Rank

[Wise1]

Here is list of Ranks for those in the camp including German military as they are quite often referred to in the camps.


Block Orderly (Stubendienst)

Prisoner who had to keep the block clean and tidy, this person did not go out on work parties outside the camp.

Block Clerk(Blockschreiber)

Responsible for recording all movements of prisoners in the block. Deputy to the Block Senior (Blockaltester)

Block Senior(Blockaltester)

Leading prisoner responsible for cleanliness and tidiness, this person did not do the work, just rounded up other prisoners to do it and got double soup rations for it, they reported to the Blockfuhrer

Blockfuhrer

An SS man whose duty was to supervise work in his blocksand arrange daily reports, he reported to the Rapportfuhrer

Bum Boy (Piepel)

A young boy corrupted by camp life who server the pleasures of the Kapos and Block Seniors, often sexually abused.

Funktionshaftling

A prisoner entrusted with special duties by the SS.

Hauptscharfuhrer

Sergeant Major.

Hauptsturnfuhrer

Captain.

Kapo

Prisoner of the camp in charge of a working party.

Kommandofuhrer

SS man in charge of supervising a working party.

Lagerfuhrer

SS leader in charge of at least 1 section of the camp. Answered to the Lagerkommandant

Lagerkommandant

The commandant of the entire camp including the SS, aswers directly to Berlin.

Mussulman

Name give to a prisoner who had lost the will to live.

Oberaufseherin

Head Wardress.

Oberscharfuhrer

Platoon Sergeant.

Obersturmfuhrer

First lieutenant.

Ortskommandant

Senior commanding officer of the troop quartered in a town or village.

Rapportfuhrer

Role call leader responsible for order and discipline in his section of the camp. He reported to the camp administration.

Rottenfuhrer

Lance Corporal.

Scharfuhrer

Lance Sergeant.

Sturmmann

Private, first class.

Unterscharfuhrer

Sergeant.

Untersturmfurher

SS sub altern with the rank of 2nd lieutenant.


Bit mixed up but most of the ranks are there. Let me know if I missed any.

[Nick]

im sure i have also seen somewhere that there was a ranking system with the in mates based around crimes committed and insignia to match this rank. i will try and find some more info

[Kiwiwriter]

Originally Posted by nick

im sure i have also seen somewhere that there was a ranking system with the in mates based around crimes committed and insignia to match this rank. i will try and find some more info

I don't know if they were formal ranks per se, but the Nazis slapped triangular patches on their prisoners to identify their status.

Pink triangle: Homosexual (which is why pink is used in gay rights causes today)

Red triangle: Political

Purple: Pacifist

Green: Common criminal

Black: Anti-social (that was a catchall. It could include beggars, for example)

Two yellow triangles on top of each other to create a six-pointed star: Jew.

There was also a rectangle with the word "Blod," on it, for feeble-minded prisoners.

The petty and common criminals were often turned into Kapos, because their brutality, greed, and history of ratting people out in return for lighter sentences, made them logical straw bosses and prisoner-supervisors. They wound up being the direct line of contact and communication between SS guards and the prisoners.

[morse1001]

I don't know if they were formal ranks per se, but the Nazis slapped triangular patches on their prisoners to identify their status.

Although there was no formal rank structure among the prisioners, there was, as develops in any human group a hierarchy system or to put it another way "a pecking order".

[Kiwiwriter]

It's "Hauptsturmfuhrer," by the way.

Just a typographical error. ("No, it was a clean base hit up the middle!")