SS General Officer Ranks Insignia Pre – April 1942

The SS, both Allegmeine and Waffen SS experienced a design revision to their collar tabs that went into effect in April of 1942. The design of the collar tabs prior to that change were as shown below;

Pre-April 1942

SS-Brigadefuhrer

The base rank is signified by two oakleaves and a single pip, embroidered in silver on black velvet.

(private collection)

SS-Gruppenfuhrer

The base rank is indicated by three oakleaves in silver, on black velvet.

(private collection)

SS-Obergruppenfuhrer

The base rank is indicated by three oakleaves, with the addition of one pip, embroidered in silver over black velvet.

From the formal, silver piped collar of the jacket of Werner Lorenz.

(private collection)

Reichsfuhrer SS

Cluster of three oakleaves surrounded by a laurel wreath. This design remained consistent from August of 1934 until the end of the war in May of 1945.

(private collection)

Shoulderboards

All General rank officers in the SS wore the same shoulderboard to indicate General officer status up until 1939, when an Army style General officer shoulderboard was introduced for each individual rank in the Waffen SS.

SS-Brigadefuhrer through SS Obergruppenfuhrer

Three interwoven aluminum twist cords with the inner cord twisted in an opposite direction. Underlay is black wool. From the formal dress jacket of Werner Lorenz.

Reichsfuhrer SS

Standard SS General’s shoulderboard with the addition of a rank device consisting of three oakleaves (as in the RFSS collar tab). This device was colored silver from 1934 until December of 1939 at which time it was changed to bronze. April of 1942 found another regulation changing it back again to silver.

(private collection)