Obergruppenführer

Obergruppenführer
Post April 1942 gorget patch
Shoulder and camo insignia
Country Nazi Germany
Service branch
AbbreviationOgruf
Next higher rank
Next lower rankGruppenführer
Equivalent ranksGeneral der Waffengattung

Obergruppenführer (German: [ˈoːbɐˌɡʁʊpm̩fyːʁɐ], lit.'senior group leader') was a paramilitary rank in Nazi Germany that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the Sturmabteilung (SA) and adopted by the Schutzstaffel (SS) one year later. Until April 1942, it was the highest commissioned SS rank after only Reichsführer-SS. Translated as "senior group leader", the rank of Obergruppenführer was senior to Gruppenführer. A similarly named rank of Untergruppenführer existed in the SA from 1929 to 1930 and as a title until 1933. In April 1942, the new rank of SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer was created which was above Obergruppenführer and below Reichsführer-SS.