Obertruppführer (, "senior troop leader") was a
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 ...
that was used between the years of 1932 and 1945. The rank is most closely associated with 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 also was an early rank of the ''
Schutzstaffel'' (SS) in that group's formative years.
Translated as “Senior Troop Leader”, ''Obertruppführer'' traces its origins to the rank of ''
Truppführer'' which was a title used by
Stormtrooper Companies (Shock Troops) during the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. As an
SA rank, ''Obertruppführer'' was created in 1932 due to the SA's expansion and growing membership. The rank of ''Obertruppführer'' was junior to ''
Haupttruppführer'' and typically served as a 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 ...
rank equivalent to a
Platoon
A platoon is a Military organization, military unit typically composed of two to four squads, Section (military unit), sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the Military branch, branch, but a platoon can ...
Sergeant in other military organizations.
As an
SS rank, ''Obertruppführer'' was used by the SS between the years of 1932 and 1934. An SS-''Obertruppführer'' carried similar duties to their SA counterparts and the rank was also used in the very early days of the ''
SS-Verfügungstruppe'' (SS-VT).
''Obertruppführer'' was abolished as an SS rank after the
Night of the Long Knives (1934), when the rank was renamed as SS-''
Hauptscharführer''. ''Obertruppführer'' survived as a rank of the SA until the fall of Nazi Germany in 1945. The insignia for ''Obertruppführer'' consisted of two button pips and a silver stripe centered on a collar patch.
Insignia
NSFK-Obertruppführer.svg, NSFK
NSKK-Obertruppführer.svg, NSKK
OT-Obertruppführer.svg, OT
RAD-Obertruppführer.svg, RAD
RBL-Luftschutzobertruppmeister.svg, RBL
SA-Obertruppführer.svg, SA
Notes
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Obertruppfuhrer
Nazi paramilitary ranks
Sturmabteilung