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''Oberführer'' (short: ''Oberf'', , ) was an early paramilitary rank of the
''Oberführer'' (short: ''Oberf'', , ) was an early paramilitary rank of the 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 ...
(NSDAP) dating back to 1921. An ''Oberführer'' was typically a NSDAP member in charge of a group of paramilitary units in a particular geographical region. From 1921 to 1925, the phrase ''Oberführer'' was used as a title in the ''Sturmabteilung
The (; SA; literally "Storm Detachment") was the original paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party. It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s. Its primary purposes were providing protection for Nazi ralli ...
'' (SA), but became an actual SA rank after 1926.
''Oberführer'' was also a rank
Rank is the relative position, value, worth, complexity, power, importance, authority, level, etc. of a person or object within a ranking, such as:
Level or position in a hierarchical organization
* Academic rank
* Diplomatic rank
* Hierarchy
* ...
of 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 ...
'' (SS, at that time a branch of the SA), established in 1925 as ''Gauführer
''Gauführer'' was an early paramilitary rank used by the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) between 1925 and 1929. Translated as "SS-region leader", the ''SS-Gauführer'' had command of several ''SS-Stafflen'' which were in turn commanded by an ''SS-Staffe ...
'', a rank for SS officers in charge of SS personnel in the several ''Gaue'' throughout Germany; in 1928 the rank was renamed ''Oberführer'', and used of the commanders of the three regional ''SS-Oberführerbereiche''. In 1930, the SS was reorganized into ''SS-Gruppen'' and ''Brigaden'', at which time ''Oberführer'' became subordinate to the higher rank of '' Brigadeführer''. By 1932, ''Oberführer'' was an established rank of the SA, SS and NSKK.
''Oberführer'' wore two oak leaves on the uniform collar rank patch, along with the shoulder boards and lapels of a general officer. In 1938, the status of ''SS-Oberführer'' began to change with the rise of the ''SS-Verfügungstruppe
''SS-Verfügungstruppe'' (SS-VT or V-Truppe) (lit. "SS Dispositional Troops") was formed in 1934 as combat troops for the Nazi Party (NSDAP). On 17 August 1938 Adolf Hitler decreed that the SS-VT was neither a part of the ''Ordnungspolizei'' ( ...
'' (SS-VT), which would later become the Waffen-SS
The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscripts from both occup ...
. Since ''Brigadeführer'' was rated equal to a ''Generalmajor
is the Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central and Northern European countries.
Austria
Belgium
Denmark
is the second lowest general officer rank in the Royal Danish Army and Royal Danish Air Force. As a two-s ...
'', and ''Standartenführer
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''Standartenführer'' (short: ''Staf'', , ) was a Nazi Party (NSDAP) paramilitary rank that was used in several NSDAP organizations, such as the SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK. First founded as a title in 1925, in 1928 it became one of ...
'' to an ''Oberst
''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedish ...
'', ''Oberführer'' had no military equivalent and quickly became regarded as a senior colonel rank. This distinction continues in historical circles with most texts referring to ''Oberführer'' as a senior colonel rank while some others state it was a military equivalent to a British Army brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. ...
.
Rank insignia
See also
*Corps colours (Waffen-SS) Corps colours, or Troop-function colours ( German: ''Waffenfarben'') were worn in the Waffen-SS from 1938 until 1945 in order to distinguish between various branches of service, units, and functions. The corps colours were part of the pipings, gor ...
* Table of ranks and insignia of the Waffen-SS
Notes
Bibliography
* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Oberfuhrer ! SS ranks