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Of all the German organizations during World War II, the SS is by far the most infamous - and the least understood amongst average historians. This is in part because of the combat record of the Waffen-SS and the elite status of many of its units.
The Waffen-SS was a part of the German Schutzstaffel or SS, which saw its rise during the late 1920s and early 1930s.
The SS was the single most powerful political organization within the Third Reich and consisted of the Allgemeine SS, Totenkopfverbande, and the Waffen SS.
The Waffen-SS was born in 1933 after Hitler came to power when Politisches Bereitschaften or Political Readiness Detachments were formed under the control of the SS. These units were organized along military lines and were intended to help counter Communist strikes. On October 1st, 1934 these units became the SS-Verfugungstruppen or SS Special Use Troops. Initially the Verfugungstruppen consisted of small detachments located in larger German cities but by 1935 they were organized into battalions and in 1936 into Standarten or regiments. In 1936 two main SS-V Standarten existed, Deutschland and Germania. The Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler also existed at this time and although related it was considered somewhat outside the purview of the SS-V.
In 1938 the SS-Verfugungstruppen took part in the occupation of Austria and Czechoslovakia along side the Wehrmacht. After the occupation of Austria a third Standart was formed known as Der Fuhrer. In 1939 the SS-Verfugungstruppen consisted of three Standarden, the LAH, and a number of smaller service and support units. For the Campaign in Poland in 1939 all SS-V units were organized into the SS-Verfugungstruppe-Division and placed under the operational command of the Wehrmacht. The SS-Verfugungstruppe-Division also fought in the Western Campaign 1940. After the conclusion of the Western Campaign the SS-Verfugungstruppen was renamed and became the Waffen-SS.
The SS was in fact not a monolithic "Black Corps" of goose stepping Gestapo men, as is often depicted in popular media and in many third rate historical works. The SS was in reality a complex political and military organization made up of three separate and distinct branches, all related but equally unique in their functions and goals. The Allgemeine-SS (General SS) was the main branch of this overwhelmingly complex organization, and it served a politicial and administrative role. The SS-Totenkopfverbande (SS Deaths Head Organization) and later, the Waffen-SS (Armed SS), were the other two branches that made up the structure of the SS. The Waffen-SS, formed in 1940, was the true military formation of the larger SS, and as such, it is the main focus of this section. Formed from the SS-Verfungstruppe after the Campaign in France in 1940, the Waffen SS would become an elite military formation of nearly 600,000 men by the time World War II was over. Its units would spearhead some of the most crucial battles of Second World War while its men would shoulder some of the most difficult and daunting combat opertations of all the units in the German military.
The Waffen SS is sometimes thought of as the 4th branch of the German Wehrmacht (Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine) as in the field it came under the direct tactical control of the OKW, although this notion is technically incorrect as strategic control remained within the hands of the SS. To this day the actions of the Waffen-SS and its former members are vilified for ultimately being a part of the larger structure of the political Allgemeine SS, regardless of the fact that the Waffen-SS was a front line combat organization.
The Waffen-SS was a part of the German Schutzstaffel or SS, which saw its rise during the late 1920s and early 1930s.
The SS was the single most powerful political organization within the Third Reich and consisted of the Allgemeine SS, Totenkopfverbande, and the Waffen SS.
The Waffen-SS was born in 1933 after Hitler came to power when Politisches Bereitschaften or Political Readiness Detachments were formed under the control of the SS. These units were organized along military lines and were intended to help counter Communist strikes. On October 1st, 1934 these units became the SS-Verfugungstruppen or SS Special Use Troops. Initially the Verfugungstruppen consisted of small detachments located in larger German cities but by 1935 they were organized into battalions and in 1936 into Standarten or regiments. In 1936 two main SS-V Standarten existed, Deutschland and Germania. The Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler also existed at this time and although related it was considered somewhat outside the purview of the SS-V.
In 1938 the SS-Verfugungstruppen took part in the occupation of Austria and Czechoslovakia along side the Wehrmacht. After the occupation of Austria a third Standart was formed known as Der Fuhrer. In 1939 the SS-Verfugungstruppen consisted of three Standarden, the LAH, and a number of smaller service and support units. For the Campaign in Poland in 1939 all SS-V units were organized into the SS-Verfugungstruppe-Division and placed under the operational command of the Wehrmacht. The SS-Verfugungstruppe-Division also fought in the Western Campaign 1940. After the conclusion of the Western Campaign the SS-Verfugungstruppen was renamed and became the Waffen-SS.
The SS was in fact not a monolithic "Black Corps" of goose stepping Gestapo men, as is often depicted in popular media and in many third rate historical works. The SS was in reality a complex political and military organization made up of three separate and distinct branches, all related but equally unique in their functions and goals. The Allgemeine-SS (General SS) was the main branch of this overwhelmingly complex organization, and it served a politicial and administrative role. The SS-Totenkopfverbande (SS Deaths Head Organization) and later, the Waffen-SS (Armed SS), were the other two branches that made up the structure of the SS. The Waffen-SS, formed in 1940, was the true military formation of the larger SS, and as such, it is the main focus of this section. Formed from the SS-Verfungstruppe after the Campaign in France in 1940, the Waffen SS would become an elite military formation of nearly 600,000 men by the time World War II was over. Its units would spearhead some of the most crucial battles of Second World War while its men would shoulder some of the most difficult and daunting combat opertations of all the units in the German military.
The Waffen SS is sometimes thought of as the 4th branch of the German Wehrmacht (Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine) as in the field it came under the direct tactical control of the OKW, although this notion is technically incorrect as strategic control remained within the hands of the SS. To this day the actions of the Waffen-SS and its former members are vilified for ultimately being a part of the larger structure of the political Allgemeine SS, regardless of the fact that the Waffen-SS was a front line combat organization.
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