Haupttruppführer (, "chief troop leader") was a
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 ...
paramilitary rank that existed between the years of 1930 and 1945. ''Haupttruppführer'' was mainly used as a rank of the ''
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 ...
'' (SA), but was also used by the ''
Schutzstaffel
The ''Schutzstaffel'' (; ; SS; also stylised with SS runes as ''ᛋᛋ'') was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II.
It beg ...
'' (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 paramilitary volunteer units that existed from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. They effectively fought as mercenaries or private military companies, 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 ...
''. ''Haupttruppführer'' was considered a senior most
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 ...
enlisted rank, below the first officer position of ''
Sturmführer''. A ''Haupttruppführer'' typically served as the senior
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 ...
of SA regiments, known as ''Standarten'', and the rank was the approximate equivalent to
sergeant major
Sergeant major is a senior Non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned Military rank, 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 ...
. ''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 '' Sch ...
''.
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, NSKK Gorget patch
File:OT-Haupttruppführer.svg, OT Shoulder patch
File:SA-Haupttruppführer.svg, SA Gorget patch
See also
*
Comparative ranks of Nazi Germany
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
{{Nazi Germany Paramilitary Ranks
Nazi paramilitary ranks
SS ranks