__NOTOC__
''Gruppenführer'' (, ) was an early
paramilitary
A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934.
Overview
Though a paramilitary is, by definiti ...
rank of the
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor ...
(NSDAP), first created in 1925 as a senior
rank of the SA. Since then, the term ''Gruppenführer'' is also used for leaders of groups/teams of the police, fire departments, military and several other organizations.
History
In 1930, ''Gruppenführer'' became an
SS rank and was originally bestowed upon those officers who commanded ''
SS-Gruppen'' and also upon senior officers of the
SS command staff. In 1932, the SS was reorganized and the ''SS-Gruppen'' were reformed into ''
SS-Abschnitte''. A ''Gruppenführer'' commanded an ''SS-Abschnitt'' while a new rank, that of ''
Obergruppenführer
(, ) was a paramilitary rank in Nazi Germany that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA) and adopted by the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) one year later. Until April 1942, it was the highest commissioned SS rank after ...
'', oversaw the ''
SS-Oberabschnitte'' which were the largest SS units in Germany.
Initially in the SA,
NSKK, and SS, the rank of ''Gruppenführer'' was considered equivalent to a full
general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
, but became regarded as equivalent to ''
Generalleutnant
() is the German-language variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries.
Austria
Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO ...
'' after 1934. During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, when the
Waffen-SS
The (; ) was the military branch, combat branch of the Nazi Party's paramilitary ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscr ...
began using the rank, an SS-''Gruppenführer'' was considered equal to a ''Generalleutnant'' in the ''
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
'' and was referred to as ''SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS''. ''Waffen-SS Gruppenführer'' also displayed the shoulder boards of a ''Wehrmacht Generalleutnant''.
The insignia for SS-''Gruppenführer'' consisted of three oak leaves centred on both collars of an
SS uniform. From 1930 to 1942, the SS insignia was the same as the SA badge of rank; however the SS modified the ''Gruppenführer'' insignia slightly to include a collar pip (stern, a star), upon the creation of the rank ''
SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer'' in April 1942.
In the
SA, a ''Gruppenführer'' was typically in charge of a number of regiments (known as ''Standarten'') which were formed into ''SA-Gruppen''. The rank of ''Gruppenführer'' was also used in several other Nazi paramilitary groups, among them the
National Socialist Motor Corps
The National Socialist Motor Corps (, NSKK) was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) that officially existed from May 1931 to 1945. The group was a successor organisation to the older National Socialist Automobile Corps (, NS ...
(NSKK) and the
National Socialist Flyers Corps (NSFK). In October 1944, the rank of ''Gruppenführer'' was adopted by the ''
Volkssturm
The (, ) was a ''levée en masse'' national militia established by Nazi Germany during the last months of World War II. It was set up by the Nazi Party on the orders of Adolf Hitler and established on 25 September 1944. It was staffed by conscri ...
'' as a low level
non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is an enlisted rank, enlisted leader, petty officer, or in some cases warrant officer, who does not hold a Commission (document), commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority b ...
position in charge of squad sized formations (''Gruppe'') of ''Volkssturm'' soldiers. The term is also a generic term for the function of a leader of a
squad
In military terminology, a squad is among the smallest of Military organization, military organizations and is led by a non-commissioned officer. NATO and United States, U.S. doctrine define a squad as an organization "larger than a fireteam, ...
of
infantry
Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
(9 or 10 men – ''Gruppe'') in the
German Army
The German Army (, 'army') is the land component of the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany, Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German together with the German Navy, ''Marine'' (G ...
(''Heer''), Waffen-SS, or
Luftwaffe
The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
ground troops.
File:Wilhelm Brückner (1884-1954, Adolf Hitler's chief adjutant) Portrait SS-Gruppenführer uniform late 1930s (?) National Archives NARA (US seized WW2 enemy property) 242-HF-0037 001 Unrestricted No known copyright.jpg, Hitler's Chief Adjutant Wilhelm Brückner as SA-''Gruppenführer'' 1933–1934.
Photo: NARA
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...
File:Heinz Reinefarth.jpg, SS-''Gruppenführer'' Heinz Reinefarth wearing the post-April 1942 SS rank insignia.
Insignia
File:SA-Gruppenführer Collar tab.svg, Gorget patch/collar tab
(Sturmabteilung
The (; SA; or 'Storm Troopers') was the original paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party of Germany. It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power, Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and early 1930s. I ...
)
File:Grufpre1942.png, Gorget patch
until April 1942
( Allgemeine SS and Waffen-SS
The (; ) was the military branch, combat branch of the Nazi Party's paramilitary ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscr ...
)
File:HH-SS-Gruppenfuhrer-Collar.png, Gorget patches
1942–1945
(Allgemeine SS and Waffen-SS)
File:SS-Gruppenführer.svg, Shoulder board
A shoulder mark, also called a rank slide or slip-on, is a flat cloth sleeve worn on the shoulder strap of a uniform. It may bear military rank, rank or other insignia. A shoulder mark should not be confused with a (an elaborate shoulder strap ...
(Waffen-SS)
File:NSFK-Gruppenführer.svg, NSFK Gorget patch
File:NSKK-Gruppenführer.svg, NSKK Gorget patch
See also
*
List of SS-Gruppenführer
*
Comparative ranks of Nazi Germany
*
Uniforms and insignia of the Sturmabteilung
*
Uniforms and insignia of the Schutzstaffel
*
Corps colours (Waffen-SS)
*
Table of ranks and insignia of the Waffen-SS
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gruppenfuhrer
SS ranks
Nazi paramilitary ranks
German words and phrases
Two-star officers of Nazi Germany
Lists of generals