Mann (paramilitary rank)

Mann (English: "man" or "male"), was a paramilitary rank used by several Nazi Party paramilitary organizations between 1925 and 1945. The rank is most often associated with the Schutzstaffel (SS-Mann), but also was a rank of the SA, where Mann (SA-Mann) was the lowest enlisted rank and was the equivalent of a private.^[1][2]

Mann
SS Gorget patch
SS Shoulder insignia
Country	Nazi Germany
Service branch	National Socialist Motor Corps National Socialist Flyers Corps Postschutz Reich Labour Service Reichsluftschutzbund Schutzstaffel Sturmabteilung Technische Nothilfe
Formation	1925
Abolished	1945
Next higher rank	Luftschutzobertruppmann (RLB) Oberschütze (SS) Sturmmann (SA, NSKK & NSFK) Vormann (RAD & TN)
Next lower rank	Bewerber Jungmann Anwärter Vollanwärter
Equivalent ranks	Soldat Schütze

In 1938, with the rise of the SS-Verfügungstruppe (later renamed the Waffen-SS), the SS changed the rank of Mann to Schütze, although it still retained the original SS rank of Mann for the Allgemeine-SS (general SS). The rank of Mann was junior to SS-Sturmmann.^[1]

In most Nazi Party organizations, the rank of Mann held no distinctive insignia. Some groups, however, granted a minor form of rank insignia such as a blank collar patch or simple shoulder board to denote the rank of Mann.^[3] (see right: SS rank insignia pattern from 1933)

Even lower ranks, e.g. Bewerber, Jungmann, Anwärter, Vollanwärter, were established in the mid-1930s as a recruit or candidate position, held by an individual seeking an appointment as a Mann in a Nazi Party paramilitary organization.^[1]