Zellenleiter
Encyclopedia
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.
, the rank of Zellenwart was replaced by a new rank known as Stellenleiter
. It was the Stellenleiters, on the local level of the Nazi Party encompassing German towns and cities, who held the positional title of Zellenleiter, and were often referred to as such in contrast to their actual political rank. Such persons answered to an official known as an Ortsgruppenleiter
, considered the chief Nazi in a municipal region.
In 1939, the Nazi Party completed revamped its political ranking system and created a plethora of new Nazi Party political ranks and the title of Zellenleiter was adopted into its final form. Holders of the position now held a standard Nazi political rank (normally Bereitschaftsleiter
or Einsatzleiter
) while also displaying a political armband denoting their position as a Zellenleiter. There were also three primary Zellenleiter positions, these being:
Two special positions, known as Betriebszellenobmann
and Hauptbetriebszellenobmann also existed, but were more focused on war production duties rather than the Nazi Cell command chain.
. After the establishment of Nazi Germany in 1933, the political position of Zellenleiter became a type of political strongman
and was usually the highest Nazi official that the general population would have direct dealings with on a day-to-day basis.
During World War II
, the Zellenleiters oversaw the activities of the Blockleiters under their command. Primary focus was on the enforcement of Nazi policies, the promulgation of war production, and the administration of civil relief efforts, especially towards the end of the war when Germany was invaded. As defeat loomed for Nazi Germany, many Zellenleiters became associated with the Volksturm and served as ad hoc military commanders when the need arose.
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. A Zellenleiter was higher in rank than a Blockleiter
Blockleiter
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...
and was in charge of a "Nazi Cell", composed of eight to twelve blocks.
History and Usage
The position of Zellenleiter was first created in 1930 as a mid-level political leadership title. Originally known as Zellenwart, in 1933 after the Nazis came to powerNazi 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 rank of Zellenwart was replaced by a new rank known as 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....
. It was the Stellenleiters, on the local level of the Nazi Party encompassing German towns and cities, who held the positional title of Zellenleiter, and were often referred to as such in contrast to their actual political rank. Such persons answered to an official known as an Ortsgruppenleiter
Ortsgruppenleiter
Ortsgruppenleiter was a Nazi Party political rank and title which existed between 1930 and 1945. The term first came into being during the German elections of 1930, and was held by the head Nazi of a town or city for the purposes of election district organization...
, considered the chief Nazi in a municipal region.
In 1939, the Nazi Party completed revamped its political ranking system and created a plethora of new Nazi Party political ranks and the title of Zellenleiter was adopted into its final form. Holders of the position now held a standard Nazi political rank (normally Bereitschaftsleiter
Bereitschaftsleiter
Bereitschaftsleiter was a Nazi Party political rank which existed between 1939 and 1945. There were three levels of the rank, known as Bereitschaftsleiter, Oberbereitschaftsleiter, and Hauptbereitschaftsleiter....
or Einsatzleiter
Einsatzleiter
Einsatzleiter was a mid-level Nazi Party political rank created in 1939 as a replacement for the older rank of Amtsleiter. Like its predecessor, the rank of Einsatzleiter was a generic staff position common across all levels of the Party, typically assigned to administrative or clerical...
) while also displaying a political armband denoting their position as a Zellenleiter. There were also three primary Zellenleiter positions, these being:
- Zellenleiter (Cell Leader)
- Zellenwalter (Cell Administrator)
- Zellenobmann (Cell Foreman)
Two special positions, known as Betriebszellenobmann
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....
and Hauptbetriebszellenobmann also existed, but were more focused on war production duties rather than the Nazi Cell command chain.
Duties
The original political rank of Zellenwart was used to supervise local Nazi political leaders during a time when the Nazi Party was attempting to gain power in the 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...
. After the establishment of Nazi Germany in 1933, the political position of Zellenleiter became a type of political strongman
Strongman
Strongman or Strong Man can mean:* Strongman * Strongman * Strongman * High striker, a physical strength carnival attraction* Strongman , a Marvel Comics character...
and was usually the highest Nazi official that the general population would have direct dealings with on a day-to-day basis.
During 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...
, the Zellenleiters oversaw the activities of the Blockleiters under their command. Primary focus was on the enforcement of Nazi policies, the promulgation of war production, and the administration of civil relief efforts, especially towards the end of the war when Germany was invaded. As defeat loomed for Nazi Germany, many Zellenleiters became associated with the Volksturm and served as ad hoc military commanders when the need arose.