Ranks And Insignia Of The Sturmabteilung

The ranks and insignia of the Sturmabteilung (SA) were the first paramilitary rank system to be developed by the Nazi Party in 1920. The titles and phrases used by the SA were evenutally adopted by several other Nazi paramilitary groups, among them the Schutzstaffel (SS). Early SS ranks were identical to the SA, since the SS was originally considered a sub-organization of the Sturmabteilung.

1932 1945

In 1932, the year before Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, the SA adopted its final rank and insignia versions which would remain unchanged until the organization ceased to exist at the close of the Second World War. SA Rank>
lign="center" rowspan="2"| Translation align="center" rowspan="2"| Army Equivalent align="center"| Shoulder Insignia align="center"| Collar Insignia
lign="center"| Stabschef align="center"| Staff Chief align="center"| Field Marshal align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Obergruppenführer align="center"| Senior Group Leader align="center"| General align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Gruppenführer align="center"| Group Leader align="center"| Lieutenant General align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Brigadeführer align="center"| Brigade Leader align="center"| Major General align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Oberführer align="center"| Senior Leader align="center"| Brigadier General align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Standartenführer align="center"| Regiment Leader align="center"| Colonel align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Obersturmbannführer align="center"| Senior Storm Unit Leader align="center"| Lieutenant Colonel align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Sturmbannführer align="center"| Storm Unit Leader align="center"| Major align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Sturmhauptführer align="center"| Storm Head Leader align="center"| Captain align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Obersturmführer align="center"| Senior Storm Leader align="center"| First Lieutenant align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Sturmführer align="center"| Storm Leader align="center"| Second Lieutenant align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Haupttruppführer align="center"| Head Troop Leader align="center"| Sergeant Major align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Obertruppführer align="center"| Senior Troop Leader align="center"| Master Sergeant align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Truppführer align="center"| Troop Leader align="center"| Sergeant First Class align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Oberscharführer align="center"| Senior Squad Leader align="center"| Staff Sergeant align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Scharführer align="center"| Squad Leader align="center"| Sergeant align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Rottenführer align="center"| Section Leader align="center"| Corporal align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Sturmmann align="center"| Storm Trooper align="center"| Private First Class align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Mann align="center"| Trooper align="center"| Private align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px

1928 1932

In 1928, the SA had adopted an expanded system of rank titles and began displaying a version of collar insignia consisting of pips and collar bars to denote rank and position. The SA also introduced collar unit insignia, worn opposite the badge of rank, as well as a shoulder strap system to denote an SA member as a trooper, leader, or senior leader. SA Rank>
lign="center" rowspan="2"| Army Equivalent align="center" rowspan="2"| Shoulder Insignia align="center" rowspan="2"| Collar Insignia
lign="center"| Gruppenführer align="center"| General align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Oberführer align="center"| Brigadier align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Standartenführer align="center"| Colonel align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Sturmbannführer align="center"| Major align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Sturmhauptführer align="center"| Captain align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Sturmführer align="center"| Lieutenant align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Haupttruppführer align="center"| Sergeant Major align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Truppführer align="center"| Sergeant align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Scharführer align="center"| Corporal align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px
lign="center"| Mann align="center"| Private align="center"| 115px align="center"| 75px

1925 1928

In 1925, the SA was re-founded after having been disbanded following the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923. At that time, a simple rank insignia structure was developed for display on the collars of the SAs brown uniforms. SA Rank>
lign="center" rowspan="2"| Translation align="center" rowspan="2"| Collar Insignia
lign="center"| Gruppenführer align="center"| Group Leader align="center"| 125px
lign="center"| Oberführer align="center"| Senior Leader align="center"| 125px
lign="center"| Standartenführer align="center"| Regiment Leader align="center"| 125px
lign="center"| Sturmführer align="center"| Storm Leader align="center"| No Insignia
lign="center"| Mann align="center"| Trooper align="center"| No Insignia

1920 1923

The first SA ranks were merely titles with no recognizable insignia. Typically, SA personnel would wear swastika armbands on a variety of paramilitary uniforms. At the start of the groups existence, the SA had four primary ranks, those being:

SA Unit Insignia

The SA used uniform colors and collar patches to denote an SA member's unit ranging from the Sturmbann and Standarten level (Battalion and Regiment) to the SA-Gruppen (SA Division) to which an SA member belonged. From those ranking Obersturmbannfhrer and below, a unit collar patch was worn on the right collar, opposite the badge of the rank. The patch typically displayed a members battalion number followed by their regiment number. Variations to this system occurred if an SA member was assigned to a headquarters staff or some other special branch of the SA. All SA members wore various uniform colors to indicate in which SA Division a member belonged. The following was the 1944 color scheme of SA uniforms:
  • Red and Gold: SA Chief of Staff
  • Red and White: SA Supreme Command
  • Red: SA Group Staff
  • Yellow: Schleisen Group
  • Green: Thringen Group
  • Blue: Hessen Group
  • Brown: Westmark Group
  • Light Blue: Hochland Group
  • Orange: Sdwest Group
  • Pink: Alpenland Group
  • Light Blue (Gold Pip): Sdeten Group
  • Black: Berlin-Brandenburg Group
Prior to 1932, when the Schutzstaffel wore the same uniform as the SA, black uniform colors also indicated membership in the SS.

 

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