Brigadeführer

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Brigadeführer was an SS rank that was used in Nazi Germany between the years of 1932 and 1945. Brigadeführer was also an SA rank.

An SS-Brigadeführer in 1938. Early style collar patches are still in use

The rank was first created due to an expansion of the SS and assigned to those officers in command of SS-Brigaden. In 1933, the SS-Brigaden were changed in name to SS-Abschnitte; however, the rank of Brigadeführer remained the same.

Early version Brigadeführer insignia

Late pattern Brigadeführer insignia

Originally, Brigadeführer was considered the second General Officer rank of the SS and ranked between Oberführer and Gruppenführer. This changed, however, with the rise of the Waffen-SS and also the Ordnungspolizei. In both of those organizations, Brigadeführer was considered the equivalent to a Generalmajor and ranked just above an Oberst in the German Wehrmacht. Note that the rank of Generalmajor was the equivalent of Brigadier General, a one-star General in the US Army.

The insignia for Brigadeführer was at first two oak leaves and a silver pip, however was changed in 1942 to a three oak leaf design after the creation of the rank Oberstgruppenführer.

Brigadeführers also wore the shoulder insignia of a Generalmajor and were referred to as such after their SS rank (e.g. SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS und Polizei).