Bereitschaftsleiter

Bereitschaftsleiter (Readiness Leader) was a Nazi Party political rank which existed between 1939 and 1945. There were three levels of the rank, known as Bereitschaftsleiter, Oberbereitschaftsleiter, and Hauptbereitschaftsleiter.

Bereitschaftsleiter in marching band uniform with baton (left), 1940

The rank was created to replace the older rank of Stellenleiter, itself a replacement of the even old rank of Zellenwart. Those holding the rank of Bereitschaftsleiter were most often assigned to the position of Zellenleiter on the local level of the Nazi Party. In the higher Party levels (County, Region, and National), the rank of Bereitschaftsleiter was used as a low level staff or clerical position.

Insignia

• 
  Gorget patch for Bereitschaftsleiter
  Wehrmacht equivalent: Feldwebel (OR-6)^[1][2]
  Party position: Cell Operations Foreman, Block Leader ^[3]
• 
  Gorget patch for Ober-
  Bereitschaftsleiter
  Wehrmacht equivalent: Oberfeldwebel (OR-7)^[2]
  Party position: Cell Operations Foreman, Block Leader ^[3]
• 
  Gorget patch for Haupt-
  Bereitschaftsleiter
  Wehrmacht equivalent: Stabsfeldwebel (OR-8)^[2]
  Party position: Cell Operations Foreman, Block Leader, Cell Leader^[3]

References

1. The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Rank, officers excepted / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"
2. Records Integration Title Book. CIA: Approved for release 1999/08/24. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
3. Robert Ley, Organisationsbuch der NSDAP, Berlin: Zentralverlag der NSDAP, 1943, pp. 99–142.

Literature

• Clark, J. (2007). Uniforms of the NSDAP. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing