Waffen-SS
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Waffen-SS

Waffen-SS logo
Military unit
Unit nameWaffen-SS
Founded1933-1945
CountryNazi Germany
AllegianceAdolf Hitler
BranchSchutzstaffel
TypePanzer
Panzergrenadier
Cavalry
Infantry
Mountain Infantry
Police
Size38 Divisions and many minor units at its peak
Part ofThird Reich
Garrison/HQSS Führungshauptamt, Berlin
MottoMeine Ehre heißt Treue
(My honor is called loyalty), and engraved on all HJ Knives, presented to every man in the Waffen SS on graduation day, was "Blut und Ehre" (blood and honor)
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Josef Dietrich
Paul Hausser
Felix Steiner
Theodor Eicke

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The Waffen-SS (-deˈvafən.ɛs.ɛs, Armed SS) was a military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel ("Protective Squadron") or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside the Wehrmacht Heer regular army, but was never formally part of it. It was Adolf Hitler's will that the Waffen-SS never be integrated into the army, it was to remain the armed wing of the Party and to become an elite police force once the war was won. During time of peace, it remained under the control of Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler's SS organization, through the SS Führungshauptamt (SS operational command office). Upon mobilization, however, the SS handed over its tactical control to the High Command of the Armed Forces (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht).

At first membership was open to "Aryans" only in accordance with the racial policies of the Nazi state, but in 1940 Hitler authorized the formation of units composed largely or solely of foreign volunteers and conscripts, and by the end of the war ethnic non-Germans made up approximately 60% of the Waffen-SS.

After the war at the Nuremberg Trials, the Waffen-SS was condemned as a criminal organization due to its essential connection to the Nazi Party and its involvement in war crimes. Waffen-SS veterans were denied many of the rights afforded to veterans who had served in the Heer (army), Luftwaffe (air force) or Kriegsmarine (navy). The exception made was for Waffen-SS conscripts sworn in after 1943, who were exempted due to their involuntary servitude. In the 1950s and 1960s, Waffen-SS veteran groups successfully fought numerous legal battles in West Germany to overturn the Nuremberg ruling and win pension rights for their members.

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* Waffen SS Brigades *

Panzer SS Panzer Brigade Gross * SS Brigade Westfalen * SS Panzer Brigade 150 |
Panzergrenadier SS Brigade Schuldt * 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland * SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 49 * SS Panzergrenadier Brigade 51 |
Sturmbrigade 5th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Wallonien * 6th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Langemarck * Sturmbrigade Reichsführer SS * 8th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade France * SS-Sturmbrigade Dirlewanger * S.S. Sturmbrigade R.O.N.A. |
Cavalry SS Cavalry Brigade |
Infantry 1 SS Infantry Brigade * 2 SS Infantry Brigade * 3 Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade * SS Volunteer Grenadier Brigade Landstorm Nederland * Waffen Grenadier Brigade of SS (Italian No. 1) * Waffen Grenadier Brigade of SS Charlemagne (French No 1) |
Police Schutzmannschaft-Brigade Siegling |

* The divisions of the Waffen-SS *

Panzer 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler * 2nd SS Division Das Reich * 3rd SS Division Totenkopf * 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking * 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen * 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg * 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend * SS Heavy Panzer Battalions |
Panzergrenadier 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland * 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS * 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen * 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel * 23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland |
Mountain 6th SS Mountain Division Nord * 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen * 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian) * 21st Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Skanderbeg * 23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Kama (2nd Croatian) * 24th Waffen Mountain (Karstjäger) Division |
Cavalry 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer * 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Division Maria Theresia * 33rd Waffen Cavalry Division of the SS (3rd Hungarian) * 37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Lützow * 1st Cossack Division |
Infantry 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Galizien (1st Ukrainian) * 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian) * 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian) * 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) * 25th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Hunyadi (1st Hungarian) * 26th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Hungarian) * 27th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Langemarck (1st Flemish) * 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien * 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS RONA (1st Russian) * 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Italian) * 30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Russian) * 30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Belarussian) * 31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division * 32nd SS Volunteer Grenadier Division 30 Januar * 33rd Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Charlemagne (1st French) * 34th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Landstorm Nederland * 36th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS * 38th SS Division Grenadier Nibelungen |
Police 4th SS Polizei Division * 35th SS and Police Grenadier Division |
Deception Divisions 26th SS Panzer Division * 27th SS Panzer Division |

SS organizations

SS BranchesAllgemeine SS * Waffen-SS * SS-Totenkopfverbände
LeadershipReichsführer-SS * SS and Police Leader * Personnel
HeadquartersOffice of the Reichsführer-SS * Head Administrative Office * Head Operational Office * Reich Central Security Office (RSHA) * Economics and Administration Office * Office of Race and Settlement (RuSHA) * Main Office for Ethnic Germans (VOMI) * Office of the Reich Commissioner for Germanic Resettlement (RKFDV) * Courts Office * Personnel Office * Education Office
Special servicesEinsatzgruppen * Begleitkommando-SS * SS-Begleitkommando des Führers * Reichssicherheitsdienst * Ahnenerbe * Das Schwarze Korps * SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz
Police unitsRegular police (Orpo) * Criminal police (Kripo) * Secret State police (Gestapo) * State Security police (Sipo) * SS Security police (SD)
Waffen-SS divisionsVerfügungstruppe (SS-VT) * Leibstandarte (LSSAH) * Totenkopfverbände (SS-TV) * Polizei-Division
SS-controlled businessesOstindustrie * Deutsche Wirtschaftsbetriebe * Deutsche Ausrüstungswerke * DEST * Allach porcelain * Apollinaris * Mattoni * Sudetenquell



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