Reichsleiter

{{short description|Second-highest political rank of the Nazi Party}}

{{Italic title}}

{{Infobox military rank

| name = {{lang|de|Reichsleiter}}

| native_name =

| image = Reichsleiter.svg

| image_size = 100px

| alt =

| caption = Flag 1939–1945

| image2 = {{nowrap|100px 100px}}

| image_size2 =

| alt2 =

| caption2 = Pre and post 1939 insignia

| image3 = Reich-Reichsleiter armband.svg

| image_size3 = 100px

| alt3 =

| caption3 = Armband

| country = {{flag|Nazi Germany}}

| service branch = {{flagicon image|Flag of the NSDAP (1920–1945).svg}} Nazi Party

| abbreviation = RL

| rank group =

| rank = Paramilitary rank

| NATO rank =

| Non-NATO rank =

| pay grade =

| formation = 2 June 1933

| abolished = 8 May 1945

| higher rank = {{lang|de|Führer}}

| lower rank = {{lang|de|Gauleiter}}

| equivalents =

| history =

}}

{{lang|de|Reichsleiter}} ({{IPA|de|ˈʁaɪ̯çsˌlaɪ̯tɐ|-|De-Reichsleiter.ogg}}, {{translation|national leader or {{lang|de|Reich}} leader}}) was the second-highest political rank in the Nazi Party (NSDAP), subordinate only to the office of {{lang|de|Führer}}. {{lang|de|Reichsleiter}} also functioned as a paramilitary rank within the NSDAP and was the highest rank attainable in any Nazi organisation.{{cite web |url= http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/nca/nca-01/nca-01-06-organization.html |title= The Organization of the Nazi Party & State |website= nizkor.org |publisher= The Nizkor Project |access-date=13 April 2016 |archive-date=9 November 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161109221505/http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/imt/nca/nca-01/nca-01-06-organization.html |url-status=dead }}

Each {{lang|de|Reichsleiter}} reported directly to the {{lang|de|Führer}}, Adolf Hitler. Men of the rank {{lang|de|Reichsleiter}} collectively formed part of the Reichsleitung (Reich leadership) of the NSDAP, which was originally located in the "Brown House" in Munich. Each {{lang|de|Reichsleiter}} was in charge of a broad area of responsibility in the party. Hitler originally established the rank of {{lang|de|Reichsleiter}} on 2 June 1933 and appointed 16 individuals to that rank.Dietrich Orlow: The Nazi Party 1919-1945: A Complete History, Enigma Books, New York, 2010, p. 263. {{ISBN|978-1-929631-57-5}}. Subsequently, a further 6 individuals were appointed to the rank between 1933 and 1938: von Epp, Frick, Bormann, Lutze, Hierl and Huhnlein.[https://www.axishistory.com/books/182-germany-political-organizations/nsdap/4943-reichsleiters-of-the-nsdap "Reichsleiters of the NSDAP"] in [https://www.axishistory.com Axis History] Retrieved 27 June 2020.