Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party were
paramilitary titlesNazi party paramilitary ranks were pseudo-military titles which were used by the National Socialist German Workers Party between the years of 1920 and 1945...
used by the
National Socialist German Workers PartyThe National Socialist German Workers' Party , commonly known in English as the Nazi Party , was a political party in Germany between 1919 and 1945...
(NSDAP) between 1925 and 1945. Such ranks were held by the political leadership corps of the Nazi Party, charged with the overseeing of the regular Nazi Mitglieder who were the regular rank and file Nazi Party members.
The first purpose of the Nazi party political ranks was to provide election district leadership positions during the years where the Nazis were attempting to come to power in Germany. After 1933, when the Third Reich had been established, Nazi Party ranks played a much more important role existing as a political chain of command operating side by side with the German government.
After 1933, workers in the German government wore a variety of uniforms in keeping with the German tendency of the time to put almost everyone in state service into some sort of uniform. The various cabinets and agencies of Nazi Germany each had their own types of uniforms and insignia, with a state employee also having the option to wear a Nazi party uniform, a uniform of a Nazi paramilitary groups (such as the SS), or (if the person was a reservist in the military as well as a state worker), a uniform of the
WehrmachtWehrmacht was the name of the unified armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe ....
. This created an extremely confusing array of titles, ranks, and uniforms which has also caused historical difficulty in determining the various positions and titles which senior members of the German government held.
In general, Nazi Party leaders also employed as leaders of government offices, were known as political leaders or
Politische Leitung. The services they performed were primarily administrative - managing the day to day business of government. The highest level of authority within the state, apart from the federal government under Hitler, was the level of Gauleiter - "province leader"
The position of "Reichsleiter" was reserved for the most senior of all government officials and there were only 16 people who ever held this title during the reign of Nazi Germany.
Individuals just starting in government service were required to attend a political leader's school prior to being eligible for any significant advancement in grade. Any position higher than the most basic position required membership in the NSDAP.
In addition to the confusing array of Nazi titles, state uniforms, and Party ranks, there also existed the original government of Germany to include such historic positions as
Burgermeister (town mayor). Such individuals could also hold the approximate equivalent of a Nazi Party position or be unconnected to the Party. In many cases, Nazi officials existed side by side with local government authoirites with the local government existing as a
rubber stampA rubber stamp, as a political metaphor, refers to a person or institution with de jure considerable formal power but little de facto power, one that rarely disagrees with more powerful organs. For example, in a dictatorship, the legislature may be little more than a "rubber stamp" of approval on...
to Nazi designs.
Nazi Party Titles
Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , popularly known as the Nazi Party...
, who served as
FührerThe word Führer is 'leader' or 'guide' in the German language, derived from the verb , a cognate of the Old English words faran and fær and the Modern English words derived from the older terms such as now mostly used in compounds such as wayfarer and sea-faring...
of the Nazi Party, held the highest possible Nazi Party rank.
Albert SpeerAlbert Speer was a German architect who was, for part of World War II, Minister of Armaments and War Production for the Third Reich. Speer was Adolf Hitler's chief architect before assuming ministerial office...
(in his book
Inside the Third Reich) remarked that Hitler was the only party member to wear an embroidered "eagle of sovereignty badge" on his civilian jackets (every other member wearing the round party badge), though the jacket design itself did not differ from other civilian jackets of the time. This "Führer Badge" was the only unique insignia created to denote his rank, and was quietly retired when the
Golden Party BadgeThe Golden Party Badge was a special badge of the Nazi Party. It was worn by the first 100,000 members of the party , and by other individuals at the discretion of Adolf Hitler .The Golden Party Badge was the basic Nazi Party Badge with the addition of a...
was created.
Prior to 1939, Hitler wore a brown paramilitary uniform, considered the uniform of the Oberste SA-Führer (Supreme Storm Trooper Commander). Upon the outbreak of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Hitler adopted a grey army style uniform, without any particular insignia, with Hitler pledging that he was the “first soldier” of the German Reich and would wear his army style uniform until “victory has been achieved or I will not survive the outcome”.
Other high Nazi positions, that did not entail any particular insignia, included the office of Deputy Führer held by
Rudolf HessRudolf Walter Richard Hess was a prominent figure in Nazi Germany, acting as Adolf Hitler's Deputy in the Nazi Party. On the eve of war with the Soviet Union, he flew solo to Scotland in an attempt to negotiate peace with the United Kingdom, but instead was arrested...
until he personally flew his Messerschmitt Bf110 fighter plane to Scotland and crash landed at Eaglesham. He was captured, imprisoned and then sent to England. The office of Deputy Führer was abolished after this.
Martin BormannMartin Ludwig Bormann was a prominent Nazi official. He became head of the Party Chancellery and private secretary to Adolf Hitler...
held the title of Party Secretary, during which time he wore the uniform of a Nazi
ReichsleiterReichsleiter , was the second highest political rank of the NSDAP next only to the office of Führer. Reichsleiter also served as a paramilitary rank, for the Nazi Party and was the highest position attainable in any Nazi-Organisation....
. Bormann would later take up cabinet level positions in the German government, after which he wore the insignia of an SS-
ObergruppenführerObergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA and until 1942 it was the highest SS rank inferior only to Reichsführer-SS...
.
1930 – 1933
| Nazi Party Rank |
Translation |
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| Reichsleiter Reichsleiter , was the second highest political rank of the NSDAP next only to the office of Führer. Reichsleiter also served as a paramilitary rank, for the Nazi Party and was the highest position attainable in any Nazi-Organisation....
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Reich Leader |
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GauleiterA Gauleiter was the party leader of a regional branch of the NSDAP or the head of a Gau or of a Reichsgau.-Etymology:...
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District Leader |
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| Stellvertreter-Gauleiter |
Proxy District Leader |
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| Kreisleiter |
County Leader |
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| Ortsgruppenleiter |
Local Group Leader |
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| Zellenleiter A Zellenleiter was an official of the NSDAP, higher in rank than the Blockleiter, in charge of a cell, composed of four to eight blocks. Duties were correspondent to that of the Blockleiter on a higher level....
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Cell Leader |
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| Blockleiter A Blockleiter was the lowest official of the NSDAP, responsible for the political supervision of a neighbourhood or city block and formed the link between the NSDAP and the general population...
|
Block Leader |
1925 – 1929
| Nazi Party Rank |
Translation |
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| Reichsinspekteur Reichsinspekteur was an early Nazi paramilitary rank which was held by senior Nazi Party officials in charge of Nazi activities throughout the entire country of Germany...
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Reich Inspector |
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GauleiterA Gauleiter was the party leader of a regional branch of the NSDAP or the head of a Gau or of a Reichsgau.-Etymology:...
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District Leader |
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| Kreisleiter |
County Leader |
| Ortsgruppenleiter |
Local Group Leader |
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| Zellenwart |
Cell Leader |
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| Blockwart A Blockleiter was the lowest official of the NSDAP, responsible for the political supervision of a neighbourhood or city block and formed the link between the NSDAP and the general population...
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Block Leader |