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In 1934 the SS had
grown to more than 250,000 members serving in a variety of military
and administrative functions. It was decided that the total
organization was best administered by dividing it into two distinct
groups. The General SS (Allgemeine-SS) was the first of these groups
and was reserved for men who served in administrative roles on a full
and part-time basis. The second group was known as the Armed SS (Bewaffnete-SS)
which was later renamed the Waffen-SS in July 1940. The Bewaffnete-SS
encompassed all the SS units that were designated military by nature,
and it included only men who were able to serve on a full-time basis
like those serving in the German Armed Services (Wehrmacht). Both
branches were totally integral to one another and their members swore
loyalty only to Adolf Hitler.
Members of the
Allgemeine-SS served in administrative units assigned to legal, race,
economic, personnel, and security matters. Most of the Allgemeine-SS
were concentrated on matters of State security for the purpose of
enforcing National Socialist ideology including matters of racial
purity. Members were trained to counter any type of political or
civil unrest and were prepared to seize control of the national
infrastructure if needed. This effort resulted in a close working
relationship with State, local, and rural police organizations that
provided day-to-day order among the civilian population. Many police
officers were granted membership in the SS and the ties between the
two organizations resulted in the eventual merging of several police
related activities.
During wartime,
members of the Allgemeine-SS contributed to home front activities
related to Germany’s economy. This included working with leading
industrialists, organizing, controlling, and directing foreign labor,
and supporting groups such as the Air Protection Warning Service (Luftschutzwarndienst).
In addition, the Allgemeine-SS played a foremost role in enforcing
racial purity laws to include overseeing the operation of
concentration camps in Germany and occupied countries. Near the war’s
end, Home Guard units of Germany’s “People’s Army” (Volksturm) were
organized by the Allgemeine-SS as a “last ditch” effort to provide
defense against invading Allied armies.
1 The
LAH independently fielded combat troops during the campaign against
Poland. Elements later joined the SS-VT prior to the invasion of
Russia in 1941. |
