Bewerber ("applicant") was an SS rank used in Nazi Germany from 1942 to 1945. The rank of Bewerber was
the lowest possible SS rank and was assigned to those
personnel who were under consideration for candidacy
in the SS. The rank was most often used in the Allgemeine-SS
as a prelude to appointment as an SS-Anwärter.
Within the Allgemeine-SS, the rank of SS-Bewerber was
(more often than not) used simply as an administrative
title while a background investigation was being conducted
on a potential SS member. Typically this would involve
a criminal history check, political reliablity screening,
and investigation into the prospective SS member's racial
background.
The rank of Bewerber was also occasionally used in
the Waffen-SS, but merely as a title for an SS recruit
who had yet to report for initial in-processing and
basic training. An SS-Bewerber was rarely issued a uniform
or any type of insignia. In the few cases where a uniform
was provided, a basic SS uniform would be worn without
any insignia.