HJ organization

[Tom Houlihan]

I have several references that show the rank structure of the Hitler Jugend, but I'm missing something. Where in the rank structure is the break between ranks for the boys, and ranks for adults?

I think that a Hauptgefolgschaftsführer is the highest rank for a boy, and Stammführer is the lowest rank for an adult, but I'm not entirely sure. Can anyone elaborate on this?

Danke!

[freddiefro]

My understanding is that Oberstammführer (Senior Unit Leader) was the highest rank achieved by boys up to 18. The HJ adult leadership corps, beginning with the rank of Bannführer (Banner Leader), had the job of overseeing the various youth cells.

Ranks for boys between 14 & 18 were:

Oberstammführer
Stammführer
Hauptgefolgschaftsführer
Obergefolgführer
Gefolgschaftsführer
Oberscharführer
Scharführer
Oberkameradschaftsführer
Kameradschaftsführer
Oberrottenführer
Rottenführer
Hitlerjunge

Ranks for the adult leadership corps were:

Reichsjugendführer
Stabsführer
Obergebeitsführer
Gebeitsführer
Hauptbannführer
Oberbannführer
Bannführer

-Fred

[Tom Houlihan]

Okay, Fred, that means I have to take another look at the color plate, and see if I mis-read it. Thanks for the help.

Anywhere near Auburn Hills?

[freddiefro]

I got my info from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranks_and_ ... tler_Youth

(But we all know how notorius Wikipedia can be with facts).

By the way..I'm in Macomb, about 10-miles from Auburn Hills.

-Fred

[Bart V.]

In 1939 the average age of a Bannführer was 25 years ('Das kommende Deutschland' 1940) and there were two ranks below that within the Führerkorps so I think it's fair to say that Obergefolgschaftsführer would normally be the upper limit for boys during the pre-war HJ. The war and the loss of many of the adult HJ-Führerkorps changed things however and it was possible for a boy to reach higher ranks much sooner than he would have done in the pre-war period. Edgar Gielsdorf from Köln for example became the youngest Bannführer in the Reich aged 17 in 1941.

HJ/DJ/BDM/JM rank structure as at 1939 (Source: HJ im Dienst - 6th edition)

HJ DJ

Gemeinschaftsränge

Rottenführer Hordenführer
Oberrrottenführer Oberhordenführer

Führerschaft

Kameradschaftsführer Jungenschaftsführer
Oberkameradschaftsführer Oberjungenschaftsführer
Scharführer Jungzugführer
Oberscharführer Oberjungzugführer

Höhere Führerschaft

Gefolgschaftsführer Fähnleinführer
Verwaltungsgefolgschaftsführer
Obergefolgschaftsführer Oberfähnleinführer
Hauptgefolgschaftsführer Hauptfähnleinführer

Führerkorps

Stammführer Jungstammführer
Oberstammführer Oberjungstammführer
Bannführer Jungbannführer

Höheres Führerkorps

Oberbannführer Oberjungbannführer
Hauptbannführer Hauptjungbannführer
Gebietsführer
Obergebietsführer
Stabsführer

BDM JM

Mädelschaftsführerin Jungmädelschaftsführerin
Mädelscharführerin Jungmädelscharführerin
Mädelgruppenführerin Jungmädelgruppenführerin
Mädelringführerin Jungmädelringführerin
Untergauführerin Jungmädel-Untergauführerin
Gauführerin Jungmädel-Gauführerin
Obergauführerin

Thanks to Garry M.

[Tom Houlihan]

Vielen Danke! I think...

Lots of good information there, now I have to add it all. I think I might have to modify some of my previous glossary entries, as this information is presented a little differently than the information I had. Very interesting!