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
Insignia | Title (English) |
Army equivalent | Approximate equivalents during World War II | ||||
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Collar[1] | Shoulder[1] | Sleeve (parka) |
US[1][2] | UK[3] | |||
General ranks | |||||||
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SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer und Generaloberst der Waffen-SS (SS-Supreme group leader and colonel general of the Waffen-SS) |
Generaloberst | General | General | |
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SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS (SS-Senior group leader and general of the Waffen-SS) |
General der Waffengattung | Lieutenant General | Lieutenant General | |
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SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS (SS-Group leader and lieutenant general of the Waffen-SS) |
Generalleutnant | Major General | Major General | |
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SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (SS-Brigadier leader and major general of the Waffen-SS) |
Generalmajor | Brigadier General | Brigadier | |
Officer ranks | |||||||
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SS-Oberführer (SS-Senior leader) |
No equivalent equivalent to be Kommodore in the Kriegsmarine |
Senior colonel | Colonel | |
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SS-Standartenführer (SS-Standard leader) |
Oberst | Colonel | Colonel | ||
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SS-Obersturmbannführer (SS-Senior assault unit leader) |
Oberstleutnant | Lieutenant Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | |
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SS-Sturmbannführer (SS-Assault unit leader) |
Major | Major | Major | |
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SS-Hauptsturmführer (SS-Head assault leader) |
Hauptmann/Rittmeister | Captain | Captain | |
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SS-Obersturmführer (SS-Senior assault leader) |
Oberleutnant | First lieutenant | Lieutenant | |
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SS-Untersturmführer (SS-Second/Junior assault leader) |
Leutnant | Second lieutenant | Second lieutenant | |
Non-Commissioned Officer ranks | |||||||
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SS-Sturmscharführer (SS-Storm squad leader) |
Stabsfeldwebel | Sergeant major | Regimental sergeant major | |
Various Depending on rank |
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SS-Stabsscharführer (senior NCO, e.g. Hauptscharführer or Oberscharführer, seldom Scharführer) |
Hauptfeldwebel (senior NCO e.g., Oberfeldwebel or Feldwebel, seldom Unterfeldwebel) |
N/A | (Company) Sergeant Major | ||
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SS-Hauptscharführer (SS-Head squad leader) |
Oberfeldwebel | Master Sergeant | Sergeant Major | |
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SS-Standartenoberjunker OA Officer Aspirant |
Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel OA Officer Aspirant |
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SS-Oberscharführer (SS-Senior squad leader) |
Feldwebel | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant | |
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SS-Standartenjunker OA Officer Aspirant |
Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel OA Officer Aspirant |
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SS-Scharführer (SS-Squad leader) |
Unterfeldwebel | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | |
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SS-Oberjunker OA Officer Aspirant |
Fahnenjunker-Unterfeldwebel OA Officer Aspirant |
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SS-Unterscharführer (SS-Junior squad leader) |
Unteroffizier | Sergeant | Corporal | |
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SS-Junker OA Officer Aspirant |
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier OA (Officer Aspirant) |
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Enlisted men | |||||||
No equivalent | Stabsgefreiter | Administrative corporal | Lance corporal | ||||
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SS-Rottenführer (SS-Squad leader) |
Obergefreiter | Corporal | Lance corporal | |
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SS-Sturmmann (SS-Assault man/Storm trooper) |
Gefreiter | Acting Corporal | Senior Private | ||
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SS-Oberschütze (SS-Senior rifleman) |
Oberschütze | Private 1st class | Senior private | ||
No sleeve insignia | SS-Schütze (SS-Rifleman) |
Soldat, Schütze, Grenadier | Private | Private | |||
SS-Anwärter | Conscript or military volunteer | N/A | N/A |
- Remarks
- 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).
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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
- War Department 1945.
- Zabecki 2014, pp. 1639-1940.
- CIA 1999, p. 30.
Sources
- Bedurftig, Friedemann, and Zenter, Christian. The Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. 1985.
- CIA (24 August 1999). "Records Integration Title Book" (PDF). Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- 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
- 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.
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