View source for Mann (paramilitary rank)

{{Short description|Rank in the SS}}
{{italic title}}
{{other uses|Mann (disambiguation)}}
{{Use shortened footnotes|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox military rank
| name           = ''Mann''
| native_name    = 
| image          = SS-Mann, SS-Schuetze, SS-Oberschuetze collar.svg
| image_size     = 150px
| caption        = SS Gorget patch
| image2         = SS-Mannschaft.svg
| image_size2    = 100px
| caption2       = SS Shoulder insignia
| image3         = 
| image_size3    = 
| caption3       = 
| country        = {{flag|Nazi Germany}}
| service branch = {{flagicon image|NSKK Hausflagge.svg}} [[National Socialist Motor Corps]]<br />{{flagicon image|NSFK Wimpel Fördernde Mitglieder.svg|border=|size=25px}} [[National Socialist Flyers Corps]]<br />''[[Postschutz]]''<br />{{flagicon image|RAD Hausflagge.svg}} [[Reich Labour Service]]<br />{{flagicon image|Flagge Reichsluftschutzbund 1939.svg}} ''[[Reichsluftschutzbund]]''<br>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Schutzstaffel.svg}} ''[[Schutzstaffel]]''<br>{{flagicon image|SA-Logo.svg|border=|size=25px}} ''[[Sturmabteilung]]''<br />{{flagicon image|TeNo Allgemeiner Wimpel.svg|border=|size=25px}} ''[[Technische Nothilfe]]''
| abbreviation   = 
| rank           = 
| NATO rank      = 
| Non-NATO rank  = 
| formation      = 1925
| abolished      = 1945
| higher rank    = ''Luftschutzobertruppmann'' {{small|(RLB)}}<br />''[[Oberschütze]]'' {{small|(SS)}}<br />''[[Sturmmann]]'' {{small|(SA, NSKK & NSFK)}}<br />''Vormann'' {{small|(RAD & TN)}}
| lower rank     = ''Bewerber<br />Jungmann<br />[[Anwärter]]<br />Vollanwärter''
| equivalents    = ''[[Soldat (rank)|Soldat]]<br />[[Schütze]]''
| history        = 
}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 192-044, KZ Mauthausen, SS-Mann.jpg|thumb|SS-Mann from [[KZ Mauthausen]]]]
'''''Mann''''' ({{langx|en|"man" or "male"}}), was a paramilitary [[Military rank|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 [[Ranks and insignia of the Sturmabteilung|rank of the SA]], where ''Mann'' ('''''SA-Mann''''') was the lowest enlisted rank and was the equivalent of a [[Private (rank)|private]].{{sfn|McNab|2009|p=30}}{{sfn|McNab|2009b|p=15}}

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]]''.{{sfn|McNab|2009|p=30}}

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''.{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|p=148}} (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.{{sfn|McNab|2009|p=30}}

== Insignia ==
<gallery class="center">
SS Mannschaften.jpg|SS-Mann (Allgemeine SS) & SS-Schütze (Waffen-SS), shoulder strap
File:SS-Mann, SS-Schuetze, SS-Oberschuetze collar.svg|SS-Mann/ SS-Schütze, collar patch (1940-1945)
File:SA-Mann.svg|[[Sturmabteilung|SA]] [[Gorget patches]]
File:RBL-Luftschutztruppmann.svg|[[Reichsluftschutzbund|RBL]] collar patch<br>(Luftschutztruppmann)
File:NSFK-Mann.svg|[[National Socialist Flyers Corps|NSFK]] Gorget patch
File:NSKK-Mann.svg|[[National Socialist Motor Corps|NSKK]] Gorget patch
File:NSKK-Mann.svg|''[[Volkssturmmann]]'' ([[Volkssturm]])
File:NSKK-Mann.svg|[[Reich Labour Service|RAD]] Gorget patch<br>(Arbeitsmann)
File:TN-Mann.svg|[[Technische Nothilfe|TeNo]] shoulder strap
File:PSP-Postschutzmann.svg|[[Postschutz]] Gorget patch<br>(Postschutzmann)
</gallery>

{| class="wikipedia sortable" border="1"
|-
|width="15%" align="center"|Candidate status
* SS-Bewerber <small>(Staffel-Bewerber)</small>
* SS-Jungmann <small>(Staffel-Jungmann)</small>
* SS-Anwärter <small>(Staffel-Anwärter)</small>
* SS-Vollanwärter <small>(Staffel-Vollanwärter)</small>
|width="15%" align="center" style="background:#afafaf;"|'''1st rank [[Ranks and insignia of the Schutzstaffel|Allgemeine SS]]'''<br>'''SS-Mann'''
|width="15%" align="center"|2nd rank<br>'''no equivalent'''
|width="15%" align="center"|3rd rank<br>'''SS-[[Sturmmann]]'''
|-
|width="15%" align="center"|Volunteer for joining the Waffen-SS
* SS-Bewerber <small>(Staffel-Bewerber)</small>
* SS-Jungmann <small>(Staffel-Jungmann)</small>
* SS-Anwärter <small>(Staffel-Anwärter)</small>
|width="15%" align="center" style="background:#cfcfcf;"|'''1st Rank [[Schutzstaffel|Waffen-SS]]'''<br>'''SS-[[Schütze]]'''
|width="15%" align="center"|2nd rank<br>'''SS-[[Oberschütze]]'''
|width="15%" align="center"|3rd rank<br>'''SS-Sturmmann'''
|-
|width="15%" align="center"|Candidate status<br>'''[[Anwärter|SA-Anwärter]]'''
|width="15%" align="center" style="background:#EECFA1;"|'''1st [[Ranks and insignia of the Sturmabteilung|SA rank]]'''<br>'''SA-Mann'''
|width="15%" align="center"|2nd rank<br>'''no equivalent'''
|width="15%" align="center"|3rd rank<br>'''SA-[[Sturmmann]]'''
|-
|width="15%" align="center"|person liable to military service<br>'''[[Wehrmacht]]'''
|width="15%" align="center" bgcolor="#A0E0A0"|'''1st [[World War II German Army ranks and insignia#Ranks and rank insignia|Wehrmacht rank]]'''<br>'''[[World War II German Army ranks and insignia#Mannschaften (Enlisted personnel or Non-commissioned member)|Soldat]]'''
|width="15%" align="center"|2nd rank<br>'''Oberschütze'''
|width="15%" align="center"|3rd rank<br>'''[[Gefreiter]]'''
|}

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book | last = Flaherty | first = T. H. | title = The Third Reich: The SS | publisher = Time-Life Books, Inc | year = 2004 | orig-year = 1988 | isbn = 1-84447-073-3 }}
* {{cite book | last = McNab | first = Chris | title = The SS: 1923–1945 | publisher = Amber Books Ltd | year = 2009 | isbn = 978-1-906626-49-5 }}
* {{cite book | last = McNab | first = Chris | title = The Third Reich | publisher = Amber Books Ltd | year = 2009b | isbn = 978-1-906626-51-8 }}
{{refend}}

{{Nazi Germany Paramilitary Ranks}}

[[Category:SS ranks]]