What+were+the+ranks+in+the+Hitler+Youth+and+the+League+of+German+Girls?

After the law made joining the Hitler Youth compulsory, all eligible boys from 10-18 were in the program. At the age of 10, young boys were sent to the //Deutsches Jungvolk// (German Young People) and then transferred to the //Hitlerjunge// at the age of 13. The ranks in the Hitler Youth were extremely easy to understand. Advancements were given as you gain experience, age, and badges. They also followed an understandable, chronological order. You start, for example, as a section leader, and then advance to senior section leader, and then a comrade unit leader. The lowest rank is a regular member of the Hitler Youth, or //Hitlerjunge//, and the highest rank is the //Reichsjugendführer//, or the Commander of the Hitler Youth. Below are charts of the different ranks in the program, divided by the youth ranks and the adult ranks ("Ranks and Insignia...") ** Youth Ranks ** **Adult Ranks** For more information, visit []
 * Hitler Youth **
 * Hitlerjunge || Hitler Youth  ||
 * Rottenführer || Section Leader  ||
 * Oberrottenführer || Senior Section Leader  ||
 * Kameradschaftsführer || Comrade Unit Leader  ||
 * Ober Kameradschaftsführer || Senior Comrade Unit Leader  ||
 * Scharführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Squad Leader  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Oberscharführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Senior Squad Leader  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Gefolgschaftsführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Cadre Unit Leader  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Ober Gefolgschaftsführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Senior Cadre Unit Leader  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Haupt Gefolgschaftsführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Head Cadre Unit Leader  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Stammführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Unit Leader  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Ober Stammführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Senior Unit Leader  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Bannführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Banner Leader ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Oberbannführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Senior Banner Leader ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Hauptbannführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Head Banner Leader ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Gebietsführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Area Leader ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Obergebietsführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Senior Area Leader ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Stabsführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Staff Leader ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Reichsjugendführer || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Commander of the Hitler Youth ||

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 160%; vertical-align: baseline;">**League of German Girls** <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">The League of German Girls was set up so that each girl could rise in rank as they won awards and/or got older. Girls 10-14 years old were members of the Young Girl's League (Jungmädelbund, JM) and girls 14-18 were members of the Bund Deutscher Mädel (BDM) proper. In 1938, a third section was added, known as Belief and Beauty (Glaube und Schönheit), which was voluntary and open to ladies 17-21. Its purpose was to further groom them for marriage, domestic life, and future career goals. The highest rank within the League of German girls was the BDM Reichsreferentin, which literally meant the national speaker of the League of German Girls. The lowest rank was a regular BDM member or a local “den” leader. Below is a chart of the ranks in the League of German Girls from the lowest to the highest, and a rough translation (Hansen...badges.html)
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">JM Mädelschaft Führerin || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">“girl guide” ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">JM Mädelschar Führerin || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">“girl group leader” ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">JM Mädelgruppe Führerin || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">“girl group leader” ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">JM Maedel hauptgruppen führerin || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">“Maedel all group appellant” ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">JM Mädelring Führerin || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">“girl ring leader” ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">JM Bann Mädel Führerin || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">“under appellant” ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">JM Haupt Mädel Führerin || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">“main girl guide” ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">Gebiets Mädel Führerin || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">“area girl guide” ||
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">BDM Reichsreferentin || <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; vertical-align: baseline;">“Reich head” or national speaker of the BDM ||

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">By Mary Grace Frazier

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