''Scharführer'' (, ) was a title or rank used in early 20th century German military terminology. In German, ''Schar'' was one term for the smallest sub-unit, equivalent to (for example) a "

troop A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troo ...

", "

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, ...

", or " section". The word ''

führer ( , spelled ''Fuehrer'' when the umlaut is unavailable) is a German word meaning "leader" or " guide". As a political title, it is strongly associated with Adolf Hitler, the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. Hitler officially cal ...

'' simply meant "leader". The term ''Scharführer'' can be traced to

World War I 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 ...

, when it was referred to a NCO in charge of several shock troopers, or other special forces soldiers. It was, however, used far more widely by

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 organizations, such as the Schutzstaffel, National Socialist Flyers' Corps, National Socialist Motor Corps, and the Sturmabteilung, between 1925 and 1945 and became strongly associated with them.

Nazi usage

''Scharführer'' is most recognizable as a rank of the SS and title of the SA. ''Scharführer'' was first used as a title in 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) as early as 1921 and became an actual rank in 1928. ''Scharführer'' was the first

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 of the SA, and was denoted by a single pip centered on a collar patch. In 1930, veteran ''Scharführer'' were appointed to the new rank of SA-'' Oberscharführer'', denoted by an additional silver stripe to the ''Scharführer'' collar patch. 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) used the same insignia for ''Scharführer'' as the SA, but the level of rank changed in 1934 with a reorganization of the SS rank structure. At that time, the old rank of SS-''Scharführer'' became known as SS-'' Unterscharführer'' with the title of SS-''Scharführer'' becoming equivalent to an SA-''Oberscharführer''. The rank of SS-'' Truppführer'' was removed from the SS, to be replaced by SS-''Oberscharführer'' and the new rank of SS-'' Hauptscharführer''. The early

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 ...

created an even higher rank, known as SS-'' Sturmscharführer''. Within the SA, ''Scharführer'' was senior to the rank of SA-'' Rottenführer'' while in the SS, a ''Scharführer'' was senior to that of SS-'' Unterscharführer''. The rank of ''Scharführer'' was also used by other Nazi Party organizations; among them the National Socialist Flyers Corps (NSFK), National Socialist Motorist Corps (NSKK) and the

Hitler Youth The Hitler Youth ( , often abbreviated as HJ, ) was the youth wing of the German Nazi Party. Its origins date back to 1922 and it received the name ("Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth") in July 1926. From 1936 until 1945, it was th ...

(HJ).

Insignia

SS-Scharführer h.svg,

Shoulder strap A strap, sometimes also called strop, is an elongated flap or ribbon, usually of leather or other flexible materials. Thin straps are used as part of clothing or baggage, or bedding such as a sleeping bag. See for example spaghetti strap, shou ...

SS-Scharführer
(SS-Oberjunker) HJ-Scharführer.svg, HJ Shoulder strap NSFK-Scharführer.svg, NSFK

Gorget patches Gorget patches (collar tabs, collar patches) are an insignia in the form of paired patches of cloth or metal on the collar of a uniform (gorget), used in the military and civil service in some countries. Collar tabs sign the military rank (group ...

NSKK-Scharführer.svg, NSKK Gorget patch SA-Scharführer.svg, SA Gorget patch SS-Scharführer.svg, SS Gorget patches UFw Scha OR5a cam slv 1945.svg, SS smock insignia

Notes

Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Scharfuhrer SS ranks

Nazi usage

Insignia

See also

Notes

Bibliography