What was the difference between the SD and the Gestapo?
What was the difference between the SD and the Gestapo?
The SD was mainly an information-gathering agency, while the Gestapo—and to a degree the Criminal Police (Kriminalpolizei or Kripo)—was the executive agency of the political police system. The SD and Gestapo did have integration through SS members holding dual positions in each branch.
How was the SS different from the regular German army?
The Allgemeine SS was responsible for enforcing the racial policy of Nazi Germany and general policing, whereas the Waffen-SS consisted of combat units within Nazi Germany’s military.
What rank was Himmler?
Fahnenjunker Reichsführer-SS
| Heinrich Himmler | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | German Empire Nazi Germany |
| Branch/service | Bavarian Army Schutzstaffel |
| Years of service | 1917–1918 (Army) 1925–1945 (SS) |
| Rank | Fahnenjunker Reichsführer-SS |
What uniform did the Gestapo wear?
The majority of SS personnel wore a variation of the Waffen-SS uniform or the grey-green SS service tunic. Branches with personnel that normally would wear civilian attire in the Reich (such as the Gestapo and Kripo) were issued grey-green SS uniforms in occupied territory to avoid being mistaken for civilians.
What is the abbreviation for Schutzstaffel?
SS, abbreviation of Schutzstaffel (German: “Protective Echelon”), the black-uniformed elite corps and self-described “political soldiers” of the Nazi Party.
Who are SS members?
The SS (Schutzstaffel): Organization of Former SS Members (ODESSA) ODESSA, the Organization of Former SS Members (“Organization Der Ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen”), was an organization founded in 1944 with the express purpose of helping Nazi members flee Europe and escape justice.
What is SS in the Army?
SS, abbreviation of Schutzstaffel (German: “Protective Echelon”), the black-uniformed elite corps and self-described “political soldiers” of the Nazi Party. Founded by Adolf Hitler in April 1925 as a small personal bodyguard, the SS grew with the success of the Nazi movement and, gathering immense police and military powers,…
Who was head of the Schutzstaffel (SS)?
The SS was considered to be an elite force and membership was restricted to those who were pure Aryan Germans. On 6th January 1929 Heinrich Himmler was appointed leader of the SchutzStaffel. Himmler was an ambitious man and set about building up membership of the SS.