Glossary of Terms

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
   
A
A.A.
Anti Aircraft
A.D.H.
Assistant Director of Hygiene
A.D.M.S.
Assistant Director of Medical Services
A.F.P.U.
Army Film and Photographic Unit
Appell
Roll call
Appelplatz
Place of roll call, parade ground.
Aufseherin
Wardress
Arbeitsdienst
Labour service
Arbeitsdienstführer
SS Labour Control Officer
Arbeitskommando
Working squad
Aufenthaltslager
Detention/Internment camp
B
B.A.O.R.
British Army of the Rhine
Bauarbeiterlager
Construction Workers Camp
B.C.
Battery Commander
Beerdigunskommando
Burial squad
Blockältester
Block leader
Blockführer
SS block leader
Brig.
Brigadier
Brigadeführer
Brigadier
C
Camp No 1
The Belsen Trial name for Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp
Camp No 2
The Belsen Trial name for Bergen-Belsen Barracks (now Bergen-Hohne)
Capt.
Captain
C.C.S.
Casualty Clearing Station
C.O.
Commanding Officer
Col.
Colonel
Cpl.
Corporal
C.S.M.
Company Sergeant Major
D
D.D.M.S.
Deputy Director Medical Services
D.L.I.
Durham Light Infantry
D.P.
Displaced Persons
Dr.
Doctor
E
Ehrholungslager
Recovery camp
Entlausung
Bath House/Delousing facility
Elternloser Kinder
Orphaned children
F
Frauenlager
Womens camp
Friedhof
Cemetary
G
Gedenkstätte
Memorial Site
Gefolgschaft
Staff (eg of a factory)
Gemüsekeller
Vegetable Cellar/Store
Gnr.
Gunner (Royal Artillery Rank equivalent of Private)
Großes Frauenlager
Large womens camp
Gruppenführer
Major-General
H
Häftling
Prisoner
Haftlingslager
Prisoners camp
Hauptscharführer
Warrant Officer Class 2
Hauptsturmführer
Captain
Heeresneubauarbeiterlager
Construction workers camp
I
Internierunglager
Internment camp
J
J.R.U.
Jewish Relief Unit
K
Kapo
Term used for certain prisoners who worked inside the concentration camps in various lower administrative positions. The German word may also mean foreman and non-commissioned officer, and is derived from French for Corporal or the Italian word capo. Kapos received more privileges than normal prisoners, towards whom they were often brutal. They were often convicts who were offered this work in exchange for a reduced sentence or parole.
Kläranlage
Drainage/Sewage system
Kommando
Squad
Kommandoführer
SS Leader of squad
Krankenlager
Sick bay/camp
Krematorium
Crematorium
Kriegsgraber
War Grave
Küche
Kitchen
L
L.A.A.
Light Anti Aircraft
Lager
Camp
Lagerältester
Senior camp prisoner
Lagerführer
SS camp leader
Lazarett
Field Hospital
LCpl.
Lance Corporal
Leichenkommando
Burial squad
Löschwasserbecken
Emergency Water Supply or Water Reservoir
Lt.
Lieutenant
Lt. Col.
Lieutenant Colonel
Luftwaffe
German air force
M
Maj.
Major
Maj. Gen.
Major General
N
Neutralenlager
Neutrals' Camp
N.C.O.
Non Commissioned Officer
O
Oberaufseherin
Head wardess
Oberführer
A rank between Colonel and Brigadier with no British equivalent
Obergruppenführer
Lieutenant General
Oberscharführer
Staff Sergeant
Oberstgruppenführer
General
Obersturmbannführer
Lieutenant Colonel
Obersturmführer
Lieutenant
O.C.
Officer Commanding
P
P.O.W.
Prisoner of war
Pte.
Private
Q
Q.M.
Quartermaster
R
R.A.
Royal Artillery
R.A.F.
Royal Air Force
R.A.M.C.
Royal Army Medical Corps
R.A.S.C.
Royal Army Service Corps
Rapportführer
Staff member who calls the roll
R.C.A.F.
Royal Canadian Air Force
R.C.A.M.C.
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Reichsarbeitsdienst
German Labour Service
Reichsführer
Field Marshal
R.E.M.E.
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
R.H.A.
Royal Horse Artillery
Rottenführer
Corporal
R.S.M.
Regimental Sergeant Major
R.T.R.
Royal Tank Regiment
S
S.A.S.
Special Air Service
Scharführer
Sergeant
Schießstand
Small arms range
Schreiber
Clerk
Schuhberg
Mountain of shoe leather
Schuhkommando
Working party used to recycle shoes
Schuhzelt
Shoe Tent
Schütze
Private
Schutzehäfling
Prisoner in protective custody
Schwimmbad
Swimming Pool
Sgt.
Sergeant
S.M.O.
Senior Medical Officer
Sonderkommando
Special squad
Sonderlager
Special Camp
Sqn. Ldr.
Squadron Leader
SSgt.
Staff Sergeant
S.S.M.
Squadron Sergeant Major
Stabsarzt
Medical Officer
Stalag
Shortened version of Stammlager, prisoner of war camp
Stammlager
Prisoner of war camp
Standartenführer
Colonel
Standartenjunker
A rank between Sergeant and Staff Sergeant with no British equivalent
Standartenoberjunker
A rank between Warrant Officer Class 1 and Warrant Officer Class 2 with no British equivalent
Stellvertreter
Deputy
Sternlager
Star Camp
Strafkommando
Punishment squad
Straßenbaukommando
Road building squad
Stubenältester
Room leader who is a prisoner
Stubendienst
Prisoner who cleans out rooms
Sturmbannführer
Major
Sturmmann
Lance Corporal
Sturmscharführer
Warrant Officer Class 1
T
T.A.
Territorial Army
Totenkommando
Execution squad
U
Ungarnlager
Hungarians camp
Unterscharführer
Corporal
Untersturmführer
2nd Lieutenant
U.N.R.R.A.
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
V
Verwaltungsführer
Administration officer
Vorarbeiter
Foreman
W
Waldlager
Forest Camp
Wirtschaftsamt
Office for economic administrative matters
W.O.
War Office
Warrant Officer
Wohnlager
Refugee camp
X
Y
Z
Zigeuner
Gypsy