Talk:Reichsführer-SS

Reference to novel
In the novel Fatherland , set in a parallel history where Germany won the Second World War, Reinhard Heydrich is depicted as having been promoted to the rank of Reichsführer-SS, after Himmler was mysteriously killed in a plane crash in the 1950s.

I have removed this sentence. The novel is absolutely brilliant in my eyes, but I do not think this is the appropriate place. I am not usre whether an article exists on Third Reich in literature, but if not this might be the adequate place for such information Refdoc 22:22, 29 Mar 2005 (UTC)


 * What is wrong with having the Fatherland reference in this article? The book, itself, made a very big point about Heydrich becoming Reichsfuhrer-SS.  There is no harm in having it here.  Alot of other rank/medal/award articles give fictional references.  Medal of Honor and Unterscharführer for instance.  I believe the reference should stay.  I will work on modifying it, though, to speak of both heydrich's real life aspirations to become the RF-SS as well as his holding the rank in the alterative history of Fatherland. -Husnock 22:46, 29 Mar 2005 (UTC)

I am redoing the format now to have fiction in its own section. The info can then be moved out when and if a fiction literature article is created, as was mentioned above. -Husnock 23:31, 29 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Hyphen in rank
There seems to be a user that is removing the hyphen from all the articles containing the rank of Reichsführer-SS. Here is a scan of an original Himmler document from 1944. As you can see, the hyphen is clearly there. -Husnock 20:54, 9 July 2005 (UTC)



There is also an Equal-sign in "Waffen=SS". Do you want to change that, too? --Yooden


 * I can post more documents if you want. This is nothing personal.  The hyphen is simply present. -Husnock 20:59, 9 July 2005 (UTC)


 * Here are two more:



This makes no sense, but it's not the only thing the Nazis did that makes no sense. Sorry for the trouble. --Yooden
 * I think it is something in the German language where a hyphen is used in the place of "of the" much like "von der" is used in proper names. In this case, Reichsführer-SS would translate as "Reich Leader of the SS" -User:Husnock 15 Jul 05
 * I don't think so, which is why I started the whole mess. 'Reichsführer-SS' would strictly mean 'An SS meant for Reichsführers' or '..composed of Reichsführers' (think 'apple-tree'). See Waffen-SS, where the hyphen is correct. OTOH, see 'Oberbefehlshaber West', 'Stoßtrupp Adolf Hitler', 'Reichsprotektorat Böhmen und Mähren', etc.
 * Therefore, it is also wrong to call it 'Allgemeine-SS' Is there a historical background for this or is it just merkinization? Please let me know before I blunder again. --Yooden
 * The term Allgemeine-SS is mentioned in every text book and publication about the SS that I have ever seen and is written as such in original German documents from WWII. As far as Reichsführer-SS, every book, manual, and history text I have ever read lists the translation as "Reich Leader of the SS".  This is based on both documentation and my knowledge and study of the SS since 1987 when I first picked up a book about SS uniforms and went from there towards a degree in WWII history. -Husnock 21:27, 16 July 2005 (UTC)

I'm more than a little surprised by this fuss about the hyphen (and the equals sign). The meanings of all the terms used are clear enough and the conventions for rendering these terms in English are very well established. Norvo 03:39, 29 November 2005 (UTC)

SA?
"In 1929, Heinrich Himmler became Reichsführer-SS and referred to himself by his title instead of his regular SS rank."

I assume in the above it is meant 'his regular SA rank', from when the SS was but a branch of the SA. Unless it does mean he was a SS-Obergruppenführer with the designation of Reichsführer-SS before it was a proper rank in itself, though this should be clarified to avoid future similar confusion as my own. Nagelfar 01:35, 17 November 2005 (UTC)
 * The SS was independent in practice as early as 1927, and ranks held by SS members started with the prefix "SS" instead of "SA". -OberRanks (talk) 15:15, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

Equivalent rank
Just to clarify, every established military textbook that gives comparative rank charts states Himmler's rank was equivalent to a Field Marshal in the German Army. We have had some attempts to state Himmler was equal to Goring, and that he was the same thing as a Reichsmarshall but this is not the case. Goring's rank was a special grade, held only by him, and Himmler was never acknowledged as an equivalent in rank to Goring. -OberRanks (talk) 15:15, 9 April 2010 (UTC)


 * In the book by historian, Chris McNab, "The SS: 1923-1945" he states that Reichsführer-SS was (de facto) the equivalent to Reichsmarshall, but with that said, I would agree that all other charts state that Himmler's rank on paper was equivalent to a Field Marshal in the German Army. In fact, however, Himmler (from 1942 I would say and other's point to 1943) carried more weight, so to speak as time went on. Kierzek (talk) 15:58, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

"Highest Political Rank"
An ip address (User:24.57.149.85) has attempted both on this article and in Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party to suggest that the rank of Reichsführer-SS was the "highest political rank" in Nazi Germany next only to Hitler. This is pretty much false for a number of reasons, chief among them that Reichsleiter was the highest rank (which Himmler also held) according to established sources about the Nazi Party. Also stating that Himmler was the most powerful man after Hitler is entirely unsourced - every recognized text on Nazi Germany states that Hermann Goring was recognized as Hitler's successor up until the end when he (at the same time as Himmler) were stripped of their ranks by Hitler in 1945. The ip address has also run into trouble on other articles with several edits reverted as unsourced and POV. Unless hard core reliable sources are provided, in accordance with WP:VERIFY, such edits to this article should be removed. -OberRanks (talk) 03:48, 26 December 2010 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 23 September 2020
I think we can link the Oberster Führer der SS rank directly to Hitler's wiki article alone, since he held that rank until April 30, 1945. 49.146.7.158 (talk) 05:07, 23 September 2020 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done for now: as it is a description of the rank, not just about people who have held it.  Heart  Glow (talk) 12:16, 23 September 2020 (UTC)

Equivant to Captain of the Guard
this postion seems very simmlar cause the SS was simmilar to a royal guard who have one leader at a time a (cap of the guard) where as the dutechese schutzstaffel aslo only had one leader the reichfuher-SS Marvin Hanes (talk) 09:39, 27 December 2022 (UTC)
 * This is no WP:RS listed source herein that states that, and this is not a forum. Further, it is WP:OR at this point. Kierzek (talk) 16:45, 27 December 2022 (UTC)