SS Main Office
SS-Hauptamt (SS-HA) | |
SS | |
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The SS Main Office (German: SS-Hauptamt; SS-HA) was the central command office of the Schutzstaffel (SS) in Nazi Germany until 1940.
Formation
The office traces its origins to 1931 when the SS created the SS-Amt to serve as an SS Headquarters staff overseeing the various units of the
During the late 1930s, the power of the SS-HA continued to grow becoming the largest and most powerful office of the SS, managing nearly all aspects of the paramilitary organization. This included the SS officer schools (SS-Junker Schools), physical training, communication, SS garrisons, logistics and support.[1] Shortly after the outbreak of World War II in Europe, the SS-Verfügungstruppe expanded rapidly becoming the Waffen-SS in 1940. By this time, the office of the SS-Hauptamt could no longer administer the entire SS organization. As a result, the SS-HA was downsized losing much of its pre-war power to the SS Führungshauptamt (SS Leadership Main Office; SS-FHA) and the main offices of the Allgemeine-SS, such as the Reich Security Main Office.[2]
Recruiting members for the Waffen-SS was handled through the SS-HA and its chief, Berger. This caused overlapping jurisdiction and friction with the SS-FHA.
Organization
In 1940 the SS-Hauptamt remained responsible for SS administrative matters such as manpower allocation, supplies, personnel transfers, and promotions. The SS-HA had 11 departments (Ämter or Amtsgruppen):[6]
- Amt Zentralamt (Central office)
- Amt Leitender Arzt beim Chef SS-HA (Chief Medical Officer)
- Amt Verwaltung (Administration)
- Amt Ergänzungsamt der Waffen-SS (Waffen-SS Reinforcements)
- Amt Erfassungsamt (Requisitioning)
- Amt für Weltanschauliche Erziehung (Ideological Training)
- Amt für Leibeserziehhung (Physical Training)
- Amt für Berufserziehung (Trade Training)
- Amt Germanische Leitstelle (Germanic Control)
- Amt Germanische Ergänzung (Germanic Recruitment)
- Amt Germanische Erziehung (Germanic Education)
The SS-HA was technically subordinate to the Personal Staff Reichsführer-SS, but in reality it remained autonomous.
Leadership
No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Curt Wittje (1894–1947) | SS-Gruppenführer12 February 1934 | 14 May 1935 | 1 year, 91 days | [7] | |
2 | August Heissmeyer (1897–1979) | SS-Obergruppenführer14 May 1935 | 9 November 1939 | 4 years, 179 days | [7] | |
3 | Gottlob Berger (1896–1975) | SS-Obergruppenführer1 December 1939 | 8 May 1945 | 5 years, 180 days | [7] |
Post-war
After the end of World War II in Europe, members of the SS-HA were charged with
References
Citations
- ^ a b c Yerger 1997, p. 13.
- ^ McNab 2009, pp. 36, 41.
- ^ Wegner 1990, pp. 296–298.
- ^ Weale 2010, pp. 118–119.
- ^ a b Wegner 1990, p. 306.
- ^ Yerger 1997, pp. 14–15.
- ^ a b c Yerger 1997, p. 15.
- ^ Heller 2011, p. 79.
- ^ Heller 2011, p. 103.
- ^ NMT 1949, p. 867.
- ^ Maguire 2013, p. 206.
Bibliography
- Heller, Kevin Jon (2011). The Nuremberg Military Tribunals and the Origins of International Criminal Law. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-162212-0.
- Maguire, Peter H. (2013). Law and War: International Law and American History, Revised Edition. New York, New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-51819-2.
- McNab, Chris (2009). The SS: 1923–1945. Amber Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-906626-49-5.
- Trials of War Criminals before the Nuernberg Military Tribunals, Volume XIV, "The Ministries Case". Nuremberg, Allied-occupied Germany: Nuernberg Military Tribunals. 1949. OCLC 874547741.
- ISBN 978-1-4087-0304-5.
- ISBN 0-631-14073-5.
- Yerger, Mark C. (1997). Allgemeine-SS: The Commands, Units and Leaders of the General SS. ISBN 0-7643-0145-4.