Stoßtrupp-Hitler or Stosstrupp-Hitler ("Shock Troop-Hitler") was a small, short-lived bodyguard unit set up specifically for

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

in 1923. Notable members included Rudolf Hess,

Julius Schreck Julius Schreck (13 July 1898 – 16 May 1936) was an early senior Nazi official and close confidant of Adolf Hitler. Born in Munich, Schreck served in World War I and shortly afterwards joined right-wing paramilitary units. He joined the Nazi ...

Joseph Berchtold Joseph Berchtold (6 March 1897 – 23 August 1962) was an early senior Nazi Party member and a co-founder of both the (SA) and (SS). Berchtold served in World War I and upon Germany's defeat joined the German Workers' Party (DAP), a small ex ...

Emil Maurice Emil Maurice (; 19 January 1897 – 6 February 1972) was an early member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party) and a founding member of the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS). He was Hitler's first personal chauffeur, and was one of ...

, Erhard Heiden, Ulrich Graf, and

Bruno Gesche Bruno Gesche (5 November 1905 – 7 August 1982)Registry Office Hannover: Death Certificate 5188/1982. The published literature erroneously ofen states his year of death to be 1980 (see e.g. Rochus Misch: ''Der letzte Zeuge. Ich war Hitlers Telef ...

Formation

In the earliest days of the Nazi Party, the leadership realized that a bodyguard unit composed of zealous and reliable men was needed. Ernst Röhm formed a guard formation from the ''19.Granatwerfer-Kompanie''; from this formation the '' Sturmabteilung'' (SA) soon evolved. In early 1923, Hitler ordered a separate small bodyguard unit formed. It was dedicated to his service rather than "a suspect mass" of the party, such as the SA. Originally the unit was composed of only eight men, commanded by Julius Schreck and Joseph Berchtold. It was designated the ''Stabswache'' (staff guard). The ''Stabswache'' were issued unique badges, but at this point the ''Stabswache'' was still under overall SA control. Schreck resurrected the use of the ''

Totenkopf ''Totenkopf'' (, i.e. ''skull'', literally "dead person's head") is the German word for the skull and crossbones symbol. The "skull and crossbones" symbol is an old international symbol for death, the defiance of death, danger, or the dead, as ...

'' (i.e. skull) as the unit's insignia, a symbol various elite forces had used throughout the

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...

n kingdom and the later German Empire. In May 1923, the unit was renamed ''Stoßtrupp''–Hitler. The unit numbered no more than 20 members at that time. All were considered Hitler loyalists. According to the Historical Lexicon of Bavaria the unit later had around 100 members. On 9 November 1923, the ''Stoßtrupp'', along with the SA and several other Nazi paramilitary units, took part in the abortive Beer Hall Putsch in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...

. In the aftermath, Hitler was imprisoned and his party and all associated formations, including the ''Stoßtrupp'', were disbanded.

Notable members

* Rudolf Hess *

* Erhard Heiden * Ulrich Graf *

* Christian Weber * Karl Fiehler * Walter Buch * Hermann Fobke * Karl Laforce * Wilhelm Laforce * Josef Gerum * Hans Kallenbach * Philipp Kitzinger * Alois Rosenwink

Heinz Höhne Heinz Höhne (1926 Berlin, Germany - 27 March 2010 in Großhansdorf) was a German journalist who specialized in Nazi and intelligence history. Biography Born in Berlin in 1926, Höhne was educated there until he was called to fight during the ...

: Der Orden unter dem Totenkopf, 1967, p. 83.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stosstrupp-Hitler 1923 establishments in Germany Adolf Hitler Military wings of fascist parties Early Nazism (–1933) Nazi Party organizations Military units and formations established in 1923

Formation

Notable members

See also

References

Citations

Bibliography