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 ranks of the combined SS (German: Gesamt-SS) was that of Reichsführer-SS and Oberster Führer der SS; however, there was no Waffen-SS equivalent to these positions.[2]
Table
| Insignia | Title (English) | Army equivalent[3] | Approximate equivalents during World War II | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collar[4][5] | Shoulder[4][5] | Sleeve (parka)[5] | U.S.[4][6] | UK[7] | |||
| 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 army equivalent; equivalent to 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 | ||
| Non-commissioned officer ranks | |||||||
 |  |  | SS-Sturmscharführer (SS-Assault section leader) | Stabsfeldwebel | Sergeant major | Regimental sergeant major | |
| Various Depending on rank |  | SS-Stabsscharführer (SS-Staff section leader)[a] | Hauptfeldwebel senior NCO e.g., Oberfeldwebel or Feldwebel, seldom Unterfeldwebel. | — | (Company) Sergeant major | ||
 |  |  | SS-Hauptscharführer (SS-Head section leader) | Oberfeldwebel | Master sergeant | Sergeant major | |
 | SS-Standartenoberjunker OA (Officer aspirant) | Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel OA (Officer aspirant) | |||||
 |  |  | SS-Oberscharführer (SS-Senior section leader) | Feldwebel | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant | |
 | SS-Standartenjunker OA (Officer aspirant) | Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel OA (Officer aspirant) | |||||
 |  |  | SS-Scharführer (SS-Section leader) | Unterfeldwebel | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | |
 | SS-Oberjunker OA (Officer aspirant) | Fahnenjunker-Unterfeldwebel OA (Officer aspirant) | |||||
 |  |  | SS-Unterscharführer (SS-Junior section leader) | Unteroffizier | Sergeant | Corporal | |
 | SS-Junker OA (Officer aspirant) | Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier OA (Officer aspirant) | |||||
| Enlisted ranks | |||||||
| No equivalent[b] | 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 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.[10]
See also
Notes
Citations
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). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- Mollo, Andrew (1977). A pictorial history of the S.S., 1923-1945. New York: Stein and Day. ISBN 978-0356082271. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- 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.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1598849806.
External links
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