SS squad leader

SS squad leader of the death's head associations

The SS-Scharführer (short: Scha; speech: Scharführer) was in the German Reich from 1933 to 1945 the second lowest rank of the rank group of NCOs without porter of the Schutzstaffel (SS).

origin

Scharführer had been a paramilitary function designation of the NSDAP since around 1921 , which was primarily used in the Sturmabteilung (SA) and had been used as a rank designation since 1928. The SS adopted this rank. In connection with the reorganization of the SS after the Röhm Putsch , further ranks emerged such as SS-Unterscharführer , which was equivalent to the SA-Scharführer. On the other hand, there was never a rank of SA-Unterscharführer .

Originally the word creation goes back to the First World War . There, small sub-units with a manpower of around 8 to 15 soldiers - a “crowd” - were deployed tactically locally. The sergeant leading such a group was also referred to as the group leader. The term lived on in the war-experienced elite units of the Reichswehr. The NSDAP has used this term in the broadest sense.

Reorganization of the SS

In the Allgemeine SS , the same rank insignia was originally used as for the Sturmführer of the SA. This changed when the SS rank structure was reorganized in 1934. At this point in time, the lowest non-commissioned officer rank was that of the SS-Unterscharführer. The SS-Scharführer rank higher by one rank was now equivalent to the SA-Oberscharführer. At the same time, the previous rank of SS troop leader was deleted and replaced by the rank of SS Oberscharführer.

Insert uses

The assignments of the SS-Scharführer in the area of the General SS, SS-Totenkopfverbände and the Waffen-SS were comparable to those of an SS-Unterscharführer .

The pictures show the badges of rank or rank badges , which were worn by the Waffen-SS as shoulder pieces and collar tabs , but also as sleeve badges from 1942 for camouflage or special suits . The collar tabs with SS runes and the badge of rank were worn on the field-gray uniform jacket of the Waffen-SS or the gray field blouse.

Ranking and insignia

This SS rank was equal to the SA-Scharführer and the sergeant at the time in the army and air force of the Wehrmacht . The SS-Oberjunker as officer candidate of the Waffen-SS was nominally equal to the SS-Scharführer. According to today's NATO rank codes , these ranks would be comparable to Senior OR-5. The piping of the shoulder pieces was in the weapon color specified for non-commissioned officers of the Waffen-SS .

Rank
lower: SS-Unterscharführer	SS squad leader (Scha)	higher: SS-Oberscharführer

Badge of rank SS-Scharführer of the Waffen-SS
Shoulder piece
( weapon color pink:
SS Panzer Troop )
Collar Tabs
Sleeve badge camouflage suit

References and comments

^ Dictionary of German military history. 1st edition. Military Publishing House of the GDR, Berlin 1985, p. 145 Rank badge 29/30.
↑ OR stands for Other ranks , cf. NATO glossary abbreviations used in NATO documents and publications / Glossaire OTAN des abréviations utilisées dans les documents et publications OTAN ( Memento of 8 May 2010 in the Internet Archive )

[1] Dictionary of German military history. 1st edition. Military Publishing House of the GDR, Berlin 1985, p. 145 Rank badge 29/30.

[2] OR stands for Other ranks , cf. NATO glossary abbreviations used in NATO documents and publications / Glossaire OTAN des abréviations utilisées dans les documents et publications OTAN ( Memento of 8 May 2010 in the Internet Archive )