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.[1] The highest ranks of the combined SS (German: Gesamt-SS) was that of Reichsführer-SS and Oberster Führer der SS; however, there was no Waffen-SS equivalent to these positions.[2]
Table
[edit]| Insignia | Title (English) |
German Army equivalent[3] | Approximate equivalents/translations during World War II | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collar[4][5] | Shoulder[4][5] | Sleeve (parka)[5] |
U.S.[4][6] | UK[7] | ||
| General ranks | ||||||
|
|
|
SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer und Generaloberst der Waffen-SS (SS-Supreme group leader and colonel general of the Waffen-SS) |
Generaloberst | General | General |
|
|
|
SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS (SS-Senior group leader and general of the Waffen-SS) |
General der Waffengattung | Lieutenant general | Lieutenant-general |
|
|
|
SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS (SS-Group leader and lieutenant general of the Waffen-SS) |
Generalleutnant | Major general | Major general |
|
|
|
SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (SS-Brigadier leader and major general of the Waffen-SS) |
Generalmajor | Brigadier general | Brigadier |
| Officer ranks | ||||||
|
|
|
SS-Oberführer (SS-Senior leader) |
No army equivalent; equivalent to Kommodore in the Kriegsmarine | Senior colonel | Colonel |
|
|
SS-Standartenführer (SS-Standard leader) |
Oberst | Colonel | Colonel | |
|
|
|
SS-Obersturmbannführer (SS-Senior assault unit leader) |
Oberstleutnant | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel |
|
|
|
SS-Sturmbannführer (SS-Assault unit leader) |
Major | Major | Major |
|
|
|
SS-Hauptsturmführer (SS-Head assault leader) |
Hauptmann/Rittmeister | Captain | Captain |
|
|
|
SS-Obersturmführer (SS-Senior assault leader) |
Oberleutnant | First lieutenant | Lieutenant |
|
|
|
SS-Untersturmführer (SS-Second/Junior assault leader) |
Leutnant | Second lieutenant | |
| Non-commissioned officer ranks | ||||||
|
|
|
SS-Sturmscharführer (SS-Assault section leader) |
Stabsfeldwebel | Sergeant major | Regimental sergeant major |
| Various Depending on rank |
|
SS-Stabsscharführer (SS-Staff section leader)[a] |
Hauptfeldwebel senior NCO e.g., Oberfeldwebel or Feldwebel, seldom Unterfeldwebel. |
— | (Company) Sergeant major | |
|
|
|
SS-Hauptscharführer (SS-Head section leader) |
Oberfeldwebel | Master sergeant | Sergeant major |
|
SS-Standartenoberjunker OA (Officer aspirant) |
Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel OA (Officer aspirant) |
||||
|
|
|
SS-Oberscharführer (SS-Senior section leader) |
Feldwebel | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant |
|
SS-Standartenjunker OA (Officer aspirant) |
Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel OA (Officer aspirant) |
||||
|
|
|
SS-Scharführer (SS-Section leader) |
Unterfeldwebel | Staff sergeant | Sergeant |
|
SS-Oberjunker OA (Officer aspirant) |
Fahnenjunker-Unterfeldwebel OA (Officer aspirant) |
||||
|
|
|
SS-Unterscharführer (SS-Junior section leader) |
Unteroffizier | Sergeant | Corporal |
|
SS-Junker OA (Officer aspirant) |
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier OA (Officer aspirant) |
||||
| Enlisted ranks | ||||||
| No equivalent[b] | Stabsgefreiter | Administrative corporal | Lance corporal | |||
|
|
|
SS-Rottenführer (SS-Squad leader) |
Obergefreiter | Corporal | Lance corporal |
|
|
SS-Sturmmann (SS-Assault man/Storm trooper) |
Gefreiter | Acting corporal | Senior Private | |
|
|
SS-Oberschütze (SS-Senior rifleman) |
Oberschütze | Private first class | Senior private | |
| No insignia | SS-Schütze (SS-Rifleman) |
Soldat, Schütze, Grenadier | Private | Private | ||
Remarks
- SS-Bewerber (SS-applicant) and SS-Anwärter (SS-aspirant) were both removed as Waffen-SS ranks before 1941.[10]
See also
[edit]- Comparative military ranks of World War II
- Corps colours (Waffen-SS)
- Glossary of Nazi Germany
- List of SS personnel
- Ranks and Insignia of the German Army in World War II
- SS-Degen
- Uniforms and insignia of the Schutzstaffel
Notes
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ Mollo 1992, pp. 88–89.
- ^ Mollo 1977, p. 190.
- ^ Bender & Taylor 1986, p. 112.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c War Department 1945.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Bender & Taylor 1986, pp. 121–127.
- ^ Zabecki 2014, pp. 1639–1940.
- ^ CIA 1999, p. 30.
- ^ Bender & Taylor 1986, p. 110.
- ^ Mollo 1992, p. 78.
- ^ Mollo 1992, p. 77.
Bibliography
[edit]- Bender, Roger James; Taylor, Hugh Page (1986). Uniforms Organization and History of the Waffen-SS Vol 1 (6th ed.). San Jose, CA: R. James Bender Publishing. ISBN 0-912138-02-5.
- CIA (24 August 1999). "Records Integration Title Book" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- Mollo, Andrew (1977). A pictorial history of the S.S., 1923-1945. New York: Stein and Day. ISBN 978-0356082271. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- Mollo, Andrew (1992). Uniforms of the SS, Collected Edition Vol. 6. Windrow & Greene. ISBN 1-872004-67-9.
- War Department (15 March 1945). "Chapter IX: Uniforms, Insignia, and Individual Equipment". War Department Technical Manual TM-E 30-451. Plate XX–XXI.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1598849806.
External links
[edit]Schutzstaffel (SS) |
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