Glossary
GLOSSARY OF COMMON GERMAN AND NAZI TITLES, DESIGNATIONS, AND
TERMS, WITH THEIR OFFICIAL ABBREVIATIONS
Abbreviation German English
A
Abschnitt Regional unit of SS and SD
(about divisional
strength)
Abt Abteilung Division
Adtsch R. Akademie fuer Academy for German Law
Deutsches Recht
Amt Office
AG Aktien-Gesellschaft Joint Stock Company
Amtsgericht Local Court
Angriffskrieg War of Aggression
Anklagebehoerde Office of Public
Prosecutor
Ausland The world outside the
borders of the Reich
AO Auslands-Organisation Foreign Organization of
the NSDAP
Auslandsdeutsche German citizens residin
outside Germany
APA Aussenpolitisches Amt NSDAP Bureau for Foreign
Affairs
aD Auswaertiges Amt Ministry for Foreign
Affairs
B
Beauftragter Commissioner, delegate
BdF Beauftragter des Delegate of the Fuehrer
Fuehrers fuer die for the Total Supervision
Ueberwachung der of Intellectual and
gesamten geistigen Ideological Training and
und Education of the Party
weltansschaulichen (Rosenberg)
Schulung und
Erziehung der NSDAP
Beauftragter fuer den Delegate for the Four Year
Vierjahresplan Plan (Goering)
BdO. Befehlshaber der Commander of the Order
Ordnungspolizei Police
BdS. Befehlshaber der Commander of the Security
Sicherheitspolizei Police
Befehlsleiter Rank in Party
Administration
Bereichsleiter Rank in Party
Administration
Bev. Bevollmaechtigter Plenipotentiary
Bewegung The movement, i.e., the
Nazi Party, including
Party formations,
affiliated and supervised
organizations
Block Smallest unit of the Nazi
Party, including several
houses
Blockleiter NSDAP leader of a block
Botschafter Ambassador
BDM Bund Deutscher Maedel German Girls' League
(female Hitler Youth)
BGB Buergerliches German Civil Code
Gesetzbuch
C
Ch. Chef Chief, head, commander,
superior
[Page 1086]
Chef der Head of civil
Zivilverwaltung administration (e.g. of an
annexed area)
Chefsache Classified document for
general officers only
[Page 1085]
D
DAF Deutsche Arbeitsfront German Labor Front
DFW Deutsches Frauenwerk German Woman's
Organization (sub-
organization of the NSF)
DGT Deutscher Gemeindetag German Municipal Congree
DHD Deutscher German Commercial Service
Handelsdienst (News Agency)
DNB Deutsches Official German News
Nachrichtenbuero Agency
Dienstleiter Rank in Party
administration
Drang nach Osten Drive to the East
Dreierkollegium The College of Three (the
two Plenipotentiaries for
War Economy and
Administration, and the
Chief of the OKW)
DPK Deutsche diplomatisch- German Diplomatic and
politische Political Correspondence
Korrespondenz (News Agency of the
Foreign Office)
DRK Deutsches Rotes Kreuz German Red Cross
E
eh. ehrenhalber Honorary
[Page 1087]
Einsatzgruppe Special (Gestapo and SD)
purposes, e.g., executing
Nazi race policy, policing
and raiding occupied
areas.
Einsatzstab Special Purpose Staff
Einsatz Rosenberg Rosenberg’s staff for
looting art treasures
EK Eisernes Kreuz Iron Cross
F
Freikorps Illegal terroist military
formations of former
officers and exz-
servicemen in Germany
after World War I
Fuehrerbefehl Fuehrer Order
Fuehrererlass Fuehrer Edict
Fuehrerkorps Corps of political leaders
of the NSDAP
Fuehrerprinzip Leadership principle of
the NSDAP
Fuest. Fuehrungsstab Operational Staff
FdR. Fueh die Richtigkeit True or accurate copy
G
Gau Largest NSDAP unit; 42 in
the Reich and one for all
Party groups outside the
Reich
Gauamtsleither Administrative head of the
Party Gauleitung
Gauleiter NSDAP leader of a Gau
Gauleitung Center of Party
administration in a Gau
Gauschatzmeister Treasurer of the Party
Gauleitung
[Page 1088]
Geheimer Kabinettsrat Secret Cabinet Council
Gkos. Geheime Kommandosache Top Secret (military
classification)
Geheime Reichssache Top Secret (civil
classification)
Gestapo Geheime Staatspolizei Secret State Police. The
political police system
established in Prussia and
extended throughout the
Reich and the occupied
territories.
General-beauftragter Commissioner-General
Generalbevoll- Plenipotentiary-General
maechtigter
GBA Generalbevoll- Plenipotentiary-General
maechtigter fuer den for Labor Allocation
Arbeitseinsatz (Sauckel)
Generalbevoll- Plenipotentiary-General
maechtigter fuer die for War Economy (Schacht)
Kriegswirtschaft
Generalbevoll- Plenipotentary-General for
maechtigter fuer die Administration (Frick-
Reichsverwaltung Himmler)
GG Generalgouvernement Government-General
(Poland)
[Page 1089]
Genst. Generalstab General Staff
GmbH. Gesellschaft mit Limited liability company
beschraenkter Haftung
Gleichschaltung The process of compulsory
coordination of German
organizations of all types
to conform to the Nazi
racial pattern and accept
Party control.
Gliederungen der Party Formation
NSDAP
H
Haupstelle Main Bureau
H. Gr. Heeresgruppe Army Group
Herausgeber Publisher of a Newspaper
or Publishing Firm
Herrenvolk Master race
HJ Hitlerjugend Hitler Youth
Hoheitstraeger NSDAP bearer of
sovereignty within a
specific area of Party
jurisdiction, i.e., a
leader of a Gau, Kreis,
Ortsgruppe, Zelle or Block
HSSPf. Giegerer SS-und- Higher SS — and Police
Polizeifuehrer Leader
[Page 1089]
I
IA Operations officer or
section; cf. G-3
IB Supply officer or section;
cf. G-1
IC Intelligence officer or
section, cf. G-2
iA im Auftrag By order of (above a
signature)
[Page 1090]
iG im Generalstab Attached to the General
Staff
iV. Im Vertretung Per (signature); acting
for
K
KZ Konzentrationslager Concentration Camp
KdF. Kraft durch Freude Stength through Joy
(German Labor Front
subsidiary)
Kreis Largest NSDAP subdivision
of a Gau
Kreisleiter NSDAP leader of a kreis
Kreigsmarine German Navy
Kripo Kriminalpolizei Criminal Police
Kripo-Leitstelle Regional Criminal Police
office, directly under
Reich Criminal Police
authority
Kripo-Stelle Smaller than Kripo-
Leitstelle, but also
directly under Reich
Criminal Police authority
L
Land One of the federal states
of Germany (e.g. Prussia,
Bavaria, Saxony, etc.)
Landesgruppe The Nazi Party
organization in any
country outside Germany
Lebensraum Living space
Leiter der Chief of the Party
Parteikanzlei Chancellery (Bormann)
Lw. Luftwaffe German Air Corps
M
Mil. Bef, Militaerbefehlshaber Military Commander (com-
[Page 1091]
manding non-operational
troops in occupied
territories)
Ministerrat fuer die Ministerial Council for
Reichsverteidigung the Defense of the Reich
Ministerialdirektor High civil servant (chief
of a main section of a
Ministry)
Ministerialdirigent High civil servant,
ranking below
Ministerialdirektor
Ministerialrat High civil servant,
rnaking below
Ministerialdirigent
Mit deutschem Gruss With German salute
(equivalent to Heil
Hitler)
MdR. Mitglied des Member of the Reichstag
Reichstags
N
NS Nationalsozialismus National Socialism
NSBO Nationalsozialistisch National Socialist Factory
e Betriebszellen Cells Organization
Organisation
NSDAP Nationalsozialistisch National Socialist German
e Deutsche Workers' Party; Nazi Party
Arbeiterpartie
Nationalsozialistisch NS German Students' Bund
er Deutscher
Nationalsozialistisch NS University Teachers'
er Dozentenbund Bund
[Page 1092]
NSFK Nationalsozialistisch NS Flying Corps
es Fliegerkorps
NSF Nationalsozialistisch NS Women’s League
e Frauenschaft
NSK Nationalsozialistisch NS Official News Agency
e Korrespondenz
NSKK Nationalsozialistisch NS Motor Corps
er Kraftfahrkorps
Nurnberger Gesetze Nurnberg anti-Semitic laws
[Page 1092]
OB Oberfehlshaber Commander in Chief
ObKom. Oberkommando High Command
OKL Oberkommando der Air Force High Command
Luftwaffe
OKM Oberkommando der Navy High Command
Marine
OKW Iberkommando der Armed Forces High Command
Wehrmacht
OKH Oberkommando des Army High Command
Heeres
OSAF Oberste SA-Fuehrung Supreme Command of the SA
ORPO Ordnungspolizei Order Police
OT Organisation Todt Labor Corps originated by
Todt
Ortsgruppe Largest NSDAP subdivision
of a Kreis
Ortsgruppenleiter NSDAP leader of an
Ortsgruppe
Ostland Baltic countries and White
Russia
[Page 1093]
P
PPK Parteiamtliche Offical Party Examinging
Pruefungskonmission Commission for the
zum Schutze des NS- Protection of National
Schriftums Socialist Publications
Pg. Parteigenosse Party Member (male)
Pgn. Parteigenossin Party Member (female)
Preussische Prussian Law collection
Gesetzsammlung
R
Ratsherr Town Councillor
Reichsamtsleiter Head of a department in
the Party Reichsleitung
RAD Reichsarbeitsdienst Reich Labor Service
RAM Reichsaussenminister Reich Foreign Minister
(Ribbentrop)
RDB Reichslund der German Civil Servant's
Deutschen Beamten League
Reichsdeutsche German citizens residing
in Germany
RFSS Reichsfuehrer SS Reich Leader of the SS
(Himmler)
RGBl. Reichsgesetzblatt Reich Legal Gazette
Reichshauptamtsleiter Head of the central
departments of the Party
Reichsinnenminister Minister of Interior
(Frick, succeeded by
Himmler)
RJF Reichsjugendfuehrung Reich Youth Leadership
Reichskriegsminister Reich War Minister
RKK Reichskulturekammer Reich Ministry of Culture
Reichsleiter Member of the Supreme
Party Directorate, in
general the top level
leader of an NSDAP
function
Reichsleiter fuer die Reich Leader of Youth
Jugenderziehung Education (von Shirach)
Reichsleiter des Head of the Legal Office
Reichsrechtsamtes of the Party (Hans Frank)
RL Reichsleitung Supreme Party Directorate
RM Reichsmark The mark; pre-war value
about $.40
RMfdbO. Reichsminister fuer Reich Minister for
die bestzten Occupied Eastern
Ostgebiete Territories (Rosenberg)
Reichsministerium Reich Ministry for Popular
fuer Volksaufklaerung Enlightenment and
und Propaganda Propaganda (Goebbels)
Reichsnaehrstand Reich Food Estate
(compulsory association of
all persons engaged in
agriculture)(Backe)
Reichsparteitag Reich Party Rally (annual
Nazi Congress at Nurnberg)
RPL Reichspropagandaleitu Party Propaganda
ng Department
Reichsregierung Reich Cabinet
RRG Reichs-Rundfunk Reich Broadcasting
gessellschaft Corporation
RSHA Reichssichterheitshau Reich Main Security Office
ptamt (Kaltenbrunner)
RT Reichstag Reich Parliament
Reichstatthalter Reich Governor (of a Land
or Reichsgau)
RVR Reichsverteidigungsra Reich Defense Council
t
Reichswehr The German Army
S
Schulungslager A Party training camp for
political indoctrination
SS Schutzstaffel Elite Corps of NSDAP
(black shirts); personal
bodyguard of the Fuehrer,
used for military and
policing purposes
SD Sicherheitsdienst Security Service;
Intelligence and counter-
intelligence Agency of the
SS
SIPO Sicherheitspolizei Security Police. This was
the name given to the
Gestapo and Kripo
considered jointly
Staatssekretaer Under Secretary of a
Ministry and permanent
civil service head of a
ministry
Stalag Stammlager Prisoner of War camp (for
enlisted men)
Standartenfuehrer Rank in a Party formation,
roughly equivalent to
Colonel
Stapo Gestapo, Secret Police
Stapo-Leitstelle Regional Gestapo office,
directly under central
command of Gestapo
SA Sturmabteilung Storm Troops of NSDAP
(brown shirts)
Systemzeit System Era (Nazi
designation of the Era of
Weimar Republic, 1918-
1933)
T
TV Totenkopfverbaende Death-Head units of the SS
(Concentration Camp
Guards)
TO Transozean Transocean (News Agency)
TP Transkontinent Press Transcontinent Press (News
Agency)
Treuhaender der Trustee of Labor
Arbeit
U
Unterstaatssekretaer Civil Servant, of a grade
lower than Staatssekretaer
V
VT Verfuegunstruppen SS Units for Special Tasks
Verlag Publishing House
VOBl Verordnungsblatt Ordinance Gazette
Vierjahrsplan Four Year Plan
Volk Folk, people, race; all
persons of German blood
VDA Volksbund fuer das League for Germanism
Deutschtum im Ausland Abroad
Volksdeutscher A person of German blood
but of non-German
citizenship residing
abroad, and considered a
member of the German
people
Volksgericht People’s Court, Highest
Court for Political Crimes
Volksgemeinschaft People’s or racial
community composing all
people of German blood
Volksgenosse Racial comrade; a person
of German blood regardless
of citizenship
W
WSS Waffen-SS Combat SS
Wehrkreis Military District
Wehrkreiskommanda Military authority in
charge of a Wehrkreis
Wehrmacht Armed Forces (Army, Navy,
and Air Force)
WFSt Wehrmacht- Operational Staff of Armed
Fuerrungsstab Forces
Wehrwirtschaftsfuehre Title awarded to prominent
r industrialists for merit
in armaments drive
Wi-Rue Wehrwirtschafts und War Economy and Armament
Ruestungsamt Office (in OKW)
Weltanschauung World-view or philiosophy
WHW Wilterhilfswerk Winter Relief Organization
WVHA Wirtschaft-und- Economic and
Verwaltungs Hauptamt Administration Main Office
(of SS) in charge of
concentration camps
Z
Zeitung Newspaper
[Page 1098]
Zelle NSDAP subdivision of an
Ortsgruppe
Zellenleiter NSDAP leader of a Party
cell
zbV zur besonderen For special missions or
Verwendung duties
zV zur Verfuegung At disposal