WIKING RUF Europäische Freiwilligen in der Waffen-SS

German abbreviations:

GERMAN	ABBREVIATION	ENGLISH
abgeordnet	abg.	temporarily transferred to a position at another place.
Abschnitt	Abs.; Abschn.	Sector; district. In the SS: Regional division of Germany and its headquarters; In the SD: Subordinate Regional HQ and its area
Abteilung	A.; Abt.	Unit, battery, battalion, department
Abwehr	Abw.	Wehrmacht Intelligence service
Abwehrpolizei		Counter-espionage police. A function of the Grenzpolizei under the jurisdiction of the Gestapo.
Abzeichen	Abz.	Badge of rank, appointment, or distinction.
Adjutantur		i. Staff department dealing with routing personnel and administrative matters; ii. The earlier title of the Persönlicher Stab RfSS
Ahnenerbe Forschungs- und Lehrgemeinschaft		Society for Research into and Teaching of Ancestral Heritage. Administered by Pers.Stab RfSS, this office promoted research of family and national hereditary history and dissemination of racial theories.
Allgemeines Heeresamt	A.H.A.	General Army Directorate
Allgemeine Heeresmitteilungen	A.H.M.	General army orders
Allgemeine-SS	Allg. SS	The general body of the SS, composed of part-time, full-time, and honorary members.
Allgemeines Wehrmachtsamt		General Armed Forces Office in OKW, conerned with matters of personnel, training, equipment, etc.
Amt		A main office, branch, or directorate of a Ministry, or an independent Ministry such as the Auswartiges Amt
Amtsgruppe		A subordinate branch of a Hauptamt.
Anhaltelager		Temporary detention camp.
Anordnung		Order, instruction, or regulation
Anwärter	Anw.	Cadet or candidate
Abeitsdienstführer		Overseer of labor performance in a concentration camp; responsible to the Arbeitseinsatzführer.
Arbeitseinsatzführer		Supervisor of labor in a concentration camp.
Arbeitserziehungslager		Labor education camp for released prisoners requiring special training to readjust them for industry.
Armee-Bekleidungs-Amt	A.Bekl.Amt	Army clothing depot
Armee-Briefstelle	A.Briefstelle	Army postal station
Armee-Feldlazarett	A.Feldlaz.	Army field hospital
Armeekorps	A.K.	Infantry corps
Armee-Kartenstelle	A.Kartenstelle	Army map depot
Armee-Kraftfahr-Park	A.K.P.	Army motor transport park
Armee-Nachrichten-Park	A,N.Pk.	Army signals equipment park
Armee-Nachrichten-Regiment	A.N.R.	Army signals regiment
Armee-Oberkommando	A.O.K.	Army (H.Q.)
Armee-Pferde-Lazarett	A.Pf.Laz.	Army veterinary hospital
Armee-Sanitäts-Abteilung	A.San.Abt.	Army medical unit
Armee-Sanitäts-Park	A.San.Pk.	Army medical stores park
Artillerie-Ersatz-Regiment	A.E.R.	Artillery depot/replacement regiment
Artillerie-Führer	Arfü	Commanding officer divisional artillery regiment
Artillerie-Kommandeur	Arko	Artillery commander from G.H.Q. pool
Artillerie-Lehr-Regiment	Art.Lehr-Rgt	Artillery demonstration regiment
Artillerie-Park	Art.Pk.	Artillery equipment park
Artillerie-Regiment	A.R.; Art.Rgt.	Artillery regiment
Astronomischer-Mess-Zug	Astr.Mess-Zug	Astronomical survey section
Aufklärung	Aufkl.	lit. enlightenment; military: Reconnaissance
Aufklärungs-Abteilung	A.A.; Aufkl.Abt.	Reconnaissance unit
Aufklärungs- und Kavallerie-Abteilung	Aufkl.u.Kav.Abt.	Reconnaissance and cavalry demonstration unit
Ausbildung	Ausb.	Training
Ausbildungs-Bataillon	Ausb.Btl.	Training battalion
Ausbildungs-Division	Ausb.Div.	Training division
Ausland/Abwehr	Ausl./Abw.	Amt (previously an Amtsgruppe) of OKW responsible for Espionage, Counterespionage, Sabotage, and Foreign Information. Headed by Admiral Wilhelm Canaris until his arrest for anti-Nazi activities in 1944, whereupon it was absorbed by the RSHA.
Auslands-Organisation	AO	The NSDAP agency concerned with care and supervision of Germans in foreign countries. Ranked as the 43rd Gau of the NSDAP under Gauleiter and Foreign Office Staatssekretär Ernst-Wilhelm Bohle.
Aussendienststelle or Aussenstelle	Aust.	Outstation or outpost of the Sipo and SD
ausser Dienst	a.D.	retired; on inactive list
Auswärtiges Amt		Foreign Office; The Reich Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Bäckerie-Kompanie	Bäck.Kp.	Bakery company
Bahnhofs-Kommandantur	Bahnhofs-Kdtr.	Railway station command
Bahnschutzpolizei		Railway protection police. Transferred to SS control, 1942.
Bann		A subdivision of the Hitler-Jugend Gebiet (region), approximately comparable to a Kreis (district) of the NSDAP.
bataillon	Btl.	Battalion
Batterie	Batt(r).	Battery (artillery troop)
Bau-Bataillon	Bau-Btl.	Construction battalion
Bauinspektion		Construction Inspectorate, a branch of Amtsgruppe C of the SS-WVHA.
Beamter		An official or functionary.
beauftragt	b.	authorized; commissioned; in charge
Beauftragter	Beauftr.	A representative, commissioner, or administrator.
Befehl		An order or command.
Befehlshaber des Ersatzheeres	B.d.E.	C.-in-C. Replacement Army
Befehlshaber der Ordnungspolizei	BdO	Commander of the Orpo in a Wehrkreis or similar territory.
Befehlshaber der Sicherheitspolzei und des Sicherheitsdienstes	BdS	Commander of the Sipo and SD in a Wehrkreis or similar territory.
Behörde		An authority or administrative body.
bei(m)	b.	on; near
Bereitschaftsdienst	BD	Emergency service branch (of the TeNo)
Bereitschaftspolizei		Mobile barracks police units of the Landespolizei, administered by the various Länder before the police were centralized in 1935/1936.
Bevollmächtigter	Bev.	Plenipotentiary
Bewachungsmannschaft		Guard detachment of the SS in a concentration camp.
Bezirk	Bez.	A district; sub-region; administrative unit.
Bezirksverwaltungsgericht	BVG	District Administrative Court
Blockführer		1. An SS NCO in charge of a block or company of prisoners in a concentration camp, responsible to the Rapportführer.
Blockleiter		Lowest official of the NSDAP, responsible for the political supervision of 40 to 60 households. Subordinate to a Zellenleiter
Bürgermeister		Mayor of a mid-size town or smaller community.
Chef der deutschen Polizei	Ch.d.Dt.P.; ChdDtP; ChdDtPol.	Commander-in-Chief of the German Police (Heinrich Himmler)
Chef der Heeresrüstung und Behfehlshaber des Ersatzheeres	Ch.H.Rü.u.B.d.E.	Chief of Army Equipment and Commander of the Replacement Army
Chef der Ordnungspolizei	CdO	Chief of the Order Police (Daluege, then Wünnenberg)
Chef der Sicherheitspolizei und des SD	CSSD	Chief of the Security Police and SD (Heydrich, then Kaltenbrunner)
Chef der Zivilverwaltung	CdZ	Head of the Civilian Administration in an occupied territory.
der Reserve	d.R.	of the Reserve
Deutsch	Dt.	German
Deutsche Arbeitsfront	DAF	The German Labor Front, largest of the NSDAP's affiliated organizations comprising all the corporations, guilds, and professional associations. Led by Reichsleiter Dr. Robert Ley.
Deutsche Ausrüstungswerke		German Equipment Works, SS enterprise founded in 1939.
Deutsche Erd- und Steinwerke GmbH		German Clay and BrickworksLtd. SS enterprise established in 1938, primarily to construct brickworks and exploit quarries by the use of prisoner labor.
Deutsches Rotes Kreuz	DRK	German Red Cross. President: NSKK-Obergruppenführer Herzog von Sachs-Coburg; Vice-President: SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Prof. Dr. med. Ernst-Robert Grawitz.
Deutsche Umsiedlungs-Treuhand GmbH	DUT	German Resettlement Trust Ltd., affiliated with the RKFDV.
Deutsche Wirtschaftsbetriebe GmbH	DWB	German Economic Enterprises Ltd., an enterprise controlled by the SS-WVHA.
Dienstgrad		Rank or grade
Dienststelle		Headquarters, administrative office, station, or depot.
Durchgangslager	Dulag	POW transit camp
Ehrenführer		Honorary SS leader. Distinction accorded by Himmler to leading NSDAP and State figures nominally attached to his staff.
Eingetragener Verein. A registered society (e.g., Lebensborn e.V.		e.V.
Einheit		Unit
Einsatz		Action, operation, employment
Einsatzgruppe	EGru.	Operational group or task force of the Sipo and SD for special missions (particularly liquidiations of Jews, communist officials, etc.) in occupied territory.
Einsatzkommando	Ekdo.	Detachment of the Sipo and SD; subordinate element of an Einsatzgruppe
Einwandererzentrallstelle	EWZ	Central Immigration Office administered by the RSHA and part of the RKFDV.
Eisenbahn-Artillerie	Eisb.Art.	Railway artillery
Eisenbahn-Baubataillon	Eisb.Baubtl.	Railway construction battalion
Eisenbahn-Baukompanie	Eisb.Baukomp.	Railway construction company
Eisenbahn-Betriebs-Kompanie	Eisb.Betr.Kp.	Railway operating company
Eisenbahn-Fernsprech-Kompanie	Eisb.Fsp.Kp.	Railway telephone company
Eisenbahn-Küchenwagen-Abteilung	Eisb.Küchenwg.Abt.	Railway kitchen car unit
Eisenbahn-Nachrichten-Abteilung	Eisb.Nachr.Abt.	Railway signals unit
Eisenbahn-Pionier-Bau-Kompanie	Eisb.Pi.Baubtl.	Railway engineer construction company
Eisenbahn-Pionier-Park	Eisb.Pi.Pk.	Railway engineer equipment park
Eisenbahn-Pionier-Regiment	Eisb.Pi.Rgt.	Railway engineer regiment
Eisenbahn-Pionier-Stab zur besonderen Verwendung	Eisb.Pi.St.z.b.V.	Special railway engineer staff
Eisenbahn-Pionier-Zug	Eisb.Pz.Zug	Armored train
Entgiftungs-Abteilung	Entg.Abt.	Decontamination battalion
Entlade-Stab	Entl.St.	Unloading staff
Ergänzungs-	Erg.	Reserve; supplementary
Erlass		Edict, decree, or order
Ernährung	Ern.	Food; nutrition
Ersatz	Ers.	Training; depot; reinforcement
Ersatz-Teillager	Ers.Teillag.	Spare parts depot
europäisch	europ.	European
Fachreferat		A specialist subsection or 'desk' in an office or headquarters.
Feldbahn-Kompanie	Feldbahnkp.	Field railway company
Feldeisenbahn-Betriebs-Abteilung	Feldeisb.Betr.Abt.	Field railway operating unit
Feldeisenbahn-Direktion	Feldeisb.Dir.	(see Feldeisenbahn-Kommando)
Feldeisenbahn-Maschinen-Abteilung	Feldeisb.Masch.Abt.	Field railway machine unit
Feldeisenbahn-Nachschub-Lager	Feldeisb.Nachsch.Lag.	Field railway supply depot
Feldeisenbahn-Kommando	Feldeisb.Kdo.	Field railway command
Feldeisenbahn-Werkstatt-Abteilung	Feldeisb.Werkst.Abt.	Field railway workshop unit
Feldgendarmerie-Abteilung	F.G.A.	Military police battalion
Feldgendarmerie-Trupp	Feldgend.Tr.	Military police detachment
Feldjägerkorps	FJK	A shock formation of the SA, dissolved 1935 and incorporated into the Police.
Feldkommandantur	F.K.	Administrative H.A. in occupied countries (of regimental status)
Feldlazarett	Feldlaz.	Field hospital
Feldnachrichten-Kommandantur	Feldnachr.Kdtr.	Field signals command
Feldschalt-Abteilung	Feldschalt-Abt. z.b.V.	Special signals relay unit
Feld-Sonder-Bataillon	Feld-Sd.Btl.	Special penal battalion
Feld-Wasser-Strassen-Räum Abteilung	Feld-Wasser-Str.R.Abt.	Waterways clearing battalion
Feldwerkstatt	Feldwerkst.	Field workshop (ordnance)
Fernkabel-Bau-Abteilung	Fernkab.Bau-Abt.	Trunk-line telegraph construction unit
Fernschreibkompanie	Fernschreibkp.	Teleprint company
Feste-Nachrichten-Stelle	Feste-Nachr.Stelle	Static signals station
Festungs-Baubataillon	Fstgs.Baubtl.	Fortress construction battalion
Festungs-Bataillon	Fstgs.Btl.	Fortress battalion
Festungs-Nachrichten-Kommandantur	Fstgs.Nachr.Kdtr.	Fortress signals command
Festungs-Pionier-Abschnitt-Gruppe	Fstgs.Pi.Abschn.Gr.	Fortress engineer sector group
Festungs-Pionier-Kommandeur	Fstgs.Pi.Kdr.	Fortress engineer commander
FestungsPionier Park	Fstngs.Pi.Pk.	Fortress engineer park
Festungs-Pionier-Stab	Fstgs.Pi.St.	Fortress engineer staff
Festungs-Regiment	Fstgs.Rgt.	Fortress regiment
Feuerschutzpolizei	FSchp.	Fire Protection Police; a branch of the Orpo
Filmtrupp	Filmtr.	Film section
Filterkolonne	Filterkol.
Fördernde Mitglied der SS	F.M.	Sponsoring member of the SS paying monthly dues for that status; did not hold actual SS rank. In many cases the wives of SS officers held this title.
Freiherr	Frhr.	Baron (aristocratic title; eg: Konstantin Freiherr von Neurath)
freiwilligen	freiw.	Volunteer
Führer	Fhr.	Leader; commander; chief. The title "Der Führer" was only used in reference to Adolf Hitler.
Führerhauptquartier	FHQ	Hitler's Field Headquarters
für		for
Funk		Radio
Gau		Main territorial division of the NSDAP. There were 42 Gaue in the Reich and annexed territories, with a further 43rd Gau comprising the Auslandsorganisation (AO; Foreign Organization of the Nazi Party)
Gauleiter	GL	Highest ranking NSDAP official in a Gau, with responsibility for all matters of politics and econoomics, labor mobilization, and civil defense.
Gebirgs-Armee		Mountain Army; a formation of the German Army)
Gebirgs-Division	Geb.Div.	Mountain Division of the Heer or Waffen-SS
Gebirgs-Korps		Mountain Corps (a formation of the Heer or Waffen-SS)
Geheim	Geh.	Secret
Geheime Feldpolizei	GFP	Secret Field Police
Geheime Kommandosache	Geh.KdoS.	Secret Command matters; a very high security classification.
Geheime Reichssache	Geh.RchS.	Secret matter of National importance; highest security classification.
Geheimes Staatspolizei	Gestapo	Secret State Police; Amt IV of the Reichssicherheitshauptamt from 1939.
Gemeinde	Gem.	Municipality, community
Gemeindepolizei	Gem.Pol.	Municipal Police
genannt	gen.	Called; named; known as
Gendarmerie	Gend.	Rural police, including motorized traffic control units
Generalbevollmächtigter		Plenipotentiary General
Generalgouvernement	GG	The Government General - German-occupied Poland and the administration thereof under Dr. jur. Hans Frank.
Generalkommando	Gen.Kdo.	Headquarters of an Army Corps.
Generalquartiermeister des Heeres		Quartermaster-General of the German Army
Generalstab des Heeres		The German Army General Staff.
Germanische Leitstelle		Germanic Liaison Office of the SS-Hauptamt, responsible for supervision of Germanic SS.
Grenadier	Gren.	adj.: Infantry; n.: infantryman
Grenzpolizei	Grepo; GP	Frontier Police (a branch of the Gestapo)
Grenzpolizeiamt	GPA	Frontier Police Office
Grenzpolizei-Posten	Grepo	Frontier Police Outpost
Grenzpolizeikommissariat	Greko	Frontier Police Commissariat
Gross	Gr.	Great; large
hauptamtlich	(H)	full time; fully paid; professional
Hauptaussenstelle	HAuSt.; HASt.	Large branch office of the SD
Hilfspolizei	Hipo	Auxiliary Police
Hitler-Jugend	HJ	Hitler Youth organization
Höhere SS- und Polizeiführer	HSSPF	Higher and Police Leader
in; im	i.	in; in the
Infanterie-Division	Inf.Div.; I.D.	Infantry division
Infanterie-Regiment	Inf.Rgt.; I.R.	Infantry regiment
Inspekteur	Ing.	Engineer
Inspektor; Inspekteur	Insp.; I.	Inspector
Inspekteur der Ordnungspolizei	IdO	Original title for the BDO [see Befehlshaber der Ordnungspolizei]
Inspekteur der Sicherheitspolizei und des Sicherheitsdienstes	IdS; Insp.d.Sipo u.d.SD	Inspector of the Security Police and Security Service
Internationale Kriminalpolizeiliche Kommission	IKPK	International Criminal Police Commission
Kaserne	Kas.	Barracks
Kavallerie	Kav.	Cavalry
Kavallerie-Division	Kav.Div.; K.D.	Cavalry division
Kavallerie-Regiment	Kav.Rgt.; K.R.	Cavalry regiment
Kommandant	Kdt.	commandant
Kommandantur	Kdtr.	Administrative HQ; Garrison HQ
Kommandeur	Kdr.	commander
Kommandeur der Bautruppen	Comander, construction troops	Kdr. der Bau-Tr.
Kommandeur der Kraftfahrparktruppen	Kdr. der Kf.Pk.Tr.	Commander, motor transport park troops
Kommandeur der Nachrichtentruppen	Kdr. der Nachr.Tr.	Commander, signals troops
Kommandeur der Ordnungspolizei	KdO	Commander of the uniformed police in a general commissariat; subordinate to the BdO.
Kommandeur der Sicherheitspolizei und des Sicherheitsdienstes	KdS
Kommando	Kdo.	Command; detachment; detail
kommissarisch	(k)	temporarily put in charge
Kompnaie	Komp.	Company
Konzentrationslager	KL (official abbr.); KZ (unofficial abbr.)	Concentration Camp
Kraft durch Freude	KdF	The Nazi "Strength through Joy" movement
Kreis	Kr.	District (US: County)
Kriegs-	K	war-; wartime
Kriminalpolizei	Kripo	Criminal Police; Amt V of the Reichssicherheitshauptamt from 1939.
Kriminalpolizei-Aussendienststelle	KPAuDSt.	Large branch office of the Kripo
Kriminalpolizei-Aussenposten	KPAuP.	Small branch office of the Kripo
Kriminalpolizei-Leitstelle	KPLSt.	Regional HQ of Kripo
Kriminalpolizeistelle	KPSt.	Sub-regional HQ of Kripo
Land		One of the 15 territorial divisions of Republican Germany, each with its own government. Controlled by the central Reich government through Reichsstatthalter from 1933.
(Kasernierte) Landespolizei	Lapo	State Police; Militarized Barrack Police Forces of the Lander; taken over by Reich after 1935 and placed under Wehrmacht control
Landwirtschaft	Landw.	Agriculture
Lebensborn e.V.		The "Fountain of Life" society, established by the SS in 1936. Attached to Pers. Stab RfSS and affiliated with the SS-RuSHA. Main functions of the society were adoption of "racially suitable" children for childless SS families, encouragement and facilitation of procreation between "Aryan" men and women, and the promotion of the racial policies of the SS.
Leitabschnitt		Regional HQ of the SD, approximately coinciding with a Wehrkreis.
Legationsrat	Leg.Rat	Legation or embassy counsellor in the Foreign Office.
Leitend(er)	Lt.	governing; leading; executive
Leitender Regierungsdirektor	LtRDir.	Title of an executive assistant in a high government office
Leiter	Ltr.	Chief
Leitstelle		Regional HQ of the Gestapo or Kripo, established at the HQ of a Wehrkreis or capital of a Land.
Luftschutzpolizei	LSP	Air raid protection police established in 1942 from personnel of the SHD and TeNo as an element of the Schutzpolizei. Recruited primarily from reservists of the Polizei.
Marine Küsten Polizei	MKP	Naval Coastal Police
Mark	Mk.	Region; province; also type
Militär; militärisch	Mil.; milit.	military
Minister	Min.	Minister
Ministerialblatt für die innere Verwaltung or Ministerialblatt des Reichs- und Preuss. Innenministeriums	MBliV	Official gazette of the Reich and Prussian Ministries of the Interior
Ministerialdirektor	MinDir.	A senior civil service official. Department head in a ministry with the approximate equivalent of Lt.-Gen..
Ministerialdirigent	MinDirig.	Executive official in a Ministry with the approximate equivalent ofMaj.-General.
Ministerialrat	MinRat	Senior ministerial counsellor in civil service; usually head of a section within a ministry; approximately equivalent to a Colonel.
Ministerpräsident	Min.Präs.	Minister-President; Prime Minister of a Land government (e.g> SS-Obergruppenfuhrer Dietrich Klagges of Braunschweig).
mit	m.	with
mit der Führung der Geschäfte beauftragt	m.d.F.d.G.b.	Temporarily charged with the conduct of affairs
mit der Führung beauftragt	m.d.F.b.	Temporarily charged with leadership
mit der vertretungsweisen Führung beauftragt	m.d.vertretungsw.F.b.	Temporarily charged with the conduct of affairs
mit der Wahrnehmung der Geschäfte beauftragt	m.d.W.d.G.b.	Temporarily charged with the conduct of affairs
Mitglied	Mitgl.	Member
Mitglied des Reichstages	M.d.R.	Member of the Reichstag
motorisiert	mot.	motorized
Nachrichten	N; Na.; Nachr.	Signals
Nationalpolitische Erziehungsanstalten	Napola	National Political Educational Instittues. Secondary schools organized along the lines of the Hitler-Jugend and under the jurisdiction of the Dienststelle Heissmeyer (under SS-Obergruppenfuhrer August Heissmeyer)
Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter Partei	NSDAP	National-Socialist German Workers' Party
Nationalsozialistische-Fliegerkorps	NSFK	NS Flying Corps. Led by NSFK-Korpsfuhrer/General der Flieger Christiansen until 1943, then by NSFK-Korpsfuhrer / Generaloberst Alfred Keller until 1945.
Nationalsozialistische-Kraftfahrkorps	NSKK	NS Motor Corps. Led by NSKK-Korpsfuhrer Adolf Huhnlein until his death in 1942, then by NSKK-Korpsfuhrer Erwin Krauss until 1945. Played an important role in the military and paramilitary training.
Nationalsozialistische Volkswohlfahrt	NSV	National-Socialist People's Welfare Organization, primarily responsible for the care of mothers and juveniles and headed by SS-Gruppenfuhrer Erich Hilgenfeldt).
Nord	N	north
Nordost	NO	northeast
Nordwest	NW	northwest
Nummer	Nr.	number
Ober-	O.	higher
Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres	OB d.H
Oberbürgermeister		Lord Mayor of a large town or city.
Oberkommando des Heeres	OKH	High Command of the Army
Oberkommando der Marine	OKM	German Navy High Command
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht	OKW	High Command of the Armed Forces (Hitler was supreme commander, while GFM Wilhelm Keitel headed OKW)
Oberpräsident		Senior administrative official in a Prussian province.
Oberpräsident	OPräs.; OPrs.	Chief Administrator and government executive of a Prussian Province
Oberregierungsrat	ORR	Senior government counsellor of the civil service; approximately equivalent to a Lt.-Col.
Oberschlesien	O.S.; OS.	Prussian Province of Upper Silesia
Oberste SA Führer		Supreme SA Leader (Hitler from 1930)
Oberstes Parteigericht		Supreme NSDAP Court (under Reichsleiter Walter Buch)
Offizier	Off.; Offz.	officer
Ordnungspolizei	Orpo	"Order police". Regular unformed police force of the Reich, consisting of the Schutzpolizei, Gendarmerie, and Feuerschutzpolzie as well as various technical and auxiliary services (such as the Technische Nothilfe [TeNo]
Organisation Todt	Org. Todt; OT	Semi-military government construction force, established 1933 under Dr.-Inf. Fritz Todt, responsible for bulding strategic highways and military installations/fortifications. Controlled by Todt's successor, Albert Speer, after Todt's death in February 1942.
Ortsgruppenleiter		NSDAP official in charge of one or more parts of a town; subordinate to a Kreisleiter.
Ortsgruppenleiter		NSDAP official responsible for one or several communes of a part of a town; subordinate to a Kreisleiter.
Osten	O	east
Ostindustrie GmbH	Osti	Eastern Industries Ltd.; SS concern formed with primary purpose of exploiting Jewish labor in Poland.
Ostpreußen	Ostpr.	Prussian Province of East Prussia
Panzer	Pz.	Armor; tank
Parteikanzlei		Hitler's chancellery as leader of the NSDAP. Headed by Reichsleiter and SS-Obergruppenfuhrer Martin Borman.
Personalhauptamt	SS-PHA	Main personnel office of the SS, responsible for records of all SS officers.
Politische Bereitschaft		Political alarm squad. Forerunner units of the SS-Verfügungstruppe.
Polizeipräsident	Pol.Präs.	Police President. Head of the regular police in a large city.
Polizeiverwaltung	PV	Police administration
Polizeiverwaltungsgesetz	PVG	Police Administration Law
Rasse- und Siedlungshauptamt	RuSHA	SS Race & Settlement Main Office, responsible for racial purity of the SS and settlement of SS colonists in occupied eastern territories.
Referat		A sub-section or "desk" within a Gruppe.
Referent		Official in charge of a Referat.
Regierungsbezirk	Reg.Bez.	Sub-division of a Prussian province. Also, an administrative district of Bavaria.
Regierungsdirektor	Reg.Präs.	Rank of administrative official in a regional government, approximately equal with that of Colonel.
Regierungspräsident	Reg.Präs.	Senior government official in a Regierungsbezirk.
Regierungsrat	RegRat.; RR.	Government counsellor. Lowest rank in the higher civil service; approximately equivalent to the rank of Major.
Reichsarbeitsdienst	RAD	Reich Labor Service, headed by the Reichsarbeitsfuhrer, Reichsminister Konstantin Hierl (1875 - 1955)
Reichsarbeitsministerium	RAM	Reich Labor Ministry.
Reichsbevollmächtigter		Reich Plenipotentiary controlling the civil affairs of an occupied country (e.g.- SS-Obergruppenfuhrer Dr. jur. Karl Werner Best in Denmark).
Reichsfinanzministerium	RFM	Reich Finance Ministry.
Reichsführer-SS und Chef der Deutschen Polizei	RF SS u. Chef d. Dtsch.Pol.	"Reich SS Leader and Chief of the German Police"; Heinrich Himmler's title from Jun. 1936.
Reichsführung-SS		Supreme command of the SS, comprising the Persönlicher Stab RfSS and the Hauptämter
Reichsgau		One of eleven regions formed from territories annexed from Poland and Austria in 1938 and 1939
Reichsgesetzblatt	RGB	Official legal gazette issued in two parts by the Reichsministerium des Inner. Part I concerned current legislation; Part 2 dealt with international treaties, etc.
Reichskommissar für die Festigung Deutschen Volkstums	Title given to Heinrich Himmler in 1939 entrusting him with the repatriation of Volksdeutsche ("racial Germans") and the settlement of German colonies in the East. A Stabshautamt RKFDV was established under SS-Ogruf. Ulrich Greifelt to put Himmler's plans for Germanic mastery into effect.	Reich Commissioner for the Strengthening of Germanism
Reichskommissariat für die Ostland		German civil administration in the Baltic States (Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania) and White Russia (Byelorussia), 1941 - 1945. Reichskommissar Ostland, with HQ in Riga, was Gauleiter Hinrich Lohse.
Reichskriminalpolizeiamt	RKPA	The headquarters of the Kriminalpolizei (Amt V of the RSHA), headed by SS-Gruppenfuhrer und Generalleutnant der Polizei Arthur Nebe.
Reichsleiter	RL	The highest rank in the NSDAP hierarchy.
Reichsluftschutzbund	RLB	The Reich Air Raid Protection League.
Reichsministerium für die besetzten Ostgebiete	Ostministerium	Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories. Reichsminister (1941 - 45): Reichsleiter Alfred Rosenberg; Staatssekretär (1941 - 45): Gauleiter Dr. Alfred Meyer.
Reichsministerium des Innern	RMdI.	Reich Ministry of the Interior Reichsminister: Dr.jur. Wilhelm Frick (1933 - 1943) Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler (1943 - 1945)
Reichssicherheitshauptamt	RSHA	Reich Security Main Office
Reichsstrafgesetzbuch	RStGB	Reich Penal Code
Reichstag		The German Parliament. Largely a figurehead body after its legislative powers were taken away and granted to the Reich Government by way of Hitler's "Enabling Act" of 24. March 1933.
Reichsstatthalter	Rsth.	Reich Governor; Hitler's representative in a German Land or Reichsgau.
Reichswehr	RW	The armed forces of Germany from 1919 until the enactment of the Wehrgesetz (Defense Law) of 21. May 1935; on that date, its title was changed to Wehrmacht.
Sachbearbeiter		Officer or official responsible for a specific matter.
Sanitätsdienst		Medical service
Schutzmannschaften<	Schuma	Auxiliary police units composed of foreign elements and Volksdeutsche; the first Schuma unit was set up in the Ukraine in Aug. 1941.
Schutzpolizei	Schupo; Schp.	Protection Police. The regular uniformed municipal and country police forces, comprising most of the membership of the Ordnungspolizei.
Schutzstaffel	SS	lit. Protection or Guard Detachment. Established in 1925 from the Stoßtrupp Adolf Hitler, the SS became, under Heinrich Himmler, the most powerful organization in the Third Reich.
Selbstschutz		1) A German nationalist self-prtotection organization formed in Silesia in 1920; 2) A self protection militia recruited from the Volksdeutsche in Poland by the SS; 3) Self-Protection Service, an element of the Luftschutzdienst composed of air raid wardens and other nonmilitary air raid protection personnel
Sicherheitsdienst des RfSS	SD	The SS Security Service established by Reinhard Heydrich in 1931 as the intelligence organization of the Nazi Party.
Sicherheitspolizei	Sipo	Security Police, composed of the Gestapo and Kripo.
Sicherheits- und Hilfsdienst	SHD	Security and Assistance Service, an auxiliary police unit responsible for air raid-related tasks. Superseded by the Luftschutzpolizei, 1942.
Sicherheitsverwahrung		Protective detention
Sigrunen		The runic double "S" insignia of the Schutzstaffel.
Sonderbehandlung		lit. special treatment. Nazi euphemism for killing those in detention.
Sonderkommando	Skdo.
SS und Polizeiführer	SS-u.Pol.F.; SSPF	SS and Police Commander in the eastern occupied territories, subordinate to the HSSPF.
Staatssekretär	Sta.Sek.	State Secretary in a Reich or Land Government Ministry.
Stab	St.	staff
Stabschef		Chief of Staff of the SA.
Stabsführer		Chief of Staff [e.g., to the Führer of an SS-Oberabschnitt].
Stadthauptmann		Senior administrative official in a Stadthauptmannschaft, a subdivision of a district in the Generalgouvernment (occupied Poland).
Standortführer		Garrison commander
Stellvertreter	Stellv.	Deputy
Sturmabteilungen	SA	The Stormtroops; the original defense formations of the NSDAP, founded in 1921. Purged in Jun./Jul. 1934 when it became too radical and unwieldly for Hitler's tastes, prompting him to wipe out most of its leadership, including SA-Stabschef Ernst Röhm. The purge of the SA was carried out by Himmler's SS, initially a subunit of the SA, and in its wake the SS gained considerable power.
Technische Nothilfe	TeNo; TN	Technical Emergency Corps, established in 1919. Auxiliary force of the Ordnungspolizei consisting of engineers, technicians, and specialists involved with construction work, communications, salvage, public utilities, etc. Led by SS-Gruppenfuhrer und Generalleutnant der Polizei Hans Weinreich from Jun. 1937 to Jun. 1943, then by SS-Gruppenfuhrer und Generalleutnant der Polizei Dipl.Ing. Willy Schmelcher from 15. Oct. 1943 to May 1945
Teilkommando		A sub-unit; Smallest element of an Einsatzgruppe of the Sipo and SD.
Totenkopfverbände		Death's Head units, employed in the concentration camps as guards. Formed the nucleus of the SS-Totenkopf-Division when it was formed in October 1939.
Trupp	Tr.	Squad or detail. An SA (and in its early years, SS) unit equivalent to a platoon.
Truppenübungsplatz		Troop training area.
Untersuchung		Investigation; interrogation
Umwandererzentralstelle		Central Transfer Office concerned with resettlement of Polish deportees from the Wartheland. An element of the RKFDV.
Unterführer		Non-commissioned officer.
Verband	Verb.	A formation or unit.
Verbindungsoffizier		Liaison officer
Vernichtungslager		Extermination camp.
Verordnung		Decree; regulation; order
Vertrauensmann		Intelligence agent or informer.
Verwaltung	Verw.	Administration
Verwaltungspolizei		Administrative branch of the Ordnungspolizei and Sicherheitspolizei
Volksbund fur das Deutschtum im Ausland	VDA	The League for Germans Abroad. Pre-Nazi organization concerned with activities of the Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans). Taken over by the NSDAP, 1930 and eventually absorbed by the Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle under SS-Obergruppenfuhrer Werner Lorenz.
Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle	VoMi	Ethnic German Assistance Office. Established as the Buro von Kursell, 1936 and renamed in 1937. Led by SS-Obergruppenfuhrer Werner Lorenz, it obtained the status of a Hauptamt of the SS in 1941.
Volksgruppe		An ethnic group
Volkskartei		National Register kept by the Verwaltungspolizei. Introduced in 1939 to facilitate conscription of men and women for the Wehrmacht, Reichsarbeitsdienst, etc.
Volkstum		nationality
Vorbeugungshaft		Preventive arrest
Vorschrift		Regulation(s), instruction(s), or a manual
Waffen-SS	W-SS	Fully militarized combat formations of the SS
Wehrdienstpflicht		Obligation to serve in the Wehrmacht
Wehrkreis	Wkr.	A Military District.
Wehrmacht	WH; Wehrm.	The armed forces, consisting of the German Army (Heer), Navy (Kriegsmarine), and Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Wehrmachtbefelshaber		Senior Armed Forces commander in an occupied territory.
Wehrmachtfuhrungsstab		Armed Forces Operations Staff, headed by Generaloberst Alfred Jodl.
Wehrwirtschaft		Military or war economy
Wehrwirtschaftsamt		War Economics Directorate of OKW.
Weisung		directive
zur besonderer Verwendung	z.b.V.	for special employment
Zellenleiter		Cell leader. An NSDAP official responsible for four to five blocks of households; subordinate to an Ortsgruppenleiter.
Zollgrenzdienst		Border Customs Service

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