Ranks of German officers in World War II. German officers who fought on the side of the Soviet Union

The SS is one of the most sinister and frightening organizations of the 20th century. Until now, it is a symbol of all the atrocities of the Nazi regime in Germany. At the same time, the phenomenon of the SS and the myths that circulate about its members is an interesting subject for study. Many historians still find documents of these very “elite” Nazis in the archives of Germany.

Now we will try to understand their nature. and the titles of the SS today will be the main topic for us.

History of creation

For the first time, the abbreviation SS for Hitler's personal paramilitary security unit was used in 1925.

The leader of the Nazi Party surrounded himself with security even before the Beer Putsch. However, it acquired its sinister and special meaning only after it was re-recruited for Hitler released from prison. Then the ranks of the SS were still extremely stingy - there were groups of ten people who were led by the Fuhrer of the SS.

main goal this organization was to protect members of the National Socialist Party. The SS appeared much later, when the Waffen-SS was formed. These were precisely those parts of the organization that we remember most vividly, since they fought at the front, among ordinary soldiers of the Wehrmacht, although they stood out to many among them. Prior to this, the SS was, though paramilitary, but a "civilian" organization.

Formation and activity

As mentioned above, initially the SS is just the bodyguard of the Fuhrer and some other high-ranking members of the party. However, gradually this organization began to expand, and the first bell foreshadowing it future power, there was the introduction of a special SS-title. It's about about the position of the Reichsführer, then still just the head of all SS Fuhrers.

Second important point in the rise of the organization was the permission to patrol the streets on a par with the police. This made the members of the SS no longer just guards. The organization has become a full-fledged law enforcement agency.

However, at that time, the military ranks of the SS and the Wehrmacht were still considered equivalent. The main event in the formation of the organization can, of course, be called the coming to the post of Reichsfuehrer Heinrich Himmler. It was he who, while in parallel as head of the SA, issued a decree that did not allow any of the military to give orders to members of the SS.

At that time, this decision, of course, was taken with hostility. Moreover, along with this, a decree was immediately issued, which demanded that all the best soldiers be placed at the disposal of the SS. In fact, Hitler and his closest associates pulled off a brilliant scam.

Indeed, among the military class, the number of adherents of the National Socialist labor movement was minimal, and therefore the leaders of the party, who seized power, understood the threat posed by the army. They needed a firm belief that there are people who will take up arms on the orders of the Führer and will be ready to die, carrying out the tasks assigned to them. Therefore, Himmler actually created a personal army for the Nazis.

The main purpose of the new army

These people performed the dirtiest and lowest, from the point of view of morality, work. Under their responsibility were concentration camps, and during the war, members of this organization became the main participants in punitive sweeps. SS titles appear in every crime committed by the Nazis.

The final victory of the authority of the SS over the Wehrmacht was the appearance of the SS troops - later the military elite of the Third Reich. Not a single general had the right to subdue a member of even the lowest rung in the organizational ladder of the "security detachment", although the ranks in the Wehrmacht and the SS were similar.

Selection

To get into the party organization of the SS, it was necessary to meet many requirements and parameters. First of all, SS titles were received by men with absolutely their age at the time of joining the organization should have been 20-25 years. They were required to have a “correct” skull structure and absolutely healthy white teeth. Most often, joining the SS ended "service" in the Hitler Youth.

Appearance was one of the most important selection parameters, since people who were members of the Nazi organization were to become the elite of the future German society, "equal among unequals." It is clear that the most important criterion was the endless devotion to the Fuhrer and the ideals of National Socialism.

However, this ideology did not last long, or rather, almost completely collapsed with the advent of the Waffen-SS. During the Second World War, the personal army of Hitler and Himmler began to recruit anyone who would show a desire and prove loyalty. Of course, they tried to maintain the prestige of the organization by assigning only the ranks of the SS troops to newly recruited foreigners and not accepting them into the main cell. After serving in the army, such individuals were to receive German citizenship.

In general, the "elite Aryans" during the war "ended" very quickly, being killed on the battlefield and taken prisoner. Only the first four divisions were fully "staffed" with a pure race, among which, by the way, was the legendary "Dead Head". However, already the 5th (“Viking”) made it possible for foreigners to receive the titles of the SS.

divisions

The most famous and sinister is, of course, the 3rd Panzer Division "Totenkopf". Many times it completely disappeared, being destroyed. However, it has been reborn again and again. However, the division gained notoriety not because of this, and not because of any successful military operations. "Dead Head" is, first of all, an incredible amount of blood on the hands of military personnel. It is on this division that lies the largest number crimes against both the civilian population and prisoners of war. Ranks and ranks in the SS did not play any role during the tribunal, since almost every member of this unit managed to "distinguish itself."

The second most legendary was the Viking division, recruited, according to the Nazi wording, "from peoples close in blood and spirit." Volunteers from the Scandinavian countries entered there, although their number was not off scale. Basically, SS titles were still worn only by the Germans. However, a precedent was created, because the Viking became the first division where foreigners were recruited. For a long time they fought in the south of the USSR, Ukraine became the main place of their "exploits".

"Galicia" and "Ron"

The division "Galicia" also occupies a special place in the history of the SS. This unit was created from volunteers from Western Ukraine. The motives of people from Galicia who received German SS titles were simple - the Bolsheviks came to their land just a few years ago and managed to repress a considerable number of people. They went to this division rather not out of ideological similarity with the Nazis, but for the sake of the war with the communists, whom many Western Ukrainians perceived in the same way as citizens of the USSR - the German invaders, that is, as punishers and murderers. Many went there out of a thirst for revenge. In short, the Germans were looked upon as liberators from the Bolshevik yoke.

This view was typical not only for the inhabitants of Western Ukraine. The 29th division of "RONA" gave the ranks and shoulder straps of the SS to the Russians, who had previously tried to gain independence from the communists. They got there for the same reasons as the Ukrainians - a thirst for revenge and independence. For many people, joining the SS was a real salvation after a life broken by the 30s of Stalin's years.

At the end of the war, Hitler and his allies were already going to extremes in order to keep people associated with the SS on the battlefield. The army began to recruit literally boys. A vivid example of this is the Hitler Youth division.

In addition, on paper there are many units that were never created, for example, the one that was supposed to become Muslim (!). Even blacks sometimes got into the ranks of the SS. This is evidenced by old photographs.

Of course, when it came to this, all elitism disappeared, and the SS became just an organization under the leadership of the Nazi elite. The set of "non-ideal" soldiers only testifies to the desperation that Hitler and Himmler were in at the end of the war.

Reichsfuehrer

The most famous head of the SS was, of course, Heinrich Himmler. It was he who made a "private army" out of the Fuhrer's guard and held out as its leader for the longest time. This figure is now largely mythical: it is impossible to clearly say where the fiction ends and where the facts from the biography of the Nazi criminal begin.

Thanks to Himmler, the authority of the SS was finally strengthened. The organization became a permanent part of the Third Reich. The SS title he carried effectively made him commander-in-chief of Hitler's entire personal army. It must be said that Heinrich approached his position very responsibly - he personally examined the concentration camps, conducted inspections in divisions, and participated in the development of military plans.

Himmler was a truly ideological Nazi and considered serving in the SS his true calling. The main goal of life for him was the extermination of the Jewish people. Probably the descendants of those who suffered from the Holocaust should curse him more than Hitler.

Due to the impending fiasco and Hitler's increasing paranoia, Himmler was accused of high treason. The Fuhrer was sure that his ally had entered into an agreement with the enemy in order to save his life. Himmler lost all high posts and titles, and the well-known party leader Karl Hanke was to take his place. However, he did not have time to do anything for the SS, since he simply could not take the office of Reichsfuehrer.

Structure

The SS army, like any other paramilitary formation, was strictly disciplined and well organized.

The smallest unit in this structure was the Shar-SS squad, consisting of eight people. Three similar army units formed a troupe-SS - according to our concepts, this is a platoon.

The Nazis also had their own analogue of the Sturm-SS company, consisting of about one and a half hundred people. They were commanded by an Untersturmführer, whose rank was the first and lowest among the officers. Of the three such units, the Sturmbann-SS was formed, headed by the Sturmbannfuehrer (the rank of major in the SS).

And, finally, the Shtandar-SS is the highest administrative-territorial organizational unit, an analogue of a regiment.

As you can see, the Germans did not reinvent the wheel and look for too long original structural solutions for their new army. They just picked up analogues of conventional military units, endowing them with a special, excuse me, “Nazi flavor”. The same situation happened with titles.

Ranks

Military ranks The SS troops were almost completely similar to the ranks of the Wehrmacht.

The youngest of all was a private, who was called a schütze. Above him stood an analogue of a corporal - a sturmmann. So the ranks rose to the officer's untersturmführer (lieutenant), while continuing to be modified simple army ranks. They walked in this order: Rottenführer, Scharführer, Oberscharführer, Hauptscharführer and Sturmscharführer.

After that he began his work officers.The highest ranks were the general (Obergruppeführer) of the armed forces and the colonel-general, who bore the title of Oberstgruppenfuhrer.

All of them were subordinate to the commander in chief and the head of the SS - the Reichsführer. There is nothing complicated in the structure of the SS ranks, except perhaps for pronunciation. However, this system is built logically and understandably in an army way, especially if you add up the ranks and structure of the SS in your head - then everything in general becomes quite simple to understand and remember.

Marks of Excellence

It is interesting to study the ranks and ranks in the SS using the example of shoulder straps and insignia. They were characterized by a very stylish German aesthetics and really reflected in themselves everything that the Germans thought about their achievements and mission. main theme there was death and ancient Aryan symbols. And if the ranks in the Wehrmacht and the SS practically did not differ, then this cannot be said about shoulder straps and stripes. So what's the difference?

The shoulder straps of the rank and file were nothing special - the usual black stripe. The only difference is the patches. he did not go far, but their black shoulder strap was edged with a strip, the color of which depended on the rank. Starting with the Oberscharführer, stars appeared on shoulder straps - they were huge in diameter and quadrangular in shape.

But you can really get it if you consider the insignia of the Sturmbannfuehrer - in form they resembled and were woven into a fancy ligature, on top of which stars were placed. In addition, on the stripes, in addition to stripes, green oak leaves appear.

They were made in the same aesthetics, only they had a golden color.

However, of particular interest to the collector and those who want to understand the culture of the Germans of that time are a variety of stripes, including the badges of the division in which the SS member served. It was both a "dead head" with crossed bones, and a Norwegian hand. These patches were not mandatory, but were part of the SS army uniform. Many members of the organization proudly wore them, confident that they were doing the right thing and that fate was on their side.

Form

Initially, when the SS first appeared, it was possible to distinguish a “security squad” from an ordinary member of the party by the ties: they were black, not brown. However, in connection with the "elitism", the requirements for appearance and standing out from the crowd increased more and more.

With the advent of Himmler, black became the main color of the organization - the Nazis wore caps, shirts, uniforms of this color. Stripes with runic symbols and a "dead head" were added to them.

However, from the moment Germany entered the war, it turned out that black stood out extremely on the battlefield, so a military gray uniform was introduced. It did not differ in anything except color, and was of the same strict style. Gradually, gray tones completely replaced black. The uniform of black color was considered purely ceremonial.

Conclusion

The military ranks of the SS do not carry any sacred meaning. They are just a copy of the military ranks of the Wehrmacht, one might even say a mockery of them. They say, "Look, we are the same, but you cannot command us."

However, the difference between the SS and the ordinary army was not at all in the buttonholes, shoulder straps and the name of the ranks. The main thing that the members of the organization had was endless devotion to the Fuhrer, which charged them with hatred and bloodthirstiness. Judging by the diaries of German soldiers, they themselves did not like the "Hitler dogs" for their arrogance and contempt for all the people around.

The same attitude was towards the officers - the only thing for which the members of the SS were tolerated in the army was for the incredible fear of them. As a result, the rank of major (in the SS this is a Sturmbannfuehrer) began to mean much more for Germany than highest rank in a simple army. The leadership of the Nazi Party almost always took the side of "their own" during some intra-army conflicts, because they knew that they could only rely on them.

In the end, not all SS criminals were brought to justice - many of them fled to South American countries, changing their names and hiding from those to whom they are guilty - that is, from the entire civilized world.

One of the most cruel and merciless organizations of the 20th century is the SS. Ranks, decals, functions - all this was different from those in other types and branches of the troops in Nazi Germany. Reichsminister Himmler brought together all the disparate guard units (SS) into a single army - the Waffen SS. In the article we will analyze in more detail the military ranks and insignia of the SS troops. And first, a little about the history of the creation of this organization.

Prerequisites for the formation of the SS

In March 1923, Hitler was concerned that the leaders of the Stormtroopers (SA) were beginning to feel their power and importance in the NSDAP party. This was due to the fact that both the party and the SA had the same sponsors, for whom the goal of the National Socialists was important - to carry out a coup, and they did not have much sympathy for the leaders themselves. Sometimes it even came to an open confrontation between the leader of the SA - Ernst Röhm - and Adolf Hitler. It was at this time, apparently, that the future Fuhrer decided to strengthen his personal power by creating a detachment of bodyguards - the headquarters guard. He was the first prototype of the future SS. They did not have ranks, but the insignia had already appeared. The abbreviation for headquarters guards was also SS, but it came from German word Stawsbache. In every hundred SA, Hitler allocated 10-20 people ostensibly to protect high-ranking party leaders. They personally had to take an oath to Hitler, and their selection was carried out carefully.

A few months later, Hitler renames the organization Stosstruppe - that was the name of the shock units of the Kaiser's army during the First World War. The abbreviation SS nevertheless remained the same, despite the fundamentally new name. It is worth noting that the entire Nazi ideology was associated with a halo of mystery, historical continuity, allegorical symbols, pictograms, runes, etc. Even the NSDAP symbol - the swastika - was taken by Hitler from ancient Indian mythology.

Stosstrup Adolf Hitler - the strike force "Adolf Hitler" - acquired the final features of the future SS. They did not yet have their own titles, however, insignia appeared that Himmler would later retain - a skull on headdresses, a black distinctive color of the uniform, etc. The "dead head" on the uniform symbolized the willingness of the detachment to defend Hitler himself at the cost of his life. The basis for the future usurpation of power was prepared.

Emergence of Strumstaffel - SS

After the Beer Putsch, Hitler went to prison, where he spent until December 1924. The circumstances that allowed the future Fuhrer to be released after an armed seizure of power are still incomprehensible.

Upon his release, Hitler first of all forbade the SA to carry weapons and position itself as an alternative to the German army. The fact is that the Weimar Republic could only have a limited contingent of troops under the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty after the First World War. It seemed to many that the armed units of the SA were a legitimate way to avoid the restriction.

At the beginning of 1925, the NSDAP was restored again, and in November, the "shock detachment". At first it was called Strumstaffen, and on November 9, 1925 it received its final name - Schutzstaffel - "cover squadron". The organization had nothing to do with aviation. This name was invented by Hermann Göring, a famous fighter pilot of the First World War. He liked to use aviation terms in Everyday life. Over time, the "aviation term" was forgotten, and the abbreviation was always translated as "security units." It was headed by Hitler's favorites - Shrek and Schaub.

Selection in the SS

The SS gradually became an elite unit with good salaries in foreign currency, which was considered a luxury for the Weimar Republic with its hyperinflation and unemployment. All Germans of working age were eager to join the SS detachments. Hitler himself carefully selected his personal guard. Candidates were required to:

1. Age from 25 to 35 years.
2. The presence of two recommendations from current members of the SS.
3. Permanent residence in one place for five years.
4. The existence of such positive qualities like sobriety, strength, health, discipline.

New development under Heinrich Himmler

The SS, despite the fact that it was personally subordinate to Hitler and the Reichsführer SS - from November 1926 this position was occupied by Josef Berthold, was still part of the SA structures. The attitude towards the “elite” in the assault detachments was contradictory: the commanders did not want to have SS members in their detachments, so they shouldered various duties, such as distributing leaflets, subscribing to Nazi agitation, etc.

In 1929, Heinrich Himmler became the leader of the SS. Under him, the size of the organization began to grow rapidly. SS becomes elite closed organization with its charter, a mystical ritual of entry, imitating the traditions of medieval knightly Orders. A real SS man had to marry a "model woman." Heinrich Himmler introduced a new mandatory requirement for entry into the renewed organization: the candidate had to prove evidence of purity of lineage in three generations. However, that was not all: the new Reichsführer SS obliged all members of the organization to look for brides only with a “clean” genealogy. Himmler managed to nullify the subordination of his organization to the SA, and then completely withdraw from it after he helped Hitler get rid of the leader of the SA - Ernst Röhm, who sought to turn his organization into a massive people's army.

The bodyguard detachment was transformed first into the Fuhrer's personal guard regiment, and then into the personal SS army. Ranks, insignia, uniforms - everything indicated that the unit was independent. Next, let's talk more about insignia. Let's start with the rank of the SS in the Third Reich.

Reichsfuehrer SS

At the head was the Reichsfuehrer SS - Heinrich Himmler. Many historians claim that he was going to usurp power in the future. In the hands of this man was control not only over the SS, but also over the Gestapo - the secret police, the political police and the security service (SD). Despite the fact that many of the above organizations were subordinate to one person, they were completely different structures, which sometimes even quarreled with each other. Himmler was well aware of the importance of a branched structure from different services concentrated in the same hands, so he was not afraid of Germany's defeat in the war, believing that such a person would be useful to the Western allies. However, his plans were not destined to come true, and he died in May 1945, biting a vial of poison in his mouth.

Consider the highest ranks of the SS among the Germans and their correspondence with the German army.

Hierarchy of the SS High Command

The insignia of the SS high command was that the buttonholes on both sides depicted Nordic ritual symbols and oak leaves. Exceptions - SS Standartenführer and SS Oberführer - wore an oak leaf, but belonged to senior officers. The more they were on the buttonholes, the higher the rank of their owner.

The highest ranks of the SS among the Germans and their correspondence with the land army:

SS officers

Consider the features of the officer corps. SS Hauptsturmführer and lower ranks no longer had oak leaves on their buttonholes. Also on the right buttonhole they had the coat of arms of the SS - a Nordic symbol of two lightning bolts.

Hierarchy of SS officers:

SS rank	Buttonholes	Compliance in the army
Oberführer SS	double oak leaf	No match
SS Standartenführer	single sheet	Colonel
Obersturmbannführer SS	4 stars and two rows of aluminum thread	Lieutenant colonel
Sturmbannführer SS	4 stars
SS Hauptsturmführer	3 stars and 4 rows of thread	Hauptmann
Obersturmführer SS	3 stars and 2 rows	Ober Lieutenant
Untersturmführer SS	3 stars	Lieutenant

I would like to immediately note that the German stars did not resemble the five-pointed Soviet ones - they were four-pointed, rather resembling squares or rhombuses. Next in the hierarchy are non-commissioned officer ranks of the SS in the Third Reich. More about them in the next paragraph.

non-commissioned officers

Hierarchy of non-commissioned officers:

SS rank	Buttonholes	Compliance in the army
Sturmscharführer SS	2 stars, 4 rows of thread	Staff sergeant major
Standartenoberjunker SS	2 stars, 2 rows of thread, silver piping	Chief sergeant major
SS Hauptscharführer	2 stars, 2 rows of thread	Oberfenrich
Oberscharführer SS	2 stars	Feldwebel
Standartenunker SS	1 asterisk and 2 rows of thread (differed in shoulder straps)	Fanejunker sergeant major
Scharführer SS		Unter sergeant major
Unterscharführer SS	2 strands at the bottom	non-commissioned officer

Buttonholes are the main, but not the only insignia of ranks. Also, the hierarchy could be determined by shoulder straps and stripes. The military ranks of the SS were sometimes subject to change. However, above we have presented the hierarchy and the main differences at the end of World War II.

"Anatomy of an Army"

Rules of conduct and customs of officers
Wehrmacht 1935-45

Preface. This article does not carry a significant information load, however, it seems that it can help to understand some of the rules and customs of internal relations among the officers of the Wehrmacht, to equip with an understanding of the figure of a German officer as a thing in itself. At the same time, here I deliberately distance myself from the attitude of German officers to the enemy, to local population in the occupied territories, especially excluding their behavior in our country during the war years. A lot has already been said about this, including on my site. Here I want to briefly describe the rules and customs that existed within the military collectives in the units of the Wehrmacht.

It is possible that this kind of psychological portrait of a German officer will help the reader understand the reasons for this or that behavior of the Nazis in various critical situations. For example, why is General Paulus in Stalingrad, knowing full well after the failure of attempts to release that the army is doomed not just to defeat, but to total destruction, and that further resistance is just a crime against the German people, and did not dare to take arbitrary action. And why all his generals and officers, also realizing their imminent death, continued to obediently follow orders.

I flatter myself that the article will be read by those who write scripts for films and serials about the war today, and it will help them avoid many blunders that hurt their eyes when you see scenes showing Nazi soldiers and officers, and not only them, in battle.

Well, in no army in the world can soldiers argue with an officer about how and where to fight, where to run and who to shoot. Especially in German. A German soldier cannot behave in a familiar manner with his officer, and they cannot address each other in an arbitrary form.
This may be on the set of an ordinary lighting engineer can prove to the director that he organized this or that scene incorrectly, and argue with the cameraman about the angle from which to shoot main character and categorically refuse to do as he is told. Or the announcer on television to express his personal opinion on the air, and not the text put on his table. Or a journalist to call his editor bad words and insert one article into the newspaper instead of another. Maybe, although I doubt it.

But I know for sure that in war the issues of service and combat are not resolved by rallies or bitter disputes between soldiers and commanders. And for no price a soldier will point his weapon at his commander as an argument, since this in itself is a serious war crime, which will inevitably be followed by the most severe punishment.

End of preface.

So what are the rules of conduct? guidance documents German officer.

First of all, he must perform his duties based on the concepts of honor and dignity of an officer, and not from fear of punishment or punishment. By his behavior, always and everywhere, he is obliged to emphasize to everyone, and especially to his subordinates, his honesty, punctuality, diligence, accuracy and impeccability.

If he made a mistake, slip, omission, did not fulfill the order on time, then he himself must report this to his superior. Any concealment of misdeeds from the chief for an officer is completely unacceptable and incompatible with the concept of officer honor.

The more difficult and complex the situation and the more tired the officer, the more he must monitor his diligence. References to fatigue, lack of strength as the reasons for incomplete and dishonest performance of duty are considered unsoldier's behavior and unworthy of an officer. He must be firm and tough, first of all, in relation to himself.

The officer must be secretive. This applies not only to compliance with state and military secrets in general, but also the immediate intentions and plans of the senior commander and his own. He is not supposed to disclose official and personal information both about himself and about his comrades and subordinates. He can tell others only what concerns them directly and affects the performance of a combat mission.

The officer must be a model of diligence and obedience for his subordinates. Any criticism of senior commanders, analysis and analysis of their decisions and orders, even among officers equal in position and rank, not to mention subordinates, is absolutely unacceptable. It can only be discussed how best to execute the order received. References to the absence or lack of funds and forces for this are unacceptable. The boss is supposed to know better strength and capabilities of subordinates than themselves. Doubts about his knowledge are excluded.

In official communication, it is not allowed to interrupt the boss and make excuses. If an officer believes that he has received a reprimand unfairly, then he must find an opportunity to talk to his superior during off-duty hours, but only with his permission. The chief's refusal to give explanations cannot serve as a basis for appeals to higher authorities or further hostile attitude towards the chief.

The officer answers the questions of the chief briefly and without unnecessary turns of speech, without lengthy explanations. It is not allowed to interrupt the boss. If an officer believes that the superior has misunderstood him or the superior has made an erroneous decision, he should wait until the superior's speech is over and ask permission to clarify. The form of the request for permission (appeal is always only in the third person): "I ask the Major's permission to clarify something."

If the officer did not understand the question or order, he turns to the chief: "Mr. Hauptmann, what did you order?" or "I did not understand Herr Hauptmann's question." At the same time, it is forbidden to express your disagreement with the order in this form. It is believed that in this case the subordinate is trying to put pressure on the boss, which is completely unacceptable in the Wehrmacht.

In all cases of conversation with the boss, the speech of the subordinate begins with the words "Mr. Oberleutnant ..." or ends with the same appeal "..., Mr. Oberleutnant." Failure to use these calls is considered gross violation disciplines.

The relationship between superiors and subordinates requires compliance with certain customs and norms. Tactful behavior with superiors should also be observed in off-duty conversations. However, this politeness should in no case be overshadowed by embarrassment or fawning. Officer comply external forms communication even if the boss does not like the officer. He shows in all cases self-confidence and courage of responsibility. Training and explanations from the boss should be understandable to the subordinate and should be accepted gratefully.

Stubbornness for an officer is the same manifestation of weakness as inappropriate gentleness.

In telephone conversations, if the officer calls the boss, then the subordinate begins the conversation with the words "Here, Herr Oberst" (Hier, Herr Oberst). Calls from subordinates to superiors are excluded. If there is a need to inform the boss about something, then the subordinate must call the communication center and inform the telephone operator on duty about the need to talk with the boss. The telephone operator reports to the boss and he calls the subordinate.

When meeting with the boss, the subordinate greets the boss first. At the same time, his left hand should not be in a pocket of clothes.

It is not allowed to overtake the chief while driving. If the situation requires it, then approaching the boss, you should ask for permission to overtake.

Relations between officers in the officer team are especially stipulated. They must be friendly and everyone must sacrifice something in the interests of the team. In officer society, manifestations of egoism and separation (isolation) are unacceptable.
First of all, the officer must take an active part in all the activities of the society of officers. If he is not married, then it is highly desirable that he dine with other unmarried officers of the unit at a common officer's table. It is also obligatory to periodically visit the officer's casino in the evenings and weekends, which is considered a means of instilling a corporate spirit, developing friendly relations, and perceiving military traditions.

From the author. Here the casino should be understood not as a kind of gambling establishment where millions of dollars are played, but as a closed officers' club where officers spend their leisure time. In the casino they can have lunch, dinner, drink beer or schnapps, watch a movie, chat with friends, listen to musicians, read newspapers and magazines, play chess or dominoes. Card games are not forbidden, but they are only one of the pastimes here. Wherein card games must be of a sporting nature (poker, bridge, etc.). Gambling such as roulette and others that do not develop tactical thinking are not allowed.

When an officer arrives in his new unit, when he first visits the casino, he must be introduced to the officer team by the oldest officer of the regiment and must behave freely and naturally, but with restraint. Until he acquires a certain authority in the team, during conversations and conversations he should only listen, without expressing his opinion.
At the table, smoking is considered permissible only after the meal is over and only at the sign of the oldest officer sitting at the table. Also, only with his permission can you leave the table if the officer is called on business or on the phone. For other reasons, getting up from the table is considered impolite. If a senior officer raises a toast to one of those present, then he must stand up. Raising a toast to the younger in relation to the elders is not completely unacceptable, as well as toasts to the Führer, to the victories of German weapons.

From the author. A very common mistake made by those who make films about the war is to transfer the customs of our feasts to German soil. In the officer collectives of the Wehrmacht, during feasts, toasts in honor of the Fuhrer, senior military leaders and events that were recognized above those sitting at the table were considered unacceptable and offensive to high-ranking persons and events. Toasts and raising glasses in honor of someone were perceived by others as signs of goodwill and rewards from commanders to their subordinates. It is clear that the Führer and senior commanders do not at all need the approval of junior

In the officer team, among equals in position and rank, manifestations of rudeness, teachings and mutual disputes are not allowed. The junior does not have the right to prove his case and insist on his assessment of the situation or events. The opinion of the elder is automatically considered the only correct one.

It is believed that an officer should not be prone to gambling, and in any case, he should not, as a result of gambling, get into debts that he cannot repay. The officer team must monitor officers who are prone to such behavior and pull them up in time.

The use of alcoholic beverages is not forbidden to officers, but it is necessary to take care of yourself and your comrades so as not to sleep.

According to German views, the discipline and obedience of subordinates during the war depend little on the authority of the position and officer rank. The officer is obliged to take care of the moral conquest of the souls of his subordinates, which is achieved by high personal authority. An officer is obliged to know and be able to do more than his subordinates, to use all his abilities and opportunities to improve living conditions, save the lives and health of his subordinates, provide weapons, ammunition, and food. He must timely notice the differences and exploits of his subordinates and strive to ensure that this is timely and adequately rewarded, but without flirting.

In the photo: Nazi officers are packing the loot

Sources and literature

1. F. Altrichter. Der Reserveoffizier. Verlag von E.S. Mittler & Sohn. Berlin. 1943

2.H.Dv.130/2a. Ausbildungsvorschrift fuer die Infanterie. Heft 2a. Shuetzenkompanie. Verlag Offene Worte. Berlin. 1941

Tables of ranks of the German Wehrmacht (Die Wehrmacht) 1935-45

German officer training system

In the German Wehrmacht, there was a unique officer training system that guaranteed the recruitment of troops with high-quality officers. A similar system exists today in the Bundeswehr.

Read about the ranks of students in officer schools.

Who wants to become an officer after checking his reliability through the Gestapo, passing exams in physical training through the "Jungfolk" and "Hitler Youth" passed the entrance exams at the school.
Then the candidate was sent to a combat regiment (during the war, it was obligatory to the regiment conducting combat operations) for a year as a soldier (during the war, the term was reduced).

After the expiration of the term, subject to positive feedback command of the regiment, the candidate received the rank of "Fanejunker" equal to the rank of "corporal" and after short theoretical studies (from 2 to 6 months) was again sent to another combat regiment for a corporal position for a period of 4 to 6 months. During this period, he should have been given the opportunity to perform the duties of a squad leader part of the time. Fanenjunkers who did not meet the requirements of the command did not return to the school, but remained to serve in the unit as corporals.

Upon returning to the school, the Fanenjunker received the title of "Fanejunkerunterofficer", took a 2-6 month course of theoretical training and was sent to the third combat regiment as a squad leader. Part of the time he had to act as deputy platoon commander and foreman of the company.

Subject to a positive response from the command, upon returning to the school, he received the title "fenrich" and after a short theoretical course sent to the fourth warhead platoon commander (for an officer position) and after the established period of service as a platoon commander at the school, he passed the final exams.

After that, he, in the rank of "Oberfenrich", went to the regiment for permanent service. The assignment of the rank of "lieutenant" depended on the command of the regiment and division. Basically, the time from admission to the school to the assignment of an officer's rank was more than three years (even during the war, and to ensure sufficient replenishment of the troops with officers, enrollment in schools increased). To assign each next officer rank, it was required to undergo 4-6 months of training at the appropriate school or academy for the position to which it was planned to send the officer, to undergo an internship in a new position.

Thus, there was a constant filtering of quality candidates from random and incapable of leading soldiers. By the time he received the officer rank, the candidate had combat experience and theoretical knowledge; he knew how to use all types of weapons, knew how to command soldiers, knew the peculiarities of managing various units, and had authority. Internships in various units with different commanders and their decisive conclusion on the suitability of the candidate ensured that the unworthy would not receive the officer rank (by pull, for father's merits, for origin, etc.). Moreover, in Peaceful time no more than 75% of the number of persons who passed the previous stage could be accepted for each next stage of training.

A large number of officers in war time was recruited from among the distinguished, capable non-commissioned officers. If necessary, they were given the opportunity to receive a military education, and before being awarded an officer's rank, they also underwent a course of theoretical training.

With all the hostility towards the Nazis, it is impossible not to note that the German officers were beyond praise, which Marshal G.K. Zhukov also noted in his memoirs.

The officers knew the soldiers, were close to them, knew how to organize a battle, to fight it stubbornly, unconventionally, with initiative; rushed to victory, trying to save the soldiers. They were not afraid to deviate from the charter, for the sake of achieving success. The soldiers believed their officers, knowing that each of them was in his time in a soldier's clothing; willingly followed them into battle, saw in them their more experienced and older comrades, protected them in battle.

Our Victory in the war of 1941-45 over the Wehrmacht, led by such high-class officers, only does honor to our army.

It is only a pity that this cruel lesson has remained unlearned; so no one among us understood that the money, time, funds spent on training officers in peacetime would save a lot of soldiers' lives during the war. Our current leaders of the country have not learned this lesson, and we are again learning to fight during the war, paying for our studies with the blood of inept soldiers and untrained officers. And the Germans in post-war Germany (both after the 1st and after the 2nd World Wars) carefully preserved their non-commissioned officers and officers, found an opportunity to allocate money from the meager budget for pensions to former military men, for their secret training and retraining (including including in the USSR), and when necessary, in the shortest time managed to deploy a first-class army. It is only amateurs from military science who can believe that it is enough to hang shoulder straps and the general is ready. Military science, the age-old experience of all countries clearly says that an ordinary soldier of average quality can be trained in two or three years, a company commander in 8-12 years. It takes another two years to put together a combat-ready regiment from such soldiers and officers. And the generals are piece goods. More talent is required from a general than from an artist. If the artist's retribution for mediocrity is whistles in the hall, then the retribution for the general's mediocrity is thousands of ruined lives. After all military art- have the ability to make the only right decision in the face of lack or even total absence information and acute lack of time. Intuition is required here more than in a game of chess. Try to win a game of chess with your back to the board and not knowing how your opponent's pieces are placed. And that's the job of a general. Any graduate of the journalism faculty can kick the general for failure, defeat, shed blood in vain. "Everyone imagines himself a strategist, seeing the battle from the side" - says an old Greek proverb. But no one wants to understand the value of a talented officer, general, save, give the opportunity to develop their talents without a war.

OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY

OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY, the Reichsführer SS corresponded to the rank of Field Marshal of the Wehrmacht;
Oberstgruppenführer - Colonel General;
Obergruppenführer - General;
gruppenführer - lieutenant general;
Brigadeführer - Major General;
standartenführer - colonel;
obersturmbannführer - lieutenant colonel;
Sturmbannführer - major;
Hauptsturmführer - captain;
Obersturmführer - Oberleutnant;
Untersturmführer - lieutenant.

encyclopedic Dictionary. 2009 .

See what "OFFICER RANKS IN FASCIST GERMANY" are in other dictionaries:

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