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
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 d ...
'' (SS) of
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 ...
. This included the ''
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 autum ...
'' (General SS),
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 occup ...
and ''
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 ...
'' (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
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 best ...
'' (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
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 Hanov ...
who formally succeeded him on 1 October 1942, remaining in charge until the fall of the Nazi regime. The office was supervised closely by
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 th ...
, head of the SS.
Organization
The office consisted of two main departments:
*Officer Personnel
*Officer Replacements
Footnotes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:SS Personnel Main Office
Nazi SS
Allgemeine SS