Schutzstaffel

"Herr Himmler shares my interest in the old ways. And the Schutzstaffel is more than happy to oblige."

- Johann Schmidt

The Schutzstaffel, abbreviated SS, was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.

History
The SS began as a small permanent guard unit made up of NSDAP volunteers to provide security for Nazi Party meetings in Munich. Formed at the end of 1920, they were known as the "Saal-Schutz" (Hall-Protection). They were part of the Sturmabteilung at that time. They became an independent unit after the Night of the Long Knives in 1934. The same year, the SS special projects division was formed and named HYDRA.

Under the leadership of Heinrich Himmler between 1929 and 1945, the SS was renamed the "Schutz-Staffel" and grew from a small paramilitary formation to one of the largest and most powerful organizations in the Third Reich.

Under Heinrich Himmler's command, the SS was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II (1939–1945). After 1945, the SS was banned in Germany, along with the Nazi Party, as a criminal organization.

Notable members

 * Heinrich Himmler
 * Johann Schmidt
 * Roeder
 * Schneider
 * Hutter