Schutzhaftlagerführer


Schutzhaftlagerführer was a paramilitary title of the SS, specific to the concentration and extermination camps Totenkopfverbande. A Schutzhaftlagerführer was in charge of the economic function of the camp. Usually, there was more than one SS man performing that function at each location due to their enormous size. Schutzhaftlagerführers received orders from the central offices in Berlin, such as DEST run directly by the SS. Prisoners' lives were entirely in their hands. Their orders, which usually involved routine maltreatment of condemned victims, were carried out through "assignments" so they would not have to deal with the dead resulting from them.
The Schutzhaftlagerführer and his adjutant were responsible for the operation of the camp. The Schutzhaftlagerführer had to maintain order, take care of daily routines, roll calls and so on. Under him were the Rapportführer, the Arbeitseinsatzführer and the Oberaufseherin. They were directly responsible for order in the camp and they assigned prisoners to the outside work details. The Blockführer, each of whom was responsible for one or more barracks, were subordinate to them.
NameHighest SS rank attainedUS/UK equivalent rankConcentration camp
SS-SturmbannführerMajorAuschwitz I
SS-HauptsturmführerCaptainMauthausen
SS-OberführerSenior colonelDachau
SS-ObersturmführerNatzweiler-Struthof, Bergen-Belsen
SS-HauptsturmführerCaptainAuschwitz, Flossenbürg
SS-UntersturmführerSecond lieutenantAhlem
SS-ObersturmführerFirst lieutenantAuschwitz, Mittelbau-Dora, Bergen-Belsen
SS-StandartenführerColonelLichtenburg
SS-HauptsturmführerCaptainNatzweiler-Struthof
SS-ObersturmführerFirst lieutenantAuschwitz
SS-SturmbannführerMajorDachau
Dachau, Majdanek
Sachsenhausen
SS-HauptsturmführerCaptainNeuengamme
SS-HauptscharführerNatzweiler-Struthof
SS-StandartenführerColonelDachau
SS-ObersturmführerFirst lieutenantGross-Rosen, Majdanek, Neuengamme
SS-SturmbannführerMajorDachau, Sachsenhausen, Buchenwald
SS-Sturmbannführer''MajorLichtenburg, Dachau, Buchenwald