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| Abbreviation | | German | | English |
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| A |
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| | Abschnitt | | Regional unit of SS and SD (about divisional strength) |
| Abt. | | Abteilung | | Division |
| | Abteilung Deutsche Presse | | German or Home Press Department |
| | Abwehr | | Intelligence and counter-intelligence department of OKH |
| ADtsch R. | | Akademie fuer Deutsches Recht | | Academy for German Law |
| | Amt | | Office |
| AG | | Aktien-Gesellschaft | | Joint Stock Company |
| | Amtsgericht | | Local Court |
| | Angriffskrieg | | War of Aggression |
| | Anklagebehoerde | | Office of Public Prosecutor |
| | Ausland | | The world outside the borders of the Reich |
| AO | | Auslands-Organisation | | Foreign Organization of the NSDAP |
| | Auslandsdeutsche | | German citizens residing outside Germany |
| APA | | Aussenpolitisches Amt | | NSDAP Bureau for Foreign Affairs |
| aD. | | ausser Dienst | | Retired |
| AA | | Auswaertiges Amt | | Ministry for Foreign Affairs |
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| B |
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| | Beauftragter | | Commissioner, delegate |
| BdF. | | Beauftragter des Fuehrers fuer die Ueberwachung der gesamtengeistigen und weltansschaulichen Schulung und Erziehung der NSDAP | | Delegate of the Fuehrer for the Total Supervision of Intellectual and Ideological Training and Education of the Party (Rosenberg) |
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| | Beauftragter fuer den Vierjahresplan | | Delegate for the Four Year Plan (Goering) |
| BdO. | | Befehlshaber der Ordnungspolizei | | Commander of the Order Police |
| BdS. | | Befehlshaber der Sicherheitspolizei | | Commander of the Security Police |
| | Befehlsleiter | | Rank in Party Administration |
| | Bereichsleiter | | Rank in Party Administration |
| Bev. | | Bevollmaechtigter | | Plenipotentiary |
| | Bewegung | | The movement, i.e., the Nazi Party, including Party formations, affiliated and supervised organizations |
| | Block | | Smallest unit of the Nazi Party, including several houses |
| | Blockleiter | | NSDAP leader of a block |
| | Botschafter | | Ambassador |
| BDM | | Bund Deutscher Maedel | | German Girls’ League (female Hitler Youth) |
| BGB | | Buergerliches Gesetzbuch | | German Civil Code |
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| C |
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| Ch. | | Chef | | Chief, head, commander, superior |
| | Chef der Zivilverwaltung | | Head of civil administration (e.g. of an annexed area) |
| | Chefsache | | Classified document for general officer only |
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| D |
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| DAF | | Deutsche Arbeitsfront | | German Labor Front |
| DFW | | Deutsches Frauenwerk | | German Woman’s Organization (sub-organization of the NSF) |
| DGT | | Deutscher Gemeindetag | | German Municipal Congress |
| DHD | | Deutscher Handelsdienst | | German Commercial Service (News Agency) |
| DNB | | Deutsches Nachrichtenbuero | | Official German News Agency |
| | Dienstleiter | | Rank in Party administration |
| | Drang nach Osten | | Drive to the East |
| | Dreierkollegium | | The College of Three (the two Plenipotentiaries for War Economy and Administration, and the Chief of the OKW) |
| DPK | | Deutsche diplomatisch-politische Korrespondenz | | German Diplomatic and Political Correspondence (News Agency of the Foreign Office) |
| DRK | | Deutsches Rotes Kreuz | | German Red Cross |
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| E |
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| eh. | | ehrenhalber | | Honorary |
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| | Einsatzgruppe | | Special (Gestapo and SD) formation used for special purposes, e.g., executing Nazi race policy, policing and raiding occupied areas |
| | Einsatzstab | | Special Purpose Staff |
| | Einsatzstab Rosenberg | | Rosenberg’s staff for looting art treasures |
| EK | | Eisernes Kreuz | | Iron Cross |
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| F |
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| | Freikorps | | Illegal terrorist military formations of former officers and ex-servicemen in Germany after World War I |
| | Fuehrerbefehl | | Fuehrer Order |
| | Fuehrererlass | | Fuehrer Edict |
| | Fuehrerkorps | | Corps of political leaders of the NSDAP |
| | Fuehrerprinzip | | Leadership principle of the NSDAP |
| Fuest. | | Fuehrungsstab | | Operational Staff |
| FdR. | | Fuer die Richtigkeit | | True or accurate copy |
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| G |
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| | Gau | | Largest NSDAP unit; 42 in the Reich and one for all Party groups outside the Reich |
| | Gauamtsleiter | | Administrative head of the Party Gauleitung |
| | Gauleiter | | NSDAP leader of a Gau |
| | Gauleitung | | Center of Party administration in a Gau |
| | Gaurichter | | Judge in a Gau Party Court |
| | Gauschatzmeister | | Treasurer of the Party Gauleitung |
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| | Geheimer Kabinettsrat | | Secret Cabinet Council |
| GKos. | | Geheime Kommandosache | | Top Secret (military classification) |
| | Geheime Reichssache | | Top Secret (civil classification) |
| Gestapo | | Geheime Staatspolizei | | Secret State Police. The political police system established in Prussia and extended throughout the Reich and the occupied territories. |
| | Generalbeauftragter | | Commissioner-General |
| | Generalbevollmaechtigter | | Plenipotentiary-General |
| GBA | | Generalbevollmaechtigter fuer den Arbeitseinsatz | | Plenipotentiary-General for Labor Allocation (Sauckel) |
| | Generalbevollmaechtigter fuer die Kriegswirtschaft | | Plenipotentiary-General for War Economy (Schacht) |
| | Generalbevollmaechtigter fuer die Reichsverwaltung | | Plenipotentiary-General for Administration (Frick-Himmler) |
| GG | | Generalgouvernement | | Government-General (Poland) |
| | Generalkommissar | | Commissar-General |
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| Genst. | | Generalstab | | General Staff |
| | Gesandter | | Minister (diplomatic rank) |
| GmbH. | | Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung | | Limited liability company |
| | Gleichschaltung | | The process of compulsory coordination of German organizations of all types to conform to the Nazi racial pattern and accept Party control. |
| | Gliederungen der NSDAP | | Party Formations |
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| H |
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| | Hauptstelle | | Main Bureau |
| H. Gr. | | Heeresgruppe | | Army Group |
| | Herausgeber | | Publisher of a Newspaper or Publishing Firm |
| | Herrenvolk | | Master race |
| HJ | | Hitlerjugend | | Hitler Youth |
| | Hoheitstraeger | | NSDAP bearer of sovereignty within a specific area of Party jurisdiction, i.e., a leader of a Gau, Kreis, Ortsgruppe, Zelle or Block. |
| HSSPf. | | Hoeherer SS-und Polizeifuehrer | | Higher SS—and Police Leader |
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| I |
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| IA | | | | Operations officer or section; cf. G-3 |
| IB | | | | Supply officer or section; cf. G-l |
| IC | | | | Intelligence officer or section; cf. G-2 |
| iA. | | im Auftrag | | By order of (above a signature) |
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| iG. | | im Generalstab | | Attached to the General Staff |
| iV. | | in Vertretung | | Per (signature); acting for. |
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| K |
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| KZ | | Konzentrationslager | | Concentration Camp |
| KdF. | | Kraft durch Freude | | Strength through Joy (German Labor Front subsidiary) |
| | Kreis | | Largest NSDAP subdivision of a Gau |
| | Kreisleiter | | NSDAP leader of a Kreis |
| | Kriegsmarine | | German Navy |
| Kripo | | Kriminalpolizei | | Criminal Police |
| | Kripo-Leitstelle | | Regional Criminal Police office, directly under Reich Criminal Police authority |
| | Kripo-Stelle | | Smaller than Kripo-Leitstelle, but also directly under Reich Criminal Police authority |
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| L |
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| | Land | | One of the federal states of Germany (e.g. Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, etc.) |
| | Landesgruppe | | The Nazi Party organization in any country outside Germany |
| | Lebensraum | | Living space |
| | Leiter der Parteikanzlei | | Chief of the Party Chancellery (Bormann) |
| Lw. | | Luftwaffe | | German Air Corps |
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| M |
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| Mil. Bef. | | Militaerbefehlshaber | | Military Commander (commanding non-operational troops in occupied territories) |
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| | Ministerrat fuer die Reichsverteidigung | | Ministerial Council for the Defense of the Reich |
| | Ministerialdirektor | | High Civil Servant (chief of a main section of a Ministry) |
| | Ministerialdirigent | | High civil servant, ranking below Ministerialdirektor |
| | Ministerialrat | | High civil servant, ranking below Ministerialdirigent |
| | Mit deutschem Gruss | | With German salute (equivalent to Heil Hitler) |
| MdR. | | Mitglied des Reichstags | | Member of the Reichstag |
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| N |
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| NS | | Nationalsozialismus | | National Socialism |
| NSBO | | Nationalsozialistische Betriebszellen Organisation | | National Socialist Factory Cells Organization |
| NSDAP | | Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei | | National Socialist German Workers’ Party; Nazi Party |
| | Nationalsozialistischer Deutscher | | NS German Students’ Bund |
| | Nationalsozialistischer Dozentenbund | | NS University Teachers’ Bund |
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| NSFK | | Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps | | NS Flying Corps |
| NSF | | Nationalsozialistische Frauenschaft | | NS Women’s League |
| NSK | | Nationalsozialistische Korrespondenz | | NS Official News Agency |
| NSKK | | Nationalsozialistischer Kraftfahrkorps | | NS Motor Corps |
| | Nurnberger Gesetze | | Nurnberg anti-Semitic laws |
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| O |
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| OB | | Oberfehlshaber | | Commander in Chief |
| ObKom. | | Oberkommando | | High Command |
| OKL | | Oberkommando der Luftwaffe | | Air Force High Command |
| OKM | | Oberkommando der Marine | | Navy High Command |
| OKW | | Oberkommando der Wehrmacht | | Armed Forces High Command |
| OKH | | Oberkommando des Heeres | | Army High Command |
| OSAF | | Oberste SA-Fuehrung | | Supreme Command of the SA |
| ORPO | | Ordnungspolizei | | Order Police |
| OT | | Organisation Todt | | Labor Corps organized by Todt |
| | Ortsgruppe | | Largest NSDAP subdivision of a Kreis |
| | Ortsgruppenleiter | | NSDAP leader of an Ortsgruppe |
| | Ostland | | Baltic countries and White Russia |
| | Ostmark | | Austria |
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| P |
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| PPK | | Parteiamtliche Pruefungskommission zum Schutze des NS-Schriftums | | Official Party Examining Commission for the Protection of National Socialist Publications |
| Pg. | | Parteigenosse | | Party Member (male) |
| Pgn. | | Parteigenossin | | Party Member (female) |
| | Preussische Gesetzsammlung | | Prussian Law collection |
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| R |
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| | Ratsherr | | Town Councillor |
| | Reiehsamtsleiter | | Head of a department in the Party Reichsleitung |
| RAD | | Reichsarbeitsdienst | | Reich Labor Service |
| RAM | | Reichsaussenminister | | Reich Foreign Minister (Ribbentrop) |
| RDB | | Reichsbund der Deutschen Beamten | | German Civil Servant’s League |
| | Reichsdeutsche | | German citizens residing in Germany |
| RFSS | | Reichsfuehrer SS | | Reich Leader of the SS (Himmler) |
| RGBl. | | Reichsgesetzblatt | | Reich Legal Gazette |
| | Reichshawptamtsleiter | | Head of the central departments of the Party |
| | Reichsinnenminister | | Minister of Interior (Frick, succeeded by Himmler) |
| RJF | | Reichsjugendfuehrung | | Reich Youth Leadership |
| | Reichskriegsminister | | Reich War Minister |
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| RKK | | Reichskulturkammer | | Reich Chamber of Culture |
| | Reichsleiter | | Member of the Supreme Party Directorate, in general the top level leader of an NSDAP function |
| | Reichsleiter fuer die Jugenderziehung | | Reich Leader of Youth Education (von Schirach) |
| | Reichsleiter des Reichsrechtsamtes | | Head of the Legal Office of the Party (Hans Frank) |
| RL | | Reichsleitung | | Supreme Party Directorate |
| RM | | Reichsmark | | The mark; pre-war value about $.40 |
| RMfdbO. | | Reichsminister fuer die besetzten Ostgebiete | | Reich Minister for Occupied Eastern Territories (Rosenberg) |
| | Reichsministerium fuer Volksaufklaerung und Propaganda | | Reich Ministry for Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda (Goebbels) |
| | Reichsnaehrstand | | Reich Food Estate (compulsory association of all persons engaged in agriculture) (Backe) |
| | Reichsparteitag | | Reich Party Rally (annual Nazi Congress at Nurnberg) |
| RPL | | Reichspropagandaleitung | | Party Propaganda Department |
| | Reichsregierung | | Reich Cabinet |
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| RRG | | Reichs-Rundfunkgessellschaft | | Reich Broadcasting Corporation |
| RSHA | | Reichssichterheitshauptamt | | Reich Main Security Office (Kaltenbrunner) |
| RT | | Reichstag | | Reich Parliament |
| | Reichstatthalter | | Reich Governor (of a Land or Reichsgau) |
| RVR | | Reichsvefteidigungsrat | | Reich Defense Council |
| | Reichswehr | | The German Army |
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| S |
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| | Schulungslager | | A Party training camp for political indoctrination |
| SS | | Schulzstaffel | | Elite Corps of NSDAP (black shirts); personal bodyguard of the Fuehrer, used for military and policing purposes |
| SD | | Sicherheitsdienst | | Security Service; Intelligence and counter-intelligence Agency of SS |
| SIPO | | Sicherheitspolizei | | Security police. This was the name given to the Gestapo and Kripo considered jointly |
| | Staatssekretaer | | Under Secretary of a Ministry and permanent civil service head of a ministry |
| Stalag | | Stammlager | | Prisoner of War Camp (for enlisted men) |
| | Standartenfuehrer | | Rank in a Party formation, roughly equivalent to Colonel |
| | Stapo | | Gestapo, Secret Police |
| | Stapo-Leitstelle | | Regional Gestapo office, directly under central command of Gestapo |
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| SA | | Sturmabteilung | | Storm Troops of NSDAP (brown shirts) |
| | Systemzeit | | System Era (Nazi designation of the Era of Weimar Republic, 1918-1933) |
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| T |
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| TV | | Totenkopfverbaende | | Death-Head units of the SS (Concentration Camp Guards) |
| TO | | Transozean | | Transocean (News Agency) |
| TP | | Transkontinent Press | | Transcontinent Press (News Agency) |
| | Treuhaender der Arbeit | | Trustee of Labor |
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| U |
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| | Unterstaatssekretaer | | Civil Servant, of a grade lower than Staatssekretaer |
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| V |
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| VT | | Verfuegunstruppen | | SS Units for Special Tasks |
| | Verlag | | Publishing House |
| VOBl | | Verordnungsblatt | | Ordnance Gazette |
| | Vierjahrsplan | | Four Year Plan |
| | Volk | | Folk, people, race: all persons of German blood |
| VDA | | Volksbund fuer das Deutschtum im Ausland | | League for Germanism Abroad |
| | Volksdeutscher | | A person of German blood but of non-German citizenship residing abroad, and considered a member of the German people |
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| | Volksgericht | | People’s Court, Highest Court for Political Crimes |
| | Volksgemeinschaft | | People’s or racial community; the world-wide community composing all people of German blood |
| | Volksgenosse | | Racial comrade; a person of German blood regardless of citizenship |
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| W |
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| WSS | | Waffen-SS | | Combat SS |
| | Wehrkreis | | Military District |
| | Wehrkreiskommando | | Military authority in charge of a Wehrkreis |
| | Wehrmacht | | Armed Forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force) |
| WFSt | | Wehrmacht-Fuehrungsstab | | Operational Staff of Armed Forces |
| | Wehrwirtschaftsfuehrer | | Title awarded to prominent industrialists for merit in armaments drive |
| Wi-Rue | | Wehrwirtschafts und Ruestungsamt | | War Economy and Armament Office (in OKW) |
| | Weltanschauung | | World-view or philosophy |
| WHW | | Winterhilfswerk | | Winter Relief Organization |
| WVHA | | Wirtschaft-und-Verwaltungs Hauptamt | | Economic and Administration Main Office (of SS) in charge of Concentration Camps |
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| Z |
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| | Zeitung | | Newspaper |
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| | Zelle | | NSDAP subdivision of an Ortsgruppe |
| | Zellenleiter | | NSDAP leader of a Party cell |
| zbV | | zur besonderen Verwendung | | For special missions or duties |
| zV | | zur Verfuegung | | At disposal |