SS-Gruppenführer collar patch

SA-Gruppenführer rank insignia

Volkssturm Gruppenführer insignia

Gruppenführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party, first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA. Gruppenfuhrer Collar Patch (Released by US National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Gruppenfuhrer Collar Patch (Released by US National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... SA Group Leader Insignia (Released by US National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... SA Group Leader Insignia (Released by US National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... SS Sergeant Patch (Released by US National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... SS Sergeant Patch (Released by US National Archives) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Nazi swastika symbol The National Socialist German Workers Party ( German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), better known as the NSDAP or the Nazi Party was a political party that was led to power in Germany by Adolf Hitler in 1933. ... Events January-May January 3 - Benito Mussolini announces he is taking dictatorial powers over Italy. ... The ranks and insignia of the Sturmabteilung (SA) were the first paramilitary rank system to be developed by the Nazi Party in 1920. ...

SA Rank

Translated as “Group Leader”, a Gruppenführer was typically in charge of large numbers of SA units (known as Standarten) which were formed into SA-Gruppen. Upon its original conception, Gruppenführer was considered equivalent to a full General. Hitler addressing SA members in the late 1920s The Sturmabteilung (SA, German for Storm Division and is usually translated as stormtroops or stormtroopers) functioned as a paramilitary organisation of the NSDAP – the German Nazi party. ... General is a military rank, in most nations the highest rank, although some nations have the higher rank of Field Marshal. ...

An SS-Gruppenführer from the mid 1930s. The older SA style collar patches were still in use

SS Rank

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-Abschnitt. Gruppenführers commanded the SS-Abschnitt while a new rank, that of Obergruppenführer, oversaw the SS-Oberabschnitts which were the largest SS units in Germany. 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Throughout the existence of the German SS, the organization maintained a unique set of ranks and insignia that differentiated it from other branches of the German military, German state, and the Nazi Party. ...

As in the SA, the SS rank of Gruppenführer was considered equivalent to a full General, but became regarded as equivalent to Generalleutnant after 1934. During the Second World War, when the Waffen-SS began using the rank, an SS-Gruppenführer was considered equal to a Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht and was typically referred to as SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS. General is a military rank, in most nations the highest rank, although some nations have the higher rank of Field Marshal. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... 1934 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Waffen-SS recruitment poster; Volunteer to the Waffen-SS The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel. ... The Wehrmacht (literally defence force or means/power of resistance) was the name of the armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. ...

The insignia for SS-Gruppenführer consisted of three oak leaves centered 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 an additional collar pip, upon the creation of the rank Oberstgruppenführer.

Waffen-SS Gruppenführers also displayed the shoulder boards of a Wehrmacht Generalleutnant. Waffen-SS recruitment poster; Volunteer to the Waffen-SS The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel. ... The Wehrmacht (literally defence force or means/power of resistance) was the name of the armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ...

Other uses

The rank of Gruppenführer was also used in several other Nazi paramiltiary groups, among them the National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK) and the National Socialist Flyers Corps (NSFK). In 1944, the rank of Gruppenführer was adopted by the Volkssturm as a low level non-commissioned officer position in charge of squad sized formations of Home Guard soldiers. This is historically ironic, as the rank of Gruppenführer had typically been one of the highest possible Nazi paramiltiary ranks, yet ended its existence as one of the lowest. The National Socialist Motor Corps (Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrerkorps), also known as the National Socialist Drivers Corps, was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi party that existed between the years of 1931 and 1945. ... 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Volkssturm, literally translated as people storm, was a German national militia of the last months of the Nazi regime. ... A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), or NCO, is an enlisted member of an armed force who has been delegated leadership or command authority by a commissioned officer. ...