Sturmmann (German: [ˈʃtʊʁmman], lit.'Storm man') was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in the year 1921. The rank of Sturmmann was used by the Sturmabteilung (SA) and the Schutzstaffel (SS).

Sturmmann
SS Gorget patch
SS Shoulder and sleeve insignia
Country Nazi Germany
Service branch Hitler Youth
National Socialist Motor Corps
National Socialist Flyers Corps
Schutzstaffel
Sturmabteilung
Formation1921
Abolished1945
Next higher rankRottenführer
Next lower rankOberschütze (Waffen-SS)
Mann (Allgemeine SS and SA)
Equivalent ranksGefreiter

The word originated during World War I when Sturmmann was a position held by soldiers in German pioneer assault companies, also known as "shock troops".

Creation

edit

Following the defeat of Germany in 1918, Sturmmann became a paramilitary rank of the Freikorps, violent groups of military veterans who opposed Germany's loss of World War I and the subsequent Treaty of Versailles.

In 1921, Sturmmann became a paramilitary title of the Nazi Party's private army, the Sturmabteilung (SA or "Assault Detachment").[1] Sturmmann would eventually become a basic paramilitary rank of almost every Nazi organization, but is most closely associated as an SA rank and as a rank of the SS.

The rank of Sturmmann was bestowed upon those members of the SA and SS who had served for six months in the organization and had demonstrated basic abilities and competence.[2]

 
SS-Sturmmann Gerardus Mooyman
Final ranks to enlisted men until 1945
Waffen-SS Heer (Army) Luftwaffe (Air Force) Kriegsmarine (Navy)
SS-Schütze Schütze Flieger Matrose
SS-Oberschütze Oberschütze
SS-Sturmmann Gefreiter Matrosengefreiter
SS-Rottenführer Obergefreiter Matrosenobergefreiter
No equivalent Hauptgefreiter Matrosenhauptgefreiter
No equivalent Stabsgefreiter Matrosenstabsgefreiter
No equivalent Matrosenoberstabsgefreiter

Sturmmann was senior to the rank of Mann in the Allgemeine-SS (general-SS).[3] In organizations which did not use the rank of Mann (such as the National Socialist Motor Corps), the rank of Sturmmann was the equivalent of a private and wore a blank collar patch with no insignia.[4] Within the Waffen-SS, an SS-Sturmmann was senior to an SS-Oberschütze.[3]

The rank of Sturmmann was junior, in both the SS and SA, to the rank of Rottenführer.[1][3] It was considered the equivalent to the rank of Gefreiter in the German Army and a lance-corporal in the British Army.[5] The insignia for Sturmmann consisted of a bare collar patch with a single silver stripe.[4] The field grey uniforms of the Waffen-SS also displayed the sleeve chevron of a Gefreiter.

Insignia

edit

Post-war use

edit

The term and rank has not been used in Germany since World War II.

See also

edit
Junior rank
SS-Mann
Rank Allgemeine SS
SS-Sturmmann
Senior rank
SS-Rottenführer
Junior ranks
SS-Oberschütze
Rank Waffen-SS
SS-Sturmmann
Senior rank
SS-Rottenführer
Junior rank
SA-Mann
SA rank
SA-Sturmmann
Senior rank
SA-Rottenführer
Junior rank
Oberschütze also
Oberkanonier
Obergrenadier (from 1942)
Oberpionier
Oberfahrer
Oberfunker, etc.
Rank Wehrmacht (Heer)
Gefreiter
Senior rank
Obergefreiter[3]

Notes

edit
  1. ^ a b McNab 2009b, p. 15.
  2. ^ Lumsden 2000, p. 109.
  3. ^ a b c d McNab 2009, p. 30.
  4. ^ a b Flaherty 2004, p. 148.
  5. ^ Stein 1984, p. 297.

Bibliography

edit
  • Flaherty, T. H. (2004) [1988]. The Third Reich: The SS. Time-Life Books, Inc. ISBN 1-84447-073-3.
  • Lumsden, Robin (2000). A Collector's Guide To: The Waffen–SS. Ian Allan Publishing, Inc. ISBN 0-7110-2285-2.
  • McNab, Chris (2009). The SS: 1923–1945. Amber Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-906626-49-5.
  • McNab, Chris (2009b). The Third Reich. Amber Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-906626-51-8.
  • Stein, George (1984) [1966]. The Waffen-SS: Hitler's Elite Guard at War 1939–1945. Cornell University Press. ISBN 0-8014-9275-0.