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
Collar[1] Shoulder[1] Sleeve
(parka)		 US[1][2] UK[3]
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 equivalent
equivalent to be 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 Second lieutenant
Non-Commissioned Officer ranks
SS-Sturmscharführer
(SS-Storm squad leader)		 Stabsfeldwebel Sergeant major Regimental sergeant major
Various
Depending on rank		 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
SS-Hauptscharführer
(SS-Head squad leader)		 Oberfeldwebel Master Sergeant Sergeant Major
SS-Standartenoberjunker OA
Officer Aspirant		 Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel OA
Officer Aspirant
SS-Oberscharführer
(SS-Senior squad leader)		 Feldwebel Technical sergeant Staff sergeant
SS-Standartenjunker OA
Officer Aspirant		 Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel OA
Officer Aspirant
SS-Scharführer
(SS-Squad leader)		 Unterfeldwebel Staff sergeant Sergeant
SS-Oberjunker OA
Officer Aspirant		 Fahnenjunker-Unterfeldwebel OA
Officer Aspirant
SS-Unterscharführer
(SS-Junior squad leader)		 Unteroffizier Sergeant Corporal
SS-Junker OA
Officer Aspirant		 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier OA
(Officer Aspirant)
Enlisted men
No equivalent 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 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).

See also

References
  1. War Department 1945.
  2. Zabecki 2014, pp. 1639-1940.
  3. 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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