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
Reichsführer-SS[6][7]
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

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. Essentially a "vanity rank" created by Hitler in 1940, for Hermann Göring alone.
  6. 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
  7. 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.
  8. Quotation as to: "Schlag nach!, Bibliographisches Institut AG., Leipzig, 1938, S.203"
  9. 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)
  10. 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.
  11. Pimpf = The youngest members of the Hitler Youth organization in Nazi Germany

Further reading

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