ranks and insignia of the schutzstaffel

The Ranks and insignia of the Schutzstaffel were a paramiltiary rank system used by the German SS, to differentiate the group from the German military, German state, and the Nazi Party. The original SS ranks were the same as the ranks of the SA, but eventually developed into their own unique titles. In line with the Führerprinzip (Leader Principle), the word Führer is used in the majority of SS ranks.

SS rank insignia

1934–1945

SS General Officer Rank>

lign="center"\| Translation	align="center"\| Waffen-SS equivalent	align="center"\| German Army equivalent	align="center" rowspan="2"\| Collar Insignia 1934–1942	align="center" rowspan="2"\| Collar Insignia 1942–1945	align="center" rowspan="2"\| Duty Shoulder Insignia	align="center" rowspan="2"\| Dress Shoulder Insignia
lign="center"\| Reichsführer-SS	align="center"\| Reich Leader	align="center"\| N/A	align="center"\| Generalfeldmarschall	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 125px	align="center"\| 125px
lign="center"\| Oberstgruppenführer	align="center"\| Colonel Group Leader	align="center"\| Generaloberst	align="center"\| Generaloberst	align="center"\| N/A	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 115px	align="center"\| 125px
lign="center"\| Obergruppenführer	align="center"\| Senior Group Leader	align="center"\| General	align="center"\| General	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 115px	align="center"\| 125px
lign="center"\| Gruppenführer	align="center"\| Group Leader	align="center"\| Generalleutnant	align="center"\| Generalleutnant	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 115px	align="center"\| 125px
lign="center"\| Brigadeführer	align="center"\| Brigade Leader	align="center"\| Generalmajor	align="center"\| Generalmajor	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 115px	align="center"\| 125px
lign="center"\| Oberführer	align="center"\| Senior Leader	align="center"\| N/A	align="center"\| Oberst	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 105px	align="center"\| 125px

SS Officer Rank>

lign="center"\| Translation	align="center"\| German Army equivalent	align="center" rowspan="2"\| Collar Insignia 1934–1945	align="center" rowspan="2"\| Duty Shoulder Insignia 1938–1945	align="center" rowspan="2"\| Dress Shoulder Insignia 1934–1945
lign="center"\| Standartenführer	align="center"\| Regiment Leader	align="center"\| Oberst	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Obersturmbannführer	align="center"\| Senior Storm Unit Leader	align="center"\| Oberstleutnant	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Sturmbannführer	align="center"\| Storm Unit Leader	align="center"\| Major	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Hauptsturmführer	align="center"\| Head Storm Leader	align="center"\| Hauptmann	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Obersturmführer	align="center"\| Senior Storm Leader	align="center"\| Oberleutnant	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Untersturmführer	align="center"\| Junior Storm Leader	align="center"\| Leutnant	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px

SS NCO Rank>

lign="center"\| Translation	align="center"\| Officer Candidate Equivalent	align="center"\| German Army equivalent	align="center"\| Collar Insignia 1934–1945	align="center" rowspan="2"\| Duty Shoulder Insignia 1938–1945	align="center"\| Dress Shoulder Insignia 1934–1945
lign="center"\| Sturmscharfhrer	align="center"\| Storm Squad Leader	align="center"\| N/A	align="center"\| Stabsfeldwebel	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Hauptscharführer	align="center"\| Head Squad Leader	align="center"\| Standartenoberjunker	align="center"\| Oberfeldwebel	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Oberscharführer	align="center"\| Senior Squad Leader	align="center"\| Standartenjunker	align="center"\| Feldwebel	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Scharführer	align="center"\| Squad Leader	align="center"\| Oberjunker	align="center"\| Unterfeldwebel	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Unterscharführer	align="center"\| Junior Squad Leader	align="center"\| Junker	align="center"\| Unteroffizier	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px

SS Enlisted Rank>

lign="center"\| Translation	align="center"\| German Army equivalent	align="center"\| Collar Insignia 1934–1945	align="center"\| Sleeve Insignia 1938–1945	align="center" rowspan="2"\| Duty Shoulder Insignia 1938–1945	align="center"\| Dress Shoulder Insignia 1934–1945
lign="center"\| Rottenführer	align="center"\| Section Leader	align="center"\| Obergefreiter	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 65px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Sturmmann	align="center"\| Storm Trooper	align="center"\| Gefreiter	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 65px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Oberschtze/Obermann	align="center"\| Senior Trooper	align="center"\| Oberschtze	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 45px	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Schtze/Mann	align="center"\| Trooper	align="center"\| Schtze	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| No Insignia	align="center"\| 95px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Anwärter	align="center"\| Recruit	align="center"\| No Equivalent	align="center"\| No Insignia	align="center"\| No Insignia	align="center"\| No Insignia	align="center"\| No Insignia
lign="center"\| Bewerber	align="center"\| Candidate	align="center"\| No Equivalent	align="center"\| No Insignia	align="center"\| No Insignia	align="center"\| No Insignia	align="center"\| No Insignia

1932–1934

SS Rank>

lign="center" rowspan="2"\| Translation	align="center" rowspan="2"\| Army Equivalent	align="center"\| Collar Insignia	align="center"\| Shoulder Insignia
lign="center"\| Obergruppenführer	align="center"\| Senior Group Leader	align="center"\| General	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 125px
lign="center"\| Gruppenführer	align="center"\| Group Leader	align="center"\| Lieutenant General	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 125px
lign="center"\| Brigadeführer	align="center"\| Brigade Leader	align="center"\| Major General	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 125px
lign="center"\| Oberführer	align="center"\| Senior Leader	align="center"\| Brigadier General	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 125px
lign="center"\| Standartenführer	align="center"\| Regiment Leader	align="center"\| Colonel	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Obersturmbannführer	align="center"\| Senior Storm Unit Leader	align="center"\| Lieutenant Colonel	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Sturmbannführer	align="center"\| Storm Unit Leader	align="center"\| Major	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Sturmhauptführer	align="center"\| Storm Head Leader	align="center"\| Captain	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Obersturmführer	align="center"\| Senior Storm Leader	align="center"\| First Lieutenant	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Sturmführer	align="center"\| Storm Leader	align="center"\| Second Lieutenant	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Haupttruppführer	align="center"\| Head Troop Leader	align="center"\| Sergeant Major	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Obertruppführer	align="center"\| Senior Troop Leader	align="center"\| Master Sergeant	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Truppführer	align="center"\| Troop Leader	align="center"\| Sergeant First Class	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Oberscharführer	align="center"\| Senior Squad Leader	align="center"\| Staff Sergeant	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Scharführer	align="center"\| Squad Leader	align="center"\| Sergeant	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Rottenführer	align="center"\| Section Leader	align="center"\| Corporal	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Sturmmann	align="center"\| Storm Trooper	align="center"\| Private First Class	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Mann	align="center"\| Trooper	align="center"\| Private	align="center"\| 75px	align="center"\| 120px
lign="center"\| Anwärter	align="center"\| Recruit	align="center"\| Recruit	align="center"\| No Insignia	align="center"\| No Insignia

1930–1932

SS Rank>

lign="center" rowspan="2"\| Army Equivalent	align="center" rowspan="2"\| Collar Insignia
lign="center"\| Gruppenführer	align="center"\| General	align="center"\| 75px
lign="center"\| Oberführer	align="center"\| Brigadier	align="center"\| 75px
lign="center"\| Standartenführer	align="center"\| Colonel	align="center"\| 75px
lign="center"\| Sturmbannführer	align="center"\| Major	align="center"\| 75px
lign="center"\| Sturmhauptführer	align="center"\| Captain	align="center"\| 75px
lign="center"\| Sturmführer	align="center"\| Lieutenant	align="center"\| 75px
lign="center"\| Haupttruppführer	align="center"\| Sergeant Major	align="center"\| 75px
lign="center"\| Truppführer	align="center"\| Sergeant	align="center"\| 75px
lign="center"\| Scharführer	align="center"\| Corporal	align="center"\| 75px
lign="center"\| Mann	align="center"\| Private	align="center"\| 75px

1925–1929

The earliest SS ranks were titles with no recognizable insignia. By 1929, a system of white stripes, centered on an armband, denoted SS rank with the first established SS ranks listed below:

Reichsführer (Reich Leader) Three Stripes
Oberführer (Senior Leader) Two Stripes
Staffelführer (Squadron Leader) One Stripe
Mann (Trooper) No Stripes

Police ranks

In 1936, the SS absorbed the regular German police and formed the Ordnungspolizei. Known as the Orpo, the Ordnungspolizei was considered a full branch of the SS but maintained a separate system of insignia and Orpo ranks. It was also possible for SS members to hold dual status in both the Orpo and the SS, and SS-Generals were referred to simultaneously by both rank titles. For instance, an Obergruppenführer in the SS, who was also a Police General, would be referred to as Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei.

Waffen-SS Generals

SS Generals of the Waffen-SS were typically addressed by both their SS rank title and a corresponding General's rank associated with the Wehrmacht. All such General ranks were followed by the phrase der Waffen-SS to distinguish the SS General from their counterparts in other branches of the German military. Thus, a typical title would be Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS. In 1944, all SS General Officers were granted equivalent Waffen-SS rank so that, in the event that they were captured by the Allies, they would have status as military officers instead of police officials. For those who had held police rank prior to 1944, the SS General's title could become rather lengthy. Ernst Kaltenbrunner, for instance, was listed on the SS rolls in 1945 as Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei und Waffen-SS

Additional information

Stabsscharfhrer was a positional rank granted to the senior NCO of an SS Company. The position was the equivalent of a First Sergeant. Stabsscharfhrer was denoted by a special sleeve patch, worn on the upper right arm of the SS uniform.

The rank of Staffelführer was also commonly referred to simply as SS-Führer.

The rank of Sturmscharfhrer was only used by the Waffen-SS.

The rank of Oberstgruppenfhrer did not exist until 1942 and was originally created to give senior Waffen-SS Generals equivalent rank to Wehrmacht Colonel Generals. Only four people ever held the rank of Oberstgruppenfhrer.

SS officers holding the rank of Standartenfhrer and above wore rank insignia on both collar patches. All other SS members wore their rank on the left collar patch while an SS unit badge was worn on the right.

Comparative military ranks of World War II

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