Seniority lists of the SS
SS seniority lists (SS-DAL; DAL der SS) were printed works published annually between 1934 and 1938 and between 1942 and 1944, which gave an up-to-date overview of the personnel of the leadership corps of the National Socialist Schutzstaffel . They roughly corresponded to the lists of officers of the Wehrmacht or the police .
Preparatory measures for release
In the run-up to the printing of the first DAL, the Reichsführung SS sent so-called Führer questionnaires to the regional SS leaders (“SS Oberführer”), who they delegated within their own area and further down. After the establishment of the upper sections, it was the responsibility of the SS-upper section leaders to collect information. The Führer questionnaires were later added to the DAL as an appendix, but there was also the possibility for the SS leaders concerned to request the order cards for the questionnaires from the Reichsführung SS / Personnel Office .
Every SS leader was obliged to fill out the Führer questionnaires to the best of their knowledge and belief and to update their personal data later. Thus, among other things, not only the private but also the military career was asked. All SS leaders had to report all military national and field orders, but also all party and organizational awards that they had received. The DAL were intended to serve the SS offices as local reference works for their officer corps, as they had no access to the SS master role or the SS master card of one of their members or their leaders and had to request this from the SS personnel main office if necessary.
Practice, however, showed that not all SS leaders adhered to the regulations. For example Josef Dietrich , who did not have his DAL entry corrected to the effect that he had already held the rank of SS storm leader on June 1, 1928 . Therefore, his DAL registration began between 1934 and 1938 with his appointment as SS-Standartenführer (November 18, 1929). In addition, the current position of the SS leader had to be indicated.
Ranks
The rank of SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer listed in the last DAL is missing in the pre-war editions, as this was only approved by Adolf Hitler on April 7, 1942 and was first awarded on his birthday (April 20). This rank was only awarded four times: Franz Xaver Schwarz (SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer of the General SS), Josef Dietrich (Panzer-Generaloberst of the Waffen-SS), Kurt Daluege (SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer of the Ordnungspolizei) and Paul Hausser ( SS Colonel Group Leader of the Waffen SS).
In the first DAL, the ranks of SS Brigade , SS Obersturmbann and SS Obersturmführer , which were first awarded in May 1933, are listed for the first time.
As early as September 1931, the rank of SS-Sturmhauptführer was introduced in the Schutzstaffel , while the old SS rank of Staffelführer was renamed SS-Standartenführer at the same time .
In October 1935, the ranks of SS-Sturmhauptführer and SS-Sturmführer were renamed SS-Hauptsturm- and SS-Untersturmführer .
timeline
At the beginning of 1934, Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler commissioned the personnel chancellery of the SS office, which later became the main office, to draw up and publish a "list of seniority for the NSDAP's protection squad". This should, as an "officer directory" of the SS, represent the counterpart to the seniority lists of the police or the Wehrmacht. The first of its kind was published as early as the end of 1934, as of October 1st. In book form, it contained all the names, date of birth, current position and leadership ranks, honorary titles and awards (political and military) of the SS leadership corps at the time, which was based on the General SS, the SS disposal force, the SS skull associations and the Reichsführer security service SS distributed. The names were - if available - SS no. and the party number assigned to the NSDAP. Old fighters were also identified in the DALs by special marking .
In the 1934 and 1935 editions, the seniority lists also included the SS leaders, the so-called SS honorary and rank leaders , assigned to the staff of the SS Reich Leadership, Oberanschnitte, Sections, Standards and Sturmbanne , as so-called assigned SS leaders . But after the honor and rank leaderships by Himmler were placed no later than 1937 overridden (honorary captured SS officer had now within seven working days a recording and commitment form to submit and were with the filing of the Lead mesh of on Hitler as regular members of the SS, which also had an SS number), it was usually listed as "at the RFSS staff".
From 1936 onwards, police officers were also included in the seniority lists as soon as they had achieved an SS rank via a grade adjustment. Up until the last pre-war edition (1938) it was also stated in the DALs whether the SS leader concerned was a member of the “ Lebensborn ” association or whether he was already over 50 years old. This information was missing in the war editions, as it ultimately only focused on the essentials. In 1939 no DAL was issued, only a sheet of amendment to the 1938 seniority list was published.
At the beginning of 1942 the first war edition of a DAL appeared, which presented the state of affairs from January 30, 1942 and which was replaced a little later by a current version, which listed the state of affairs from April 20, 1942. In the war editions, only the current SS rank was listed and it was stated which "leader level" the SS leaders in the police and armed forces had achieved and the full-time leaders of the General SS were identified. "Honored" SS leaders of the General SS were granted a special uniform right, provided they were deployed in the Waffen SS . For example, Leo von Jena was allowed to wear the rank insignia of his rank in the General SS in the Waffen SS. In 1944 he was led there as a group leader (of the General SS) wearing the uniform of a Lieutenant General of the Waffen SS.
For the status of July 1, 1944, the SS-Personalhauptamt issued a separate "Seniority List of the Waffen-SS" especially for the Waffen-SS , ranging from SS-Obergruppenführer to SS-Hauptsturmführer . Its real significance lies in the fact that it was only produced as a single copy for Maximilian von Herff and never went into official print. This seniority list also includes the SS leader corps of Office Group D , that is, the "SS leaders in KL service".
The last SS-DAL was published as a two-part reference work in 1944. Part I appeared with the status of October 1, 1944 and listed the rank groups Obersturmbannführer to Sturmbannführer. Part II appeared with the status of November 9, 1944 and comprised the rank groups Oberst-Gruppenführer to Standartenführer. Up to the turn of the year 1944/45, some additions were made to the seniority lists of the SS, which were published on January 30, 1945 in the SS Personnel Change Gazette (11th year, No. 1 a).
structure
The seniority lists were graded according to ranking groups and organized downwards according to the respective promotion dates. The upper leader corps began with Heinrich Himmler as Reichsführer SS , followed by the SS-Oberst- and SS-Obergruppenführer as well as the SS-Brigadführer .
Subordinate to these was the middle leadership corps with SS-Ober- and SS-Standartenführer , SS-Obersturmbann- and SS-Sturmbannführer .
The lower SS leader corps was formed by the SS Hauptsturm , SS Obersturm and SS Untersturmführer .
Members of the same rank were arranged according to their seniority, beginning with the member of the rank group who held the respective rank the longest and ending with the one who had received it last.
The seniority lists were consecutive and numbered across all groups. The first DAL from 1934, from Reichsführer SS to Sturmführer, comprised 3,118 people. The last official DAL comprised 1,362 people from Reichsführer SS to Standartenführer.
Listed awards, medals and occupational functions
The “awards” were the golden party badge , the SA sports badge in all three levels (bronze, silver, gold), the Coburg badge or the so-called blood order . But the SS sword of honor or the SS ring of honor were also listed there as an “award”. In the SS list of seniority, imperial and state medals that were awarded to the bearer between 1914 and 1918 were also entered. This category includes the Iron Cross I and II Class (1914–1918), the Iron Cross on a white ribbon , the Order Pour le mérite , various national awards such as the Golden Prussian Cross of Merit , the Wound Badge in all three levels (black, silver , Gold), the Reich Sports Badge in all three levels (bronze, silver, gold), the certificate of lifelong sports disability and war- damaged . The commemorative and traditional badge of honor cross for front-line soldiers was also included in this list.
Between 1939 and 1942 the following "awards" were also documented in the SS seniority list: Oak leaves for the Knight's Cross for the Iron Cross , Knight's Cross for the Iron Cross , Iron Cross I and II Class (1939–1945), Repeat Clasp for the Iron Cross I. class (1914-1918) (1939), repetition clasp to the Iron cross II. class (1914-1918) (1939), war merit cross First class with Swords , war merit cross II. class with swords , war merit cross First class without swords , war merit cross II. Class without swords , other "awards earned in the field", wound badges in all three levels (1939). From 1942 onwards the " German Cross" and " Grand Cross " awards were added.
In all seniority lists it was also stated whether the relevant SS leader also held the function of Reichsleiter or Gauleiter . It has also been held there, whether the member of the SS, a Minister , State Council , Upper President , Chief of Police , Reich governor , secretary of state , district president , governor or member of the Reichstag was. Since the edition of January 30, 1940, the seniority lists have also listed which “leader rank” was held in the Wehrmacht or the police.
The SS seniority lists in detail
Table with the SS seniority lists
| Publishing year | ranks covered | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| October 1, 1934 | SS-Obergruppenführer to SS-Sturmführer | Seniority list, which included the entire SS leader corps; Format: Din A4. In this edition Himmler is referred to as "Reichsführer SS", but this term has not yet been used as an SS rank. All promotions (insofar as they were reported and recorded in the SS master roll) and the current "service position" (use) were listed in this list. Rudolf Hess joined the SS on November 1, 1925 with SS no. 50 and on July 20, 1929, with effect from April 1, 1925, became adjutant to the Reichsführer SS and at the same time personal SS adjutant to the "Führer" Adolf Hitler . With SA Fuehrer's Order No. 6 of December 18, 1931, Hess was appointed SS Oberführer on the same day. This appointment was renewed with the SA leader order No. 1 "Reorganization of the SA and SS" of July 1, 1932. As such, between 1929 and October 31, 1930 and between October 31, 1930 and October 1, 1932, Heß was in charge of the SS upper section "South". Appointed SS group leader with effect from December 5, 1932 by SA leader order No. 10 of December 15, 1932. On July 1, 1933, he was appointed SS-Obergruppenführer with SA-Führerbefehl No. 15 of July 1, 1933. However, Hess resigned from the SS in September 1933, but in his capacity as "Deputy Leader" was granted the right to continue to wear the uniform of an SS-Obergruppenführer. Since Himm was still granted this uniform right in 1933, Himmler and Hess appear as numbers 1 and 2 in the rank group "Obergruppenführer". |
| July 1, 1935 | Reichsführer SS to SS-Untersturmführer | Seniority list, which included the entire SS leader corps; Format: Din A5. |
| December 1, 1936 | Reichsführer SS to SS-Untersturmführer | Seniority list, which included the entire SS leader corps; Format: Din A4. |
| December 1, 1937 | Reichsführer SS to SS-Untersturmführer | Seniority list, which included the entire SS leader corps; Format: Din A4. |
| December 1, 1938 | Reichsführer SS to SS-Untersturmführer | Seniority list, which included the entire SS leader corps and the last edition before the Second World War ; Format: Din A4. On June 15, 1939, only a booklet followed. |
| January 30, 1942 | Reichsführer SS to SS-Standartenführer | First war edition of the seniority list of the SS, which only included the upper SS leadership corps. From this edition on, only the last rank reached with the date of appointment was recorded. Furthermore, the achieved "leader rank" or officer rank in the Waffen-SS, Wehrmacht and police was given. Format: Din A4. |
| April 20, 1942 | Reichsführer SS to SS-Standartenführer | Second war edition of the seniority list of the SS, which supplemented the January edition. From this point on, the seniority lists were always published as a two-volume edition, with Part I, which appeared in the spring, as a rule, the upper part, and Part II, which appeared in the fall, comprised the middle SS leader corps. Here part I; Format: Din A4. |
| October 1, 1942 | SS-Obersturmbannführer to SS-Sturmbannführer | Part II of the seniority list of the SS; Format: Din A4. |
| May 15, 1943 | Reichsführer SS to SS-Standartenführer | Part I of the SS's regular seniority list from 1943; Format: Din A4. |
| October 1, 1943 | SS-Obersturmbannführer to SS-Sturmbannführer | Part II of the SS list of seniority from 1944; Format: Din A4. |
| January 30, 1944 | Reichsführer SS to SS-Standartenführer | Part I of the regular seniority list from 1944; Format: Din A4. |
| July 1, 1944 | SS-Obergruppenführer to SS-Hauptsturmführer | Intermediate single copy of the Waffen SS and only related to their relatives; Format: Din A4. Josef Dietrich is handwritten on this list as " Colonel General Waffen-SS" with the date of promotion April 20, 1942. In this list, 22 senior group, 6 group and 4 brigade leaders in the main SS offices and police stations were given the corresponding general rank in the Waffen SS and the police. SS-Obergruppenführer in the Reich Security Main Office carried the title "SS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS", SS-Gruppenführer in the Hauptamt Ordnungspolizei the title "SS-Gruppenführer and Lieutenant General of the Police". In the case of the corresponding group in the SS upper sections and the SS sections, the so-called “Higher SS and Police Leaders” or “SS and Police Leaders”, they carried, for example, the title “SS Brigade Leader and Major General of the Waffen SS and the Police". |
| October 1, 1944 | SS-Obersturmbannführer to SS-Sturmbannführer | Part II of the regular seniority list from 1944; Format: Din A4. |
| November 9, 1944 | Reichsführer SS to SS-Standartenführer | Probably earlier part I of the seniority list from 1945. After its publication, up to the turn of the year 1944/45, a few more additions were made to the seniority lists of the SS, which were published on January 30, 1945 in the personnel change gazette of the SS (11th year, No. 1 a) were. In this eleven promotions were announced (1 group leader, 10 brigade leaders). Format: Din A4. |
Significance of the SS seniority lists for post-war justice and historical research
After the end of the Second World War , the seniority lists were used as an aid for public prosecutor's investigations in connection with coming to terms with the Nazi era in general and with the prosecution of war crimes committed by the Waffen SS in particular. The entries in the seniority lists made it possible to trace the personal details of alleged Nazi war criminals who denied their membership in the SS, including the Waffen SS. Furthermore, the lists made it possible to reconstruct the career progression of people or to draw conclusions about their involvement in historically significant events based on conspicuous promotion data: It was therefore obvious that SS leaders who shortly after the suppression of the Roman coup or the attempted coup of 20 July , who viewed the promotion as a reward for their efforts in suppressing these ventures.
Simon Wiesenthal marked the seniority lists in 1961 as "valuable" documents in his attempts to identify former war criminals as such.
In historical research, the lists are traditionally used in a similar way as an aid for person-related research or as a basis for quantifying statements about the SS and its structure: Michael Wildt reconstructed, for example, the personnel growth of the SD based on the number of persons listed in the seniority list with service at the SD Security Service of the SS between 1932 and 1944, while Krauss calculated the nobility share in the SS leadership corps on the basis of the persons with noble names in the seniority list.
In individual biographical research, data contained in the seniority lists, such as the service position, is usually used as an indication of the point (e.g. holdings of a particular SS branch or city archives of the place of use) for further material on a particular person. Information such as the NSDAP or SS membership numbers can also be used to enable people with common names to unambiguously assign other documents containing the relevant information to the respective person in the ranking list, and in this way to be able to assign entire files to them . Some seniority lists, such as the DALs from December 1938 and January 1940 as well as the seniority list of the Waffen SS, were reprinted for research purposes after the war.
Photo examples
Front page of the 1934 list (reprint)
Pages 2–3 of the 1934 list (reprint)
Reprints of the original lists
- Seniority list of the NSDAP (SS) protection staff edit. from the SS personnel office. Status from December 1, 1938, with correction booklet: Status from June 15, 1939. Unchanged. Reprint of the Berlin editions 1938 and 1939. Edited by Brün Meyer (Federal Archives), Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück 1996, ISBN 3-7648-2487-5 .
- Seniority list of the Waffen SS. SS-Obergruppenführer to SS-Hauptsturmführer. As of July 1, 1944. Edited by Brün Meyer (Federal Archives), Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück 1987, ISBN 3-7648-1469-1 .
References and comments
- ↑ Rare is the case seniority lists of the SS , without the joint-S .
- ↑ SS-Personalhauptamt: Seniority list of the Waffen-SS, serial no. 1.
- ↑ In the first DAL the party numbers up to 100,000 were underlined . From the second edition the party numbers up to 100,000 appeared in bold , the party numbers between 100,001 and 1,799,999 in normal and the party numbers from 1,800,000 in italics .
- ↑ SS-Personalhauptamt: List of seniority of the NSDAP Schutzstaffel, status November 9, 1944, serial no. 162.
- ↑ On July 1, 1944, the Waffen-SS officially consisted of only 21 Obergruppen-, 40 Gruppe- and 80 Brigade leaders. In order to be able to accommodate the newly added group of people from the main offices on this date, they were subordinated to the latter-named regular generals, lieutenants general and major generals of the Waffen SS. Newly appointed generals with sub-items 21a to 21v, lieutenants general with sub-items 41a to 41f and major generals with sub-items 80a to 80d were included in the seniority list of the Waffen-SS.
- ↑ Nikolaus von Preradovich : The protection relay of the NSDAP. A documentation. Druffel and Vowinckel, Stegen / Ammersee 2004, ISBN 3-8061-1138-3 , p. 99.
- ↑ Simon Wiesenthal: But the murderers are alive (= part of: Anne Frank Shoah Library ). Edited and introduced by Joseph Wechsberg . Translated from the English by Frank and Sonja Weiss. Droemer / Knaur, Munich / Zurich 1967, DNB 458650536 , p. 22.
- ↑ Michael Wildt: Generation of the Unconditional. The leadership corps of the Reich Security Main Office (= part of: Anne Frank Shoah Library ). Hamburger Edition, Hamburg 2002, ISBN 3-930908-75-1 , p. 243 (Zugl .: Hannover, Univ., Habil.-Schr., 2001).
- ↑ Matthias Krauss: Genocide instead of Holocaust - Jew and image of the Jew in literature classes in the GDR. A reading book (= part of: Anne Frank Shoah Library ). Anderbeck Verlag, Anderbeck 2007, ISBN 978-3-937751-39-9 , p. 159.