Inspekteur (NSDAP)

Inspekteur was an early Nazi political rank created in 1932 due to the Nazi Party expanding across Germany in hopes of securing a major election victory. The political position of Inspekteur was a concentrated effort to organize the Nazi Party on a national basis, whereas before the Nazis had mainly operated from Munich, in Bavaria, with various splinter Nazi groups in other parts of Germany. In July 1932, the party Gauleiters were subordinated to 10 new officials known as a Landesinspektors, each in charge of several Gaue within a specified geographic area. They, in turn, reported to one of two Reichsinspekteurs. This reorganization, the brainchild of Gregor Strasser, was short-lived and abandoned in December 1932, after Strasser's resignation.[1]

Early Nazi Party political insignia showing the political ranks of Landesinspekteur and Reichsinspekteur

The rank of Inspekteur was divided into two levels: Landesinspekteur and Reichsinspekteur. The Landesinspekteurs concentrated on Nazi organization within specific geographic areas, while the 2 Reichsinspekteurs coordinated Nazi activities across the entire country. The position of Inspekteur was denoted on Nazi Party brown shirts by either one of two collar bars worn on a dark red collar patch. The shoulder boards were also paired up with a one or two knotted gold shoulder cord.

A special title also existed for the senior most Reichsinspekteur, this being Reichsorganisationsleiter (National Organizational Leader). There was no special insignia for this supreme political position, as it was merely a command title for the head Reich Inspector. Robert Ley was one such holder of this title.

As the Nazis came to power in January 1933, the political rank of Inspekteur was obsolete as the position had mainly served the purpose of election coordination. The duties of the Landesinspekteur were absorbed into the position of Gauleiter and the rank of Reichsinspekteur was renamed as Reichsleiter.