The wreathed Polizeiadler (police eagle) was worn as a cap badge and on the left sleeve by all uniformed police
The ranks and insignia of the Ordnungspolizei were developed in 1936 after the nationalization of Germany's regular police forces.
Ordnungspolizei rank titles[]
Ordnungspolizei (Orpo) ranks were based on local police titles and were considered a separate system from the ranks of the SS. It was also possible for Orpo members to hold dual status in both the Orpo and the SS, meaning that two ranks could be held simultaneously. In the case of Orpo generals, equivalent SS rank was always held in which case the Orpo general would be addressed by their SS rank first, followed by their police titles (for example: SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei). In 1944, all Orpo generals also gained equivalent Waffen-SS rank so that, in the event of capture by the Allies, the Orpo general would hold status as a military officer instead of a police official.
Orpo personnel who were also members of the Allgemeine-SS were authorized to wear an embroidered SS Sigrunen patch on the breast pocket.
Ordnungspolizei rank insignia[]
In addition to collar and shoulder insignia, Ordnungspolizei also wore the wreathed police eagle on the upper left sleeve. The collar patch and shoulderboards were backed, and the sleeve eagle (below the rank of Leutnant) embroidered, in truppenfarbe, a color-code which indicated the branch of police: green for Schutzpolizei (protection police) and police general officers, orange for rural Gendarmerie, carmine-red for fire brigades, gold for maritime police and so on.
| Orpo general rank | SS equivalent | Shoulder insignia | Collar insignia1936-42 | Collar insignia1942-45 |
| Chef der Deutschen Polizei | Reichsführer-SS | 
|
File:Reichsf.-SS Kragenspiegel.gif | File:Reichsf.-SS Kragenspiegel.gif |
| Generaloberst der Polizei | Oberstgruppenführer | 
|
| |
| General der Polizei | Obergruppenführer | 
|
| |
| Generalleutnant der Polizei | Gruppenführer | 
|
| |
| Generalmajor der Polizei | Brigadeführer | 
|
|
Note: Since most police generals, increasingly as time went on, were also SS generals, they typically wore an SS uniform except at police-specific functions.
| Orpo officer rank | SS equivalent | Shoulder insignia | Collar insignia |
| Oberst der Polizei | Standartenführer | 
|
|
| Oberstleutnant der Polizei | Obersturmbannführer | 
|
|
| Major der Polizei | Sturmbannführer | 
|
|
| Hauptmann der Polizei | Hauptsturmführer | ||
| Oberleutnant der Polizei | Obersturmführer | ||
| Leutnant der Polizei | Untersturmführer |
| Orpo enlisted rank | Translation | SS equivalent | Shoulder insignia | Collar insignia |
| Meister | Master | Sturmscharführer | ||
| Hauptwachtmeister | Chief watch master | Hauptscharführer | File:Hauptwachtmeister shoulderboard.gif | |
| Revier-oberwachtmeister(Schupo)Bezirks-oberwachtmeister(Gendarmerie)Zugwachtmeister(Kasernierte Polizei) | Precinct senior watch masterDistrict senior watch masterPlatoon watch master | Oberscharführer | ||
| Oberwachtmeister | Senior watch master | Scharführer | ||
| Wachtmeister | Watch master | Unterscharführer | ||
| Rottmeister | Team master | Rottenführer | ||
| Unterwachtmeister | Junior watch master | Sturmmann | ||
| Anwärter | Candidate | Mann |
Rank and Pay[]
| Pay Grade [1] | Annual Pay Reichsmark (RM) (basic pay without allowances)[1] |
Mannschaften (Enlisted) Unterführer (NCO) Revieroffiziere |
Offiziere (Officers) | Corresponding rank in the SS (Wehrmacht) [2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | .. | Anwärter | SS-Anwärter (Schütze) | |
| - | .. | Anwärter with more than 6 months service | SS-Mann (Oberschütze) | |
| - | .. | Unterwachtmeister | SS-Sturmmann (Gefreiter) | |
| A8c5 | 1 536 | Rottwachtmeister | SS-Rottenführer (Obergefreiter) | |
| A8c4 | 1 920 | Wachtmeister | SS-Unterscharführer (Unteroffizier) | |
| A8c3 | 2 040 | Oberwachtmeister | SS-Scharführer (Unterfeldwebel) | |
| A8c2 | 2 340 | Revieroberwachtmeister | SS-Oberscharführer (Feldwebel) | |
| A8c1 | 2 370 | Hauptwachtmeister with less than 12 years service | SS-Hauptscharführer (Oberfeldwebel) | |
| A8a | 2 100 - 2 800 | Hauptwachtmeister with more than 12 years service | SS-Hauptscharführer (Oberfeldwebel) | |
| A7c | 2 000 - 3 000 | Hauptwachtmeister appointed before April 12, 1943 | SS-Hauptscharführer (Oberfeldwebel) | |
| A7a | 2 350-3 500 | Meister | SS-Sturmscharführer (Stabsfeldwebel) | |
| A5b | 2 300-4 200 | Obermeister Revierleutnant |
SS-Untersturmführer (Leutnant) | |
| A4e | 2 800-4 600 | Leutnant | SS-Untersturmführer (Leutnant) | |
| A4e | 2 800-4 600 | Oberleutnant | SS-Obersturmführer (Oberleutnant) | |
| A4c2 | 2 800-5000 | Inspektor Revieroberleutnant |
SS-Obersturmführer (Oberleutnant) | |
| A4c1 | 2 800-5 300 | Revierhauptmann | SS-Hauptsturmführer (Hauptmann) | |
| A3b | 4 800-6 900 | Hauptmann | SS-Hauptsturmführer (Hauptmann) | |
| A2c2 | 8 400 | Major |
SS-Sturmbannführer (Major) | |
| A2b | 9 700 | Oberstleutnant |
SS-Obersturmbannführer (Oberstleutnant) | |
| A1a | 12 600 | Oberst |
SS-Standartenführer (Oberst) | |
| B7a | 16 000 | Generalmajor |
SS-Brigadeführer (Generalmajor) | |
| B4 | 19 000 | Generalleutnant |
SS-Gruppenführer (Generalleutnant) | |
| B3a | 24 000 | General |
SS-Obergruppenführer (General) |
Mean annual pay for an industrial worker was 1,459 Reichsmark 1939, and for a privately employed white-collar worker 2,772 Reichsmark.[3]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Reichsbesoldungsordnung 1943, RGBl I:38
- ↑ Andrew Mollo, Uniforms of the SS, Vol. 5: "Sicherheitsdienst und Sicherheitspolizei 1931-1945" (London: Windrow & Green, 1992), p. 51
- ↑ Die Besoldung eines Soldaten der Wehrmacht Retrieved 2013-11-26
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The original article can be found at Ranks and insignia of the Ordnungspolizei and the edit history here.