Ranks and insignia of the Waffen-SS
This table contains the final ranks and insignia of the Waffen-SS, which were in use from April 1942 to May 1945, in comparison to the Wehrmacht. The highest rank of the combined SS (Gesamt-SS) was that of Reichsführer-SS; however, there was no Waffen-SS equivalent to this position.
Table
Rank insignia | Designation German / (English) |
Equivalent to the Wehrmacht (Heer — and Luftwaffe, in the latter case uniquely for the rank names not for the shoulderstraps which are Heer ones) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Collar badge | Shoulder strap and sleeve | Sleeve (parka) | ||||
General ranks | ||||||
SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer und Generaloberst der Waffen-SS (SS-Supreme group leader and colonel general of the Waffen-SS) |
Generaloberst | |||||
SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS (SS-Senior group leader and general of the Waffen-SS) |
General ... | |||||
SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS (SS-Group leader and lieutenant general of the Waffen-SS) |
Generalleutnant | |||||
SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (SS-Brigadier leader and major general of the Waffen-SS) |
Generalmajor | |||||
Officer ranks | ||||||
SS-Oberführer (SS-Senior leader of the Waffen-SS) |
No equivalent in Heer nor Luftwaffe. Nevertheless in Kriegsmarine, the equivalent can be Kommodore. | |||||
SS-Standartenführer (SS-Standard leader (regiment sized unit)) |
Oberst | |||||
SS-Obersturmbannführer (SS-Senior assault unit leader (battalion sized unit)) |
Oberstleutnant | |||||
SS-Sturmbannführer (SS-Assault unit leader) |
Major | |||||
SS-Hauptsturmführer (SS-Head assault leader (company sized sub unit)) |
Hauptmann/Rittmeister | |||||
SS-Obersturmführer (SS-Senior assault leader) |
Oberleutnant | |||||
SS-Untersturmführer (SS-Second/Junior assault leader) |
Leutnant | |||||
Non-Commissioned Officer ranks | ||||||
SS-Sturmscharführer (SS-Assault platoon leader) |
Stabsfeldwebel | |||||
Fahnenjunker Stabsfeldwebel OA / (Officer Aspirant) | ||||||
SS-Stabsscharführer was a specific appointment, comparable to "Company Sergeant Major". This position, usually nicknamed "Spiess" in the German armed forces, was held by experienced senior NCOs who had already reached the rank of SS-Hauptscharführer (OR-7) or SS-Oberscharführer (OR-6), rarely SS-Scharführer (OR-5). Appointment insignia: so-called "double piston rings" on both cuffs (of sleeves) on the uniform jacket and the overcoat. | SS-Stabsscharführer (SS-Staff squad leader; senior NCO, e.g. Hauptscharführer or Oberscharführer, seldom Scharführer) |
Hauptfeldwebel (senior NCO e.g., Oberfeldwebel or Feldwebel, seldom Unterfeldwebel) |
||||
SS-Hauptscharführer (SS-Chief platoon leader) (SS-Standartenoberjunker OA / Officer Aspirant) |
Oberfeldwebel | |||||
Fahnenjunker Oberfeldwebel OA / (Officer Aspirant) | ||||||
SS-Oberscharführer (SS-Senior platoon leader) (SS-Standartenjunker OA/ Officer Aspirant) |
Feldwebel | |||||
Fahnenjunker Feldwebel OA / (Officer Aspirant) | ||||||
SS-Scharführer (SS-Section leader) (SS-Oberjunker / Offiziersanwärter) |
Unterfeldwebel | |||||
Fahnenjunker Unterfeldwebel OA / (Officer Aspirant) | ||||||
SS-Unterscharführer (SS-Junior section leader) (SS-Junker OA/ Officer Aspirant) |
Unteroffizier | |||||
Fahnenjunker Unteroffizier OA/ (Officer Aspirant) | ||||||
Enlisted men | ||||||
No equivalent | Stabsgefreiter | |||||
SS-Rottenführer (SS-Squad leader) |
Obergefreiter | |||||
SS-Sturmmann (SS-Assault man/Storm trooper) |
Gefreiter | |||||
SS-Oberschütze (SS-Senior rifleman) |
Oberschütze | |||||
no sleeve insignia | SS-Schütze (SS-Rifleman) |
Soldat, Schütze, Grenadier | ||||
Volunteer to the service of the Waffen-SS | Conscript or military volunteer who enlists and may become an NCO or Officer of the Wehrmacht |
- Remarks
- The color of the Kragenspiegel (collar badge) is schwarz (black) in SS and NSKK, cinnabar-red in the staff headquarters of the so-called "Motorobergruppen" (en: Senior motor groups) and independent groups, carmine-red in higher staff headquarters of the NSKK.[1]
- Details, conditions, and prerequisites for SS-Candidates, aspirant or volunteers for full membership to the Allgemeine SS (general SS) are described in the main articles SS-Bewerber (SS-applicant) and SS-Anwärter (SS-aspirant).
See also
- Corps colours (Waffen-SS)
- Uniforms and insignia of the Schutzstaffel
- Ranks and Insignia of the German Army in World War II
- Comparative military ranks of World War II
- List of SS personnel
- Glossary of Nazi Germany
- Degen, the SS Sword
References
- Quotation as to: "Schlag nach!, Bibliographisches Institut AG., Leipzig, 1938, S.203"
Sources
- Bedurftig, Friedemann, and Zenter, Christian. The Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. 1985.
- Cook, Stan and Bender, R. James. Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler – Volume One: Uniforms, Organization, & History. San Jose, CA: R. James Bender Publishing, 1994. ISBN 978-0-912138-55-8
- Mollo, Andrew. Uniforms of the SS, Collected Edition Vol. 1–6. Motorbooks Intl. 1997. ISBN 978-1-85915-048-1
- Personnel Service Records of the S.S., National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.