Schutzstaffel

Bundesarchiv Bild 119-1486, Hitler-Putsch, München, Marienplatz

Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1969-054-53A, Nürnberg, Reichsparteitag

Gruft der Wewelsburg (10573265394)

HimmlerAndHeydrich 1938

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H15390, Berlin, Kaserne der LSSAH, Vergatterung

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H26996, KZ Dachau, Verbrennungsofen

Schutzstaffel (SS) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II. It began with a small guard unit known as the Saal-Schutz ("Hall Security") to provide security for party meetings in Munich. Under Heinrich Himmler's leadership from 1929, the SS grew from a mere 290 members to over 250,000 members by the time the war began.

Origins and Growth

The SS was originally formed in 1925 as a subsection of the Sturmabteilung (SA), the Nazi Party's original paramilitary wing. Its initial purpose was to provide protection for Nazi leaders at rallies and assemblies. The SS distinguished itself from the SA by its strict selection process, ideology-driven criteria, and absolute loyalty to Hitler. In 1929, Himmler was appointed as the leader of the SS, marking the beginning of its transformation into a powerful and independent entity within the Nazi regime.

Structure and Divisions

The SS was organized into several main units, including the Allgemeine SS (General SS), which was responsible for enforcing Nazi racial policy; the Waffen-SS, the armed military wing of the SS which fought alongside the regular German army; the SS-Totenkopfverbände (SS Death's Head Units), which administered the Nazi concentration camps; and the Sicherheitsdienst (SD), the intelligence agency of the SS and the Nazi Party.

Role in the Holocaust

The SS played a pivotal role in the execution of the Holocaust, the systematic genocide of six million Jews and millions of other victims. Under the direction of SS officers, concentration camps were established across Europe where millions were murdered in gas chambers or through forced labor, starvation, and disease. The SS also conducted mass shootings and was responsible for the implementation of the Final Solution, the plan to exterminate the Jewish population of Europe.

Post-War Trials and Legacy

After World War II, the SS was declared a criminal organization at the Nuremberg Trials due to its involvement in war crimes and the Holocaust. Many of its leaders, including Himmler, were captured and committed suicide or were executed for their crimes. The legacy of the SS is one of the most brutal and dark chapters in human history, symbolizing the extreme ideologies and atrocities of the Nazi regime.

See Also

• Nazi Germany
• Holocaust
• World War II
• Nuremberg Trials