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.[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 GeneralGeneral
SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS
(SS-Senior group leader and general of the Waffen-SS)		 General der Waffengattung Lieutenant generalLieutenant-general
SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS
(SS-Group leader and lieutenant general of the Waffen-SS)		 Generalleutnant Major generalMajor general
SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS
(SS-Brigadier leader and major general of the Waffen-SS)		 Generalmajor Brigadier generalBrigadier
Officer ranks
SS-Oberführer
(SS-Senior leader)		 No army equivalent; equivalent to Kommodore in the Kriegsmarine Senior colonelColonel
SS-Standartenführer
(SS-Standard leader)		 Oberst ColonelColonel
SS-Obersturmbannführer
(SS-Senior assault unit leader)		 Oberstleutnant Lieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel
SS-Sturmbannführer
(SS-Assault unit leader)		 Major MajorMajor
SS-Hauptsturmführer
(SS-Head assault leader)		 Hauptmann/Rittmeister CaptainCaptain
SS-Obersturmführer
(SS-Senior assault leader)		 Oberleutnant First lieutenantLieutenant
SS-Untersturmführer
(SS-Second/Junior assault leader)		 Leutnant Second lieutenant
Non-commissioned officer ranks
SS-Sturmscharführer
(SS-Assault section leader)		 Stabsfeldwebel Sergeant majorRegimental sergeant major
Various
Depending on rank		 SS-Stabsscharführer
(SS-Staff section leader)[lower-alpha 1]		 Hauptfeldwebel
senior NCO e.g., Oberfeldwebel or Feldwebel, seldom Unterfeldwebel.		 — (Company) Sergeant major
SS-Hauptscharführer
(SS-Head section leader)		 Oberfeldwebel Master sergeantSergeant major
SS-Standartenoberjunker OA
(Officer aspirant)		 Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel OA
(Officer aspirant)
SS-Oberscharführer
(SS-Senior section leader)		 Feldwebel Technical sergeantStaff sergeant
SS-Standartenjunker OA
(Officer aspirant)		 Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel OA
(Officer aspirant)
SS-Scharführer
(SS-Section leader)		 Unterfeldwebel Staff sergeantSergeant
SS-Oberjunker OA
(Officer aspirant)		 Fahnenjunker-Unterfeldwebel OA
(Officer aspirant)
SS-Unterscharführer
(SS-Junior section leader)		 Unteroffizier SergeantCorporal
SS-Junker OA
(Officer aspirant)		 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier OA
(Officer aspirant)
Enlisted ranks
No equivalent[lower-alpha 2] Stabsgefreiter Administrative corporal Lance corporal
SS-Rottenführer
(SS-Squad leader)		 Obergefreiter Corporal Lance corporal
SS-Sturmmann
(SS-Assault man/Storm trooper)		 Gefreiter Acting corporalSenior Private
SS-Oberschütze
(SS-Senior rifleman)		 Oberschütze Private 1st classSenior private
No insignia SS-Schütze
(SS-Rifleman)		 Soldat, Schütze, Grenadier PrivatePrivate

Remarks

  • SS-Bewerber (SS-applicant) and SS-Anwärter (SS-aspirant) were both removed as Waffen-SS ranks before 1941.[10]

See also

Notes
  1. senior NCO, e.g. Hauptscharführer or Oberscharführer, seldom Scharführer.[8]
  2. However, administratively Rottenführer (2. Gehaltsstufe) existed.[9]

References
Citations
  1. Mollo 1992, pp. 88–89.
  2. Mollo 1977, p. 190.
  3. Bender & Taylor 1986, p. 112.
  4. War Department 1945.
  5. Bender & Taylor 1986, pp. 121–127.
  6. Zabecki 2014, pp. 1639–1940.
  7. CIA 1999, p. 30.
  8. Bender & Taylor 1986, p. 110.
  9. Mollo 1992, p. 78.
  10. Mollo 1992, p. 77.
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.
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