Sturmbannführer
Template:Short description Template:Italic title Template:Infobox military rank
Sturmbannführer ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; Template:LiterallyTemplate:Sfn) was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank equivalent to majorTemplate:Sfn that was used in several Nazi organizations, such as the SA, SS, and the NSFK. The rank originated from German shock troop units of the First World War.
The SA title of Sturmbannführer was first established in 1921. In 1928, the title became an actual rank and was also one of the first established SS ranks.Template:Sfn The insignia of a Sturmbannführer was four silver pips centered on a collar patch.Template:Sfn The rank rated below Standartenführer until 1932, when Sturmbannführer became subordinate to the new rank of Obersturmbannführer.Template:Sfn In the Waffen-SS, Sturmbannführer was considered equivalent to a major in the German Wehrmacht.Template:Sfn
Various Waffen-SS units composed of foreign recruits were considered distinct from the German SS, and thus they were not permitted to wear SS runes on their collar tabs but had their divisional insignia instead. Their ranks were also prepended with "Waffen" instead of "SS", as in, Waffen-Sturmbannführer.Template:Sfn
The rank was held by Wernher von Braun, who developed the V-2 rocket, and later designed the Saturn V rocket for the U.S. space program. Other rank holders included Eberhard Heder, Otto Günsche,Template:Sfn and war criminals, such as Otto Förschner, who was the commandant of Dora-Mittelbau concentration camp.
Rank insigniaEdit
| Sturmbannführer SS, SA, NSKK, and NSFK | ||||||
|
Template:Flagicon image Schutzstaffel (SS) |
Template:Flagicon image Sturmabteilung (SA) |
Template:Flagicon image NS Motor Corps (NSKK) |
Template:Flagicon image NS Flyers Corps (NSFK) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:WSS Inf OF3 Stubaf 1945.png | File:Maj Stubaf OF3 cam slv 1945.svg |
File:SS-Sturmbannfuehrer collar.jpg | File:SA-Sturmbannführer.svg | File:NSKK-Sturmbannführer.svg | File:NSFK-Sturmbannführer.svg | |
| Waffen-SS |
|
collar insignia | ||||
| Sequence of ranks in comparison with the Wehrmacht (Heer) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Junior rank Hauptsturmführer (until 1939/40: Sturmhauptführer) |
Template:Flagicon image SA rank Sturmbannführer |
Senior rank Obersturmbannführer |
| Junior rank Hauptsturmführer (until 1934: Sturmhauptführer) |
Template:Flagicon image SS rank Sturmbannführer |
Senior rank Obersturmbannführer |
| Junior rank Hauptmann / Rittmeister |
Template:Flagicon image Wehrmacht rank Major |
Senior rank Oberstleutnant |