201:
67:
50:
32:
45:
85:
340:
leadership immediately opposed the creation of an SS-Colonel
General rank, since army commanders felt that no SS general should hold such a large amount of authority and that SS combat commands should be restricted to the Corps and Division level. The idea of SS Armies and Army Groups was something
456:
rank was worn on the field-grey Waffen-SS tunic, the grey SS service tunic, or in
Daluege's case the German police uniform. There are no photographic records of the insignia ever being worn on the black ceremonial uniform, which had largely fallen into disuse by the time the rank was created.
492:
claimed to have been promoted to the rank in April 1945 by personal decree of Adolf Hitler; Prützmann's claim is not supported by either documentary or photographic evidence, leading most history texts to list his final rank as
402:
promotions were made in 1944, this time to Waffen-SS generals. Dietrich's date of rank was back-dated to 1942, making him the most senior officer of the Waffen-SS. The final seniority list was as follows:
546:
900:
570:
Sndyer, Louis (1994) p. 66. Dietrich had commanded the 1st SS Panzer
Division and the 1st SS Panzer Corps, and would command the 6th SS Panzer Army in the
126:
893:
874:
SS-service records of Kurt
Daluege, Paul Hausser, and Sepp Dietrich: National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland.
1760:
709:
SS service record of Josef
Dietrich, RG 242 (SS Officer Service Records), National Archives and Records Administration; College Park, MD
1197:
886:
266:. The rank is translated as "highest group leader" and alternatively as "colonel group leader". The rank was correctly spelled
846:
823:
801:
782:
574:. Hausser had commanded the 2nd SS Panzer Division, the 2nd SS Panzer Corps and the 7th Army, and would command Army Group G.
551:
513:
1740:
1755:
865:
763:
744:
1750:
1710:
909:
452:(honorary leader), was the only holder of the rank who was not granted equivalent police or Waffen-SS rank. The
1705:
298:
1765:
121:
541:
1494:
1427:
1206:
239:
1296:
336:
1693:
1150:
489:
1675:
1067:
200:
1391:
1332:
1314:
1445:
244:
1112:
506:
484:
468:. Speer declined, not wishing to formally be subordinate to Himmler. Himmler's successor,
272:
179:
8:
1557:
1418:
1400:
571:
407:
378:
374:
346:
1593:
1251:
1215:
1168:
1076:
1049:
1037:
1019:
1010:
1001:
974:
49:
1575:
1539:
1360:
1242:
1058:
1028:
992:
526:
478:
312:
258:
167:
31:
1745:
1566:
878:
861:
842:
819:
797:
778:
759:
740:
1159:
835:
811:
263:
1620:
1278:
1224:
1103:
1094:
383:
342:
288:
44:
1287:
965:
341:
few wished to see develop – two SS Armies would eventually be established, (the
1648:
1512:
1436:
1141:
302:
140:
111:
1341:
1323:
1269:
1260:
1233:
983:
947:
1734:
1666:
1657:
1584:
1521:
1454:
1409:
417:
395:
at the same time. Daluege's rank was the only police promotion to this rank.
293:
252:
204:
191:
90:
1085:
1700:
1602:
1472:
913:
461:
437:
427:
388:
358:
306:
72:
1305:
1548:
1530:
1188:
317:
became the highest possible commissioned rank in the SS hierarchy of the
929:
1717:
1641:
1503:
469:
370:
938:
1684:
1463:
1350:
956:
381:. On the same day orders were issued for a dual promotion within the
331:
225:
247:
858:
Allgemeine-SS: The
Commands, Units and Leaders of the General SS
1382:
330:
was first proposed in early 1942 as a possible future rank for
334:
commanders who might be promoted to command Army Groups. The
262:, which became a commissioned rank when held by SS commander
652:
499:
134:
118:
681:
679:
908:
756:
Leaders & Personalities of the Third Reich, Vol. 1
676:
640:
837:
The Waffen-SS: Hitler's Elite Guard at War 1939–1945
604:
664:
628:
592:
834:
616:
301:, which is generally seen as the equivalent of a
1732:
309:in other armed forces. Under Himmler, the title
270:to avoid confusion with the more junior rank of
894:
1715:
1691:
1682:
1673:
1664:
1655:
1646:
1622:
1600:
1591:
1582:
1573:
1564:
1555:
1546:
1537:
1528:
1519:
1510:
1501:
1492:
1470:
1461:
1452:
1443:
1434:
1425:
1416:
1407:
1398:
1389:
1380:
1358:
1348:
1339:
1330:
1321:
1312:
1303:
1294:
1285:
1276:
1267:
1258:
1249:
1240:
1231:
1222:
1213:
1204:
1195:
1186:
1166:
1157:
1148:
1139:
1119:
1110:
1101:
1092:
1083:
1074:
1065:
1056:
1047:
1035:
1026:
1017:
1008:
999:
990:
981:
972:
963:
954:
945:
936:
927:
363:
318:
310:
217:
209:
369:was first bestowed. The appointment was to
901:
887:
841:. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press.
422:... und Panzer-Generaloberst der Waffen-SS
349:). No SS Army Groups were ever created.
16:Highest general rank in the Schutzstaffel
753:
734:
685:
646:
522:
511:
502:
199:
1733:
855:
810:
772:
634:
610:
361:'s personal authority, the rank of SS-
243:) was (from 1942 to 1945) the highest
882:
832:
791:
670:
658:
622:
598:
238:
460:In 1944, Himmler offered to appoint
352:
552:Ranks and insignia of the Waffen-SS
442:... und Generaloberst der Waffen-SS
287:was considered the equivalent of a
55:Shoulder insignia and camo insignia
13:
1761:Four-star officers of Nazi Germany
14:
1777:
432:... und Generaloberst der Polizei
83:
65:
48:
43:
30:
1711:National Socialist Flyers Corps
816:Encyclopedia of the Third Reich
727:
712:
703:
698:Dienstaltersliste der Waffen-SS
691:
547:List of SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer
1706:National Socialist Motor Corps
758:. R. James Bender Publishing.
564:
448:Franz Xaver Schwarz, who held
1:
581:
240:[ˈoːbɐstˌɡʁʊpm̩fyːʁɐ]
586:
256:(SS), with the exception of
7:
860:. Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
535:
279:
10:
1782:
1614:Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB)
754:Hamilton, Charles (1984).
1634:
1613:
1483:
1371:
1179:
1132:
920:
735:Flaherty, T. H. (2004) .
542:Corps colours (Waffen-SS)
472:, never held the rank of
398:The last two of the four
393:Generaloberst der Polizei
186:
174:
162:
154:
146:
132:
117:
107:
97:
78:
60:
41:
29:
21:
1756:German words and phrases
856:Yerger, Mark C. (1997).
773:Haskew, Michael (2011).
661:, pp. 35–36, 46–47.
557:
482:from the lower grade of
464:to the honorary rank of
1751:Nazi paramilitary ranks
1741:SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer
1133:Combat ranks Volkssturm
833:Stein, George (1984) .
737:The Third Reich: The SS
234:SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer
211:SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer
1716:
1692:
1683:
1674:
1665:
1656:
1647:
1623:
1601:
1592:
1583:
1574:
1565:
1556:
1547:
1538:
1529:
1520:
1511:
1502:
1493:
1471:
1462:
1453:
1444:
1435:
1426:
1417:
1408:
1399:
1390:
1381:
1359:
1349:
1340:
1331:
1322:
1313:
1304:
1295:
1286:
1277:
1268:
1259:
1250:
1241:
1232:
1223:
1214:
1205:
1196:
1187:
1167:
1158:
1149:
1140:
1120:
1111:
1102:
1093:
1084:
1075:
1066:
1057:
1048:
1036:
1027:
1018:
1009:
1000:
991:
982:
973:
964:
955:
946:
937:
928:
719:Inside the Third Reich
412:... der Allgemeinen SS
364:
319:
311:
229:
218:
210:
1297:Schutzhaftlagerführer
792:McNab, Chris (2009).
418:Josef "Sepp" Dietrich
203:
1694:SS-Totenkopfverbände
1122:Oberst-Gruppenführer
519:Oberst-Gruppenführer
490:Hans-Adolf Prützmann
476:, but was appointed
474:Oberst-Gruppenführer
466:Oberst-Gruppenführer
454:Oberst-Gruppenführer
400:Oberst-Gruppenführer
365:Oberst-Gruppenführer
328:Oberst-Gruppenführer
285:Oberst-Gruppenführer
268:Oberst-Gruppenführer
23:Oberst-Gruppenführer
1676:SS-Verfügungstruppe
1419:Gemeinschaftsleiter
1401:Bereitschaftsleiter
1216:Oberrottenführer HJ
1068:Obersturmbannführer
796:. Amber Books Ltd.
777:. Amber Books Ltd.
572:Battle of the Bulge
408:Franz Xaver Schwarz
379:Franz Xaver Schwarz
1576:Sonderbeauftragter
1333:Reichsjugendführer
1315:Untergruppenführer
910:Paramilitary ranks
420:, 20 April 1942 (
357:In April 1942, on
230:
1766:Lists of generals
1728:
1727:
1567:Ortsgruppenleiter
1113:Obergruppenführer
1044:
848:978-0-8014-9275-4
825:978-1-56924-917-8
818:. Da Capo Press.
803:978-1-906626-49-5
794:The SS: 1923–1945
784:978-1-907446-95-5
533:
532:
507:Obergruppenführer
495:Obergruppenführer
485:Obergruppenführer
440:, 1 August 1944 (
430:, 20 April 1942 (
410:, 20 April 1942 (
353:Promotion history
303:four-star general
273:Obergruppenführer
198:
197:
180:Obergruppenführer
1773:
1721:
1697:
1688:
1679:
1670:
1661:
1652:
1626:
1606:
1597:
1594:Stützpunktleiter
1588:
1579:
1570:
1561:
1552:
1543:
1534:
1525:
1516:
1507:
1498:
1495:Abteilungsleiter
1476:
1467:
1458:
1449:
1440:
1431:
1428:Abschnittsleiter
1422:
1413:
1404:
1395:
1386:
1372:Nazi Party ranks
1364:
1355:
1345:
1336:
1327:
1318:
1309:
1300:
1291:
1282:
1273:
1264:
1255:
1252:Haupttruppführer
1246:
1237:
1228:
1219:
1210:
1201:
1192:
1180:Non-combat ranks
1172:
1169:Bataillonsführer
1163:
1154:
1145:
1125:
1116:
1107:
1098:
1089:
1080:
1077:Standartenführer
1071:
1062:
1053:
1050:Hauptsturmführer
1042:
1041:
1038:Sturmhauptführer
1032:
1023:
1020:Untersturmführer
1014:
1011:Sturmscharführer
1005:
1002:Hauptscharführer
996:
987:
978:
975:Unterscharführer
969:
960:
951:
942:
933:
903:
896:
889:
880:
879:
871:
852:
840:
829:
807:
788:
769:
750:
722:
716:
710:
707:
701:
700:,1 July 1944, #1
695:
689:
683:
674:
668:
662:
656:
650:
644:
638:
632:
626:
620:
614:
608:
602:
596:
575:
568:
500:
367:
322:
316:
264:Heinrich Himmler
242:
221:
213:
187:Equivalent ranks
163:Next higher rank
88:
87:
86:
71:
69:
68:
53:
52:
47:
34:
19:
18:
1781:
1780:
1776:
1775:
1774:
1772:
1771:
1770:
1731:
1730:
1729:
1724:
1630:
1609:
1485:
1479:
1373:
1367:
1361:Reichsführer-SS
1243:Obertruppführer
1175:
1128:
1059:Sturmbannführer
1029:Obersturmführer
993:Oberscharführer
916:
907:
877:
868:
849:
826:
804:
785:
766:
747:
730:
725:
721:by Albert Speer
717:
713:
708:
704:
696:
692:
684:
677:
669:
665:
657:
653:
645:
641:
633:
629:
621:
617:
609:
605:
597:
593:
589:
584:
579:
578:
569:
565:
560:
538:
527:Reichsführer-SS
524:
517:
504:
479:Reichsführer-SS
384:Ordnungspolizei
355:
313:Reichsführer-SS
289:colonel general
282:
259:Reichsführer-SS
175:Next lower rank
168:Reichsführer-SS
84:
82:
66:
64:
56:
42:
37:
25:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1779:
1769:
1768:
1763:
1758:
1753:
1748:
1743:
1726:
1725:
1723:
1722:
1713:
1708:
1703:
1698:
1689:
1680:
1671:
1662:
1653:
1649:Sturmabteilung
1644:
1638:
1636:
1632:
1631:
1629:
1628:
1617:
1615:
1611:
1610:
1608:
1607:
1598:
1589:
1580:
1571:
1562:
1553:
1544:
1535:
1526:
1517:
1513:Betriebsobmann
1508:
1499:
1489:
1487:
1484:Admin position
1481:
1480:
1478:
1477:
1468:
1459:
1450:
1441:
1437:Bereichsleiter
1432:
1423:
1414:
1405:
1396:
1387:
1377:
1375:
1369:
1368:
1366:
1365:
1356:
1346:
1337:
1328:
1319:
1310:
1301:
1292:
1283:
1274:
1265:
1256:
1247:
1238:
1229:
1220:
1211:
1202:
1193:
1183:
1181:
1177:
1176:
1174:
1173:
1164:
1160:Kompanieführer
1155:
1146:
1142:Volkssturmmann
1136:
1134:
1130:
1129:
1127:
1126:
1117:
1108:
1099:
1090:
1081:
1072:
1063:
1054:
1045:
1033:
1024:
1015:
1006:
997:
988:
979:
970:
961:
952:
943:
934:
924:
922:
918:
917:
906:
905:
898:
891:
883:
876:
875:
872:
866:
853:
847:
830:
824:
808:
802:
789:
783:
770:
764:
751:
745:
731:
729:
726:
724:
723:
711:
702:
690:
688:, p. 341.
675:
673:, p. 117.
663:
651:
649:, p. 148.
639:
627:
615:
613:, p. 236.
603:
601:, p. 186.
590:
588:
585:
583:
580:
577:
576:
562:
561:
559:
556:
555:
554:
549:
544:
537:
534:
531:
530:
521:
510:
446:
445:
435:
425:
415:
373:treasurer and
354:
351:
347:11th SS Armies
281:
278:
196:
195:
188:
184:
183:
176:
172:
171:
164:
160:
159:
156:
152:
151:
148:
144:
143:
138:
130:
129:
124:
115:
114:
109:
105:
104:
99:
95:
94:
80:
79:Service branch
76:
75:
62:
58:
57:
54:
39:
38:
35:
27:
26:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1778:
1767:
1764:
1762:
1759:
1757:
1754:
1752:
1749:
1747:
1744:
1742:
1739:
1738:
1736:
1720:
1719:
1714:
1712:
1709:
1707:
1704:
1702:
1699:
1696:
1695:
1690:
1687:
1686:
1681:
1678:
1677:
1672:
1669:
1668:
1667:Allgemeine SS
1663:
1660:
1659:
1658:Schutzstaffel
1654:
1651:
1650:
1645:
1643:
1640:
1639:
1637:
1635:Organizations
1633:
1627:
1625:
1619:
1618:
1616:
1612:
1605:
1604:
1599:
1596:
1595:
1590:
1587:
1586:
1585:Stellenleiter
1581:
1578:
1577:
1572:
1569:
1568:
1563:
1560:
1559:
1554:
1551:
1550:
1545:
1542:
1541:
1536:
1533:
1532:
1527:
1524:
1523:
1522:Bezirksleiter
1518:
1515:
1514:
1509:
1506:
1505:
1500:
1497:
1496:
1491:
1490:
1488:
1482:
1475:
1474:
1469:
1466:
1465:
1460:
1457:
1456:
1455:Befehlsleiter
1451:
1448:
1447:
1442:
1439:
1438:
1433:
1430:
1429:
1424:
1421:
1420:
1415:
1412:
1411:
1410:Einsatzleiter
1406:
1403:
1402:
1397:
1394:
1393:
1392:Arbeitsleiter
1388:
1385:
1384:
1379:
1378:
1376:
1370:
1363:
1362:
1357:
1354:
1352:
1347:
1344:
1343:
1338:
1335:
1334:
1329:
1326:
1325:
1320:
1317:
1316:
1311:
1308:
1307:
1302:
1299:
1298:
1293:
1290:
1289:
1284:
1281:
1280:
1279:Rapportführer
1275:
1272:
1271:
1266:
1263:
1262:
1257:
1254:
1253:
1248:
1245:
1244:
1239:
1236:
1235:
1230:
1227:
1226:
1225:Staffelführer
1221:
1218:
1217:
1212:
1209:
1208:
1203:
1200:
1199:
1194:
1191:
1190:
1185:
1184:
1182:
1178:
1171:
1170:
1165:
1162:
1161:
1156:
1153:
1152:
1147:
1144:
1143:
1138:
1137:
1135:
1131:
1124:
1123:
1118:
1115:
1114:
1109:
1106:
1105:
1104:Gruppenführer
1100:
1097:
1096:
1095:Brigadeführer
1091:
1088:
1087:
1082:
1079:
1078:
1073:
1070:
1069:
1064:
1061:
1060:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1046:
1040:
1039:
1034:
1031:
1030:
1025:
1022:
1021:
1016:
1013:
1012:
1007:
1004:
1003:
998:
995:
994:
989:
986:
985:
980:
977:
976:
971:
968:
967:
962:
959:
958:
953:
950:
949:
944:
941:
940:
935:
932:
931:
926:
925:
923:
919:
915:
911:
904:
899:
897:
892:
890:
885:
884:
881:
873:
869:
867:0-7643-0145-4
863:
859:
854:
850:
844:
839:
838:
831:
827:
821:
817:
813:
812:Snyder, Louis
809:
805:
799:
795:
790:
786:
780:
776:
775:The Wehrmacht
771:
767:
765:0-912138-27-0
761:
757:
752:
748:
746:1-84447-073-3
742:
739:. Time-Life.
738:
733:
732:
720:
715:
706:
699:
694:
687:
686:Hamilton 1984
682:
680:
672:
667:
660:
655:
648:
647:Flaherty 2004
643:
637:, p. 46.
636:
631:
625:, p. 30.
624:
619:
612:
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573:
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563:
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396:
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380:
376:
372:
368:
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360:
350:
348:
344:
339:
338:
333:
329:
324:
321:
320:Allgemeine-SS
315:
314:
308:
304:
300:
296:
295:
294:Generaloberst
290:
286:
277:
275:
274:
269:
265:
261:
260:
255:
254:
253:Schutzstaffel
249:
246:
241:
236:
235:
228:
227:
222:
220:
219:Generaloberst
214:
212:
206:
205:Sepp Dietrich
202:
194:
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192:Generaloberst
189:
185:
182:
181:
177:
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96:
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92:
91:Schutzstaffel
81:
77:
74:
63:
59:
51:
46:
40:
33:
28:
24:
20:
1701:Hitler Youth
1603:Zellenleiter
1473:Reichsleiter
1446:Dienstleiter
1288:Sonderführer
1121:
1043:(until 1939)
966:Rottenführer
921:Combat ranks
914:Nazi Germany
857:
836:
815:
793:
774:
755:
736:
728:Bibliography
718:
714:
705:
697:
693:
666:
654:
642:
630:
618:
606:
594:
566:
525:
518:
512:
505:
494:
483:
477:
473:
465:
462:Albert Speer
459:
453:
449:
447:
441:
438:Paul Hausser
431:
428:Kurt Daluege
421:
411:
399:
397:
392:
389:Kurt Daluege
382:
362:
359:Adolf Hitler
356:
335:
327:
326:The rank of
325:
307:army general
292:
284:
283:
271:
267:
257:
251:
245:commissioned
233:
232:
231:
224:
216:
208:
190:
178:
166:
101:
98:Abbreviation
89:
73:Nazi Germany
36:Gorget patch
22:
1558:Mitarbeiter
1549:Kreisleiter
1531:Blockleiter
1342:Korpsführer
1324:Stabsführer
1270:Blockführer
1261:Sturmführer
1234:Truppführer
984:Scharführer
948:Oberschütze
635:Haskew 2011
611:Yerger 1997
523:Senior rank
503:Junior rank
450:Ehrenführer
299:German Army
1735:Categories
1718:Volkssturm
1642:Nazi Party
1540:Inspekteur
1504:Amtsleiter
1198:Aufseherin
1086:Oberführer
671:Stein 1984
659:McNab 2009
623:McNab 2009
599:McNab 2009
582:References
470:Karl Hanke
371:Nazi Party
102:Oberstgruf
1685:Waffen-SS
1624:Präsident
1464:Gauleiter
1351:Stabschef
1306:Gauführer
1151:Zugführer
957:Sturmmann
814:(1994) .
587:Citations
387:, making
332:Waffen-SS
297:) in the
226:Waffen-SS
155:Abolished
147:Formation
122:rank code
112:Four-star
1746:SS ranks
1189:Bewerber
930:Anwärter
536:See also
345:and the
280:Overview
1486:(NSDAP)
1374:(NSDAP)
939:Schütze
514:SS rank
250:in the
223:of the
61:Country
1383:Helfer
864:
845:
822:
800:
781:
762:
743:
377:chief
70:
558:Notes
1621:RLB-
1353:(SA)
1207:Mann
862:ISBN
843:ISBN
820:ISBN
798:ISBN
779:ISBN
760:ISBN
741:ISBN
337:Heer
248:rank
215:and
158:1945
150:1942
141:O-10
137:rank
135:NATO
133:Non-
127:OF-9
119:NATO
108:Rank
912:of
375:RZM
343:6th
305:or
1737::
678:^
497:.
488:.
391:a
323:.
276:.
207:,
902:e
895:t
888:v
870:.
851:.
828:.
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768:.
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444:)
434:)
424:)
414:)
291:(
237:(
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