Haupttruppführer (, "chief troop leader") was a

Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported t ...

paramilitary rank that existed between the years of 1930 and 1945. ''Haupttruppführer'' was mainly used as a rank of the '' Sturmabteilung'' (SA), but was also used by the ''

Schutzstaffel The ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS; also stylized as ''ᛋᛋ'' with Armanen runes; ; "Protection Squadron") was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe duri ...

'' (SS) in the early days of that group's existence. As an SA rank, ''Haupttruppführer'' was created from the much older ''

Freikorps (, "Free Corps" or "Volunteer Corps") were irregular German and other European military volunteer units, or paramilitary, that existed from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. They effectively fought as mercenary or private armies, rega ...

'' title of ''

Truppführer ''Truppführer'' (, "troop leader") was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1930 as a rank of the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA). Translated as "Troop Leader", the rank of ''Truppführer'' evolved from early ''Freikorps'' titles wh ...

''. ''Haupttruppführer'' was considered a senior most paramilitary enlisted rank, below the first officer position of ''

Sturmführer ''Sturmführer'' (, "storm leader") was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party which began as a title used by the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA) in 1925 and became an actual SA rank in 1928. Translated as "storm leader or assault leader", the origins o ...

''. A ''Haupttruppführer'' typically served as the senior non-commissioned officer of SA regiments, known as ''Standarten'', and the rank was the approximate equivalent to

sergeant major Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. History In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in th ...

. ''Haupttruppführer'' translated as "head troop leader" and was considered senior to the rank of ''

Obertruppführer Obertruppführer (, "senior troop leader") was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party that was used between the years of 1932 and 1945. The rank is most closely associated with the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA), but also was an early rank of the ''Schu ...

''. Between 1930 and 1934, ''Haupttruppführer'' was also used as a rank of the SS and was held by senior SS non-commissioned officers much the same as the position was used within the SA. In 1934, ''Haupttruppführer'' was abolished as an SS rank and renamed as SS-''Sturmscharführer''. The original insignia for ''Haupttruppführer'' consisted of two collar pips and a silver stripe, centered on a collar patch. After 1932, due to an expansion of both the SA and SS rank system, the insignia was modified to display two silver stripes. Some early Nazi records also refer to the rank as ''Trupphauptführer''.

Insignia

File:NSKK-Haupttruppführer.svg, National Socialist Flyers Corps, NSKK Gorget patches, Gorget patch File:OT-Haupttruppführer.svg, Organisation Todt, OT Shoulder patch File:SA-Haupttruppführer.svg, Sturmabteilung, SA Gorget patch

Notes

Bibliography

* * {{Nazi Germany Paramilitary Ranks Nazi paramilitary ranks SS ranks

Insignia

See also

Notes

Bibliography