Ranks and insignia of the Sturmabteilung

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The ranks and insignia of the Sturmabteilung (SA) were the first paramilitary rank system to be developed by the Nazi Party in 1920. The titles and phrases used by the SA were eventually adopted by several other Nazi paramilitary groups, among them the Schutzstaffel (SS). Early SS ranks were identical to the SA, since the SS was originally considered a sub-organization of the Sturmabteilung.

Contents 1 1920 – 1923 2 1925 – 1928 3 1928 – 1932 4 1932 – 1945 5 SA Unit Insignia 6 See also 7 References

[edit] 1920 – 1923

The first SA ranks were merely titles with no recognizable insignia. Typically, SA personnel would wear swastika armbands on a variety of paramilitary uniforms. At the start of the group’s existence, the SA had four primary ranks, those being:

• Oberster SA-Führer (Supreme SA-Leader)
• SA-Oberführer (SA-Senior Leader)
• SA-Führer (SA-Leader)
• SA-Mann (SA-Trooper)

[edit] 1925 – 1928

In 1925, the SA was re-founded after having been disbanded following the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923. At that time, a simple rank insignia structure was developed for display on the collars of the SA’s brown uniforms.

SA Rank	Translation	Collar Insignia
Gruppenführer	Group Leader
Oberführer	Senior Leader
Standartenführer	Regiment Leader
Sturmführer	Storm Leader	No Insignia
Mann	Trooper	No Insignia

[edit] 1928 – 1932

In 1928, the SA had adopted an expanded system of rank titles and began displaying a version of collar insignia consisting of pips and collar bars to denote rank and position. The SA also introduced collar unit insignia, worn opposite the badge of rank, as well as a shoulder strap system to denote an SA member as a trooper, leader, or senior leader.

SA Rank	Army Equivalent	Shoulder Insignia	Collar Insignia
Gruppenführer	General
Oberführer	Brigadier
Standartenführer	Colonel
Sturmbannführer	Major
Sturmhauptführer	Captain
Sturmführer	Lieutenant
Haupttruppführer	Sergeant Major
Truppführer	Sergeant
Scharführer	Corporal
Mann	Private

[edit] 1932 – 1945

In 1932, the year before Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, the SA adopted its final rank and insignia versions which would remain unchanged until the organization ceased to exist at the close of the Second World War.

SA Rank	Translation	Army Equivalent	Shoulder Insignia	Collar Insignia (1932 - 1934)	Collar Insignia (1934 - 1945)
Stabschef	Chief of Staff	Field Marshal

SA Rank	Translation	Army Equivalent	Shoulder Insignia	Collar Insignia
Obergruppenführer	Senior Group Leader	General
Gruppenführer	Group Leader	Lieutenant General
Brigadeführer	Brigade Leader	Major General
Oberführer	Senior Leader	Brigadier General
Standartenführer	Regiment Leader	Colonel
Obersturmbannführer	Senior Storm Unit Leader	Lieutenant Colonel
Sturmbannführer	Storm Unit Leader	Major
Sturmhauptführer	Chief Storm Leader	Captain
Obersturmführer	Senior Storm Leader	First Lieutenant
Sturmführer	Storm Leader	Second Lieutenant
Haupttruppführer	Chief Troop Leader	Sergeant Major
Obertruppführer	Senior Troop Leader	Master Sergeant
Truppführer	Troop Leader	Sergeant First Class
Oberscharführer	Senior Squad Leader	Staff Sergeant
Scharführer	Squad Leader	Sergeant
Rottenführer	Section Leader	Corporal
Sturmmann	Storm Trooper	Private First Class
Mann	Trooper	Private

[edit] SA Unit Insignia

The SA used uniform colors and collar patches to denote an SA member's unit ranging from the Sturmbann and Standarten level (Battalion and Regiment) to the SA-Gruppen (SA Division) to which an SA member belonged. From those ranking Obersturmbannführer and below, a unit collar patch was worn on the right collar, opposite the badge of the rank. The patch typically displayed a member’s battalion number followed by their regiment number. Variations to this system occurred if an SA member was assigned to a headquarters staff or some other special branch of the SA.

All SA members wore various uniform colors to indicate in which SA Division a member belonged. The following was the 1944 color scheme of SA uniforms:

• Red and Gold: SA Chief of Staff
• Red and White: SA Supreme Command
• Red: SA Group Staff
• Yellow: Schlesien Group
• Green: Thüringen Group
• Blue: Hessen Group
• Brown: Westmark Group
• Light Blue: Hochland Group
• Orange: Südwest Group
• Pink: Alpenland Group
• Light Blue (Gold Pip): Sudeten Group
• Black: Berlin-Brandenburg Group

Prior to 1932, when the Schutzstaffel wore the same uniform as the SA, black uniform colors also indicated membership in the SS.

[edit] See also

• Nazi party paramilitary ranks
• Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party
• Ranks and insignia of the Schutzstaffel
• Ranks and insignia of the National Socialist Motor Corps
• Ranks and insignia of the Reichsluftschutzbund
• Comparative military ranks of World War II

[edit] References

• Bedurftig, Friedemann, and Christian Zenter. The Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. 1985.