Reich Youth Leader[]
Reichsjugendführer (Reich Youth Leader) was the highest possible rank of the Hitler Youth and was held by the Nazi Party official in command of the entire organization. The rank of Reichsjugendführer was only held by two people during its existence, those being Baldur von Schirach and Artur Axmann. Von Schirach wore no particular insignia and can be seen in photographic evidence as donning a Nazi Party brown jacket with Hitler Youth armband. When Axmann took the rank of Reichsjugendführer, in 1941, he began wearing collar patches identical to the Schutzstaffel rank of Reichsführer-SS.
Ranks and Insignia[]
| Hitler Youth Rank | Translation |
| Oberstammführer | Senior Unit Leader |
| Stammführer | Unit Leader |
| Hauptgefolgschaftsführer | Head Cadre Unit Leader |
| Obergefolgschaftsführer | Senior Cadre Unit Leader |
| Gefolgschaftsführer | Cadre Unit Leader |
| Oberscharführer | Senior Squad Leader |
| Scharführer | Squad Leader |
| Oberkameradschaftsführer | Senior Comrade Unit Leader |
| Kameradschaftsführer | Comrade Unit Leader |
| Oberrottenführer | Senior Section Leader |
| Rottenführer | Section Leader |
| Hitlerjunge | Hitler Youth |
| Adult Leadership Rank | Translation |
| Stabsführer | Staff Leader |
| Obergebietsführer | Senior Area Leader |
| Gebietsführer | Area Leader |
| Hauptbannführer | Head Banner Leader |
| Oberbannführer | Senior Banner Leader |
| Bannführer | Banner Leader |
Unit Designators[]
Membership in local Hitler Youth cells was denoted by a number worn on the upper portion of the rank insignia shoulder patch. These unit designators were worn by all members of the Hitler Youth, with the exception of the National Youth Leadership Corps, who served on the staff of the Reichsjugendführer.
Hitler Youth titles[]
Prior to the establishment of a paramiltiary rank system, the Hitler Youth maintained a simple system of paramilitary titles which were as follows:
- Reichsjugendführer: National Youth Leader (Commander of the Hitler Youth)
- Hitlerjugendführer: Hitler Youth Leader (Adult Leadership Corps)
- Hitlerjunge: Hitler Youth (Juvenile Membership)
Reichsjugendführer and Hitlerjunge would later become actual ranks with Hitlerjunge also commonly used to denote any juvenile member of the Hitler Youth. The title of Hitlerjugendführer never became an actual rank but was used throughout the Hitler Youth's existence as a term applied to members of the adult leadership.
| |||||||||||||||||
The original article can be found at Ranks and insignia of the Hitler Youth and the edit history here.