The term Waffen-SS became official during the spring of 1940, and it indicated those units concerned with frontline military duty. The men of the Waffen-SS had considered themselves as elite soldiers since well before World War II. This was because of the teachings of their officers, inspired by SS-Brigadeführer Paul Hausser and SS-Standartenführer
Felix Steiner, and a logical consequence of their rigorous military training. Numerous Waffen-SS men who only attained junior officer rank during the 1930's become effective division commanders during World War II, including Theodor Wisch, Werner Ostendorff, Hermann Prieß, Karl Ullrich, Otto Kumm, Sylvester Stadler, Heinz Harmel, Fritz von Scholz, Fritz Witt, Georg Bochmann, Bruno Streckenbach, Franz Augsberger and Jürgen Wagner. Augsburger earned the Knight's Cross, and all others attained the Oakleaves or higher to that decoration. Members of the Schutzstaffel swore the following oath:
Ich schwöre Dir, Adolf Hitler, als Führer und Kanzler des Deutschen Reiches Treue und Tapferkeit. Wir geloben Dir und den von Dir bestimmten Vorgesetzten Gehorsam bis in den Tod. So wahr mir Gott helfe. The oath was renewed publicly at an annual ceremony. After January 30 1941, foreign-born members of the SS swore to Hitler only as Führer, not as "Führer and Chancellor". Credit: Marc Rikmenspoel. Top image: Kaserne der Leibstandarte-SS
Adolf Hitler in Berlin-Lichterfelde in the 1930s. Source: Herbert Walther. FU. Middle image: Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and SS-Standartenführer Felix Steiner before the outbreak of World War II. Bottom image: Leibstandarte SS at attention during medal award ceremony by SS-Obergruppenführer and Commander of the Leibstandarte SS
Josef Sepp Dietrich. The ceremony takes place in the inner square of the Technical High School of Metz in 1940, soon to be re-named SS-Nachrichtenschule. Photo believed taken by Propaganda-Abschnittsführer SS-Untersturmführer d. R. Jobst Gösling. Commons: Bundesarchiv.
Stalin's Nemesis
ReplyDeleteIf the European Waffen-SS had not existed, Europe would have been overrun entirely by the Soviets by 1944. They would have reached Paris long before the Americans.
ReplyDeleteThe Nazis wanted to enslave all non blue eyed and blond haired people. Thanks USSR for saving Europe!
ReplyDeleteYou are dead wrong.
DeleteAll they wanted was to save their country from the treaty of versailles and defeat the communists.
DeleteI'm not a fan of National Socialism, however, only an imbecile can believe Powis nonsense. I only say this because these sort of comments have the opposite effect than the one intended. Just hate gibberish, as well as Nazis.
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DeleteWaffen-SS was a magnet for thousands of European men with a longing for a radical reorganisation of the European political, social and economic landscape. They were often highly educated men dedicated to fight what they perceived as a threat to the core of Europe.
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