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SS Personnel Main Office
The SS Personnel Main Office (german: SS Personalhauptamt) was established on 1 June 1939 from the personnel department in Himmler's personal staff. It was responsible for the administration of personnel matters regarding all leaders and officers of the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) of Nazi Germany. This included the ''Allgemeine SS'' (General SS), Waffen-SS and ''Sicherheitsdienst'' (SD; Security Service), specifically those matters regarding admission, promotion and dismissal, but also organisational matters, transfers, and training. It was responsible for processing recommendations for decorations. The office was also responsible for the SS seniority list (''Dienstaltersliste''), the granting of the ''SS-Ehrenring'' (SS Honour Ring) and '' Degen'' (SS Honour Sword), and also appointed members within the ''Allgemeine SS''. Walter Schmitt was chief of the office until June 1942 when, due to illness, he turned over responsibility for management of the office to Maximilian von Herff who fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Human Resource Management
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, and language. Humans are highly social and tend to live in complex social structures composed of many cooperating and competing groups, from families and kinship networks to political states. Social interactions between humans have established a wide variety of values, social norms, and rituals, which bolster human society. Its intelligence and its desire to understand and influence the environment and to explain and manipulate phenomena have motivated humanity's development of science, philosophy, mythology, religion, and other fields of study. Although some scientists equate the term ''humans'' with all members of the genus ''Homo'', in common usage, it generally refers to ''Homo sapiens'', the only extant member. Anatomically mode ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Schutzstaffel
The ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS; also stylized as ''ᛋᛋ'' with Armanen runes; ; "Protection Squadron") was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party 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") made up of party volunteers to provide security for party meetings in Munich. In 1925, Heinrich Himmler joined the unit, which had by then been reformed and given its final name. Under his direction (1929–1945) it grew from a small paramilitary formation during the Weimar Republic to one of the most powerful organizations in Nazi Germany. From the time of the Nazi Party's rise to power until the regime's collapse in 1945, the SS was the foremost agency of security, surveillance, and terror within Germany and German-occupied Europe. The two main constituent groups were the '' Allgemeine SS'' (General SS) and ''Waffen-SS'' (Armed SS). The ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a dictatorship. Under Hitler's rule, Germany quickly became a totalitarian state where nearly all aspects of life were controlled by the government. The Third Reich, meaning "Third Realm" or "Third Empire", alluded to the Nazi claim that Nazi Germany was the successor to the earlier Holy Roman Empire (800–1806) and German Empire (1871–1918). The Third Reich, which Hitler and the Nazis referred to as the Thousand-Year Reich, ended in May 1945 after just 12 years when the Allies defeated Germany, ending World War II in Europe. On 30 January 1933, Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany, the head of gove ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allgemeine SS
The ''Allgemeine SS'' (; "General SS") was a major branch of the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany; it was managed by the SS Main Office (''SS-Hauptamt''). The ''Allgemeine SS'' was officially established in the autumn of 1934 to distinguish its members from the '' SS-Verfügungstruppe'' (SS Dispositional Troops or SS-VT), which later became the Waffen-SS, and the '' SS-Totenkopfverbände'' (SS Death's Head Units or SS-TV), which were in charge of the Nazi concentration camps and extermination camps. SS formations committed many war crimes against civilians and allied servicemen. Starting in 1939, foreign units of the ''Allgemeine SS'' were raised in occupied countries. From 1940 they were consolidated into the Directorate of the Germanic-SS (''Leitstelle der germanischen SS''). When the war first began, the vast majority of SS members belonged to the ''Allgemeine SS'', but this proportion changed during the later years of the war after the Waffen-SS o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Waffen-SS
The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscripts from both occupied and unoccupied lands. The grew from three regiments to over 38 division (military), divisions during World War II, and served alongside the German Army (Wehrmacht), German Army (''Heer''), ''Ordnungspolizei'' (uniformed police) and other security units. Originally, it was under the control of the (SS operational command office) beneath Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS. With the start of World War II, tactical control was exercised by the (OKW, "High Command of the Armed Forces"), with some units being subordinated to (Command Staff Reichsführer-SS) directly under Himmler's control. Initially, in keeping with the racial policy of Nazi Germany, membership was open only to people of Germanic origin (so-called "Nazi racial theor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sicherheitsdienst
' (, ''Security Service''), full title ' (Security Service of the ''Reichsführer-SS''), or SD, was the intelligence agency of the SS and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. Established in 1931, the SD was the first Nazi intelligence organization and the Gestapo (formed in 1933) was considered its sister organization through the integration of SS members and operational procedures. The SD was administered as an independent SS office between 1933 and 1939. That year, the SD was transferred over to the Reich Security Main Office (''Reichssicherheitshauptamt''; RSHA), as one of its seven departments. Its first director, Reinhard Heydrich, intended for the SD to bring every single individual within the Third Reich's reach under "continuous supervision". Following Germany's defeat in World War II, the tribunal at the Nuremberg trials officially declared that the SD was a criminal organisation, along with the rest of Heydrich's RSHA (including the Gestapo) both individually and as branch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dienstalterslisten Der SS
Dienstalterslisten der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP, en, SS seniority lists of the NSDAP, were official documents that were issued in book form by the '' Reichsführung-SS'' (“ SS-Personalamt”) between 1934 and 1945. Up until 1942, these lists included the higher officer corps ''( SS-Obergruppenführer— SS-Standartenführer)'', the middle officer corps ''( SS-Oberführer— SS-Sturmbannführer)'' and the lower officer corps ''( SS-Hauptsturmführer— SS-Untersturmführer)''. On the whole, it can be said that these lists of officers included the entire range of the NSDAP's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) and not only officers of the ''Allgemeine SS'' (General SS), but also those of the ''SS-Totenkopfverbände'', the ''SS-Verfügungstruppe'', the ''Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler'' and the '' Sicherheitsdienst Reichsführer SS'' included. The SS officer lists were used by the allies in 1946 to convict and punish SS officers at the ''Nuremberg trials''. History 1934—1938 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SS-Ehrenring
The SS-Ehrenring ("SS Honour Ring"), unofficially called ''Totenkopfring'' (i.e. "Skull Ring", literally "Death's Head Ring"), was an award of Heinrich Himmler's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS). It was not a state decoration, but rather a personal gift bestowed by Himmler. It became a highly sought-after award, one which could not be bought or sold. The SS Honour Sword and SS Honour Dagger were similar awards. Award The ring was initially presented to senior officers of the Old Guard (of whom there were fewer than 5,000). Each ring had the recipient's name, the award date, and Himmler's signature engraved on the interior. The ring came with a standard letter from Himmler and citation. It was to be worn only on the left hand, on the "ring finger". If an SS member was dismissed or retired from the service, his ring had to be returned.McNab, Chris (2013). ''Hitler's Elite: The SS 1939-45'', Osprey Publishing, p. 100. The name of the recipient and the conferment date was added on the letter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Degen (SS)
The ''SS-Ehrendegen'' or SS Honor Sword, also ''SS-Degen'' (officially ''Ehrendegen des Reichsführers SS''Dienstaltersliste der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP, Berlin, 1943, p. 106), is a straight dress sword that was worn with a SS uniform from 1935 to 1945. First introduced in 1935, the SS sword was designed by Karl Diebitsch, Heinrich Himmler's personal referent on art and design within the SS. It was originally manufactured by the Peter Dan. Krebs firm of Solingen, Germany.Williamson, Gordon, ''Waffen SS Handbook 1933–1945''. The sword has a long thin straight blade produced at different lengths to accommodate for the height of the wearer. The ''degen'' features a "D" shaped knuckle-bow (crossguard) as the handle, which also features a black ribbed wooden grip. The grip is bound with silver wire and features an inset disc featuring the SS lightning-bolt runes. The scabbard is painted in black enamel and has decorative silvered top (locket) and bottom (chape) mounts. It was worn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walter Schmitt (SS General)
Walter Schmitt (13 January 1879 – 18 September 1945) was a German SS-''Obergruppenführer'' and General of the Waffen-SS who served as the Chief of the SS Personnel Main Office. He was also a member of the '' Reichstag'' from 1943 to 1945. He was executed as a war criminal. Early life and World War I Schmitt was born in Hamburg and attended ''Realgymnasium'' there between 1888 and 1898. On 13 January 1899, he joined the Imperial German Army as a ''Fahnenjunker'' (military cadet) in Infantry Regiment 77 (2nd Hannover) based in Celle, and attended a military school for a year in Metz. He graduated and was commissioned with the rank of ''Leutnant''. In 1906, he was assigned to train as a weapons officer in a rifle factory. From 1906 to 1910, he was adjutant to a battalion of Infantry Regiment 71 (3rd Thuringian), headquartered in Erfurt. In January 1910, he was promoted to ''Oberleutnant'' and was district adjutant of the Celle district command until 1913. On 22 March 1914, Schmi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maximilian Von Herff
Maximilian Karl Otto von Herff (17 April 1893 – 6 September 1945) was a German senior SS commander during the Nazi era. He served as head of the SS Personnel Main Office from 1942 to 1945. Early life Maximilian von Herff was born in Hanover on 17 April 1893, the son of a general practitioner. The Protestant von Herff family originated from Herve in Belgium and moved to the Palatinate in 1577 to escape religious persecution. His ancestor Christian Herff had been inducted into the noble class in 1814. After school, Maximilian von Herff joined the army and became ''Leutnant'' (second lieutenant) in an infantry regiment of the Prussian Army); he served with the unit throughout World War I. He stayed in the Reichswehr after the war, and in 1926 served as ''Oberleutnant'' (lieutenant) in the 18. Reiter-Regiment in Stuttgart. In Wehrmacht on 3 January 1939, Herff reached the rank of Oberstleutnant (lieutenant-colonel). World War II During World War II, Herff served with the '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of the Holocaust. As a member of a reserve battalion during World War I, Himmler did not see active service, and did not fight. He studied agriculture in university, and joined the Nazi Party in 1923 and the SS in 1925. In 1929, he was appointed by Adolf Hitler. Over the next 16 years, he developed the SS from a 290-man battalion into a million-strong paramilitary group, and set up and controlled the Nazi concentration camps. He was known for good organisational skills and for selecting highly competent subordinates, such as Reinhard Heydrich in 1931. From 1943 onwards, he was both Chief of German Police and Minister of the Interior, overseeing all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo (Secret State Police). H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
