What is "schutzhaftlagerfuhrer"

Schutzhaftlagerführer (head of the "preventive detention camp") was a paramilitary title of the SS, specific to the concentration and extermination camps Totenkopfverbande ("Death's-Head units"). 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 (if there was a women's camp). They were directly responsible for order in the camp and they assigned prisoners to the outside work details. The Blockführer, each of whom were responsible for one or more barracks, were subordinate to them.

Notable people

Name

Highest SS rank attained

US/UK equivalent rank

Concentration camp

SS-'' Sturmbannführer

Major

Auschwitz I

SS- Hauptsturmführer

Captain

Mauthausen

SS- Oberführer

Senior colonel

Dachau

SS- Hauptsturmführer

Captain

Sachsenhausen, Mittelbau-Dora

SS- Hauptsturmführer

Captain

Auschwitz, Flossenbürg

SS- Untersturmführer

Second lieutenant

Ahlem

SS- Obersturmführer

First lieutenant

Auschwitz, Mittelbau-Dora, Bergen-Belsen

SS- Standartenführer

Colonel

Lichtenburg

SS- Hauptsturmführer

Captain

Natzweiler-Struthof

SS- Obersturmführer

First lieutenant

Auschwitz

SS- Sturmbannführer

Major

Dachau

Dachau, Majdanek

Sachsenhausen

SS- Hauptsturmführer

Captain

Neuengamme

SS- Standartenführer

Colonel

Dachau

SS- Obersturmführer

First lieutenant

Gross-Rosen, Majdanek, Neuengamme

SS- Sturmbannführer

Major

Dachau, Sachsenhausen, Buchenwald

SS- Sturmbannführer

Major

Lichtenburg, Dachau, Buchenwald