Comparative ranks of Nazi Germany
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[5] | – | – | Oberste Führer der Schutzstaffel | Oberste SA-Führer | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| OF-10 | Generalfeldmarschall | Großadmiral | – | Chef des Stabe der SA[8] (SA Chief of Staff) |
– | Reichsarbeitsführer | Reichsjugendführer | Reichsleiter | |||||
| OF-9 | Generaloberst | Generaladmiral | – | SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer und Generaloberst der Waffen-SS[9] | 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 |
| OF5a | no equivalent | Kommodore | – | SS-Oberführer (SS-Senior leader) | SA-Oberführer (SA-Senior leader) | NSKK Oberführer | – | - | – | – | – | Hauptdienstleiter | |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Oberdienstleiter |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Dienstleiter |
| OF5b | 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))[10] | 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-8 | Stabsfeldwebel | Stabsoberbootsmann | – | SS-Sturmscharführer (SS-Storm squard leader (platoon sized sub unit)) | SA-Haupttruppführer (SA-Head troop leader) | NSKK Haupttruppführer | Unterfeldmeister | – | – | – | – | Hauptbereitschafts- leiter | |
| OR-7 | Oberfeldwebel | Oberbootsmann | – | SS-Hauptscharführer (SS-Chief squad leader) | SA-Obertruppführer (SA-Senior troop leader) | NSKK Obertruppführer | Obertruppführer | - | Oberjungzugführer | – | – | Oberbereitschafts- leiter | |
| Oberfähnrich | Oberfähnrich zur See | – | SS-Standartenoberjunker | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| – | Stabsbootsmann | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| OR-6 | Feldwebel | Bootsmann | – | 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-Squad leader) | SA-Oberscharführer (SA-Senior squad leader) | NSKK Oberscharführer | – | - | Oberjungenschaftsführer | – | – | Hauptabteilungsleiter | |
| Fähnrich | Fähnrich zur See | – | SS-Oberjunker | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| OR-4 | Unteroffizier | Maat | – | SS-Unterscharführer (SS-Junior squad leader) | SA-Scharführer (SA-Squad leader) | NSKK Scharführer | Untertruppführer | - | Jungenschaftsführer | Mädelschaftsführerin | Jungmädelschafts- führerin | Oberabteilungs- leiter | |
| 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[11] | BDM-Mädel | Jungmädel | Anwärter | |
See also
- Comparative military ranks of World War II
- Glossary of German military terms
- Glossary of Nazi Germany
- World War II German Army ranks and insignia
References
- ↑ Hermann Weiß, ed. (2002). "Appendix". Biographisches Lexikon zum Dritten Reich (in German). Frankfurt am Main: Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ “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.
- ↑ The NSDAP and RAD ranks might not always be equivalent to these of the Wehrmacht.
- ↑ Essentially a "vanity rank" created by Hitler in 1940, for Hermann Göring alone.
- ↑ 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
- ↑ The rank SS-Volksmarschall was planned to be introduced for possible promotion of Waffen-SS Generalobersts. However, until the end of WW II this rank couldn’t be established.
- ↑ Quotation as to: "Schlag nach!, Bibliographisches Institut AG., Leipzig, 1938, S.203"
- ↑ 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)
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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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