OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY

OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY, Reichsführer SS corresponded to the rank of Field Marshal of the Wehrmacht;
Oberstgruppenführer - Colonel General;
Obergruppenführer - general;
Gruppenführer - Lieutenant General;
brigadenführer - major general;
Standartenführer - colonel;
Obersturmbannführer - lieutenant colonel;
Sturmbannführer - major;
Hauptsturmführer - captain;
Obersturmführer - Oberleutnant;
Untersturmführer - Lieutenant.

encyclopedic Dictionary. 2009 .

See what "OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY" are in other dictionaries:

Officer ranks of the troops of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition and the Axis countries during the Second World War. Not marked: China (Anti-Hitler Coalition) Finland (Axis countries) Designations: Infantry Naval Forces Air Force Waffen... ... Wikipedia

SS BRIGADENFUHRER, see Officer ranks in Nazi Germany (see OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY) ... encyclopedic Dictionary

HAUPTSTURMFUHRER SS, see Officer ranks in Nazi Germany (see OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY) ... encyclopedic Dictionary

SS GRUPPENFUHRER, see Officer ranks in Nazi Germany (see OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY) ... encyclopedic Dictionary

OBERGRUPPENFUHRER SS, see Officer ranks in Nazi Germany (see OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY) ... encyclopedic Dictionary

OBERSTGRUPPENFUHRER SS, see Officer ranks in Nazi Germany (see OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY) ... encyclopedic Dictionary

OBERSTURMBANNFUHRER SS, see Officer ranks in Nazi Germany (see OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY) ... encyclopedic Dictionary

The system of military ranks in the German army was based on the hierarchical system of military ranks established on December 6, 1920. Officers were divided into four groups: generals, staff officers, captains and junior officers. According to tradition, the rank from lieutenant to general implied an indication of the original branch of the army, but in combat units there was no variety in officer insignia.

France, June 1940. Hauptfeldwebel in everyday uniform. The double braid on the cuff of his sleeve and the journal of orders due to his position are clearly visible. The shoulder straps are turned inside out to hide the insignia of his unit. Noteworthy is the ribbon for long service in the Wehrmacht. The peaceful, relaxed look and lack of equipment suggest that the photo was taken when the Battle of France was already over. (Friedrich Hermann)

From March 31, 1936, military musicians in officer ranks - conductors, senior and junior bandmasters - were allocated to a special group of military ranks. Although they had no authority (since they did not command anyone), they not only wore the officer's uniform and insignia, but also enjoyed all the benefits of an officer position equivalent to that of officers in the armies of Great Britain and the United States. Conductors under the Supreme Command of the Ground Forces were considered staff officers, while bandmasters supervised the activities of regimental bands of infantry, light infantry, cavalry, artillery and battalion bands in the engineering troops.

The junior command staff was divided into three groups. The technical junior command staff, approved on September 23, 1937, included senior instructors of the engineering serf troops, and later non-commissioned officers of the veterinary service. The highest junior command staff (that is, senior non-commissioned officer ranks) were called "non-commissioned officers with a lanyard", and the junior or lower ranks of the junior command staff were called "non-commissioned officers without a lanyard". Rank of staff sergeant (Stabsfeldwebel), approved on September 14, 1938, was assigned by recertification to non-commissioned officers with 12 years of service. At first, this military rank was awarded only to veterans of the First World War. Haupt-sergeant major (Hauptfeldwebel) is not a rank, but a military position established on September 28, 1938. He was the senior commander of the junior command staff of the company, was listed at company headquarters, and he was usually called (at least behind his back) “pike” (der Spieb). In other words, this was a company sergeant major, usually with the rank of chief sergeant major (Oberfeldwebel). In terms of seniority, this rank was considered higher than the rank of staff sergeant. (Stabsfeldwebel), who could also be promoted to the position of company sergeant major. Other military personnel from the junior command staff, who could also be appointed to this position, were called “acting company sergeant majors.” (Hauptfeldwebeldiensttuer). However, usually such junior commanders were quickly promoted to the rank of chief sergeant major.

France, May 1940. Motorcyclists of the military police (Feldgendarmerie) from the traffic control battalion conduct a convoy of trucks. Both motorcyclists are dressed in rubberized field overcoats of the 1934 model, but they have very little equipment. The driver has a 98k carbine on his back and a 1938 model gas mask canister on his chest. His passenger in the stroller holds a traffic controller's baton. The division emblem is applied to the side of the sidecar, and under the headlight on the front wheel fender there is a motorcycle number, starting with the letters WH (short for Wehrmacht-Heer - Wehrmacht ground forces). (Brian Davis)

Military rank class "private" (Mannschaften) united all the privates themselves, as well as corporals. Corporals, the most experienced privates, made up a much more significant proportion of the rank and file than in the armies of other countries.

Most military ranks existed in several equivalent versions: in different branches of the military, similar ranks could be called differently. Thus, in medical units, ranks were assigned in order to mark the level of a specialist officer, although the rank itself did not provide any authority or the right to command on the battlefield. Other military ranks, for example captain (Rittmeister) or chief huntsman (Oberjäger) preserved according to tradition.

Officers of almost all military ranks could occupy positions corresponding not to their rank, but to the next in seniority, thereby becoming candidates for promotion or acting duties. Therefore, German officers and junior commanders often occupied higher command posts compared to their British colleagues of equivalent military ranks. The lieutenant who commanded the company - this did not surprise anyone in the German army. And if the first platoon of a rifle company was commanded by a lieutenant (as it should be), then the second and third platoons were often headed by a chief sergeant major, or even a sergeant major. Promotion to the infantry military ranks of non-commissioned officer, sergeant major and chief sergeant major depended on the unit's staffing table and occurred among capable non-commissioned officers, naturally - people moved up the career ladder in order of successive career growth. All other ranks of junior command staff and lower ranks could count on promotion as a reward for service. Even if a soldier could not be promoted to at least a corporal (due to the lack of necessary abilities or qualities), there was still an opportunity to encourage his diligence or reward him for long service - for this the Germans invented the rank of senior soldier (Obersoldat). An old soldier who was not fit to be a non-commissioned officer became, in the same way and for similar reasons, a staff corporal.

Military rank insignia

Rank insignia indicating the rank of a serviceman were issued, as a rule, in two versions: weekend - for a dress uniform, a dress overcoat and a field uniform with piping, and field - for a field uniform and field overcoat.

Generals With a uniform of any kind, woven shoulder straps of the output type were worn. Two 4mm thick gold cast cords (or, from 15 July 1938, two golden yellow "celluloid" strands) were interwoven with a central cord of shiny flat aluminum braid, the same 4mm wide, on a bright red background of finishing fabric. On the field marshal's shoulder straps there were depicted two stylized crossed marshal's batons of silver color; generals of other ranks wore shoulder straps with “stars”. There could be up to three such “stars” of a square shape with a square width from 2.8 to 3.8 cm, and they were made from “German silver” (that is, an alloy of zinc, copper and nickel - the one from which dental fillings are made ) or white aluminum. The insignia of the military branches were made of silver-plated aluminum. From April 3, 1941, all three cords on the field marshal’s shoulder straps began to be made from artificial “celluloid” fiber of bright gold or golden yellow color, placing miniature silver marshal’s batons on top of the weaving.

Produced for staff officers The woven shoulder straps of the output sample consisted of two shiny flat braids 5 mm wide on a lining made of finishing fabric in the color of the military branch, on top of which “stars” made of galvanically copper-plated aluminum were attached. From November 7, 1935, gold-plated aluminum was used. There could be up to two square “stars”, and the width of the square was 1.5 cm, 2 cm or 2.4 cm. In wartime, the material for the stars was the same aluminum, but gilded using the galvanic method, or gray lacquered aluminum. The shoulder straps of the field sample differed in that the braid was not shiny, but matte (later “feldgrau” color). The insignia of the military branches, approved on September 10, 1935, from November 7, 1935, were made of copper-plated or gold-plated aluminum, and in wartime, aluminum or a gold-colored zinc alloy obtained by electroplating began to be used for the same purpose. or gray - in the latter case, the aluminum was varnished.

Captain's and lieutenant's The shoulder straps of the output sample consisted of two galloons 7–8 mm wide made of shiny flat aluminum, which were laid side by side on finishing fabric in the color of the branch of service, and up to two “stars” made of gold-plated aluminum were attached on top, and the insignia of the branch of service, relying on the headquarters -officers. The shoulder straps of the field sample were covered with matte aluminum braid, and later with feldgrau braid.

France, June 1940. A squad of the Grossdeutschland regiment in a guard uniform of the 1935 model. Those who served in this elite unit wore an armband with the name of the regiment on the cuff of the sleeve and a monogram on the shoulder straps with any type of uniform, even field. The “cords of a marksman” and the warlike ceremonial appearance of the soldiers’ formation are noteworthy. (ECPA)

Bandmasters wore officer's shoulder straps with two braids, each 4 mm wide, made of a flat strip of shiny aluminum. A bright red middle cord 3 mm thick was laid between the braids. This entire structure was placed on a bright red lining made of finishing fabric (since February 18, 1943, bright red was approved as the color of the musicians’ branch of the armed forces) and was decorated with a gilded aluminum lyre and an aluminum “star”. The senior and junior bandmasters had striped shoulder straps: five 7 mm wide stripes of flat shiny aluminum braid interspersed with four 5 mm wide stripes of bright red silk, all of this was located on a lining in the color of the branch of service (trimming fabric of white, light green, bright red, golden yellow or black) and was decorated with a gilded aluminum lyre and the same design with “stars”. The braid on the shoulder straps of the field sample was made of dull aluminum, and later from feldgrau-colored fabric.

Technical specialists in the ranks of junior command staff they wore wicker shoulder straps with symbols and “stars” made of white aluminum that stood out in their appearance; in wartime, the sprockets were made of gray aluminum or zinc alloy. Since January 9, 1937, horse shoeing instructors (as military veterinarians of the lowest ranks were called) wore shoulder straps with three intertwined golden-yellow woolen cords, framed around the perimeter by the same, but double cord, with a crimson, the color of the military branch, lining, horseshoe and with or without an asterisk. Since January 9, 1939, inspectors of the engineer-serf troops wore similar shoulder straps, but with cords made of artificial black silk inside the shoulder strap and a white cord made of artificial silk around the perimeter, and all this on a black lining - the color of the branch of service; on the shoulder strap there was an image of a lantern wheel (“gear”) and from June 9, 1939, the letter “Fp” (letters of the Gothic alphabet), there could also be one “star”. On May 7, 1942, the shoulder straps of both veterinary blacksmiths and instructors of the engineering serf troops changed their colors to red: intertwined shiny aluminum and red braided cords were placed in the field of the shoulder strap, and a double red cord ran along the perimeter. The horse shoeing instructors' lining was purple, and the new shoulder strap still had a small horseshoe; the instructors of the engineering-serf troops had a black lining and “stars”, one or two, and the letters “Fp” were placed on the shoulder strap, as on the previous shoulder strap.

Output quality insignia for senior ranks of junior command staff were “stars”, from three to one (a square with a side of 1.8 cm, 2 cm and 2.4 cm, respectively), made of bright aluminum, placed on dark green fabric with blue shoulder straps of the 1934 model, trimmed according to perimeter with a 9 mm wide braid made of shiny aluminum yarn in the “ordinary diamond” pattern, which was approved on September 1, 1935. Field quality marks were the same, but were located on unedged field shoulder straps of the 1933, 1934 or 1935 model. or on field shoulder straps with piping, model 1938 or 1940. In wartime, braid 9 mm wide was also made from silver-gray rayon, and stars were made from gray aluminum and zinc alloy, and from April 25, 1940, shoulder straps began to be trimmed with braid from matte rayon in feldgrau color or from wool with cellulose. wire. The insignia used the same metal as the stars. The company sergeant major and the acting company sergeant major (Hauptfeldwebel or Hauptfeldwebeldinstuer) wore another 1.5 cm wide braid made of shiny aluminum yarn of the “double diamond” pattern on the cuff of the sleeves of the ceremonial uniform, and on the cuffs of the sleeves of uniforms of other shapes - two braids, each 9 mm wide .

U lower ranks of junior command staff shoulder straps And the galloons were the same as those of senior non-commissioned officers; the non-commissioned sergeant's shoulder strap was trimmed with galloon perimeter, and the non-commissioned officer did not have galloon at the base of the shoulder strap. Output quality insignia on shoulder straps were embroidered with thread in the color of the branch of service, while field quality insignia, no different from output colors, were made from wool or cotton thread, and from March 19, 1937, a “chain stitch” pattern was also used, embroidered with artificial thread. silks. The black insignia of engineering troops and the dark blue insignia of medical service units were edged with white chain stitching, which made them more visible against the dark green and blue background of the shoulder straps. In wartime, these embroideries were often completely replaced by a flat, thin thread.

Norway, June 1940. Mountain riflemen, dressed in the field uniform of the 1935 model and equipped with general purpose safety glasses with round lenses, cross the Norwegian fjord in boats designed for eight people. The participants in the crossing do not appear to be in any tension, and they do not have any equipment, so the photo was probably taken after the end of hostilities. (Brian Davis)

Other ranks wore the same shoulder straps as junior non-commissioned officers, with insignia in the colors of the branch of service, but without braid. Military rank insignia of the 1936 model included triangular chevrons, pointing downwards, made of non-commissioned officer braid 9 mm wide, combined with “stars” embroidered with silver-gray or aluminum thread (if the uniform was sewn to order, the “star” could represent a bright aluminum button, like an ingot, made using hand sewing technique). Rank insignia was sewn onto a triangle (for a senior soldier - a circle) from finishing dark green and blue fabric. In May 1940, the fabric of the triangle (circle) was changed to feldgrau-colored fabric, and for tankers - to black fabric. These rank insignia, adopted on September 25, 1936 (the order came into effect on October 1, 1936), continued the tradition of the system of Reichswehr insignia that was adopted on December 22, 1920.

Since November 26, 1938 on white and straw green pique work uniform it was necessary to wear rank insignia made of feldgrau-colored braid, 1 cm wide, with a “single diamond” pattern and two thin black edgings inside a stripe of braid. The staff sergeant-major wore a braided ring under two braided chevrons, pointing upward, on both sleeves, below the elbow. The Hauptfeldwebel (company sergeant major) wore two rings, the chief sergeant major wore a ring and a chevron, the sergeant major had only a ring. The non-commissioned officer and the non-commissioned officer were limited to only the braid along the edge of the collar. All junior command insignia were replaced on August 22, 1942 by a new system of sleeve insignia. The rank and file wore chevrons made of the same braid and the same feldgrau fabric, with “stars” of braid sewn onto a white or straw-green background.

Insignia of military branches and military units

The branch of service to which the military unit of the serviceman belonged was designated by the color of the branch of service (instrument color), in which the edging on the collar, shoulder straps, headdress, uniform and trousers was painted. The system of colors for the military branches (which continued and developed the traditions of the regimental color system of the imperial army) was approved on December 22, 1920 and remained, changing relatively little, until May 9, 1945.

In addition, the branch of the army was designated by a symbol or letter - a letter of the Gothic alphabet. This symbol denoted some special units within a certain branch of the military. The symbol of the branch of service was placed above the insignia of the military unit - usually the unit number, which was written in Arabic or Roman numerals, but military schools were designated in Gothic letters. This designation system was distinguished by its diversity, and this work presents only a limited selection of insignia of the most important combat units.

Insignia, accurately informing about the unit, were supposed to strengthen the fortitude of soldiers and officers and contribute to the unity of the military unit, but in combat conditions they violated secrecy, and therefore, from September 1, 1939, units of the field troops were ordered to remove or hide too detailed and therefore too eloquent insignia. In many troops, the unit numbers indicated on the shoulder straps were hidden by putting removable feldgrau-colored muffs (black in tank troops) on the shoulder straps, or, for the same purpose, the shoulder straps were turned over. The insignia of the military branch did not have such a revealing value as the insignia of the units, and therefore they were usually not hidden. In the Reserve Army and in field units left in Germany or temporarily in their homeland, unit insignia continued to be worn as it was in peacetime. In fact, even in a combat situation, they often continued to wear these insignia, disregarding the orders of their superiors. On January 24, 1940, for junior command personnel and lower ranks, removable muffs for shoulder straps, 3 cm wide, made of feldgrau-colored fabric were introduced, on which insignia were embroidered with a thread in the color of the branch of the military in chain stitch, indicating the branch of the military and the unit, but senior non-commissioned officers officers often continued to wear their previous white aluminum insignia.

France, May 1940. An infantry colonel in a field uniform of the 1935 model. The “saddle shape” of his officer’s cap is noticeable. The distinctive officers' buttonholes, unlike those of lower ranks, retained the branch-colored piping throughout World War II. This officer was awarded the Knight's Cross, and the number of his regiment on the shoulder strap is deliberately hidden by a removable muff in feldgrau color. (Brian Davis)

The pre-war system, which required numbers to be placed on the shoulder strap buttons of lower ranks in regiments (blank buttons for the regimental headquarters, I -111 for the battalion headquarters, 1-14 for the companies included in the regiment), was abolished in wartime, and all buttons became empty.

Individual specialized or elite formations or individual units included in larger military formations, distinguished by the fact that they claimed continuity with units of the imperial army and sought to preserve the traditions of the old regiments, had special insignia. Usually these were badges on headdresses, attached between an eagle with a swastika and a cockade. Another manifestation of the same special fidelity to tradition, which has become increasingly stronger over time, is the armbands with honorary names borrowed from CA stormtroopers.

Table 4 provides a list of the most important military units that existed from September 1, 1939 to June 25, 1940, and data on the colors of the military branches, the insignia of the military branches, units, and special insignia. The existence of the units listed is not necessarily limited to the specified time frame, and not all of these units participated in the battles.

From May 2, 1939, all ranks of mountain rifle divisions were required to wear insignia with the image of the Alpine edelweiss flower - this emblem was borrowed from the mountain units of the German and Austro-Hungarian armies during the First World War. White aluminum edelweiss with gilded stamens was worn on the cap above the cockade. A white aluminum edelweiss with a gilded stem, two leaves and gilded stamens (in wartime gray aluminum was used and the stamens were made yellow) was worn on the mountain cap on the left. Austrians who served in the Wehrmacht often added a dark green and blue lining from the finishing fabric. A loom-woven white edelweiss with yellow stamens and light green leaves on a light green stem inside a loop of mouse gray rope on an oval of dark green finishing fabric (after May 1940 in feldgrau color) was worn on the right sleeve uniforms and greatcoats above the elbow.

The six infantry battalions retained the light green color of the Jaeger branch - as a sign of fidelity to the traditions of light infantry, although the battalions themselves remained ordinary infantry battalions - at least until June 28, 1942, when special Jaeger units were created.

Some regiments also wore special badges. There are two known icons of this kind. In such a regiment they were worn by military personnel of all ranks on a combat headdress between an eagle and a cockade and, unofficially, on a field headdress. From 25 February 1938, the 17th Infantry Regiment, in memory of the Imperial 92nd Infantry Regiment, wore an emblem with the Brunswick skull and crossbones. From June 21, 1937, the 3rd Motorcycle Reconnaissance Battalion received the right to wear the emblem with the Dragoon Eagle (Schwedter Adler), in memory of the Imperial 2nd Dragoon Regiment, and from August 26, 1939, the 179- th cavalry, and the 33rd, 34th and 36th divisional reconnaissance battalions.

The captain in full dress uniform with his bride on his wedding day in July 1940. He was awarded the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class, long service medal, Flower Wars medal and Attack Badge. (Brian Davis)

Infantry Regiment "Grossdeutschland" (Grobdeutschland) was created on June 12, 1939 by transforming the Berlin Security Regiment (Wachregiment Berlin). In complete disregard for safety considerations in the field, the rank insignia of this crack regiment was on full display throughout the war. The shoulder straps were decorated with the monogram “GD” (approved on June 20, 1939), and the inscription embroidered with aluminum thread was worn on the dark green and blue bandage on the cuff "Grobdeutschland" between two lines along the edges of the bandage, embroidered with the same thread. Instead of this inscription, another one was introduced for a short time - Inf. Rgt Grobdeutschland, with Gothic letters embroidered with silver-gray thread - it was worn on the cuff of the right sleeve of a uniform or overcoat of any kind. One battalion of the Grossdeutschland regiment was assigned to Hitler's field headquarters - this "Fuhrer escort battalion" (Fuhrerbegleitbataillon) stood out with a black wool armband with the inscription "Fuhrer-Hauptquartier"(Fuhrer's headquarters). The inscription in Gothic letters was embroidered with golden-yellow (sometimes silver-gray) thread, either manually or by machine; two lines were also embroidered along the edges of the headband with the same thread.

From June 21, 1939, the Tank Training Battalion and the Signal Training Battalion received the right to wear a maroon-red bandage with a machine-embroidered gold inscription on the cuff of the left sleeve "1936Spanien1939" in memory of the service of these units in Spain - during the Spanish Civil War, both battalions were part of the Imker group (Gruppe Imker). From August 16, 1938, military personnel of the newly formed propaganda companies were given the right to wear a black bandage with an inscription in Gothic letters on the cuff of the right sleeve with an inscription in Gothic letters embroidered by hand or machine with aluminum thread "Propagandakompanie".

Germany, July 1940. Non-commissioned officer of the 17th Infantry Regiment in his dress uniform with a commemorative Brunswick skull and crossbones badge on his cap, a privilege of his regiment. The "sharpshooter's cord", the Iron Cross 2nd class ribbon in the lapel buttonhole and the typical pre-war style of the epaulet numerals are visible. (Brian Davis)

When mobilized on August 26, 1939, the eight thousand-strong German gendarmerie was transformed into the Field Gendarmerie. Motorized battalions, each with three companies, were assigned to the field armies so that the infantry division had a command (Trupp) of 33 people, for a tank or motorized division - of 47 people, and for part of a military district - a team of 32 people. At first, field gendarmerie soldiers wore the civilian gendarmerie uniform of the 1936 model, adding only army shoulder straps and a dull green armband with a machine-embroidered orange-yellow inscription "Feldgendarmerie". At the beginning of 1940, the gendarmes received army uniforms with the addition of an imperial badge for the police - worn on the left sleeve above the elbow, a woven or machine-embroidered orange eagle with a black swastika in an orange wreath (the officer's badge was embroidered with aluminum thread) against a "feldgrau" background. A brown bandage with the inscription machine-embroidered with aluminum thread was put on the cuff of the left sleeve "Feldgendarmerie"; the edges of the bandage were trimmed with aluminum thread, and later with machine embroidery on a silver-gray background. When performing their duties, military police wore a matte aluminum badge with an eagle and the inscription "Feldgendarmerie" aluminum letters on a stylized dark gray ribbon. Those military gendarmes who controlled traffic wore the Felgendarmerie uniform without the three above-mentioned insignia, making do with a salmon-colored armband on the left sleeve above the elbow and with the inscription woven in black cotton thread "Verkehrs-Aufsicht"(traffic supervision). The Army Patrol Service, equivalent to the British Regimental Police, wore the obsolete dull aluminum 1920 pattern "sharpshooter's cords" (small aiguillettes) on their field uniforms and field greatcoats.

Conductors wore buttonholes and patches with a staff bright gold or matte gold pattern "Kolben" and from April 12, 1938, all musicians in officer ranks were required to wear special aiguillettes made of shiny aluminum and bright red silk with their official uniforms. The musicians of the regimental bands wore on their weekend and field uniforms shoulder pads of the “swallow’s nest” type made of bright aluminum non-commissioned officer braid and bright red finishing fabric. This decoration was introduced on September 10, 1935, with drum majors adding aluminum fringe to the bottom of the shoulder pad. The badges of other specialists are expected to be considered in the 2nd volume of this work.

Luxembourg, September 18, 1940. A cavalry sergeant in dress uniform without the usual belt, but with a steel helmet in his hand, which he took off in favor of a 1938 model cap, is trying to make friends with a local girl. Usually such scenes look fake, but this one does not come across as insincerely theatrical. The sergeant was awarded the Iron Cross, 1st class, and, it seems, just recently received the Iron Cross, 2nd class. It is noticeable that his high cavalry boots are carefully polished. (Joseph Charita)

One of the most cruel and merciless organizations of the 20th century is the SS. Ranks, distinctive insignia, functions - all this was different from those in other types and branches of troops in Nazi Germany. Reich Minister Himmler completely brought together all the scattered security detachments (SS) into a single army - the Waffen SS. In the article we will take a closer look at the military ranks and insignia of the SS troops. And first, a little about the history of the creation of this organization.

Prerequisites for the formation of the SS

In March 1923, Hitler was concerned that the leaders of the assault troops (SA) were beginning to feel their power and importance in the NSDAP party. This was due to the fact that both the party and the SA had the same sponsors, for whom the goal of the National Socialists was important - to carry out a coup, and they did not have much sympathy for the leaders themselves. Sometimes it even came to an open confrontation between the leader of the SA, Ernst Röhm, and Adolf Hitler. It was at this time, apparently, that the future Fuhrer decided to strengthen his personal power by creating a detachment of bodyguards - the headquarters guard. He was the first prototype of the future SS. They had no ranks, but insignia had already appeared. The abbreviation for the Staff Guard was also SS, but it came from the German word Stawsbache. In every hundred of the SA, Hitler allocated 10-20 people, supposedly to protect high-ranking party leaders. They personally had to take an oath to Hitler, and their selection was carried out carefully.

A few months later, Hitler renamed the organization Stosstruppe - this was the name of the shock units of the Kaiser's army during the First World War. The abbreviation SS nevertheless remained the same, despite the fundamentally new name. It is worth noting that the entire Nazi ideology was associated with an aura of mystery, historical continuity, allegorical symbols, pictograms, runes, etc. Even the symbol of the NSDAP - the swastika - Hitler took from ancient Indian mythology.

Stosstrup Adolf Hitler - the Adolf Hitler strike force - acquired the final features of the future SS. They did not yet have their own ranks, but insignia appeared that Himmler would later retain - a skull on their headdress, a black distinctive color of the uniform, etc. The “Death's Head” on the uniform symbolized the readiness of the detachment to defend Hitler himself at the cost of their lives. The basis for future usurpation of power was prepared.

Appearance of Strumstaffel - SS

After the Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler went to prison, where he remained until December 1924. The circumstances that allowed the future Fuhrer to be released after an attempted armed seizure of power are still unclear.

Upon his release, Hitler first of all banned the SA from carrying weapons and positioning itself as an alternative to the German army. The fact is that the Weimar Republic could only have a limited contingent of troops under the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty after the First World War. It seemed to many that armed SA units were a legitimate way to avoid restrictions.

At the beginning of 1925, the NSDAP was restored again, and in November the “shock detachment” was restored. At first it was called Strumstaffen, and on November 9, 1925 it received its final name - Schutzstaffel - “cover squadron”. The organization had nothing to do with aviation. This name was invented by Hermann Goering, a famous fighter pilot of the First World War. He loved to apply aviation terms to everyday life. Over time, the “aviation term” was forgotten, and the abbreviation was always translated as “security detachments.” It was headed by Hitler's favorites - Schreck and Schaub.

Selection for the SS

The SS gradually became an elite unit with good salaries in foreign currency, which was considered a luxury for the Weimar Republic with its hyperinflation and unemployment. All Germans of working age were eager to join the SS detachments. Hitler himself carefully selected his personal guard. The following requirements were imposed on candidates:

1. Age from 25 to 35 years.
2. Having two recommendations from current members of the CC.
3. Permanent residence in one place for five years.
4. The presence of such positive qualities as sobriety, strength, health, discipline.

New development under Heinrich Himmler

The SS, despite the fact that it was personally subordinate to Hitler and the Reichsführer SS - from November 1926, this position was held by Josef Berthold, was still part of the SA structures. The attitude towards the “elite” in the assault detachments was contradictory: the commanders did not want to have SS members in their units, so they shouldered various responsibilities, for example, distributing leaflets, subscribing to Nazi propaganda, etc.

In 1929, Heinrich Himmler became the leader of the SS. Under him, the size of the organization began to grow rapidly. The SS turns into an elite closed organization with its own charter, a mystical ritual of entry, imitating the traditions of medieval knightly Orders. A real SS man had to marry a “model woman.” Heinrich Himmler introduced a new mandatory requirement for joining the renewed organization: the candidate had to prove evidence of purity of descent in three generations. However, that was not all: the new Reichsführer SS ordered all members of the organization to look for brides only with a “pure” genealogy. Himmler managed to nullify the subordination of his organization to the SA, and then completely leave it after he helped Hitler get rid of the leader of the SA, Ernst Röhm, who sought to turn his organization into a mass people's army.

The bodyguard detachment was transformed first into the Fuhrer's personal guard regiment, and then into the personal SS army. Ranks, insignia, uniforms - everything indicated that the unit was independent. Next, we’ll talk in more detail about insignia. Let's start with the rank of the SS in the Third Reich.

Reichsführer SS

At its head was the Reichsführer SS - Heinrich Himmler. Many historians claim that he intended to usurp power in the future. In the hands of this man was control not only over the SS, but also over the Gestapo - the secret police, the political police and the security service (SD). Despite the fact that many of the above organizations were subordinate to one person, they were completely different structures, which sometimes even were at odds with each other. Himmler well understood the importance of a branched structure of different services concentrated in the same hands, so he was not afraid of Germany’s defeat in the war, believing that such a person would be useful to the Western allies. However, his plans were not destined to come true, and he died in May 1945, biting into an ampoule of poison in his mouth.

Let's look at the highest ranks of the SS among the Germans and their correspondence with the German army.

Hierarchy of the SS High Command

The insignia of the SS high command consisted of Nordic ritual symbols and oak leaves on both sides of the lapels. The exceptions - SS Standartenführer and SS Oberführer - wore oak leaf, but belonged to senior officers. The more of them there were on the buttonholes, the higher the rank of their owner.

The highest ranks of the SS among the Germans and their correspondence with the ground army:

SS officers

Let's consider the features of the officer corps. The SS Hauptsturmführer and lower ranks no longer had oak leaves on their buttonholes. Also on their right buttonhole was the SS coat of arms - a Nordic symbol of two lightning bolts.

Hierarchy of SS officers:

SS rank	Lapels	Compliance in the military
SS Oberführer	Double oak leaf	No match
Standartenführer SS	Single sheet	Colonel
SS Obersturmbannführer	4 stars and two rows of aluminum thread	Lieutenant colonel
SS Sturmbannführer	4 stars
SS Hauptsturmführer	3 stars and 4 rows of thread	Hauptmann
SS Obersturmführer	3 stars and 2 rows	Chief Lieutenant
SS Untersturmführer	3 stars	Lieutenant

I would like to immediately note that the German stars did not resemble the five-pointed Soviet ones - they were four-pointed, rather reminiscent of squares or rhombuses. Next in the hierarchy are the SS non-commissioned officer ranks in the Third Reich. More details about them in the next paragraph.

Non-commissioned officers

Hierarchy of non-commissioned officers:

SS rank	Lapels	Compliance in the military
SS Sturmscharführer	2 stars, 4 rows of thread	Staff sergeant major
Standartenoberunker SS	2 stars, 2 rows of thread, silver edging	Chief Sergeant Major
SS Hauptscharführer	2 stars, 2 rows of thread	Oberfenrich
SS Oberscharführer	2 stars	Sergeant Major
Standartenjunker SS	1 star and 2 rows of thread (differing in shoulder straps)	Fanenjunker-sergeant-major
Scharführer SS		Non-commissioned sergeant major
SS Unterscharführer	2 threads at the bottom	Non-commissioned officer

Buttonholes are the main, but not the only insignia of ranks. Also, the hierarchy could be determined by shoulder straps and stripes. SS military ranks were sometimes subject to change. However, above we presented the hierarchy and the main differences at the end of World War II.

Rank insignia
German Security Service (SD) officers
(Sicherheitsdienst des RfSS, SD) 1939-1945.

Preface.
Before describing the insignia of security personnel (SD) in Germany during the Second World War, it is necessary to provide some clarification, which, however, will further confuse readers. And the point is not so much in these signs and uniforms themselves, which were repeatedly amended (which further confuses the picture), but in the complexity and intricacy of the entire structure of government bodies in Germany at that time, which was also closely intertwined with the party bodies of the Nazi Party , in which, in turn, the SS organization and its structures, often beyond the control of party bodies, played a huge role.

First of all, as if within the framework of the NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers' Party) and as if being the militant wing of the party, but at the same time not subordinate to party bodies, there was a certain public organization Schutzstaffel (SS), which initially represented groups of activists who were engaged in the physical protection of rallies and meetings of the party, the protection of its senior leaders. This public, I emphasize, public organization after numerous reforms of 1923-1939. transformed and began to consist of the SS public organization itself (Algemeine SS), SS troops (Waffen SS) and concentration camp guard units (SS-Totenkopfrerbaende).

The entire SS organization (both the general SS, and the SS troops and camp guard units) was subordinate to the Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler, who, in addition, was the chief of police for all of Germany. Those. In addition to one of the highest party posts, he also held a government position.

To manage all structures involved in ensuring the security of the state and the ruling regime, law enforcement issues (police agencies), intelligence and counterintelligence, the Main Directorate of State Security (Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA)) was created in the fall of 1939.

From the author. Usually in our literature it is written “Main Directorate of Imperial Security” (RSHA). However, the German word Reich is translated as "state", and not at all as "empire". The word "empire" in German looks like this - Kaiserreich. Literally - "state of the emperor." There is another word for the concept of “empire” - Imperium.
Therefore, I use words translated from German as they mean, and not as is generally accepted. By the way, people who are not very knowledgeable in history and linguistics, but have an inquisitive mind, often ask: “Why was Hitler’s Germany called an empire, but there was not even a nominal emperor in it, like, say, in England?”

Thus, the RSHA is a state institution, and by no means a party institution and not part of the SS. It can be compared to some extent with our NKVD.
Another question is that this state institution is subordinate to the Reichsführer SS G. Himmler and he, naturally, first of all recruited members of the public organization CC (Algemeine SS) as employees of this institution.
However, we note that not all RSHA employees were members of the SS, and not all departments of the RSHA consisted of SS members. For example, the criminal police (5th department of the RSHA). Most of its leaders and employees were not members of the SS. Even in the Gestapo there were quite a few senior officials who were not members of the SS. Yes, the famous Müller himself became a member of the SS only in the summer of 1941, although he had led the Gestapo since 1939.

Let's move on now to SD.

Initially in 1931 (i.e., even before the Nazis came to power) the SD was created (from among members of the general SS) as the internal security structure of the SS organization to combat various violations of order and rules, identify government agents and hostile political parties, provocateurs among SS members, renegades, etc.
in 1934 (this was after the Nazis came to power) the SD extended its functions to the entire NSDAP, and actually left the subordination of the SS, but was still subordinate to the SS Reichsführer G. Himmler.

In 1939, with the creation of the Main Directorate of State Security (Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA)), the SD became part of its structure.

The SD in the structure of the RSHA was represented by two departments (Amt):

Amt III (Inland-SD), who dealt with issues of nation-building, immigration, race and public health, science and culture, industry and commerce.

Amt VI (Ausland-SD), who was engaged in intelligence work in Northern, Western and Eastern Europe, the USSR, the USA, Great Britain and the countries of South America. It was this department that Walter Schellenberg led.

And also many of the SD employees were not SS men. And even the head of subdivision VI A 1 was not a member of the SS.

Thus, the SS and SD are different organizations, although subordinate to the same leader.

From the author. In general, there is nothing strange here. This is a fairly common practice. For example, in today's Russia there is a Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD), which is subordinate to two quite different structures - the police and the Internal Troops. And in Soviet times, the structure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs also included fire protection and prison management structures

Thus, to summarize, it can be argued that the SS is one thing, and the SD is something else, although among the SD employees there are many SS members.

Now you can move on to the uniforms and insignia of SD employees.

End of the preface.

In the picture on the left: A soldier and an SD officer in service uniform.

First of all, SD officers wore a light gray open jacket with a white shirt and a black tie similar to the uniform of the general SS mod. 1934 (the replacement of the black SS uniform with a gray one lasted from 1934 to 1938), but with its own insignia.
The piping on the caps of officers is made of silver flagellum, while the piping of soldiers and non-commissioned officers is green. Only green and nothing else.

The main difference in the uniform of SD employees is that there are no signs in the right buttonhole(runes, skulls, etc.). All SD ranks up to and including Obersturmannführer have a purely black buttonhole.
Soldiers and non-commissioned officers have buttonholes without edging (until May 1942, the edging was still black and white striped); officers have buttonholes edged with a silver flagellum.

Above the cuff of the left sleeve there is always a black diamond with white letters SD inside. For officers, the diamond is edged with a silver flagellum.

In the photo on the left: the sleeve patch of an SD officer and the buttonhole with the insignia of an SD Untersturmfuehrer (Untersturmfuehrer des SD).

On the left sleeve above the cuff of SD officers serving in headquarters and departments, it is obligatory a black ribbon with silver stripes along the edges, on which the place of service is indicated in silver letters.

In the photo on the left: an armband with an inscription indicating that the owner is serving in the SD Service Directorate.

In addition to the service uniform, which was used for all occasions (official, holiday, day off, etc.), SD employees could wear field uniforms similar to the field uniforms of the Wehrmacht and SS troops with their own insignia.

In the photo on the right: field uniform (feldgrau) of an SD Untersharfuehrer (Untersharfuehrer des SD) model 1943. This uniform has already been simplified - the collar is not black, but the same color as the uniform itself, the pockets and their valves are of a simpler design, there are no cuffs. The right clean buttonhole and a single star in the left, indicating rank, are clearly visible. Sleeve emblem in the form of an SS eagle, and at the bottom of the sleeve there is a patch with the letters SD.
Pay attention to the characteristic appearance of the shoulder straps and the green edging of the police-style shoulder straps.

The system of ranks in the SD deserves special attention. SD officers were named after their SS ranks, but instead of the prefix SS- before the name of the rank, they had the letters SD behind the name. For example, not "SS-Untersharfuehrer", but "Untersharfuehrer des SD". If the employee was not a member of the SS, then he wore a police rank (and obviously a police uniform).

Shoulder straps of soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the SD, not army, but police type, but not brown, but black. Please pay attention to the titles of the SD employees. They differed both from the ranks of the general SS and from the ranks of the SS troops.

In the photo on the left: SD Unterscharführer's shoulder straps. The lining of the shoulder strap is grass green, on which are superimposed two rows of double soutache cord. The inner cord is black, the outer cord is silver with black highlights. They go around the button at the top of the shoulder strap. Those. In terms of its structure, it is a shoulder strap of a chief officer type, but with cords of other colors.

SS-Mann (SS-Mann). Black police-style shoulder straps without edging. Before May 1942, the buttonholes were edged with black and white lace.

From the author. Why the very first two ranks in the SD are SS, and the ranks of the general SS, is not clear. It is possible that SD officers for the lowest positions were recruited from among ordinary members of the general SS, who were assigned police-style insignia, but were not given the status of SD officers.
These are my conjectures, since Böchler does not explain this incomprehensibility in any way, and I do not have the primary source at my disposal.

It is very bad to use secondary sources because errors inevitably arise. This is natural, since a secondary source is a retelling, an interpretation by the author of the primary source. But in the absence of anything, you have to use what you have. It's still better than nothing.

SS-Sturmmann (SS-Sturmmann) Black police style shoulder strap. The outer row of double soutache cord is black with silver highlights. Please note that in the SS troops and in the general SS, the shoulder straps of the SS-Mann and SS-Sturmmann are exactly the same, but here there is already a difference.
On the left buttonhole there is one row of double silver soutache cord.

Rottenfuehrer des SD (Rottenfuehrer SD) The shoulder strap is the same, but the usual German one is sewn at the bottom 9mm aluminum braid. The left buttonhole has two rows of double silver soutache cord.

From the author. Interesting moment. In the Wehrmacht and the SS troops, such a patch indicated that the owner was a candidate for non-commissioned officer rank.

Unterscharfuehrer des SD (Unterscharfuehrer SD) Black police style shoulder strap. The outer row of double soutache cord is silver or light gray (depending on what it is made of, aluminum or silk thread) with black linings. The lining of the shoulder strap, forming a sort of edging, is grass-green. This color is generally characteristic of the German police.
There is one silver star on the left buttonhole.

Scharfuehrer des SD (SD Scharfuehrer) Black police style shoulder strap. Outer row double soutache cord, silver with black highlights. The lining of the shoulder strap, forming a kind of edging, is grass-green. The lower edge of the shoulder strap is closed with the same silver cord with black piping.
On the left buttonhole, in addition to the star, there is one row of double silver soutache lace.

Oberscharfuehrer des SD (Oberscharfuehrer SD) Shoulder strap black police type. The outer row of double soutache cord is silver with black linings. the lining of the shoulder strap, forming a sort of edging, is grass-green. The lower edge of the shoulder strap is closed with the same silver cord with black piping. In addition, there is one silver star on the shoulder strap.
On the left buttonhole there are two silver stars.

Hauptscharfuehrer des SD (Hauptscharfuehrer SD) Shoulder strap black police type. The outer row of double soutache cord is silver with black linings. The lining of the shoulder strap, forming a kind of edging, is grass-green. The lower edge of the shoulder strap is closed with the same silver cord with black piping. In addition, there are two silver stars on the chase.
The left buttonhole has two silver stars and one row of double silver soutache cord.

Sturmscharfuehrer des SD (SD Sturmscharfuehrer) Shoulder strap black police type. The outer row of double soutache cord is silver with black linings. In the middle part of the shoulder strap there is weaving from the same silver with black lining and black soutache laces. The lining of the shoulder strap, forming a kind of edging, is grass-green. On the left buttonhole there are two silver stars and two rows of double silver soutache cord.

It remains unclear whether this rank existed since the creation of the SD, or whether it was introduced simultaneously with the introduction of the rank of SS-Staffscharführer in the SS troops in May 1942.

From the author. One gets the impression that the rank of SS-Sturmscharführer mentioned in almost all Russian-language sources (including in my works) is erroneous. In fact, obviously, the rank of SS-Staffscharführer was introduced in the SS troops in May 1942, and Sturmscharführer in the SD. But this is my speculation.

The rank insignia of SD officers is described below. Let me remind you that their shoulder straps were similar to those of Wehrmacht and SS troops.

In the photo on the left: shoulder straps of an SD chief officer. The lining of the shoulder strap is black, the piping is grass green and there are two rows of double soutache cord that wrap around the button. Actually, this soutache double cord should be made of aluminum thread and have a dull silver color. At worst, from light gray shiny silk yarn. But this example of a shoulder strap dates back to the final period of the war and the cord is made of simple, harsh, undyed cotton yarn.

The buttonholes were edged with a silver aluminum band.

All SD officers, starting with the Unterschurmführer and ending with the Obersturmbannführer, have an empty right buttonhole, and insignia on the left. From Standartenführer and above, rank insignia is in both buttonholes.

The stars in the buttonholes are silver, and the stars on the shoulder straps are golden. Note that in the general SS and in the SS troops the stars on the shoulder straps were silver.

1. Untersturmfuehrer des SD (Untersturmfuehrer SD).
2.Obersturmfuehrer des SD (Obersturmfuehrer SD).
3.Hauptrsturmfuehrer des SD (Hauptsturmfuehrer SD).

From the author. If you start looking through the list of the SD management staff, the question arises what position “Comrade Stirlitz” held there. In Amt VI (Ausland-SD), where, judging by the book and film, he served, all leadership positions (except for the chief V. Schelenberg, who had the rank of general) by 1945 were occupied by officers with a rank no higher than Obersturmbannführer (that is, lieutenant colonel). There was only one Standarteführer there, who held a very high position as head of department VI B. A certain Eugen Steimle. And Müller’s secretary, according to Böchler, Scholz could not have a rank higher than Unterscharführer.
And judging by what Stirlitz did in the film, i.e. ordinary operational work, then he could not possibly have a rank higher than non-commissioned officer.
For example, open the Internet and see that in 1941 the commandant of the huge Auschwitz concentration camp (Auschwitz, as the Poles call it) was an SS officer with the rank of Obersturmührer (senior lieutenant) named Karl Fritzsch. And none of the other commandants was above the captain level.
Of course, both the film and the book are purely artistic, but still, as Stanislavsky used to say, “there must be the truth of life in everything.” The Germans did not throw away ranks and appropriated them sparingly.
And even then, rank in military and police structures is a reflection of the officer’s qualification level and his ability to occupy the relevant positions. The title is assigned based on the position held. And even then, not immediately. But it is by no means some kind of honorary title or reward for military or service success. There are orders and medals for this.

The shoulder straps of senior SD officers were similar in structure to the shoulder straps of senior officers of the SS and Wehrmacht troops. The lining of the shoulder strap was grass-green in color.

In the picture on the left are shoulder straps and buttonholes:

4.Sturmbannfuehrer des SD (Sturmbannfuehrer SD).

5.Obersturmbannfuehrer des SD (Obersturmbannfuehrer SD).

From the author. I deliberately do not provide information here about the correspondence of the ranks of the SD, SS and Wehrmacht. And I certainly don’t compare these ranks with the ranks in the Red Army. Any comparisons, especially those based on the coincidence of insignia or the consonance of names, always carry a certain deceit. Even the comparison of titles based on positions that I proposed at one time cannot be considered 100% correct. For example, in our country a division commander could not have a rank higher than major general, while in the Wehrmacht the division commander was, as they say in the army, a “fork position,” i.e. the division commander could be a major general or a lieutenant general.

Starting with the rank of SD Standartenführer, rank insignia was placed on both buttonholes. Moreover, there were differences in lapel insignia before May 1942 and after.

It's interesting that the shoulder straps
The Standarteführer and Oberführer were the same (with two stars, but the lapel insignia were different. And please note that the leaves before May 1942 were curved, and after that they were straight. This is important when dating the photographs.

6.Standartenfuehrer des SD (SD Standartenfuehrer).

7.Oberfuehrer des SD (Oberfuehrer SD).

From the author. And again, if the Standartenführer can somehow be equated to an Oberst (colonel), based on the fact that there are two stars on his shoulder straps like the Oberst in the Wehrmacht, then to whom can the Oberführer be equated? The shoulder straps are of a colonel, and there are two leaves in the buttonholes. "Colonel"? Or “Under General”, since until May 1942 the Brigadeführer also wore two leaves in his buttonholes, but with the addition of an asterisk. But the brigadeführer’s shoulder straps are those of a general.
Equate to a brigade commander in the Red Army? So our brigade commander clearly belonged to the senior command staff and wore in his buttonholes the insignia of senior, not senior command staff.
Or maybe it’s better not to compare and equate? Simply proceed from the existing scale of ranks and insignia for a given department.

Well, then there are ranks and insignia, which can definitely be considered general ones. The weaving on the shoulder straps is not made from double silver soutache cord, but from a double cord, and the two outer cords are golden, and the middle one is silver. The stars on the shoulder straps are silver.

8.Brigadefuehrer des SD (SD Brigadefuehrer).

9. Gruppenfuehrer des SD (SD Gruppenfuehrer).

The highest rank in the SD was that of SD Obergruppenführer.

This title was awarded to the first head of the RSHA, Reinhard Heydrich, who was killed by agents of the British secret services on May 27, 1942, and to Ernst Kaltenbrunner, who held this post after Heydrich's death and until the end of the Third Reich.

However, it should be noted that the vast majority of the SD leadership were members of the SS organization (Algemeibe SS) and had the right to wear SS uniforms with SS insignia.

It is also worth noting that if members of the Algemeine SS of general rank who did not hold positions in the SS, police, or SD troops simply had the corresponding rank, for example, SS-Brigadefuehrer, then “... and general of the SS troops” was added to the SS rank in the SS troops. . For example, SS-Gruppenfuehrer und General-leutnant der Waffen SS. And for those who served in the police, SD, etc. “..and the police general” was added. For example, SS-Brigadefuehrer und General-major der Polizei.

This is a general rule, but there were many exceptions. For example, the head of the SD, Walter Schelenberg, was called SS-Brigadefuehrer und General-major der Waffen SS. Those. SS-Brigadeführer and Major General of the SS troops, although he never served a single day in the SS troops.

From the author. Along the way. Schelenberg received the rank of general only in June 1944. And before that, he led “the most important intelligence service of the Third Reich” with the rank of only an Oberfuhrer. And nothing, I managed. Apparently, the SD was not such an important and comprehensive intelligence service in Germany. So, like our today's SVR (foreign intelligence service). And even then of a lower rank. The SVR is still an independent department, and the SD was just one of the departments of the RSHA.
Apparently the Gestapo was more important, if its leader from 1939 was not a member of the SS or a member of the NSDAP, Reichskriminaldirector G. Müller, who was accepted into the NSDAP only in 1939, was accepted into the SS in 1941 and immediately received the rank of SS-Gruppenfuehrer und Generalleutnant der Polizei, that is, SS-Gruppenführer und der Generalleutnant of Police.

In anticipation of questions and queries, although this is somewhat off topic, we note that the Reichsführer SS wore insignia that were slightly different from everyone else. On the gray all-SS uniform introduced in 1934, he wore his previous shoulder straps from the previous black uniform. Only there were now two shoulder straps.

In the picture on the left: shoulder strap and buttonhole of SS Reichsführer G. Himmler.

A few words in defense of filmmakers and their “film blunders.” The fact is that uniform discipline in the SS (both in the general SS and in the SS troops) and in the SD was very low, unlike the Wehrmacht. Therefore, it was possible in reality to encounter significant deviations from the rules. For example, a member of the SS somewhere in a provincial town, and not only, and in 1945 he could join the ranks of the city’s defenders in his black preserved uniform of the thirties.
This is what I found online when I was looking for illustrations for my article. This is a group of SD officials sitting in a car. The driver in front holds the rank of SD Rottenführer, although he is dressed in a gray uniform jacket. 1938, but his shoulder straps are from an old black uniform (on which one shoulder strap was worn on the right shoulder). The cap, although gray arr. 38, but the eagle on it is a Wehrmacht uniform (on a dark fabric flap and sewn on the side, not the front. Behind him sits an SD Oberscharführer with buttonholes of the pre-May 1942 pattern (striped edging), but the collar is trimmed with galloon in the Wehrmacht style. And shoulder straps not the police type, but the SS troops. Perhaps, there are no complaints only about the Untersturmführer sitting on the right. And even then, the shirt is brown, not white.

Literature and sources.

1. P. Lipatov. Uniforms of the Red Army and the Wehrmacht. Publishing House "Technology for Youth". Moscow. 1996
2. Magazine "Sergeant". Chevron series. No. 1.
3.Nimmergut J. Das Eiserne Kreuz. Bonn. 1976.
4.Littlejohn D. Foreign legions of the III Reich. Volume 4. San Jose. 1994.
5.Buchner A. Das Handbuch der Waffen SS 1938-1945. Friedeberg. 1996
6. Brian L. Davis. German Army Uniforms and Insignia 1933-1945. London 1973
7.SA soldiers. NSDAP assault troops 1921-45. Ed. "Tornado". 1997
8.Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. Ed. "Lockheed Myth". Moscow. 1996
9. Brian Lee Davis. Uniform of the Third Reich. AST. Moscow 2000
10. Website "Wehrmacht Rank Insignia" (http://www.kneler.com/Wehrmacht/).
11.Website "Arsenal" (http://www.ipclub.ru/arsenal/platz).
12.V.Shunkov. Soldiers of destruction. Moscow. Minsk, AST Harvest. 2001
13.A.A.Kurylev. German Army 1933-1945. Astrel. AST. Moscow. 2009
14. W. Boehler. Uniform-Effekten 1939-1945. Motorbuch Verlag. Karlsruhe. 2009

Allgemeine SS officer's cap

Although the SS was the most complex of all the structures that made up the NSDAP, the rank system changed little throughout the history of this organization. In 1942, the rank system took its final form and existed until the end of the war.

Mannschaften (lower ranks):
SS-Bewerber - SS candidate
SS-Anwaerter - cadet
SS-Mann (SS-Schuetze in Waffen-SS) - private
SS-Oberschuetze (Waffen-SS) - private after six months of service
SS-Strummann - Lance Corporal
SS-Rollenfuehrer - corporal
Unterfuehrer (non-commissioned officers)
SS-Unterscharfuehrer - corporal
SS-Scharfuehrer - junior sergeant
SS-Oberscharfuehrer - sergeant
SS-Hauptscharfuehrer - senior sergeant
SS-Sturmscharfuerer (Waffen-SS) - company senior sergeant

Left buttonhole with SS Obergruppenführer insignia, front and back view

SS Sturmbannführer buttonholes

Sleeve eagle ss

On Labor Day 1935, the Fuhrer watched a parade of members of the Hitler Youth. To Hitler's left stands SS Gruppenführer Philipp Bowler, head of the Fuhrer's personal office. Bowler has a dagger on his belt. Bowler and Goebbels (behind the Führer) wear a badge on their chests issued especially for the "Tag der Arbeit 1935", while Hitler, who avoided wearing jewelry on his clothes, limited himself to only one Iron Cross. The Fuhrer did not even wear a Golden Party Badge.

Samples of SS insignia

From left - top to bottom: Oberstgruppenführer buttonhole, Obergruppenführer buttonhole, Gruppenführer buttonhole (before 1942)

In the middle - from top to bottom: Gruppenführer's shoulder straps, Gruppenführer's buttonhole, Brigadeführer's buttonhole. Bottom left: Oberführer's buttonhole, Standartenführer's buttonhole.

Bottom right: Obersturmbannführer's buttonhole, collar with Hauptsturmführer's buttonhole, Hauptscharführer's buttonhole.

Below in the middle: shoulder straps of an Obersturmbannführer of the infantry, shoulder straps of an Untersturmführer of the communications units of the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler division, shoulder straps of an Oberscharführer of anti-tank self-propelled artillery.

From top to bottom: Oberscharführer's collar, Scharführer's collar, Rottenführer's buttonhole.

Top right: officer's all-SS buttonhole, soldier's buttonhole of the Totenkopf (Death's Head) division, buttonhole of the 20th Estonian SS Grenadier Division, buttonhole of the 19th Latvian SS Grenadier Division

Back of the buttonhole

In the Waffen-SS, non-commissioned officers could obtain the position of SS-Stabscharfuerer (non-commissioned officer on duty). The duties of the duty non-commissioned officer included various administrative, disciplinary and reporting functions. SS Staffscharführers had the unofficial nickname “tier Spiess” and wore a jacket, the cuffs of which were decorated with double piping made of aluminum braid (Tresse).

Untere Fuehrer (junior officers):
SS-Untersturmfuehrer - lieutenant
SS-Obcrstrumfuehrer - chief lieutenant
SS-Hauptsturmfuehrer - captain

Mittlere Fuehrer (senior officers):
SS-Sturmbannfuehrer - major
SS-Obersturmbannfuehrer - lieutenant colonel
SS“Standar£enfuehrer - Colonel
SS-Oberfuehrer - senior colonel
Hoehere Fuehrer (senior officers)
SS-Brigadefuehrer - brigadier general
SS-Gruppenl "uchrer - Major General
SS-Obergruppertfuehrer - Lieutenant General
SS-Oberstgruppenfuehrer - Colonel General
In 1940, all SS generals also received the corresponding army ranks, for example
SS-Obergruppcnfuehrer und General der Waffen-SS. In 1943, the ranks of generals were supplemented by the rank of police, since by this time the police had already been practically absorbed by the SS. The same general in 1943 was called SS-Obergruppenfuehrer und General der Waffen-SS und Polizei. In 1944, some of Himmler's deputies in charge of Allgemeine-SS issues. The Waffen-SS and police received the title Hoehere SS- und Polizei fuehrer (HSSPI).
Himmler retained his title of Reichsführer-SS. Hitler, who by his position headed the SA. NSKK, Hitler Youth and other NSDAP formations. was Commander-in-Chief of the SS and held the title of Der Oberste Fuehrer der Schutzstaffel.
Allgemeine-SS ranks usually took precedence over the corresponding Waffen-SS and police ranks, so members of the Allgemeine-SS transferred to the Waffen-SS and police without losing their ranks and if promoted, this was automatically taken into account in their Allgemeine-SS rank.

Waffen ss officer's cap

Waffen-SS (Fuehrerbewerber) officer candidates served in non-commissioned officer positions before attaining officer rank. For 18 months SS- Führeranwarter(cadet) received the ranks of SS-Junker, SS-Standartenjunker and SS-Standartenoberjunker, which corresponded to the ranks of SS-Unterscharführer, SS-Scharführer and SS-Haupgscharführer. SS officers and candidates for SS officers enlisted in the reserve received the appendage der Reserve to their rank . A similar scheme was applied to non-commissioned officer candidates. Civilian specialists (translators, doctors, etc.) who served in the ranks of the SS received the addition of Sonderfuehrer or Fach fuehrer to their rank.

SS cap patch (trapezoid)

Skull cockade ss