all Orpo generals also gained equivalent Waffen-SS rank so that, in the event of capture by the Allies, the Orpo general would hold status as a military officer instead of a police official.

Orpo personnel who were also members of the Allgemeine-SS were authorized to wear an embroidered SS Sigrunen patch on the breast pocket.

Ordnungspolizei rank insignia

In addition to collar and shoulder insignia, Ordnungspolizei also wore the wreathed police eagle on the upper left sleeve. The collar patch and shoulderboards were backed, and the sleeve eagle (below the rank of Leutnant) embroidered, in truppenfarbe, a color-code which indicated the branch of police: green for Schutzpolizei (municipal police) and police general officers, orange for rural Gendarmerie, carmine-red for fire brigades, gold for maritime police and so on.

Orpo general rank SS equivalent Shoulder insignia Collar insignia
1936-42 		Collar insignia
1942-45
Chef der Deutschen Polizei Reichsführer-SS File:Reichsf.-SS Kragenspiegel.gif File:Reichsf.-SS Kragenspiegel.gif
Generaloberst der Polizei Oberstgruppenführer
General der Polizei Obergruppenführer
Generalleutnant der Polizei Gruppenführer
Generalmajor der Polizei Brigadeführer

Note: Since most police generals, increasingly as time went on, were also SS generals, they typically wore an SS uniform except at police-specific functions.

Orpo officer rank SS equivalent Shoulder insignia Collar insignia
Oberst der Polizei Standartenführer
Oberstleutnant der Polizei Obersturmbannführer
Major der Polizei Sturmbannführer
Hauptmann der Polizei Hauptsturmführer
Oberleutnant der Polizei Obersturmführer
Leutnant der Polizei Untersturmführer
Orpo enlisted rank Translation SS equivalent Shoulder insignia Collar insignia
Meister Master Sturmscharführer File:Meister shoulderboard.gif
Hauptwachtmeister Chief watch master Hauptscharführer File:Hauptwachtmeister shoulderboard.gif
Revier-oberwachtmeister
(Schupo)
Bezirks-oberwachtmeister
(Gendarmerie)
Zugwachtmeister
(Kasernierte Polizei) 		Precinct senior watch master
District senior watch master
Platoon watch master 		Oberscharführer File:Revieroberwachtmeister SB.gif
Oberwachtmeister Senior watch master Scharführer File:Oberwachtmeister SB.gif
Wachtmeister Watch master Unterscharführer File:Wachtmeister SB.gif
Rottmeister Team master Rottenführer
Unterwachtmeister Junior watch master Sturmmann
Anwärter Candidate Mann
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ranks_and_insignia_of_the_Ordnungspolizei&oldid=511412388"