difference between Chef and Führer

[Piet Duits]

Hi,

I have a question about the difference between -Chef and -Führer.

I have a Hauptmann d.R. Erich Barnstedt, Batterieführer 5./ A.R. 205, in this position since 9.8.1941 !!! (Stellenbesetzung dated 15.6.1944).
This seems more than odd, since he has the correct Stellengruppe (K) for the position, and moreover, has been in that position since quite some time.
And still, he's not the Chef.
On the other hand, there's an Oberleutnant d.R. Hubert Reifenschweiler, Chef 7./ A.R. 205, in this position since 20.1.44.
He's promoted to Chef, despite his lower rank (St.Gr. Z) and seniority.

I don't understand this.
The Hauptm. has seniority, but still isn't a Batteriechef.
Can anyone explain to me how long an officer should have been in a position to become the Chef or Kommandeur?

Piet

[WARNACH]

Piet
Platoon (Zug) : Führer
Coy, Batterie-level: Chef/ Führer (both used - but mostly "chef")
Btl/Abt (and higher) level always kommandeur
Peter

[Piet Duits]

Peter,

Thanks for your response, but... nope, not completely true.

I have seen numerous examples of lower ranking officers in command of a batallion.
For example, an Oberleutnant as Batallionsführer.
And that's exactly the point. If he was of higher rank, or longer in that position, he would become the Batallionskommandeur.
But what were the conditions to become the Kommandeur. Or Chef.

Piet

[tigre]

Hello to all ; AFAIK when an officer was called Chef, he got the assigment (was assigned to that post by his superiors) and when he was called Führer (leader), normally he was acting commander of that unit/ coy/ Platoon. For example because the assigned chef was casualty and the führer followed him in rank or he has not the rank for that assigment....my opinion. Cheers. Raúl M .

[Lorenz]

Hello to all ; AFAIK when an officer was called Chef, he got the assigment (was assigned to that post by his superiors) and when he was called Führer (leader), normally he was acting commander of that unit/ coy/ Platoon. For example because the assigned chef was casualty and the führer followed him in rank or he has not the rank for that assigment....my opinion. Cheers. Raúl M .

Probably correct. But often confused with Stellvertreter Chef or Kommandeur. A variant on this theme are the Luftwaffe terms, (1) Staffelkapitän, and (2) Staffelführer. The former (Staffelkapitän) was the unequivocal commander of the squadron by virtue of formal appointment and rank. But it was often the case, particularly in fighter units, where there was another officer in the Staffel who was more experienced in the air and in whom the other pilots had more trust and faith regarding his judgement in combat. So it was this officer who usually led the Staffel in the air and directed its movements in combat. He carried the title Staffelführer. Sometimes the Staffelführer was the same rank as the Staffelkapitän and there are rare occasions where he was a rank higher. But in the great majority of cases he was a rank lower.

L.