Ranks and insignia of the Waffen-SS

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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 rank of the combined SS (German: Gesamt-SS) was that of Reichsführer-SS; however, there was no Waffen-SS equivalent to this position.[citation needed]

Table[]

Insignia Title
(English) 		Army equivalent[2] Approximate equivalents during World War II
Collar[3][4] Shoulder[3][4] Sleeve
(parka)[4] 		US[3][5] UK[6]
General ranks
SS-Oberstgruppenführer Collar Rank.svg SS Oberst-Gruppenführer h.svg GenOberst Oberstgruf OF9 cam slv 1945.svg SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer und Generaloberst der Waffen-SS
(SS-Supreme group leader and colonel general of the Waffen-SS) 		Generaloberst General General
SS-Obergruppenführer Collar Rank.svg SS Obergruppenführer h.svg GenWaGtg Ogruf OF8 cam slv 1945.svg 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 Collar Rank.svg SS-Gruppenführer h.svg GenLt Gruf OF7 cam slv 1945.svg SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS
(SS-Group leader and lieutenant general of the Waffen-SS) 		Generalleutnant Major General Major General
SS-Brigadeführer Collar Rank.svg SS-Brigadeführer h.svg GenMaj Brif OF6 cam slv 1945.svg 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 Collar Rank.svg SS-Standartenführer h.svg SS-Oberführer-camo.svg SS-Oberführer
(SS-Senior leader) 		No army equivalent; equivalent to Kommodore in the Kriegsmarine. Senior colonel Colonel
SS-Standartenführer Collar Rank.svg Oberst Staf OF5 cam slv 1945.svg SS-Standartenführer
(SS-Standard leader) 		Oberst Colonel Colonel
SS-Obersturmbannführer.svg SS-Obersturmbannführer h.svg OTL Ostubaf OF4 cam slv 1945.svg SS-Obersturmbannführer
(SS-Senior assault unit leader) 		Oberstleutnant Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant Colonel
SS-Sturmbannfuehrer collar.svg SS-Sturmbannführer h.svg Maj Stubaf OF3 cam slv 1945.svg SS-Sturmbannführer
(SS-Assault unit leader) 		Major Major Major
SS-Hauptsturmführer collar.svg WSS Pi OF2 Hstuf h 1945.svg Hptm Hstuf OF2 cam slv 1945.svg SS-Hauptsturmführer
(SS-Head assault leader) 		Hauptmann/Rittmeister Captain Captain
SS-Obersturmführer.svg WSS Pi OF1a Ostuf h 1945.svg OLt Ostuf OF1a cam slv 1945.svg SS-Obersturmführer
(SS-Senior assault leader) 		Oberleutnant First lieutenant Lieutenant
SS-Untersturmführer.svg WSS Pi OF1b Ustuf h 1945.svg Lt Ustuf OF1b cam slv 1945.svg SS-Untersturmführer
(SS-Second/Junior assault leader) 		Leutnant Second lieutenant
Non-Commissioned Officer ranks
SS-Sturmscharführer.svg SS-Sturmscharführer h.svg StFw Stuscha OR8 cam slv 1945.svg SS-Sturmscharführer
(SS-Storm squad leader) 		Stabsfeldwebel Sergeant major Regimental sergeant major
Various
Depending on rank 		Statuszeichen HptFw WMacht, NVA und Stascha SS.svg SS-Stabsscharführer
(SS-Staff squad leader)[a] 		Hauptfeldwebel
senior NCO e.g., Oberfeldwebel or Feldwebel, seldom Unterfeldwebel. 		N/A (Company) Sergeant Major
SS-Hauptscharführer.svg SS-Hauptscharführer h.svg OFw Hscha OR7 cam slv 1945.svg SS-Hauptscharführer
(SS-Head squad leader) 		Oberfeldwebel Master Sergeant Sergeant Major
SS-Standartenoberjunker h.svg SS-Standartenoberjunker OA
Officer Aspirant 		Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel OA
Officer Aspirant
SS-Oberscharführer.svg SS-Oberscharführer h.svg Fw Oscha OR6 cam slv 1945.svg SS-Oberscharführer
(SS-Senior squad leader) 		Feldwebel Technical sergeant Staff sergeant
SS-Standartenjunker h.svg SS-Standartenjunker OA
Officer Aspirant 		Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel OA
Officer Aspirant
SS-Scharführer.svg SS-Scharführer h.svg UFw Scha OR5a cam slv 1945.svg SS-Scharführer
(SS-Squad leader) 		Unterfeldwebel Staff sergeant Sergeant
SS-Oberjunker h.svg SS-Oberjunker OA
Officer Aspirant 		Fahnenjunker-Unterfeldwebel OA
Officer Aspirant
SS-Unterscharführer.svg SS-Unterscharführer h.svg Uffz Uscha OR5b cam slv 1945.svg SS-Unterscharführer
(SS-Junior squad leader) 		Unteroffizier Sergeant Corporal
SS-Junker h.svg SS-Junker OA
Officer Aspirant 		Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier OA
(Officer Aspirant)
Enlisted men
No equivalent[b] Stabsgefreiter Administrative corporal Lance corporal
SS-Rottenführer.svg SS-Mannschaft.svg WSS-Rottenf OF3 slv 1945.svg SS-Rottenführer
(SS-Squad leader) 		Obergefreiter Corporal Lance corporal
SS-Sturmmann.svg WSS-Stuma OF2 slv 1945.svg SS-Sturmmann
(SS-Assault man/Storm trooper) 		Gefreiter Acting Corporal Senior Private
SS-Mann, SS-Schuetze, SS-Oberschuetze collar.svg Rank insignia of Oberschütze of the Waffen-SS.svg SS-Oberschütze
(SS-Senior rifleman) 		Oberschütze Private 1st 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.[9]

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

Notes[]

  1. ^ senior NCO, e.g. Hauptscharführer or Oberscharführer, seldom Scharführer.[7]
  2. ^ However, administratively Rottenführer (2. Gehaltsstufe) existed.[8]

References[]

Citations
  1. ^ Mollo 1992, pp. 88–89.
  2. ^ Bender & Taylor 1986, p. 112.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c War Department 1945.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c Bender & Taylor 1986, pp. 121–127.
  5. ^ Zabecki 2014, pp. 1639–1940.
  6. ^ CIA 1999, p. 30.
  7. ^ Bender & Taylor 1986, p. 110.
  8. ^ Mollo 1992, p. 78.
  9. ^ Mollo 1992, p. 77.
Bibliography
  • 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). Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  • 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.
  • Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1598849806.

External links[]

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