Oberführer

Emil Maurice as an Oberführer

Oberführer (short: Oberf, {{#invoke:IPA|main}}, Template:Literally) was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) dating back to 1921. An Oberführer was typically an NSDAP member in charge of a group of paramilitary units in a particular geographical region.Template:Sfn From 1921 to 1925, the phrase Oberführer was used as a title in the Sturmabteilung (SA), but became an actual SA rank after 1926.

Oberführer was also a rank of the Schutzstaffel (SS, at that time a branch of the SA), established in 1925 as Gauführer, a rank for SS officers in charge of SS personnel in the several Gaue throughout Germany; in 1928 the rank was renamed Oberführer, and used of the commanders of the three regional SS-Oberführerbereiche. In 1930, the SS was reorganized into SS-Gruppen and Brigaden, at which time Oberführer became subordinate to the higher rank of Brigadeführer. By 1932, Oberführer was an established rank of the SA, SS and NSKK.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

Oberführer wore two oak leaves on the uniform collar rank patch, along with the shoulder boards and lapels of a general officer.Template:Sfn In 1938, the status of SS-Oberführer began to change with the rise of the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT), which would later become the Waffen-SS. Since Brigadeführer was rated equal to a Generalmajor, and Standartenführer to an Oberst, Oberführer had no military equivalent and quickly became regarded as a senior colonel rank.Template:Sfn This distinction continues in historical circles with most texts referring to Oberführer as a senior colonel rankTemplate:Sfn Template:Sfn while some others state it was a military equivalent to a British Army brigadier.Template:Sfn