Blockleiter
Encyclopedia
Blockleiter was a Nazi Party political rank
which existed between the years of 1930 and 1945. The Blockleiter was the lowest political official of the NSDAP, responsible for the political supervision of a neighborhood or city block
and formed the link between the NSDAP and the general population.
. Blockwarts were organized by neighborhoods in German towns and cities, and answered to a "Cell Warden" known as the Zellenwart. Typically, there were between eight to ten blocks in one cell.
In 1933, when the Nazis came to power
, the old political rank of Blockwart was phased out of the Nazi rank system to be replaced by a new rank known as Mitarbeiter. It is at this point that the term Blockleiter was most often used, although not as an actual political rank but as a title for a Mitarbeiter assigned to the local level of the Nazi Party in charge of a local neighborhood or community street.
Those Mitarbeiters assigned as Blockleiters now answered to an official known as a Zellenleiter
. Zellenleiter, also itself a title and not an actual rank, was held by Nazis holding the political rank of Stellenleiter
.
In 1939, with the establishment of a new array of Nazi Party political ranks, both Mitarbeiter and Blockleiter became political positions, denoted by special armbands. The organization of the Nazi Block unit now encompassed several positions; the complete array of Block titles were as follows:
A special operations position known as Betriebsblockobmann
also existed, but was more connected to war time production rather than block administration.
It was also the duty of the Blockleiter to spy on the population and report any anti-Nazi activities to the local Gestapo office; this allowed a Nazi terror state. This was helped by keeping files on each household (Haushaltskarten). Due to such activities, Blockleiters were particularly disliked by the general population. Other duties included allocating beds in homes for visiting NSDAP demonstrators, the collection of subscriptions and charitable donations especially for Winterhilfe and organising the clearing of rubble after air-raids.
By the close of World War II
, it is thought that there were nearly half a million Blockleiter.
Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party
Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party were paramilitary titles used by the National Socialist German Workers Party between approximately 1928 and the fall of Nazi Germany in 1945...
which existed between the years of 1930 and 1945. The Blockleiter was the lowest political official of the NSDAP, responsible for the political supervision of a neighborhood or city block
City block
A city block, urban block or simply block is a central element of urban planning and urban design. A city block is the smallest area that is surrounded by streets. City blocks are the space for buildings within the street pattern of a city, they form the basic unit of a city's urban fabric...
and formed the link between the NSDAP and the general population.
History & Usage
The title of Blockleiter was first created in 1930 and was initially known as Blockwart (Block Warden). The purpose of the Blockwart was to organize local support for elections during a time period when Nazis were attempting to gain both local and national political offices in the old Weimar RepublicWeimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
. Blockwarts were organized by neighborhoods in German towns and cities, and answered to a "Cell Warden" known as the Zellenwart. Typically, there were between eight to ten blocks in one cell.
In 1933, when the Nazis came to power
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, the old political rank of Blockwart was phased out of the Nazi rank system to be replaced by a new rank known as Mitarbeiter. It is at this point that the term Blockleiter was most often used, although not as an actual political rank but as a title for a Mitarbeiter assigned to the local level of the Nazi Party in charge of a local neighborhood or community street.
Those Mitarbeiters assigned as Blockleiters now answered to an official known as a Zellenleiter
Zellenleiter
Zellenleiter was a Nazi Party political title which existed between the years of 1930 and 1945. A Zellenleiter was higher in rank than a Blockleiter and was in charge of a "Nazi Cell", composed of eight to twelve blocks....
. Zellenleiter, also itself a title and not an actual rank, was held by Nazis holding the political rank of Stellenleiter
Stellenleiter
Stellenleiter was a Nazi Party political rank which existed between 1933 and 1938. The rank was created as a mid-level political position intended to replace the older rank of Zellenwart, also known as Zellenleiter....
.
In 1939, with the establishment of a new array of Nazi Party political ranks, both Mitarbeiter and Blockleiter became political positions, denoted by special armbands. The organization of the Nazi Block unit now encompassed several positions; the complete array of Block titles were as follows:
- Blockhelfer - Block Assistant
- Blockleiter - Block Leader
- Blockwalter - Block Administrator
- Blockobmann - Block Foreman
A special operations position known as Betriebsblockobmann
Betriebsobmann
Betriebsobmann was a political position of the Nazi Party which existed between the years 1939 and 1945. The term first came into being at the start of World War II and was unique only to the local level of the Nazi Party, known as the Ortsgruppen....
also existed, but was more connected to war time production rather than block administration.
Duties
Whereas the old Blockwart position had been concerned with election district leadership, the new Blockleiter was concerned with enforcing Nazi doctrine and supervising the local population. After 1933, the local Blockleiter was in charge of spreading propaganda and developing an acceptance to the policies of the NSDAP among the households (typically 40 to 60) in his area.It was also the duty of the Blockleiter to spy on the population and report any anti-Nazi activities to the local Gestapo office; this allowed a Nazi terror state. This was helped by keeping files on each household (Haushaltskarten). Due to such activities, Blockleiters were particularly disliked by the general population. Other duties included allocating beds in homes for visiting NSDAP demonstrators, the collection of subscriptions and charitable donations especially for Winterhilfe and organising the clearing of rubble after air-raids.
By the close of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it is thought that there were nearly half a million Blockleiter.