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-1 A SOCIOGRAPHY OF THE SS OFFICER CORPS, -1925-1939 by Gunnar Charles Submitted for Boehnert the Doctor School of Slavonic and East European Studies University I / of Philosophy of London '0 ?" R6SUME A SOCIOGRAPHY OF THE SS OFFICER CORPS, 1925-1939 Gunnar C. Boehnert designed to Corps This quantitative SS Officer the was study of in discover who in German society joined the SS between its inception 1925 and the outbreak of the war in 1939. The study is based on data from files contained in 5250 SS officer personnel which were selected 61,340 personnel files The housed at the Berlin Document Center. (1) had to have reached the officer selection criteria used were, (2) 1 1939, September to the personnel commissioned rank prior and file had to supply an answer to all the questions deemed important by the investigator. The selection of cases can be called random since files there was no indication that certain were incomplete because of bias, i. e., interference by the SS Personalhauptamt. any systematic In order to determine who joined the SS at specific stages of its pre-war history, the fourteen year time span under investigation was divided into six time periods determined by a date important to either the NSDAPor the SS. The four major branches of the SS - the deaths head Allgemeine SS or general SS, the Totenkopfverb9nde or the Sicherheitsdienst and the Verfogungstruppe or security service, units, division further looked This SS the at separately. or armed - were allowed for an analysis of the composition of the various branches of the Black Order over the time periods of interest. i. e., date of joining, The information gathered on each officer, highest rank achieved, date of birth, place of birth, education, background, affiliations, religious occupation, other organizational to was coded and transferred marital status and number of children (The is presently available on magnetic tape). material cards. computer The information of was analyzed on the IBM computer at the University Package for the Social Sciences) Guelph using the SPSS (Statistical subprogram Crosstabs. The results show that there was a tendency for those with little in its joined SS have While the lower to the early stages. education in the sampled FUhrerkorps was overrepresented prior to Mittelstand 1933, it 30 January Hitler's seizure of power on was the educated flocked formation to the that elite society of the Third segment of Reich after that date. As might be expected, the median age of the 1933 January While the proportion incoming officers also increased. after Main River born the of roughly equalled that of the north of officers tendency for there a marked was southern rural-born population, general September Fbhrerkorps to 1930. dominate the A levelling to prior men dominating the then took process place with norther-born officers FUhrer after January 1933. As far as the family life of the Himmler that the quantitative analysis showed officers was concerned, influence over his officers. had little About 80% of the sampled did not meet the guidelines set by Himmler of four children officers Also only about 20% of the officers' per family. wives were party members. in the Differences were also found in the officers served who various branches of the SS. Thus the FOhrerkorps of the general SS and the security service had the highest percentage of university graduates, SS had largest the the armed while percentage of officers who gave the Abitur as their highest educational achievement. The deaths head units had the highest percentage of elementary school educated officers. This study shows that the SS attracted different men at different from times and that the social composition of the officer corps varied branch to branch. While the lower educated joined the SS during the it was the educated and established early days of the Kampfzeit, segment 61ite German join formation of National that to the of society rushed Socialism after Hitler assumed power. PREFACE the RCAF Staff changes that were raised &lite the officers during the SS. It and role individuals a number of questions of Hitler's of the officers in such who led crack panzer units or characteristics, do would anything who any systematic dealt and the Who were the men who became officers Were there the gas chambers? that in German society the Nazi era that at of a course lectures was after Did they have special organization? misfits? " in the teaching of the officer about the character were they simply they social role occurred formation, a notorious for in Society. the traditional with I was involved College, "The Officer entitled historian ago when I was employed as a military A few years Were to get ahead? differences between and those who selected Who were the men who methodically people planned the murder of thousands of men, women, and children in the eastern territories? At that answers to these questions. time, This I was unable to give study those posed above. organization is an attempt satisfactory to supply Who in German society answers to questions volunteered for such as service in an of which even Himmler said, Ich weiss, dass es manche Leute in Deutschland gibt, denen es schlecht wird wenn sie diesen schwarzen Rock sehen, wir haben Verständnis dafür und ýrwarten nicht, dass wir von allzu vielen geliebt werden. Forty years have gone by since 1 Heinrich Kampforganization, Heinrich Himmler uttered these words, Himmler, Die Schutzstaffel als antibolschewistisc Zentralv des NSDAP. Z-München1936), p. 29. i and thirty-two have passed since years in Berlin. Hitler Reich that last to was be brought to an end by the conquest felt day. to this never returned to their homes. of the Black Order in their end of his creation, of arms, many of its Hundreds of small children Their all will to discover blood, I were forget never the terror the son of a former In Germany, too, Even today he is he which of do the things his father what made can be effects members of'pure camp commandant is haunted by the past. concentration the in the conquered abducted parents homelands. bunker While the Nazi regime could a thousand years. in the mad scheme to salvage territories tries committed With his death came also the ignoble in his suicide accused. 1942 in advised who SS officer motif of anthropology race and heredity It justice the former officer who could state This who are still families, in Stuttgart. lawyer SS officers on the subject of from the University of Tbbingen. recently retired I of the German Federal Republic twelve years to bring to of the security chief claim government, study active police to have "cleansed" years is not intended Holland as a senior Jewish civil in the members of society. are mentioned, complete or unknown, who were attracted it the picture to the SS. ii It The senior of 71% of its to serve as a roster and contributing but tohelp in Warsaw. even though the authorities names of former SS officers their Jews from a political day a practising who lectured remained employed for population to kill only took the courts Bavarian Himmler that is to this was not punishable, The professor The high ranking people are haunted by the Nazi past. Yet not all servant knew of his past. of those SS men Whenever the is not to embarrass them or of those Germans, prominent is my hope that this study will provide some valuable sociographic of the Third Reich whose aim it formation members of the elite data on the pre-World War II fUr ganz Europa"l "FUhrungsschicht the provide was to in the post-war, Nazi- dominated, era. This degree Doctor of is submitted study in History. of Philosophy this under whose guidance of London for to the University To Professor F. L. Carsten, I would like to express study was written, thanks for his encouragementand helpful the comments. thank the Central Research Fund of the University was made possible by the generous grants given my I should also like This of London. to study to me by the funding committee. It goes without the completion late Bauer, Richard Berlin of this study. I would like of the National away before he could took such an interest. Kronenberg, of the Center. see the completed I should I am also also in the setting up of a classification for me to have complete Richard of this Bauer passed study Herrn eased the whenever possible. Michael stages in which he to thank Herrn Pix, who, over the years, to Professor Canada, who in the early of the version at the Document Center, indebted and deputy director Regretably, Herrn Weber and Frau Teetz, burden of research to the possible like to a number of people for to express my thanks Archives Document Center, for making it access to the holdings Toronto, saying I am indebted that Kater of York University, of the study system, but also not only pointed aided me out the 1 4 October 1943. Trial Himmler's address to senior SS officers, before the International Military Tribunal of the Major War Criminals (Nuremberg 1948), vol. xxxix, Document 1919-PS, p. 171 (Henceforth listed as IMT). iii many pitfalls associated with quantitative To Dr. Simon research. Wiesenthal of the Dokumentationszentrum in Vienna, I owe my thanks for his generously time out of his taking in and supplying questions, 1945 fate Department to the world print material loyal who, as a fortitude, of the numerous tables skills study. shared the rigours as editor social in this and critical Dr. a special word a historian To Pat Law, who spent thanks are also given. of a Berlin advised i winter Boehnert, with considerable in the preparation me and untiringly commentator. in perseverance Dr. Joanna Bartlett scientist study, much out-of- securing and who showed great I want to thank my wife, as a trained of Guelph, for of Lambton College which was used in this wife the post- and colleague, task of introducing the numerous German passages, FinallY with I also wish to acknowledge the help of many a weekend at the typewriter, coping with University the difficult of the computer. Gordon Russell To my friend of Psychology, for thanks of undertaking to answer my many many documents dealing me with of a number of SS officers. John Neill, my friend busy schedule demonstrated her TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE .................................................. INTRODUCTION ............................................. I SOURCESAND METHODOLOGY .................................. 13 11 SOMEFACTORSINFLUENCINGPROMOTIONIN THE PRE-WARSS 43 III THE GEOGRAPHIC ORIGINS OF THE SS FUHRERCORPS ............ 73 IV THE AGE OF THE SS FUHRERUPONJOINING THE CORPS .......... 89 V THE EDUCATIONALBACKGROUND OF THE SS OFFICERS 110 VI OCCUPATIONS OF THE SS OFFICERSAND THEIR SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND ............................................... 161 FAMILY LIFE AND MORALITY 210 VII ................................. ..... ............ CONCLUSION ............................................... 237 BIBLIOGRAPHY 242 ............................................. APPENDICES ............................................... ii 254 INTRODUCTION In the voluminous literature 1945,, few authors since that has been published on the SS have devoted more than a few pages to the socio- economic background of the men who wore the dreaded black uniform and carried out Hitler's orders One of the first with Der SS Staat. unquestioning books to be published the SS and the horrors Kogon's, with of the concentration Concerning the social loyalty. after the war which dealt camp system was Eugen origin of the SS men Kogon wrote: Eine Untersuchung der Herkunft der SS Angehörigen ergibt fast in jedem einzelnen Fall, dass es sich bei Ihnen um Tiefunzufriedene, durch irgendwelche Nichterfolgreiche, Umstände zurückgesetzte, um Minderbegabte aller Art und 2 häufig genug um sozial gescheiterte Existenzen handelte. Kogon continued his description of the SS men by saying: Alle Leute, die meine Freunde und ich kennengelernt haben, diesem in Sinne Barbaren, trugen kein Element waren Geist echter Kultur in sich, das heisst die Fähigkeit, Auseinandersetzung und Triebe in einer beständigen kritischen Normen mit sich, mit der Umwelt und im allgemeinen gdltigen 3 Einheit zusammenwirken zu lassen. zu einer höheren seelischen Kogon thus saw the SS man as a socially deprived being, who, by joining underprivileged the Black Order, and educationally sought a way of obtaining 1 Eugen Kogon, Der SS Staat: Das System der deutschen Konzentrations (Berlin 1947). The book appeared in English translation under the (London The Theory and Practice title Hell, by Heinz Norden translated of 1950). For this study the latest published in Munich pocket book edition 1974 by Kindler Verlag was used. 2 Ibid., p. 346. 3 Ibid., p. 344. 2 social status and recognition. Almost a decade later Erminhild Neusbss-Hunkel completed her study 1 She recognized the problem in dealing with the SS, in so far on Die SS. as "eine eindeutige wenig moglich ist Beurteilung sämtlicher Angehorigen der Waffen SS ebenso bei der Gesamtmitgliedschaft wie She recognized the multi-facet der SS.,ý2 aspect of the SS and analysed the branches of the organization and the men who joined them. Thus 3a (Allgemeine "die in SS SS) the she saw general means of attracting 4 in Germany. This absorption of the upper stratum gute Gesellschaft" various of German society into the elite by Himmler in 1937 as "die was not entirely Dienstaltersliste gerauschlose unsuccessful of 1938,58 1 formation of National Socialism was describE .5 That this attempt Revolution. can be seen by the fact out of 648 SS officers that 6_ according or 9% - in the des Instituts Erminhild Neusüss-Hunkel, Die SS, Schriftenreihe (Hannover 1956). 2 in No. Politik Marburg/Lahn, wissenschaftliche 21bid., to the für p. 119. 3 The concept "Allge meine SS" was created in mid-1934 in order to Hans Buchheim, Martin distinguish the old SS from the other branches. Broszat, Hans-Adolf Jacobson, Helmut Krausnick, Anatomy des SS Staates, 2 vols. (Olten & Freiburg in Breisgau 1965), p. 256. For this study the introduction by State, Anatomy SS translated the an with version, of Elizabeth Wiskemann (London 1968), has been used. 4 NeusUss-Hunkel, Die SS, p. 15. SS BrigadefUhrer Schellenberg, he that former head of the SD foreign intelligence when was section stated dashing "the black Fuehrer's the and guard special was a student uniform of " "better found type in SS the that the of people. one elegant and ... Walter Schellenberg, Hitler's Secret Service, Memoirs of Walter Schell translated from the German by Louis Hagen (New York 1956), . in is Pyramide 21. in The the this edition published p. edition used study New York 1974. 5 indoctrinat. In a speech given by the RFSS to the national political der "Wesen SS 1937, Aufgabe in January the und und entitled, army course of Polizei, " IMT, vol. xxix, document 1992 (A)-PS, p. 207. 6 In this study the terms SS officer and SS FUhrer are used interin While the SS the commissioned ranks were officially referred changeably. The same applies to as FOhrer, the term officer was also frequently used. ' FOhr terms the to or SS officer corps. _SS 3 rank of StandartenfUhrer 1 nobility. and above belonged to the traditional The armed SS (VerfUguagstruppe, which Himmler referred attracted, fact according by the regular army for in many instances quite The security its officer capable service man to whom ideology Neusbss-Hunkel this was less The Death's the guarding SS ruffians, of social applicants, important trained Head units of the standards was nevertheless of becoming an effective of Reinhard of the concentration attracted educational set eager and 4 officer. more commonly known as Heydrich, attracted According than power. man came from the highly group of young academically 3 den ich in der SS habe ,, , the young man who, in spite (Sicherheitsdienst, the SD), which was the creation Hunkel, better many did not meet the pre-requisite that 22 known as Waffen SS) to as "den schbnsten Teil to Neusbss-Hunkel German intelligent a type of to yet unscrupulous 5 men who wanted to get ahead. (Totenkopfverbgnde) camps. were responsible They, according the unemployed SS men of the early for to Neusbss- Kampfzeit, the pre-1933 SS service a means of achieving some form who saw in full-time 6 Benedikt Kautsky, a one-time concentration status. camp inmate, 1 Neusbss-Hunkel, Die SS, p. 16. 2 Stein, p. 49. Hitler" It was not until 1940 that the term Waffen SS was used. George The Waffen SS: Hitler's Elite Guard at War, 1939-1945 (Ithaca 1966), 3 Himmler's speech to the officers "Leibstandarte SS Adolf the of in Metz, 7 September 1940, IMT, vol. xxix, document 1918-PS, p. 107. 4 Neusbss-Hunkel, Die SS, p. 23. 5 Ibid. 6 Ibid., p. 53ff. 4 view when he wrote that voiced a similar the guards represented den stumpfsten und faulsten Teil der Bevölkerung, der nach der Beseitigung der Arbeitslosigkeit meist keine andere Moglichkeit vor sich sah, ehrlicher Arbeit aus dem Weg zu ge en und es doch in die SS. zu etwas zu bringen, als den Eintritt Thus the FUhrerkorps of formal, educational motto "Intellekt analysed the social "swiftly its step forward. social in different of its periods .3 recruiting 1 Benedikt in its evolution, fed by enormOdusbrooks and tributaries, then over- recruits. into divergent in SS the chronological at Teufel Koehl's terms was a significant The assertion, in the "before the unemployed and the unemployable" So is his description Kautsky, A making 1933 the watershed and misfits, of the SS after streams. of the group that January flocked to the 1933, when, he maintains, (Zürich Verdammte und 2 Himmler's address to the GruppenfUhrertagung, 1943, IMT, vol. xxix, document 1919-PS, p. 143. 3 stating the SS to a 'bruisers' offices "that He likened However, his division, is too general. " SS, Nazi the of "The Character broad. is SS too the somewhat make-up of 1933 came the while opportunities of the SS chronologically, banks and separating approach in looking career educated and underprivileged. entitled different many and its moving river, flowing the poorer composition different the SS was quite many branches Willensbildung Koehl in an article Robert rejection under the qualities 2 ,, large Energie, to und offer a educated men unparalleled at the same time absorbing its of in spite and of intellectual standards, verdirbt number of university of the SS was able, 1946), p. 91ff. Posen 4 October Robert Koehl., "The Character of the Nazi SS. " The Journal No. 3. September 1962, p. 281. Modern History, 4 Ibid. of 5 "the police, the high bureaucrats ... and the foreign Germans ethnic joined. "' While NeusUss-Hunkel the various studying branches Black Order as an everchanging his general an attempt study at combining also recognized of the SS. that of the SS by analysis and Koehl viewed the Heinz- Hbhne in over the years, organization Der Orden unter the two approaches. dem Totenkopf Hbhne was aware that to the SS at different were attracted different But he still her social of the organization, of the SS entitled of German society strata conducted types of men preferred spoke in general 2 made different He times. different branches terms when he said, From the social point of view the SS picture was changed radically, men of an entirely new class of society streamed in /ifter 193ý-/. The original SS had consisted primarily of Ex-Free Corps men, intellectuals whose careers had been cut short by the economic crisis, and the lower middle class 3 veteran. Hbhne then proceeded to list German aristocracy Weimar Republic erroneously that during or listed the SS either the early two aristocrats Actually Josef joined members of the a number of prominent during 1933. months of as having joined the dying days of the In the process in early The first they did not do so until much later. 5a v. Hohenzollern-Emden, member of the erstwhile 1933.4 was Prinz royal he Franz house, who 1 Ibid. 2 Heinz Hbhne, Der Orden unter dem Totenkopf (GOtersloh The Order under the Death's this study the translated version, by Richard Barry (New York 1969 translated sed. 3 4 Ibid., 134. p. Ibid., p. 135. 1967). Head, For 5 SS SturmbannfOhrer Prinz Franz Josef v. Hohenzolley Personnel File: born 30.8.1891 in Heiligendamm. Berlin Document Center Emden, SS# 276,691, (henceforth BDC). listed as 6 did not join the SS until June 1936. The second was Edler v. Daniels who did not don the black uniform until Much like for Neusbss-Hunkel, the young university Hbhne saw the SD as a collecting educated what he means by this not explain July 1935. "man of the 20th century. but presumably phrase, to those who no longer accepted the social of the nineteenth be discussed in greater VerfOgungstruppe, detail according in this The armed SS, or study. to Hbhne was able to attract German officer SS military a much needed military with The bulk of the recruits Hbhne expressed Head units for the opinion or Totenkopfverbande SS Obergruppenfbhrer the professional the difference corps, officer corps and its he said, when 2 Hbhne, The Order, 4 determined values, by their class and class commander, an undying hatred known to emphasize was units. "Commanders who act like Edler expertise. make-up of the Death's- Eicke,, imbued with 1 SS StandartenfUhrer Personnel File: born 31.3.1895 in Arolson. BDC. Ibid. lower middle between the armed SS and the Death's-Head not be more explicit 3 and technical the social was largely Theodor Eicke. the infant unhampered by tradition that 4 in the middle who provided was made up of young rural lads eager to advance in an organization 3 consciousness. he was referring Weltanschauung_ will of this 30's members of the former formation H6hne does or the moral values structure Representatives century. .2 point He could officers, v. Daniels, SS# 258ý0025 135. p. p. 447. SS ObergruppenfUhrer Theodor Eicke, SS# 259219 Personnel File: in Hampont, Elsass. BDC. The personal influence Eicke born 17.10.1892, is Totenkopfverbande by Buchheim the also stressed et al., on exerted Anatomy, p. 431. 7 junior will who act like officers be posted to the Allgemeine military organization in which it that NCO's. and men who act like Denying any connection duty to overcome "den inneren for and concern human suffering, the men who remained in that is not surprising it a with formation the of 2 Schweinehund,. the unique character and emphasizing was everybody's is pity SS. "l soldiers private that branch did not have a high cultural or moral niveau. While all of the above mentioned contributions to a better don the black uniform, with interrupted of whom,or what type of man would understanding "bruisers that joined old German elites studies they have, nevertheless, To establish points. studies What about the larger, remained vague on certain and social joined 1933 does not tell law abiding, to be found in the SS? educated and established professors did join? they when joining behavior? Machtergreifung will If hard working strata provide a clearly Did the majority in power? It the Was he not were the the physicians, of the SS? join prior this National study some answers to these questions. As such it p. 331. 2 Kogon, Der SS Staat,, Ibid., p. 345. the regional and socio-economic does not delve into so, to Hitler's wait until is hoped that If in their pattern did the educated segment of society and of the SS Fbhrer. 1 definable "bruisers" of This study aims to establish origins Conversely, found on the membership rolls Was there intellectuals German Mittelstand,, the lawyers, of society, of us very much. the tradesman? so when did he join? had become the party Socialism 1933 or that to January after and fragments misfits" the SS prior department the store sales clerk, shopkeeper, the university have made valuable the psychology 8 of the SS officer this topic, corps. This is not to deny the general interest but such information were available it to interpret. However, there would be outside be mentioned which will "man's inhumanity The fact line Harrower of a line has quite "average" with rightly Milgram urge them on, is it in an experiment necessary which own eyes. the length people to the gas chamber. 113 may find Milgram could that situation himself obeying simply to believe by having a white-coated that an orders get 65% of his sample to be severe shock to a middle-aged trouble a decision a group "Guessing out that, conditions what they believed of heart In the 1950's the evidence of their pointed If that their some time. has shown in an experimental does he which not agree. a history by the Nazi government would go along with contradicted person under certain to deliver with individuals is not the same as sending However, Stanley understanding accept a decision Solomon Asch, found that decision 2 for research branches of the SS. matching, even though this Molly a basis provides that many people will psychologists involved here as it it of the historian is a body of social-psychological them is wrong has been known for senses tell if and available the area of expertise to man" which was legitimized and implemented by all social is not generally in SS officers man experimenter were sadistic 1 Modification Group Pressure the Solomon Asch, "Effects upon of Newcomb, " in T. E. Harteley, E. Maccoby, Judgments, and Distortion and of (New York 1958). in Social Psychology, Readings third eds., edition pp. 175-183. 2 results Nbrnberg. Dr. Harrower was one of ten experts asked to evaluate the defendants Rorschach test to the the administered major at of 3 Dr. Molly (July 1976), Harrower, p. 76. "Were Hitler's Henchmen Mad?", Psychology 9 and maladjusted? Nbrnberg ' Harrower, represented disturbed "... for instance, found the defendants at from severely a wide range of personalities, to the superbly well adjusted. ,2 In his book Obedience to Authorit Milgram points out that -y, killing a person, who with inner conviction loathes stealing, and assault may find himself performing these acts with 3 relative ease when commandedby authority. The applicability of Milgram's by the remarks made by Rudolf for the killing of two million Commandant of Auschwitz. 4 statement to the SS situation Hoess who in 1946 admitted during persons In his autobiography even is demonstrated responsibility the time that he described he was his own I In 1953 Dr. Elie Cohen, a Dutch psychiatrist former and concentration camp inmate, dealt with the question whether the SS men In Freudian terms he stated, that since 1933 the superego were criminals. of the SS men was taught that "Jews are our ruin" and "Jews must be the SS acquired a criminal exterminated. " He concluded that "... superego and came to belong to the category of normal criminals. " He did, however, voice the following "This reservation. conclusion holds good only from our point of view, for the SS did not regard themselves as criminals, into practice as they only translated what they had been taught to look upon as right by the standards of their society. " Elie Cohen, Human Behaviour in the Concentration from Camps, translated the Dutch by M. Braaksma (New York 1953), p. 232. 2 Harrower, "Hitler's Henchmen, " P_Vchology Today, p. 76. Harrower quotes from a report which an American psychiatrist, Dr. Douglas defendants. Kelly, Kelly interviewing NOrnberg the submitted after that such personalities states "... are not unique or insane and could be duplicated in any country today. " Reitlinger viewed the SS FUhrerkorps but as a group of amateurs. or ruthless, not as sadistic He thought muddlers like Karl Wolff or Gottlob Berger were far more "savagely like the SS FOhrer typical the than were men examples of The SS; Alibi brutal Heydrich or Kaltenbrunner. " Gerald Reitlinger, of (New In this study the Viking Nation, 1925-1945 York 1957), p. 220. a (New York 1968) was used. Press edition 3 (New York 1974), p. xi. Stanley Milgram, Obedience to Auth 4 Rudolf Hoess, Commandantof Auschwitz, with an introduction by Lord Russell of Liverpool, translated from the German by Constantine FitzGibbon (New York 1959), p. 11. 10 feelings and reactions on witnessing year was 1934 and Hoess, still states for the first in the Death's a novice he was "compelled" that a flogging to look on "because if rear of the company I would not have looked. "' the whole thing, even the beating of the first over. prisoner /Who did not scream-/ made me shudder. ,2 he admitted that when "... of others my first attended this witnessing of this. execution, corporal punishment. immune to the suffering at the beginning of the war, I did not affect it As he went through the me nearly so much as I am unable to give an explanation 3 " Milgram is dependent be relevant points out that, upon the authority held me in thrall.,, Totenkopfverbande among other giving to the individual because he was part drilled which made him gradually up" course, I had been in the This later-hardened cold all "toughening Head units, "when the man began to scream I went hot and camp commander wrote that In fact, The time. for things, the degree of obedience the command. The authority him to obey. 4 must Hoess obeyed not only "the life because but the also soldier's of system, 5 Even though the training to become Part of the was extremely "bis hounded and tough - Kogon wrote that the recruits 6 ihnen das Wasser im Arsch kochte ý, - it was worth 1 Ibid., 2 p. 56. Ibid. 31bid., p. 57. 4Milgram, Obedience, 5 were p. 140. Hoess, Commandant, p. 55. 6Kogon, SS Staat, during Hoess how his 35-36. pp. recounted he training would walk around the camp expressionless so as to period he ' 'toughening further that his required superiors no up. convince Hoess, Commandant5 p. 71. it in the end to serve as "the the enemy day and night, one was too soft only soldiers who even in peace time faced the enemy behind the wire for the job would have resulted .... "l To admit that in dismissal and dishonour. Dr. Henry V. Dicks, a study a London psychiatrist on 26 SS war criminals Milgram's substantiated still Franz Hofmann, man at Auschwitz still Concentration troops interview Ah! to us all. that very much with Eicke, Hofmann exclaimed Aufrechterhaltung die Gefangenenlager, able to enact the Inspector of Dr. Dicks when different he - Head Division which Eicke had given training which they had for his notorious orders der Zucht und Ordnung, Diziplinar-und 5 " Number Two this the successes of the Death's and because of the affection Eicke was undoubtedly SS He died a hero's death at the head of his 3 " Much like Hofmann, Hoess also held Eicke because of the ironclad possible the former with that completed indirectly sentences, "Now Eicke - that was something quite in high esteem claiming the troops, their Dicks discovered associated on the Russian front. "were only 2 Camps from 1934-1939. mentioned Eicke, 'Papa' was In his results. Hauptsturmfbhrer serving who recently because he represented Eicke himself.,. "Zur Strafordnung the authoritarian für father to so many. 1 Buchheim, et. al., Anatomy,, p. 433. 2 SS Hauptsturmfbhrer Personnel File: in Hof. BDC. born 5.4.1906, 3 study Franz Hofmann,, SS# 40ý6515 Henry V. Dicks, Licensed Mass Murder; A socio-Dsvcholooical ýLondon 122. killers 1972), SS p. of some 4 Hoess, Commandant, p. 231. 5 Buchheim, et. al., Anatomy, p. 431. 4 12 That well-adjusted social forces' which makes it been challenged by a psychologist and Selzer have tried Rorschach tests was, in fact, 3 done on the NOrnberg defendants, that degrees "psychopathic. In a recent test results He concludes group. review,, fifteen " Rubenstein They found depression, defendants of their study which they associate his the following review with proclivity male- of the group. were in varying have been challenged. has accused the authors characteristics of the the Nazi leadership that common characteristics of the sixteen The results interpretation depersonalized and a of responsibility, view of sex to be fairly They concluded has recently 2 Miale scientist. and unproductive, to show, on the basis of their rejection Jews or the of six million and a political a very distinctive to violence, chauvinist execution of the elderly elimination of for them to commit such possible as the calculated abominations systematic people may get caught up in the tangle of reading into the with war criminals. words: It is tempting to portray the Nazis as demons or perverts, for To see the such a view protects our illusions about ourselves. Nazis as more or less ordinary men is neither to excuse their deeds nor minimize the threat they pose. On the contrary, it is to recognize how fragile are the bonds of civility and ecency that keep any kind of human community from utter collapse. 1 forces that social and political Reitlinger recognized the influence "If in he Himmler had can excert on an individual not grown up wrote, when he might have projected Germany, the tortured Germany of the 'twenties, that dimly artistic, in Buried his the Cotswolds side of speculative nature. Heinrich Himmler and his Marge could have cultivated their herbs, clothed in homespun wool and nurtured wholemeal bread, occasionally throwing peasant mediaeval instruments. " Reitlinger pottery or playing duets on reconstructed The SS, p. 22. 2 Florence Miale and Michael Selzer, The Nuremberg Mind; The Psychology of the Nazi Leaders (New York 1976). 3 The Rorschach test consisted of a number of inkblots not intended The idea is that when a person describes the blots he to resemble anything. his his 11 of personality particularly aspects unconscious needs reveals ... "Hitler's " " Henchmen, 75. Psychology Harrower, Today, desires. p. and 4 Richard Rubenstein's review of The Nuremberg Mind, ibid., p. 84. Chapter I SOURCESAND METHODOLOGY Data Collection The primary files personnel source materials housed at the Berlin the personnel files 2 1925-1945 certain criteria study for selection the SS and belonged to its selection was that the officer chronologically commissioning rank, categorized date. While dates were the same, this prominent officers, were also found. joiners. prior is between 1925-1939 the first for criterion had to be a member of the SS, and have to 1 September 1939. Selected cases were to the joining date and not the in many cases the joining and commissioning according was especially differences This FUhrerkorps, the years As it had to be applied. to show who in German society into went reached commissioned for corps of 75% of the SS officer contains the purpose of this study were the SS officer 1 Document Center. Since the collection used in this true among the more socially of up to ten years between the two events tended to be more common among the very early 3 As this classification, writer did not want to work with any missing data the second criterion 1 61,465 SS officer Document Center. for selection files personnel 2 was that the file was Berlin the are stored at director deputy former Bauer, from Richard Information obtained of the BDC. 3 it was not in the sample of 1925-1927 joiners Especially date the find to enrolment a gap of several years separating uncommon from the commissioning date. 13 14 able to answer every question Should the personnel Siedlungshauptamt one. 1 file devised questionnaire. on the specially If fail to do so, a back-up source, the Rasse und (RuSHA) file On the basis was consulted, of the two criteria, joining to 1 September 1939, and a no missing prior The information selected. cards and analysed and commissioning data file, onto punch 2 of Guelph. used in this study to collect form of the questionnaire Canadian Armed Forces in their officer A. the following contained date 5250 cases were on the. SS FUhrer was a revised questionnaire had was coded, translated gathered by the computer at the University The questionnaire the officer provided selection the social data used by the procedures. The questions: SS Career Data 1. Rank (highest 2. Branch of service /general SS (A/SS), security death's head units (TV), armed SS (VT)7. 3. Date of joining Personal 4. rank attained). service (SD), the SS. Data Name of SS officer (given only in detailed histories). 1 A RuSHA file The BDC houses some 238,000 RuSHA files. was It contained a started on every SS member who intended to marry. detailed medical record of the SS man, as well as of his proposed bride, (Lebenslauf) hand-written biography a of both, and the enormously detailed ancestral and to 1800 record dating back to 1750 for officers for NCOs and other ranks. It was Himmler's intention to eventually retrace the family trees of his chosen men to 1648, the end of the Thirty Years War. Hans Peter Bleuel, Strength Through Joy; Sex and Soc from the German Das Saubere Reich by J. Maxwell Nazi Germany, translated BrownjohinýLondon 1973), p. 198. 2 from SPSS, The Statistical The computer sub-programme 'Crosstabs' Package for the Social Sciences (New York 1970) was used in the analysis of the data. 15 5. Date of Birth. 6. Place of Birth. 7. Age (at time of joining 8. Education 9. Occupation (includes father's occupation). 10. (highest Organization the SS). level educational the learned affiliation attained). and the applicant's occupation background. and military Family (marital status, number of children, political of wife, SS marriage selection and moral code). Although the outbreak this study item is rank. determine how far Other post-1939 of children war-time to the collapse the officer post-1945 fate progressed In specially and assignments rank the in order Reich, in the rank structure marital selected which One such study is the highest of the Third to prior items of information record have been included. data used were the officer's he sired. record war-time The rank quoted in this held prior officer on the SS Fbhrerkorps of the Second World War, certain to the officer's pertain concentrates affiliation to of the SS. and the number status case histories the officer's In some cases the officer's are reviewed. has also been included. Branch The branch in which each officer was considered the general dienst; third, factor. an important Allgemeine or the Death's order The major SS; second, Head units the armed SS or VerfUgungstruppe served prior was classified branches the security used were first, or Sicherheits- service and fourth, or TotenkopfverbAnde; or more popularly to overcome the problem of inter-service in a particular to September 1939 branch other the Waffen SS. transfers, In an officer than the general SS, when he 16 became a member of it. other If than the general served longest. 1 served in two branches of the SS, an officer SS, he was classified The reason for in the branch in which he the breakdown of the selected cases into the four major branches of the SS, was to allow an assessment of the social composition of each branch. One of the purposes of this was to see whether the branches were distinguishable terms of the social, educational, from each other in backgrounds and regional study of their members. Age and Birthplace In the Personal applicant's SS records did not list birthplace. that situation, it if the age was determined he Joined age at the time that place of residence. officer's Data Section the place of enrolment, The onlY geographical This writer a geographic recognized may occur. geographic by using was, therefore, For instance, mobility the or the applicant's available confronted included be to was analysis the birthplace Unfortunately information would have to be based on the birthplace that the SS. by the information. of the officer was the with the in this It study, is fully some inaccuracies Wolfgang K811mann has shown in a study of in Germany, that in 1907 of 60.7 million Germans in their half, 31.4 residing still million were only about some 2 birthplace. In view of this evidence the reader is cautioned not to 1 Only 1% of the sampled Fbhrerkorps . 2011mann fell into this category. divided be internal German that could migration showed lasted first During the into two distinct until which phase, phases. is, to that 1880, short distant migration migration was more prevalent, The only long distance migration the nearest larger town. of any distance 1890's long Berlin. During this time to the was at significance from in importance, being the east most one conspicuous gained migration Wolfgang K811man, "The Population to west. of Germany in the Age of " in Population Movements in Modern Europe, ed. by Herbert Industrialization, in in German Deutsch The article Moller (New York 1964). p. 102ff. appeared 27. Folge, fUr Bevblkerungswissenschaft: Mitteilungen, Gesellschaft November 1962. 17 confuse the geographic place of residence origin of the sampled SS Fbhrer with or the location The birthplaces of the selected officers were first northern line between north and south Germany. According to this and southern Germany, with the Main river Wbrttemberg, (Regierungsbezirke), districts 1A Germany. further Trier and Sigmaringen and rural a population of 100,000 and over were categorized a population between 10,000-100,000 as rural areas. Germany three 2 as towns, For those applicants special those born in Austria, regional division were placed into in south (Grosstgdte), cities Centres with as cities, those with and those under 10,000 born outside categories the as the administrative (Land) was undertaken. areas categorized as the dividing Baden and Hessen, as well breakdown of the birthplaces towns (KleinstAdte) major where they joined. into LAnder Bavaria, their the borders were used: of these were for the Sudetenland and in other foreign countries. Education The educational generally accepted included all (Volksschule). categories progression applicants in this used of education study conformed to the in Germany. The first category who had attended and completed elementary school Trades training outside the school system was not taken 'In this writer the geographic organization adopted the categories " "Zur der in his Soziographie FrOhen NSDAP, by Kater Professor article, used Heft 2, April 1971, pp. 136-37. fUr Zeitgeschichte, Vierteljahrshefte 2 Lexikon über die Geograp isch-Statistisches Karl Ritter's Gebirge, Staaten, Länder, Meere, Häfen, Seen, FlÜsse, Inseln, Erdteile, 9. Vollständige Städte, Kanäle, Eisenbahnen, Post und Telegraphenämter, (Leipzig Auflage, 2 vols. sehr vermehrte und verbesserte umgearbeitete, the size of cities 1905). was used as a guide in determining and towns. 18 into The second category was designed for all consideration. who had attended a secondary school, either a Mittelschule, SS members Realschule or Gymnasium. Although they may have obtained a school-leaving Reife such as. mittlere Abitur they were placed for reserved university in this second was for The third included The third Abitur. category There were three those who attended' an from a recognized institution, or Technische Hochschule, but did not obtain included There is a special o, the newly-founded Socialist was but never completed a course of study. those who graduated category or National category. The first of higher learning Universit9t as long as they did not hold the anyone who held the coveted categories. institution etc. or Einjdhrige, certificate, all category doctorates, for Dr. phil., those who after National-Politische The a the doctorate. Dr. med., Dr. jur., 1933 attended Erziehungsaristalten one (Napola), secondary schools. Occupation difficult The occupational the system was perhaps most classification 2 After some consideration Theodor Geiaer's basic one to establish. 3 Rolf occupational ol German society was adopted. categorization 1 Engelmann, German Education and Re-Education, Charlotte with an 25. Dr. Engelmann was introduction by L. M. Terman (New Yor p. , from University the Dr. be first to the of phil. a granted one of women Berlin in 1908. A well-known Social Democrat, she was active in the 1933, Hitler 1920's. In the after came educational reform movement of to power, she had to resign her senior government post and emigrated to 21-25. Abitur importance the On the USA. see, pp. of the 2 the For the advice this writer received in establishing he Michael Kater like Professor to thank should occupational categories, Toronto, Canada. York University, of 3 Theodor 'Geiger, Die soziale Schichtung des deutschen Volkes, 1967), Versuch auf statistischer Grundlage (Stuttgart Soziographischer 1932. Stuttgart first printed 19 Dahrendorf wrote of this classification system, Es gibt in der Geschichte der deultschen Soziologie ein Vorbild für eine Analyse sozialer Schichten, die unseren AnsprÜchen genügt, zumal auch sie in eine Gesamtanalyse der deutschen Gesellschaft in politischer Absicht einqebunden erscheint. In categorizing but also Geiger occupations, the socio-psychological not only the economic factors considered As Geiger stated: ones. Die Mentalität ist geisItig-seelische Disposition, ... Prägung des Menschen durch seine soziale unmittelbare Lebenswelt und die von ibr ausstrahlenden, an ihr 2 Lebenserfahrungen. gemachten Thus he recognized was as important group viewed itself', occupational work is also important insofar as how it as he tried w.-s viewed by others. to explain Geiger's through his of the Weimar Republic. Geiger divided to the overtures the German Mittelstand, of National Socialism He showed how the old Mittelstand, businessmen, felt how a given to consider the advances made by National Socialism duri,; g tile last classifications years it that ist and peasant threatened occupational but also comprised of artisans, in industry groups were af, -aiU nol, only ol losing their level. It social status in the new Mittelstand, was 1 Gesellschaft Rolf Dahrendorf, (Stuttgart 1965), pp. 101-102. 2 Geiger, Soziale Schichtung, occupations and business. Dahrendorf, Gesellschaft, 3- These livelihood their ,4 that Geiger saw "den He ascribed und Demokratie to the new in Deutschland p. 77. 3 Hermann Lebovics, Social Conservatism and the Middle dissertation (Princeton 1969), p. 6. The study was a doctoral University. 4 independent and of being dragged down to the NAhrboden des Nation alsozialismus. sozialen small the pre-industrial - proprietors succumbed into the old and the new Mittelstand. by modern conglomerates of losing proletarian which so readily p. 103. Classes at Yale 20 Mittelstand die ideologische Unsicherheit des Siedlers auf gesellschaftlichem Neuland; in seiner Standorttypischen Mentalität noch unsicher 'falscher und ... das gegebene Einzugsfelt Idologien. 'l This new Mittelstand was composed largely management employees, technicians; the "white lower civil of clerical Unsicherheit" ,2 or "pencil worker, of the rapidly that represented by the German upper class it unionized working class. than differences 1 Geiger, pusher. ,3 The "ideoloqische 4 was brought about was squeezed between the very cohesive 5 It and the highly bloc organized and is arguable that there were more similarities between the "white Soziale to as group also referred growing new Mittelstand by the fact lower and the new industrial servants, in other words the occupational collar workers, Schichtung, collar worker" and the proletariat. p. 105. 2Cecil Wright Mills, White Collar, The American Middle Class (New York 1951). In contrast'to the nineteenth-century clerk, the white collar worker had virtually no prospect of ever replacing his boss. For the career opportunities clerk of an ambitious nineteenth-century who through hard work and honesty rose to the position of partner, see Gustav Freytag's novel Soll und Haben. 3 For a useful discussion see, of the new and old Mittelstand Elite Theorist, " Walter Struve, "Hans Zehrer as a Neo-conservative American Historical Review, LXX, July 1965, pp. 1035-1057; see also, " p. 135. Kater, "Soziographie, 4 According to the 1925 census 48% of German society belonged to 72-73. The Schichtung, Soziale Geiger, the new Mittelstand, pp. see, in by Croner demonstrated Fritz is Mittelstand the growth of new TKöln und Berlin 1962), p. 199. Croner Soziologie der Angestellten by the Mittelstand the the ratio of wage comparing showed new growth of to In 1882 the to earner of wage ratio employees. earners salaried by 1: 9, 1907 1: 21. By the and ratio stood at salaried employee was 1925 at 1: 4. See also, Struve, "Hans Zehrer, " p. 1039. 5Lebovics points out that under the Republican governments of Weimar, the Junker, business and labour groups were sufficiently interests. Mittelstand the The their to on new protect well organized itself, it for into fend had to hand, to unite a single unable was other Social Conservatism, 32. Lebovics, p. pressure group. 21 Walter Struve in his discussion that of the "white collar in terms of the relationship level both social "white collar working class. workers" 1 Germany, the stability consistent of this When this early 1930's the social fears of loss was that demand for Germany. for Socialism 1 Struve, The old the open. The result 2 Often the were revived. a great leader to "save" longing promoted a politicians 3 The "soziale Bismarck. Nghrboden" for was there. In the actual minor alterations, 1920's and into The weakness of contemporary of the great of industrialized in the late burst theories elite himself with the were immediately felt. status the depended upon the success segment of society repercussions important a creation was accompanied by the cry for an elite worker" to his to identify largely was of income and social a successor National aversion success was threatened many neo-conservative the two groups, of his work and equally Since the new Mittelstand of industry. What divided "white the of collar the non-manual nature employer, and income to the means of production groups were similar. however,, was the relationship worker" pointed out breakdown of the occupations adhered closely to Professor this Kater's writer has, with categories, which "Hans Zehrer, " p. 1039. 2 Struve is of the opinion that the insecurity of the middle class, 1920's, this during the decline the class encouraged of monarchism and that were "non-monarchical theories to accept elite and highly authoritarian. "Hans Zehrer, 11p. 1041. Struve, 3 Weimar 1043. Wilhelmine the During the Ibid., and period p. Rebpulic school texts stressed the virtue of strong leadership and in Society See, Hinton Education R. Thomas, and government. authoritarian (London 1949), Letrpa_ýy pp. 71-81. The failure Modern of the Republic to first to its generation according republican guidelines was also educate in Engelmann German Education, 72-76. Charlotte by pp. recognized 22 in turn were based on Geiger's work. The following occupational categories were used: 1. unskilled 2. skilled 3. tradesmen (Handwerker) 4. lower & middle level employees private (untere & mittlere Angestellte) (privat) 5. lower & middle level servants civil (untere & mittlere Beamte) (öffentliche) 7. (ungelernte workers Arbeiter) (Facharbeiter) workers Military - officers (Militär military ranks NCO's and other - (Militär Unteroffiziere Mannschaften) Offiziere) - 8. peasant proprietors (Landwirte) 9. businessmen (Kaufleute) 10. artists (Künstl er) 11. entrepreneurs (Unternehmer) senior (Höhere (privat) 12. 13. senior private civil employees servants und Angestellte) (Höhere (öffentliche) Beamte) prof essi onal s (Freiberufliche 15. students (Studenten) 16. jurists (Juristen) elementary school teachers (Volksschullehrer) secondary school and teachers university (Gymnasium and Hochschullehrer) 14. 17. 18. Akademiker) - 23 The unskilled jobs which required Most unskilled labourers Arbeiter. in contrast required trades beyond elementary school. (spezialisierte workers The skilled the Facharbeiter non-university educated category. Thus technicians, Found in this able to support Germany of the twentieth The lower century. employees, 4 Included and government. the vast servant confusingly or Beamter. 1 Kater, 2 victim 134. p. in the highly private called Also and were included in trades with a that industrialized employees represented industrial and commercial Of the 5.27 million in this 2 assistants were a number of trades 63% worked in administration salaried rather laboratory category private the mass complexes that and public in industry, commerce, bank the clerk, also was Bankbeamter in Germany although he is no civil included "Soziographie. were the many sales clerks employed " p. 133. Ibid. 3 fell Flaschner Brunnenbauer, Mbhlenbauer, Trades such as and "Soziographie, in Kater, Germany. industrialism to the growing 4 in 3 level Germany. in modern sprang up the traditional the traditional category themselves and middle in administering employed all between the which was lacking the nur-Ingenieur, engineers, Tradesmen included tradition. were barely (Zunfttradition)l tradition category. that as Handarbeiter) The difference training. specialized who performed themselves in the personnel files classified rested on a guild labourers all worker and the tradesman lay in the fact skilled guild training no specialized ungelernte this worker category included Lebovics, Social Conservatism, p. 31. " 24 by the rapidly service civil department expanding and bell-hops. area such as waiters servants included included in this stores, traditional all I 2 whether this colleagues joining their 3 differed officer this classified group, in high-schools writer but because he wanted to determine which holds significantly such a unique status from their in more educated and universities as far as their which Geiger and Kater treated category, two parts. writer NCO's and other study and treated was concerned. The military into in this since they were This was not done because this Beamten status, who taught pattern was divided 18). occupational German society, Although Geiger also category elementary school teachers, (see category disagreed with The lower and middle level Beamte. Beamte, they were excluded from the category separately and men employed in the realized From personal that the political ranks can differ as one category experience significantly. and NCO's and other as one, as a professional orientation Therefore, of officers, officers ranks as another. were In a 1 By 1925 the well-known Karstadt department store chain, which was founded in 1920, operated 32 outlets across Germany. The Leonard Tietz store operated 17 outlets in Germany by 1928. Ibid., p. 25. More information on the growing department store chains in Germany is provided by Karl Schleunes, The Twisted Road t,o Auschwitz, Nazi Policy toward the German Jews, 1933-1945 (London 1972), p. 7ff. 2 listed his father's One SS officer occupation as Kutscher. He was included in the lower private employee category. The elementary school teacher occupied a peculiar social position Although he was considered a professional, in pre-1914 German society. his profession was the only one that did not require a university Without the teacher a university education school elementary education. 'Akademiker, ' he be therefore, an considered and was, could never in discussion that detailed For stratum of society. a more unacceptable the Engelmann, teacher, the of position elementary school see, social on German Education, p. l6ff. 25 more detailed were each looked NCO's and other profession, proprietor category themselves as either was easily Landwirt, recognizable smaller Kaufmann. businessmen; One can assume that wealthier themselves as "Importeur The artist teachers of art, with this this not only included Two cases of note were SS Sturmbannfbhrer Obersturmbannfbhrer Walter The category According to Geiger performing It should be emphasized that men found in the SS. 2a Waldemar Klingelhoefer, Einsatzgruppe member of, was a 4 Ilges, an author and playwright B, ' 3 trained and SS who became a 5 SD. of entrepreneur it but also artists 21ýyears member of the prominent businessmen described background were not too frequently for who the contains Grosskaufmann. music, drama and dance. particular opera singer as most labled category and more prestigious or category as most Bauer, or Kleinbauer. The businessmen group was easy to categorize themselves ranks at separately. The peasant described of the military analysis included estate was a difficult define. to one (Rittergutsbesi-Lzer owners and 1 "Soziographie, Kater, Kaufmann the term For a good description see, of depression is during the businessman fate the 135. The small ol p. Social Conservatism, described by Lebovics, p. 41. " 2 SS SturmbannfUhrer Waldemar Klingelhoefer, Personnel File: SS #52,704, born 4.4.1900, in Moscow. BDC. 3 (Philadelphia 1961), Kommandos The Eichmann Musmanno, Michael judge the Navy, US US the Musmanno, Captain at 210. appointed was p. in 1947. held Nbrnberg trial Einsatzgruppen at 4 SS Obersturmbannfbhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Breslau. born 31.5.1870, 5 Shlomo Aronson. Reinhard He drich Zeitgeschichte, Studien SD; zur Gestapo und (Stuttgart 1971), 14. p. Zeitgeschichte Walter Ilges, SS 1111-36,239, 'ie Früh geschichte von und U herausgegeben vom-Institutefür 26 Gutsbesitzer) other Munich. Kater from rural described Prussia in the following the category pub owners in as small as well terms, Die Unternehmer bilden eine Berufsgruppe manigfacher sozialer Abstufungen, Kapitalisten jeder Schattierung, alle im Besitz & Betriebs-kapital, von Produktionsmitteln wobei 'Kapitalismus' hier nicht als klassenbegriffliche Norm, Kriterium sondern als professionelles verstanden werden soll. In strict ran an independent business supplied little very giving any indication all Senior this occupation industry. heads of major Kater also and business i. e. independent in the classifying as Tischler departments, not businessman of occupations, or Tischlermeister were that for Kater, titles larger of managers or personnel trained most academically did not follow in the Akademiker Senior civil to our managers, this or Freiberufliche servants were easily i. e., "Soziographie. practice Regierungesrat, " p. 135. Kaufleute engineers but categorized these category. because their of recognized Kriminalrat, in in upper level industry by be employed would administrators professionals and leading Diplom - Ingen eure and-Diplom classified This writer positions. 1 of or Tischlermeister They corresponded on the assumption category preference as Tischler files In the majority in responsible men employees were private in private department firms. who Handwerker. as categorized positions themselves to be consistent men who gave their carpenter But the personnel kind of information. as to employment status5 In order or employee. as an Unternehmer. of this cases the men described the trained in one of the many basement shops in Berlin, have been classified should definition adherence to this 1 or Medizinialrat, 27 in describing their position. The independent professional category included doctors, architects, educated engineers category. Geiger as well While this writer does not disagree jurists all and business it graduates was that As pointed category in order this lawyers category. he placed them to a more detailed of jurisprudence analysis that an inordinate number of As law studies have in German society as a means of insuring membership I the question arose as to whether many of the jurists e'lite, served in the governing in the SS used their and social political, graduate in this categorization, to subject was soon discovered in this were also placed placed the separate such as medical out above, university administrators with and Akademiker) professionals had been members of the SS FUhrerkorps. traditionally this educated as Kater also The reason for examination. jurists academically pharmacists. in a separate (Freiberufliche affiliation advancement. such an important profession with the Black Order for professional 2 Another member in German society had, and still has, on the senior According to Dahrendorf "Mehr als die Hälfte Beamte. Mehr als Juristen. .3 die Hälfte factor aller aller that made the law was the tight civil service hold positions. deutschen Juristen Beamten des Höheren Dienstes Because of the involvement of German jurists , sind sind in both the civil 1 Dahrendorf compared German jura studies to the English public i te. Etudes trai Grandes French uture the af el ng of ni as a means school s and 264-265. Demokratie, Gesellschaft Dahrendorf, pp. und 2 the fact that jura One should be cautious and not overstress 3.5% 1959 late As factor. only as studies can serve as a social mobility background, from in Germany jura as working class came students all of 266. Ibid., Juristen. had fathers 10% that to p. were who compared 3 Dahrendorf points out that in the Wilhelmine era, the Weimar half Third Cabinet Reich, during than the the ministers more of Republic and 262. Ibid., jurists. p. were 28 service teacher 1 and the SS special I attention Similarly two professional the final was paid to this and the secondary school and university from their respective of the elementary categories school teacher of civil school because of their teachers in the social felt education. the elementary school teachers were extracted servants. in German society The secondary school teachers and university together groups, group. The unique position 2 has been mentioned. professors were grouped At a time when many secondary hel d the Dr. phi 1. the two prof essi ons stood qui te cl ose 3 hierarchy. There is also little doubt that the Studienr9te a much closer the underprivileged toward the university 4 elementary school teacher. affinity professor than toward 1 The surrender of the German legal profession to National Socialism is further demonstrated by an article by Werner Best, which appeared written in the legal journal Deutsches Recht. According to the Nazi jurist there was to be no indepencFent justice Judges apparatus in the Third Reich. and lawyers were to act like loyal state employees, and, just like the they were to be mere executors of state policy. Werner Johe, Die police, (Frankfurt/Main Justiz 1967), p. 11. gleichgeschaltete 2 See p. 24, note 3. 3Bolte, a German sociologist, ranked thirty-eight occupations and in German society. According professions according to their prestige value to his findings the university the professor ranked highest in prestige, just after the senior civil This secondary school teacher fifth, servant. study was undertaken in the 1950's. and the prestige value of certain by the events of the war. For instance, professions was undoubtedly affected (Major), in post-war West Germany the army officer ranked eleventh on the There scale, even behind the elementary school teacher who ranked ninth. is little doubt that in pre-1939 German society the army officer had a (Stuttgart Abstieg higher social position. Karl Bolte, Sozialer Aufstieg und 1959), p. 42. 4 1920 that professors, It was not until secondary and elementary began look joint together to teachers and came at a conference, school from Volksschule to university the as a continuous process educational at Even then university professors and secondary school teachers process. in Engelmann, teachers in elementary session, school another. one met German Education5 p. 43. 29 Family Life and Morality In dealing and quantitative political looked was the attitude or merely toward with this on the marital number of children to illustrate applied homosexuality the application used in divorce and the fate status,, was looked at. to the officer political quantitative orientation In addition The length by an event of National Socialism The major Phase I: are used Data from the founding of the SS Fbhrerkorps determined and SS the code of and the moral standards divided in turn were each phases which periods. of wives, case histories to the outbreak of the Second World War has been divided six proceedings, his family. and of Quantitative The study time of of those convicted of the. SS Fbhr aspect the unique marriage Organization 1. use of Life In dealing information procedures extensive of homosexuality. suspected Home and Family 2. code, divorces, and the number of wives, In addition at. statistical including status, was made in order to illustrate the unique SS marriage 3. on the marital of the SS officers' per family case histories of the Fbhrerkorps aspect information orientation children this with or for division of importance for divisions Period, April of was the development the SS. chronological The Infancy into three major into two parts for a total of each chronological (or events) in 1925 SS the of are: 1925-December 1930; 30 Phase II: The Formative Phase III: The Functional The six chronological Phase 1: Phase 11: Phase 111: Phase 1. July Period, sub-categories 1931-June 1934; 1934-September 1925-December 1927; April 2. January 1928-December 1930. 3. January 1931-January 4. February 5. July 6. January Phase I covers 1939. are: 1. The Infancy I January 1933; 1933-June 1934. 1934-December 1936; Period, 1937-September April the period 1939. 1925-December 1930 from the founding of the SS in April 1925 There is some dispute over the actual founding date of the SS. Neussbss-Hunkel gives the founding date as 9 November 1925. Die SS, p. 7. der NSDAP, 1937 So does the Statistische Jahrbuch der Schutzstaffel (Berlin 1938),, p. 3. Buchheim stated that the SS made its first appearance 30. H6hne Anatomy, in April 1925. Ernst Pbhner's funeral stated p. at that Schreck was given the task to form a new loyal Stabswache in April 1925. He merely stated that after his The Order, p. 23. Stein ignored the issue. isolated felt thereHitler from Landsberg and, politically prison release This view The Waffen SS, p. xxvi. fore. decided to form a loyal bodyguard. James in his stuFy on the Leibstandarte. is also expressed by Weingartner , Adolf Hitler, SS Leibstandarte Story the Hitler's Guard, The Weingartner, of history in his official 1939-1945 (Carbondale 1974). p. 1. Gbnter d'Alquen, der Aufgabe 1925. Geschichte date founding SS, to the und the as of refers for this early period of the 1939). p. 7. The personnel files SS (Berlin The personnel file SS prove to be equally inconclusive. of Ulrich Graf, Emil Maurice, SS #2, 1 November 1925 as the entry date. SS #26, lists date. Julius Schreck, SS #5, the man whom just has 1925 as the joining delegated to form a loyal bodyguard, has 1 November 1925 as the Hitler All three men were said to be founding members of the SS. date. joining Hbhne the Buchheim inclined place is to who and This writer agree with isolation feeling If Hitler's 1925. in April political date of founding feeling then this bodyguard, form decision in to the a new played any part is It Roehm. he broke April in also with when strongest was probably at to ignore the appearance of eight black capped pallbearers difficult issued have Schreck how 1925. 16 Finally, April funeral could P6hner's on was not created his Order No. 1 in September 1925 when the organization The be The to early November. semantics. of one appears problem until The Stabswache. but in Schutzstaffel April founded was not called group, the of creation Schutzstaffel after months coined until some was not name is Stabswache The Order, 23. If. the Hbhne5 therefore, p. the Stabswache. , date. If founding ýTsa direct 1925 is SS, April the the forerunner of seen formed, November Schutzstaffel determine the to when actual was wants one date. be suitable more a would 31 to the breakthrough September 1930. deals period The decision The first exclusively phase is divided with promotion September 1930 Reichstag elections. Phase I was entitled in the development organization was that It of selectivity. the black swastika The first the silver armband. 3 Circular 1928 to 31 December 2 SS as well because it as the during was to be established characteristic In order itself to appear outwardly adopted the uniform in November 1923. death's this of the characteristics began when the SS sought to differentiate which was disbanded cap with Period the basic of the SA. the SS immediately Hitler to ReichsfUhrer of the SS that from the mass organization Adolf Period. 1 January the Infancy were established. different, The first two periods. 1925 to 1927 was based on an interest of the Infancy Himmler's stage into of members of the SS, i. e. , those who had an SS number under The second part 1930, included in the Reichstag elections whose SS numbers were under 1000. officers to look at the period in the very early 1000.1 of the NSDAPat the polls of the former The first head, the black tie, Stosstrupp SS men wore and black rimmed No. 1, dated 21 September 1925, which was sent to 1 is Phase I based date for the first The cut-off on a of period SS Personalhauptamt. head the Herff, letter SS ObergruppenfUhrer of of , der in Zeit 850-1050 Nummern die SS "In der SS It stated: vom wurden 1.1.1927 bis zum 31.12.1927 verliehen. " Letter of Herff to SS BrigadefOhrer in Weber's personnel file. Chritian Weber, dated 17.2.1943, 2 1926, April SS the head the Schreck Julius until when of stayed as d f i ti i Berchtol Jul 1 Hi Stosstrupp tl returned rom pol cal us er eader, one-time SS leader the first the Berchtold of permitted to was command. assume exile 1927, March RFSS He SS. ReichsfUhrer himself at until to call remained Himmler became Heinrich Heiden innocuous Erhard took the time over. which 1929. Karl 6 January SS leader the fourth RFSS, of on the third and istische Die Schulz, Wolfgang Sauer, Gerhard Bracher, national Dietrich -sozial Herrschaftssystems des Studien Erricht totalitAren Machterqno±ýý2ung zur ' (K61n 1962), 1933-1934 p. 838. in Deutschland, ý 3 Neussbss-Hunkel, Die SS, p. 7. 32 every local SS formation. efficient, (OrtsgruDpe) group party It elite whom Hitler however,, that stressed, in the spring ready even to march against accordance with the National men were to be taken into the SS. to be between the age of 23-35, by the police "Habitual (polizeilich drunkards, 1 Illusion Occupied University theory Applicants " 5 as residents The selectivity member conceivable. stated that ,6 With all only to this (Waschweiber) mongers gossip a body guard ... 3 ,, stressed ., have two sponsors, emphasized when an SS instruction party 4 elite angemeldet) were not to be considered. exemplary of 1925 to form "... Socialist an they were to he small, 1 2 Julius Schreck and ten men. " own brothers.. their groups to establish party "... at most a leader groups, delegated urged all that specially selected in selected group were and have been registered of five and other orinciple years standing. delinquents was further "The SS man is the most the emphasis on 'elitism Hbhne, The Order, p. 24; see also, Edgar Knoebel, Racial Necessity: A study of SS Political Objectives and Military Belgium, from the The study was a Ph. D. dissertation p. 5. 1965. of Colorado, in 2 Julius Schreck, SS #5,, born SS BrigadefOhrer Personnel File: 13.7.1897, in MOnchen. Schreck died of natural causes on 16 May 1936. 17.5.1936. V61kischer Beobachter, 3 first SS the The SS, p. 13. On Hitler's Reitlinger, view of from German, Talk, the Table translated Hitler's Henry Picker, members see, by Norman Cameron and R. Stevens (London 1953), Hitlers Tischgespr9che, p. 167. 4 When it was discovered that in a Munich Ortsgruppe 15 former SA "This He Schreck form SS began to wrote, new protested. unit, men an The S,S is an is no more than the old SA rechristened formation .... its foundations built the laboriously and sound up upon organization " Schreck Letter imitation by be tarnished image of copies. must not unique Hbhne, The Order, p. 24. dated 27.9.1925. to Party Headquarters, issued 5 This order was Dart of the quidelines Ibid. by SS headquarters. 6 98. Konrad Heiden, Geschichte for the formation des Nationalsozialismus (Berlin of the SS 1932), 33 it is not that surprising as the "imperial the newly SS soon beqan to created see itself guard of the new Germany."' The other basic characteristic established during the Infancy Period the special bond of loyalty was the special relationship, to the 2 FUhrer, and the evolvement from being the FUhrer's special protective squad to being extended the party's to the FOhrer only, for responsibility speaking tours. at major party guarding the lives of the Fbhrer in later years into the major of other security Period, importance of the SS. SS. It In this was in this in the history study period the years that functionaries when on for of responsibility of the Third force the the Black Order was to transform force January The time span between January of vital party assumption functions and party The Formative loyalty also became the SDecial securitY The early meetings. Whereas the soecial the SS began very soon to take over The Schutzstaffeln security Phase II: force. security Reich. 1931-June 1934 1931 and June of 1934 was not only of the NSDAPbut also are called in the development the Formative Period of the the major branches of the SS were created 1 line, SS Guard. the the the The SA was to be the infantry of Just as the Persians, the Greeks, Caesar and Napoleon had a Guard, so was Hbhne, The Order, p. 28. the Third Reich to have one. 2 H8hne quotes Alois Rosenwink, the "real organizer of SS Headquarters" black to head death's "We the as our cap a warning on our carry as saying, lives FOhrer that indication to our sacrifice will we our enemies and an death's head in 24. the Dawidowicz for him. " Ibid., a symbol sees p. "... to carry out Hitler's that the SS was willing murderous ideology with idcal-, sm. " Lucy Dawidowicz, The War Against the Jews, 1933-1945 fanatical (New York 1975), P. 73. This is perhaps reading too much of Auschwitz days. SS into the Solution the the Final The of early purpose of and the The adoption of the death's head was more of a transference of the symbol der der Geschichte Hitler. Hans Volz, Daten StosstrUDp former of the 1935), p. 120. NSDAP (Berlin 34 Numerically the SS grew from a force of under 15,000 menl and fewer than 350 officers 2 to an organization The Formative last 1931 to January to study possible the social is a well into two parts; Phase II fact established the first into two parts composition as during as well should that the composition of the at this the SS expanded enormously it in 17 months of Hitler's from 52,000 January grew rule 5_ however, a detailed to 221,000 by 1 July 1934 study of the social the first composition force the of An important during the first law. marriage 6 during event half for this of the Formative of the SS that 1933 occurred Period was the introduction the law in the following Jahrbuch der S, in has never been done. the development Himmler explained lS--tatistisches period it 17 the first become apparent 1933 is that of the SS during Any changes in the social Reich. about by the Machtergreifung It of 1933, the second from February of the Weimar Republic months of the Third SS brought has been divided The reason for dividing two years point. Period from January to June 1934. makes it a Fbhrerkoros 4 3,227 Officers. extends 3 221,000 men with of of the words: p. 6. 2 1 dated January is SS Fbhrerkorps the The first count of official , der Dienstaltersliste SS 350 there 1932. At that time officers. were der NSDAP, 1938 (Berlin 1939), p. 526. Schutzstaffeln 3 4 Statistisches Dienstaltersliste 5 Statistisches 6 The marriage Jahrbuch der SS, 1937, p. 6. der SS,, 1938, p. 526. Jahrbuch der SS, 1937, p. 6. law is discussed in greater detail in Chapter VII. 35 Kein SS Mann kann heiraten ohne Genehmigung des Reichsführer SS. Dazu wird verlangt eine gesundheitliche Untersuchung der Braut, es sind Bürgen für diese Frau in welta y schaulicher und menschlicher Beziehung zu bringen. Furthermore the bride and groom had to submit three photographs of themselves, person. one front and one showing the total 2 It in Formative the was SS were founded. or SD, one side facial facial, 4 Period that the important branches of the 3 to the Al_lgeme ne SS, the Sicherheitsdienst In addition or TV and the VerfUgungstruppe the Totenkopfverbande or Waffen SS or VT were established. for The responsibility in Phase I of the SS, but it security arrangements was not until 1931 that had been established Himmler appointed the new arri val , Rei nhard Heydri ch, to bui 1d up a securi ty servi ce f or the 5 SA during the Ie Dienst first the This and called service was party. 6 This the (13 1932) PI Dienst. June days April-14 was prohibition 1 by Himmler to a course of national delivered From a lecture 1937, IMT, January forces, for the vol. xxix, armed political studies document 1992 (A)-PS, p. 225. 2 illustrated be "scientific" Himmler's procedures can selection 1.70m keine Leute "Ich habe genommen unter by the following example. bestimmten über deren Grösse dass Menschen, ich einer weiss, weil Zentimeterzahl p. 208. 3 der SS. liegt, das erwünschte Blut irgengwie haben müssen." Kogon called the Allgemeine Der SS Staat, p. 347. SS das Ibid., 11 Sammelreservoir" grosse 4 Partei "Gehirn Hess by the to und von The SD was referred as Staat. " Ibid. , 23. 5 Aronson, Reinhard Heydrich, p. 38ff; see also, Neusbss-Hunkel., the dubious times For of account a more anecdotal and at Die SS, p. 8. 22ff. Service, Secret Hitler's p. SD see, Schellenberg, 6 57. Heydrich, Reinhard p. Aronson, 36 forerunner of the notorious SD, initials with cold blooded calculated It murder throughout was in the second half June 1934, that the foundations Waffen SS were laid. Period, of the Death's Head units February 1933- and the later In June 1933 Himmler chose the then SS Oberfbhrer pulled to become commandant of the already off the psychiatrist's established K. L. Dachau. in time his methods of running was so successful that camp were applied throughout when Hitler occupied Europe. of the Formative Theodor Eicke a former policeman, The first which were to become synonymous couch, 1 Eicke a concentration Germany. step in creating an armed SS was taken in March 1933 delegated his one-time bodyguard Josef (Sepp) Dietrich, at 2 the time SS GruppenfUhrer, in Berlin an armed detachment of to establish 3 This was to be the third time within some 120 specially selected SS men. 10 years Hitler that bodyguard, ordered the creation "Leibstandarte named SS Adolf was to become the most prestigious Reich's elite Hitler" Panzerdivision Thus by the end of the Formative of the Third of a loyal formation Period, bodyguard. Thi s 4 in September 1933, in the Waffen SS. all 5 of the major branches had been established, and the Black 1 At the time Eicke was a patient clinic at the psychiatric of the University Hbhne, The Order, p. 202; see also, Aronson, of Wbrzburg. Reinhard Heydrich, p. 105. 2 Personnel File: SS #1,177,, born 28.5.1892, Guard, 3 Stein, 4. p. 4 Stein, 5 SS Oberstgruppenfbhrer in Hawangen,, Bayern. The Waffen SS, p. 4. See also, Josef BDC. (Sepp) Dietrich, Weingartner, Hitler's The Waffen SS, p. 6. Weingartner is of the opinion that as the Leibstandarte Ibid. firepower, the unit was no longer intended increased in size, mobility, and force. " Hitler's 8. but Guard, "guard, active an striking as p. as a 37 Order was ready to enter the Functional Period or Phase III its of development. Phase III: The Functional Ernst Second World War. . utter Period During this renewed opportunities also their 1939 of the SS began with the elimination of the 1 R6hm on 1 July 1934 and ended with the outbreak of the The Functional SA Stabschef 1934-September Periodý, July branches of the SS had period the various to demonstrate not only their and military ruthlessness loyalty During efficiency. but to Hitler the Anschluss first time for the VerfUgungstruppe the employed were units of 2 in Sudetenland the In the in a purely military the role. occupation of of Austria autumn of 1938 and in the seizure To battalions 3 command. station The active incident of Czechoslovakia and the entire role VerfOgungstruppe in SD the creating of Hitler "forced" which to attack in March of 1939, four were placed the Gleiwitz Poland, under Army radio in 1939, is also well-known. The Functional dividing Period date 31 December 1936. issue 1986 the the was at end of position Reichsfbhrer the of into has been divided The reason for two parts dividing with the third the Phase by in 1936, the decree FUhrer the which of SS was formally amalgamated with the 1 30 Zeitung, Sbddeutsche See and 127. also, Hbhne, The Order, p. 1957. 8 May Rundschau, Frankfurter 1947; also, 31 March 1947,11 and 14 May 2 Stein, The Waffen SS, p. 24. Ibid. 4 Hbhne, 64; Service, Secret Hitler's also, see p. Schellenberg, Oberfall den 'Der Runzheimer, JUrgen auf 260-65; also, Order, The pp. 1962, 4. October No. fUr Zeitgeschichte, " Vierteljahrshefte Gleiwitz, Sender 408-426. pp. 38 governmental of Chief of the German Police. office "was the all-important this Police into forces of the Interior police step in the transformation the instrument German police younger highly of the Fbhrer's had also tried riveted ambitious Not only were the a merger which the Ministry to bring about, but more important, to the SS. lawyers attracted in 1936 in the German legal German the of "' authority. from then on centralized, were now firmly According to Buchheim journal Dr. Werner Best, to the SS prior 2 the one of the to 1933, wrote Deutsches Recht, Die deutsche Polizei ist unter der Führung des Reichsführer SS zum Schnittpunkt der Bewegung und des Staates geworden. Die Bedeutung dieser Tatsache kann überhaupt nicht in ihrer Bedeutung für unterschätzt nicht werden nur die Entwicklung des Reichsneubaues sondern auch in ihrer 3 Bedeutung für die Sicherung der Zukunft unseres Volkes. It during then was by the addition recruits SS freely the second part of the traditional of Phase III, police officers and Sudetenland 4 prosecution. from the annexed Austria without fearing that the SS was enlarged as well as by the many join could who now the 1 detailed 157. For Anatomy_, analysis, a more Buchheim et. al., p. (Duisdorf 1964). Bonn b. Staat NS im Polizei SS Buchheim, Hans und see, 2 SS #23,377, Best, Werner Dr. ObergruppenfUhrer SS Personnel File: BDC. in Darmstadt. born 10.7.1903, 3 Werner Best, Deutsches Recht, 15.7.1936, 258. p. 4 1930's in the in Austria early Although the SS was established SS for difficult it became VIII, more Abschnitt SS progressively as the abortive after Austrian especially to prosecution, survive members 1934. Nazis took Austrian after place A 1934. in of exodus major coup (New first 1961). York in Tyranny published Study A Hitler, Bullock, Alan in housed the Nazis Austrian 283. Many the were 1953, of p. in January Shortly border. Austrian the German side of on the SS camp at Lechfeld, in functions the SS the police of Anschluss many assumed the after The Reitlinger, formation. join the Austria, and young men could openly SS, pp. 75,108-110. 39 Description of Tables Two approaches will for this be used in presenting In the first study. the sociographic data approach, each category group, i. e., unskilled labourers The total for any such group in the sample, then, equals 100%. Each in the occupation is considered category, group is looked at in terms of the six periods The percentage of SS officers phases). group, for occupational instance, (two for each of the three falling into a particular during any of these periods For example, Table 1.1 depicts apparent. individually. the joining is readily for two pattern Table 1.1 occupational teachers, university seen that labourers the unskilled groups, over the period covered by the study. by the end of Phase 1,35.7% sample had joined with and the secondary of the unskilled between 1928 and the end of 1930. joined Phase II are compared with one sees that and 23% in Phase III. those for (only few very (61.6%) entered during and can be labourers in the 8.9% coming in between 1925 and 1927 and the remaining 26.8% joining during It school the secondary Phase II, while same group, 41% When these percentages school and university Phase I. during 2%) joined For this 44% joined teachers, The majority between February 1933 and June 1934. For the second approach the emphasis is on the six time periods. Thus, the periods from 1925 to 1927,1928 in the terms looked of sociographic at on are in this 100%. study. Reference Each period, individual to 1930, and so considered characteristics interest, the groups of summed over to Table 2 will illustrate this approach. equals For this table 40 Table Example Illustrating Joining Pattern First Occupational Two of PHASES Approach to the Data: Groups over the Six Time Periods OCCUPATION Unskilled Labourers 4/1925-12/1927 IA 8.9% Secondary school & University teachers --- 1/1928-12/1930 26.8 2.2% TOTAL PHASE 1 35.7 2.2 1/1931-1/1933 35.7 17.6 2/1933-6/1934 5.4 44.0 41.1 61.6 7/1934-12/1936 7.1 16.1 1/1937-9/1939 15.4 20.9 TOTAL PHASE 111 23.2 36.3 100.0 100.0 TOTAL PHASE 11 TOTAL 41 ) the two time periods levels looked in II Phase terms of the education at are of of the joiners. during can be seen that It the 1931-1933 period, Table 1.2 37.9% of the applicants to be elevated (Volksschule) school elementary officers the Abitur. for the period was 71.7%. with those for the 1933-1934 period, decrease in the percentage SS from the first first part elementary 17.4% for school decline higher of the phase, the elementary group. however, school educational category. That is, Thus officers of university the Duri ng had dropped to the secondary a registered is noticeable an Abitur in the increased to 9.2% in the 1933-1934 period. graduates and doctoral Upward categories. in 9.3% the from pre-1933 went up 17-month time for the 16.4% span after to period The percentage of doctorates during respectively. trend with the had only an categories the opposite into being taken the percentages in the university-graduate are noticeable The percentage education, the lower educational from 5.8% in the 1931-1933 period trends officers group and to 24.5% for for the post-1 933 period, of non- If one compares these data of Phase II. school or secondary While Thus the total 37.9% and 33% of the joiners of the period the second part 33% attended a is obvious that there is a it of non-Abitur to the second part school A further education. did but school secondary not obtain Abitur to commissioned rank had only an in the SS FUhre Hitler assumed power. soared from 9.7% to 27.6%. It analysis will is by the use of these two approaches of the social be undertaken data of the SS Fbhrerkorps in this thesis. that prior the descriptive to World War II 42 Table 1.2 Second Approach to the Data: Example Illustrating Distribution Educational of II Phase over EDUCATION Level Joiners of PHASE II 1/31-1/33 2/33-6/34 37.9% 17.4% Secondary School 33.8 24.5 TOTAL NON-ABITUR 71.7 41.9 5.8 9.2 4.3 4.8 9.2 16.4 9.0 27.7 OTAL UNIVERSITY GRADUATES 18.2 44.1 apola --- --- Elementary School Abi tur Attended raduated University University octorates OTAL 100.0, 100.0 Chapter II SOMEFACTORSINFLUENCING PROMOTIONIN THE PRE-WARSS In 1937, the then 42-year-old to Himmler, wrote ". .. besser behandel t wi rd, (548) ein ständiger by saying he felt ". that This letter 11 .. for als ... when it the rank held He continued SS Führer his complaint Deutschlands and discriminated 4 evidence, as well as Robert Koehl's SS distinguished themselves the rank structure 1 SS ObersturmfUhrer Josef Personnel File: in Rehschaln b. Passau. BDC. born 23.11.1895, of Dirschl against of which the above quoted to Himmler, that statement in any way .... of the SS. in the SS, as is the case in most military 2 Letter 3 SS service. to investigate writer .2 came to promotions full-time an example, ist. 44 70 Altesten der einer very few of the early led this und schei nbar meine al te SS Ausweisnummer kind of documentary is only Joseph Dirschl der nach 1933 zur SS gegangen ist, Hinderungsgrund superseded when he applied dass jeder, SS Sturmbannfbhrer ,5 Since and para- Dirschl, dated 2 March 1937. SS #5489 Ibid. Ibid. 4 basket-maker, SS "old time" 1934 a wrote In June member, an in terms SS, in the of especially letter detailed conditions about a letter be the that He passed on for asked alte promotions die Verantwortung, dass Obernehme ich "... to the highest authority, Himmiler, letter the instance " In reached this who ist die Wahrheit. in April 1935. Personnel UntersturmfUhrer to letter writer promoted the born 27.6-1885, ýile: in SS #9,699, Hegele, Martin SS Untersturmf0hrer BDC. Zettlitz. 5 Koehl, HLsLq2r s p. 282. "The Character " Journal SS, Nazi the of 43 of Modern 44 military organizations, to function within failure of success or was a symbol it who was in the SS that failed to be promoted. as well that question will Because great an early policy be of interest to see who it and, conversely, was that in the NSDAP value was attached a low membership number, l because a low member of the Nazi movement, the first be investigated in the SS an important criterion 2 rank or did it interfere with from the Bavarian should was promoted, as in the SS to holding number identified it the organization, of a member Woods, correct of the SS discriminated in this for chapter promotion promotion? to senior Was Dirschl, he asserted when against is, old-timers was seniority or general the alte K9 that the promotion like himself? I In 1943 SS Bri gadef Ohrer Chri sti an Weber, SS #265 902, requested NSDAP SS in the the in his lower # SS and early services view of a (he held party #15). The SS Personalhauptamt replied that the best they ' SS File: Personnel #65,965. SS him is do for him give could in 25.8.1883, born #265,, 902, SS Weber, Christian BrigadefUhrer is be # low important How BDC. Polsingen. membership could a SS discovered that it 1943 In following in the illustrated was case. When questioned, ObergruppenfUhrer Demelhuber was not a party member. NSDAP the to belonged had with he pre-1925 Demelhuber replied that leave Strasser by to but in 1925 He rejoined the NSDAP was urged #4,933. for he 1933 After party reapplied the party for tactical reasons. When this 100,000. was request under membership requesting a number Himmler in the promised party. denied, Demelhuber decided not to enrol the to taken alte but reinstate was into the look action no to matter,, As NSDAP. the the numerical roll of on KAmpfer in his rightful place member. party SS a non-Nazi high-ranking remained general a result this SS #252,3929 Demelhuber, Karl-Maria SS ObergruppenfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. Oberbayern. in Freising, born 27.5.1896, 2 three the in terms of and analysed The ranks are categorized Forces. Commonwealth by in all use classifications major rank (2nd lieutenant) to UntersturmfUhrer Junior category, 1. officer SturmbannfUhrer (captain); Senio-r 2. cateqory, rill TrIrofficer Hau tcsturmfbhre5r ýr' u ':ý ut General (colonel); 3. category ==taynLý officer Statýk tr"'T to ndartenfUhrer o mail mo m (general). Oberstgruppenfbhrer to OberfOhrer (senior colonel) 45 Table 2.1 shows the highest in relation officers rank achieved by the sampled in which they joined. to the period Table 2.1 A visual it the exception) in the junior ranks roughly 2/33-6/34) of the period regardless remained in which they joined; that and are to be found in the senior ranks, while only a seventh is no systematic categories first senior, two things. are in the periods 4/25-12/27 or fewer are to be found in the general there shows at least over half of the commissioned officers (the exceptions a third for the junior, in most cases (the period from 7/34-12/36 shows that provides of the sub-totals ranks over the time periods and general First, examination trend ranks. time periods junior in a remained considered for shows that each of the rank 58.2% of those who joined That is, considered. period across Second, it during the rank as did 63% of those who joined in the latter did 56.3% of those II Phase and as part of joined who in the latter half initial joiners in the first reached a general half of Phase III A Chi-Square 2) (X there was any statistical officer joined test rank while obtained a slight 14.7% of the 13.5% of those who joined done to independence see whether was of relationship beyond the relationship Similarly, one of these ranks. between the phase in which an and the rank which he obtained. 41 was significant of least at III. Phase of The resulting 001 level , indicating . between these variables. Chi-Square that there was 1 An examination 1 index is Chi-Square the an of Although value of significant, (Cramer's indicating 0 to is Phi) close very relationship of strength is it does between the not exist, variable relationship a that although for Chi1, 254, Appendix A, Table See p. relationship. a very strong Phi Cramer's calculations. Square and 46 týo CY) C) r- CY) r- lizt C"i cy') kz C6 0ý kz rý C6 Cý LO CY) LO cy') 1; Cý Cý t. 0 00 0) 1 jm: 1 1 a) C) Cý C:) LLI V) C:: r_ tlo CL C\j CY) C) cn 00 LO CD C) Cý clý C\j Lr) C: ) : Cý Cý 06 C6 C6 lc: r :::J r-ý ký C"i CD CD CY) CY) (n cm CD e---l rIrl LU c3. LLI cly) 1-4 >< LLI V) c:::c v) co a) r:t C) C; C\i C\j C\i C) cl; 910 m 0ý rlý cn cn Ln m LO r-ý 00 0ý Cý C\j Cý 00 CD 00 C) Ln C\j I Clý C:) CY) C\j m CY) 01) LIJ r- r- kjý LO C: ) Lr) CY) 00 00 C, J 0) r-ý Cý C\J C6 Lf; Ln Lý Cý Cý C: ) 4.0 kz CY) Cl; C) fl- r- Cý clý r-I 110 (.0 r-ý C\ J C) Cý C) rz CY) UCD r- c C:: C) C\j C) U- rCý Cl%l r- ::J: CY) 00 C'%j r-: cy') C) Cý Cý C) r- r- rLLI ca CD C\j 00 C\j co r- 4 cý C\j Cý C\j j) ý-o CQ LO CC) r- Cý wo Lo CC) r- C\j C\j CY) rl-ý I , cl; ) ::,: Lr: Cý CD C\j r- 0 -,; Cý 11 Ln rö r- clý ai LLJ --i Co CD q:jC:r_ F- C:) CD cy') CF) q:r cn S(1) SS.(1) S=3 4- 4-) (A S- ::z a) 4-) Sa) S.= : =3 4E &= +j (n S. (v-0 ) C: S(1) S= := 4- E S4-) c: co S.S- 0-0 4- (1) r-CC$ 4-) (A 00 4--) 4-3 0- =5 (o = C: o rLn L/) =:3 4- c co 4= C rcs -0 E S=3 r- 0 U = = 4- C: a) 4-) Stt -0 1 E-= E-= -0 =3 Sa) sa) E-= -0 S- S- C: Q) ro 4-) V) -0 C) 4J L4r) CY) r- m cl; clý 1-: 1: Irz; cy") Cý cs kjý r-ý LO rý Cý (04 r-ý m C) V) -14 = Ln ro SS- 0 -V 4- Q) r- C: 0 CO r4-) 0 a) S- (1) s- = (1) := S- 4- o -c- =3 a) -0 4-) -r- 4- ro 0 I E E -0 =3 0 V) U S.- 0) (1) - rS- -0 C: ) co S.(1) S- = := 4a =3 4c (D CL CL (1) C6 Cý SC) S-= == 4c Q) CL (L) 0) S.0 C 4- =3 S- (M - fu 4-) 4-) 0) (/) 0- S- S.(1) C-D LLcl:ý Cý- c- =3 S0) (1) -0 C) -0 ) C: I -ýz c -0 = V) tz S- C) ý- i c C::: 47 of the major sources of deviation more officers statistical than would be expected although stayed level. of those who joined ranks across deviation the time periods, and III. level before That right. February one 1933 number than woul d be between 1933 and 1934 remained at this from the expected Phases II of these data, but then not entirely number of those who joined There was no significant deviations as for he was right, on the basis at the j uni or rank 1evel an even greater , expected senior a large fewer men remained at this statistically. one were to answer Dirschl would have to say that is, (2) during Phase II more men remained in and ranks while during Phase III If (1) in Phases I and III that obtained general ranks than would be expected on a 1 basis, and that in Phase II fewer reached this rank level than would be expected; the junior indicates from the expected at the but there in the general certainly ranks, for In answer to the earlier-posed were Phase I as well question, then, 1 is also supported by qualitative This conclusion On material. 30 December 1942 the Chef des SS Personal hauptamtes, Herff, sent a communique to Himmler in which he expressed his growing concern about die 1. der SS to general rank, "... the unwarranted promotions of officers die Verdienste SS aufweisen 2. besondere kurze Zeit un weder nur angehöbren, Gesinn keineswegs Haltung in ihrer SS 3. Können und mässigen sich und ... diese Beförderungen die im bewährt haben. " Herff asked whether "... " In bedingt richtig und sind? notwendig sind politisch wesentlichen ..."... der Ernennung bei Beförderung Himmler to he und conclusion recommended Masstäbe Solcher Führer besonders vorsichtig schärfste und anzulegen. " zu sein SS Herff to Himmler found in Personnel File: Letter of SS Brigadef0hrer BDC. Graf Bassewitz-Behr. BrigadefUhrer SS of officers Similar with concerning promotions reservations by Kaltenbrunner, to little who general rank were expressed seniority dass SS Führer "... 1944, June 20 verhindern, ein müssen wir wrote on dass ihm keine Jahren jung später erreicht, an so seine Endstellung " On 28 June 1944 Herff bleiben. übrig wrote, Aufstiegsmöglichkeiten mehr dass Bedenken doch wir unsere grundsätzliche "Dann habe ich auch sonst überziehen Was Dienstgrade hohe durch sollen unsere zu Dienststellen .... in bereits Stellen Sie nachgeordneten denn SS Führer noch werden, wenn " This SS der in correspondence was Dienstränge erreichen? die höchsten Wilhelm Dr. Harster. BDC. Gruppenführer SS File: found in Personnel 48 one can answer that seniority promotion to senior for did not appear to be a criterion On the other hand one cannot or general rank. conclude from the data or from the analysis that it interfered with such promotion. is interesting It to speculate lead not automatically to promotion. on the type of man who joined closer look at some selected on this the infancy case histories will A stage of the SS. more information provide Joiners 1 Hans Kronwitter, who followed formation elite established to reach the lowest in his personnel adherent until submitted impossible it Ahnentafel record, "... early " enquired joiner 3 An entry it of why some indication took this When in 1935 the Kronwitter why had not yet that the SS FUhrer had Schriftungewandtheit ... die Danzer. Franz Order Black the was of 1 UntersturmfUhrer SS File: Personnel Bayern. Obersteinhbring, in born 13.8.1902, 2 nine years organization. the Amt was informed wegen seiner 2 the newly took Kronwitter 1934 to become an officer. zu erstellen. Another It NSDAP. the of in 1935 gives Rasse und Siedlungshauptamt his racial Schreck in 1925 to join in that rank commissioned file the men of one was the son of a bricklayer of Julius the call I found might focus One such speculation point. The Early early during in the SS did on why seniority Hans Kronwitter, BDC. 3 SS --,488, Ibid. UntersturmfOhrer SS File: Personnel BDCMUnchen. in born 24.2.1900, Franz Danzer, it SS #476, 49 took Danzer fourteen labourer, unskilled (Landarbeiter) into Danzer's hardly In addition officer discovered to stand, and that the oldest the children job with demanded by the strict that child the German discovered from tuberculosis, a woman who suffered code of marriage When an her children. the 15-month-old daughter was unable bore marks of abuse on his bodyl had home, the mother from the removed ignomiously camp, and sent to a concentration ss. to place alte corps of the Nazi elite, the woman neglected SS welfare Himmler ordered in the officer common-law with the specimen of health SS. in an effort found permanent The Rasse und Siedlunghauptamt was short-lived. Himmler's labourer He only gave him a labouring tenure The son of an rank. agricultural the SS in 1925. 1933, when the party Danzer lived that Danzer was a drifting permanent jobs, post office. however, years when he joined employment after K to reach commissioned dismissed Danzer from the 2 Albert Sýmann, 3 like Danzer was the son of an unskilled Samann eked out a meagre living labourer. In 1935, ten years factory. shoe In 1939 he volunteered . He held this a private. 1 Report 2 rank until by the SS welfare Danzer was dismissed after for in a the SS, he was promoted joining But he was not even suitable to the rank of Untersturmf0hrer. material as a casual labourer NCO the Waffen SS which he joined 1944 when he was committed officer, to a dated 3 June 1940. Ibid. on 17 July 1940. "wegen Ungeeigtheit" as Ibid. 3 Untersturmf0hrer SS File: Personnel BDC. Pirmasens. in 4.1.1905ý born Albert Samann, SS :#'8859 50 1 mental institution. Christian Barth He was a Hilfsarbeiter drifted with 2 illegitimate the was when he joined from job to job until In 1934 he was commissioned discovered that gewachsen. .3 Barth in the SS. assumed, quite "... ist den Aufgaben eines Ablesers ni cht of Nbrnberg. der alten for old guard One day Barth was missing. ältesten der um einen service incident. this he SS the permitted was in At this case histories point it the It was should di ese darauf aufmerksam SS Männer und um ein Barth did not remain a member of the Garde handelt. 4 long following ... he had to pay for misreadings The pol i ce were noti fi ed, wi th the provi so, ". .. Mitglied gave Barth he was somewhere in a drunken stupor. that correctly, In 1936 the party was soon Because of his frequent zu machen dass es sich he to provide him But it the city out of his own pocket. shortages Like Danzer, 1933 when the party tried for of meter reader the SS in 1925. Yet he was unable to hold on to a job. permanent employment. the task son of a laundry-woman. to resign Only because of his long 5 his commission. be emphasised that for were not unusual the early the above-mentioned There was also joiners. 1 SS how the took illustration is care of a good Samann's case dauernd "... diagnosed he untauglich as Although was its members. of "... Samann that " Himmler Waffen-SS, ordered fUr die Allgemeine-SS und Schutzstaffel Zugehörigkeit Seine ist. zur SS der zu entlassen nicht aus in kept Totenkopfrinq safekeeping and " The was lediglich ruhen. soll Oberabschnitt. Letter SS his home by of taken of care his family was Ibid. 1944. 20 December dated Herff to OA__S_bd-west, 2 ObersturmfUhrer SS File: Personnel BDC. NUrnberg. in born 23.12-1903, 3. SS Standarte, Christian Barth, dated 5 June 1936. Ibid. 5 Barth resigned 22 February SS the from on 1937. Ibid. SS #68, Ibid. 51 SS Obersturmfbhrer Heinrich Bottelberger 1 who committed in suicide 1936 when he was unable to make a go of his business as barrel maker 2 and innkeeper. Also included in this group is SS ObersturmfOhrer 3 Robert Bednarek who with his frequent public brawls "... das Ansehen der Bewegung und der Schutzstaffel Similarly SS ObersturmfUhrer 1938 after it the criminal Karl was shown that code. schwerstens geschadigt 5 Ehmann was released he had eight previous While he was an SS officer order to illustrate behaviour the social of the early under Ehmann shot blindly joiners sentence. at 6 were presented in background from which they came and the in which they engaged. 1 Personnel File: SS #753, born 26.11.1890, from the SS in convictions the house of the judge who had handed down the latest So many case histories hat. " 4 It is thus easier to understand why SS ObersturmfUhrer Heinrich Bottelberger, in Bechtheim, Hessen. BDC. 2 Comments concerning the suicide made by Bottelberger's SS comrades were, "Ich habe das kommen sehen. Geglaubt habe ich allerdings er würde seine Frau und Schwiegermutter mit erschiessen. " Said by Standartenführer Ortsgruppenleiter and former SS comrade, Schickert. d'Angelo said, "Er hat das einzige getan, was ihm in seiner Lage zu by Sturmbann 11/33, tun übrig blieb. " Report on suicide of Bottelberger dated 12 October 1936. Ibid. 3 SS ObersturmfOhrer Robert Bednarek, Personnel File: BDCSchlesien. in Gleiwitz, born 16.3.1899, SS #4679 4 MOnchen. Bednarek was Report to the Oberste Parteigericht ' and the SS in March 1939. Upon his dismissal, NSDAP from the released Golden Party that the threatened she, as court Bednarek's wife if but to the left suicide commit holder, court choice no Badge was however, The husband. to her refused court, reconsider did not reinstate Frau that Bednarek to is there suggest evidence the sentenceg nor Ibid. her threat. out carried 5 Karl Ehmann, OberstrumfUhrer SS SS #2,111, File: Personnel BDC. Augsburg. in born 10.12.1898, 6'Ter Staatsanwalt, " München, dated 30 June 1934. Ibid. 52 these men were not promoted beyond the junior A man like street Bednarek was useful battles during the Kampfzeit in the numerous Similarly, members. behaviour was widely obvious liability men like 1933 he repeatedly Ehmann and Barth, known in their respective to an organization of being the elite reputation but opponents, with communists and other political he became an embarrassment when after party commissioned ranks. force Nazi assaulted whose anti-social communitiesq became an 1933 tried to create a that after of the new Germany. While 58.2% of the men who joined the SS between April 1925 and December 1927 were not promoted beyond the rank of HauptsturmfUhrer, Table 2.1 shows that field rank, with 26.3% of the early a doubt, showed, without German society, social exploited that during embarrassment lives the Kampfzeit. SS FUhrer who received failed no further to be promoted the flotsam of of Germany. The anti- group on the other But once "normal" if or rank. under normal conditions. differences, to see what discernible senior lead to was unable times returned hand was and they became an of the men persisted, to the new masters Hauptsturmfbhrer that shown by the members of this behaviour the anti-social general these men represented an element of society behaviour attained that of those officers and productive constructive 14.7% reaching an additional The case histories joiners It should be of interest any, there were between those promotions beyond the rank of did. those who and Emeran Schmid, 1 the son of domestic servants, 1 SS Obersturmbannfbhrer Personnel File: born 22.12.1901, in MUnchen. BDC. was raised in Emeran Schmid, SS #34, 53 working class surroundings of elementary First school, in Munich. he began training After as a goldsmith. World War ended, Schmid was a footlose had difficulties in settling In 1923 Schmid was fortunate completing down, he joined eight ' years When the 17, he since and youth of the Freikorps Rossbach. to be taken into the Reichswehr, but a few months later "... wurde ich wegen Teilnahme am Putsch wieder 2 ., Between 1924 and 1927 he was mostly unemployed, and it entlassen. 3 In was during this period that he joined the NSDAPand the SS. 1928 Schmid found employment in one of the NS printing Even after he reached the rank of Untersturmfbhrer employee of the Party. Sturmbannfbhrer, establishments. he remained an In 1936, when he had reached the rank of Schmid was taken into the hauptamtliche SS. outbreak of the Second World War Schmid was an administrative in the annexed part of what used to be Czechoslovakia. At the officer But it soon dass eine Verwendung des Obersturmbannfbhrers A Schmid beim Bodenamt des Protektorates restlos unerwünscht ist. became apparent "... The report continued, damit abfinden muss er sich versagte, zurückzukehren, SS Fbhrer vdllig "Da S. als hauptamtlicher in seinen erlernten Beruf jegliche Anschein nach zumal allem anderwärtige "5 However, this Verwendung mangels Kentnisse des S. scheitert. 1 In his "Lebenslauf" Schmid claimed to have learned the trade of is learned trade the in his recorded service record goldsmith, Ibid. Werkzeugschleifer. 2 "Lebenslauf" 3 He joined 4 Letter 5 Ibid. of Schmid. Ibid. the NSDAPin April to SS Personalhauptamt, 1925 with party #5,428. Ibid. dated 18 September 1939. Ibid. 54 done. than said was easier ObersturmbannfOhrer, could ill finally SS FOhrer in the rank of Schmid had become accustomed to a life on the salary afford taken As a full-time of a printer Schmid was or goldsmith. by the Eher Verlag, on as a printer he style and received a subsidy from the SS. The SS also encountered difficulties with the alte KgMDfer 1 Anton Binner. Binner, the son of a labourer, joined the NSDAPin August of 1925 and the SS a few months later. Hitler's birthday SS officer, SturmbannfUhrer, longer could "... but by 1941, Binner, cope with dass eine Weiterverwendung im Innendienst Binner lacked nicht the necessary were essential in order among factions within tact to cope with the SS. stossen the des Sturmbannführers wird wenn B. seine 2 and manipulative It appeared skills the ever increasing commissioned officer While Schmid and Binner saw their 1 which competition to SS Personalhauptamt, Binner. Ibid. to the SS SS careers cut short SS SturmbannfUhrer Personnel File: in Landshut. BDC. 22.2.1906, ý'Dienstlaufbahn"of as a Thus the one-time Bavarian Schaffler demoted and sent as a junior was 3 "Nord. " Gebirgsdivision 2 Letter wrote verbessert. wesentlich In the demands of the job. Sbdost therefore SS Nr. 789 auf Schwierigkeiten Leistungen that no of Oberabschnitt officer Personalhauptamt, Binner, on in 1934, he was commissioned Untersturmfohrer. 1936 he became a full-time The staff Nine years later, Anton Binner, dated 17 June 1941. because SS #789, born Ibid. 55 to cope with the tasks expected of a field they lacked the abilities Jakob Grimmingerl SS StandartenfUhrer officer, Third in the prominence of relative a trained cabinet Reich by pure chance. joined from Munich, maker SS in the summer of 1925. Although it incident the reach commissioned rank, his position obtained Grimminger, the NSDAP(#789) and the took Grimminger until him to prominence which propelled It was in July 1926 that 1931 to occurred in 1926. original bearer of the Nazi movement's most hallowed symbol, the Heinrich Trambauer, the Blutfahne, had to give up his job because of poor health. Grimminger 2 From that time on the stony-faced took over from him. ex-NCO of the spectators, that be seen on the screen and before World War could First carrying years ein Bestandteil die die Partei entwickelte. Thus Grimminger der äusseren of in Munich on which Trambauer had carried day in November 1923. fateful "... the flag thousands became over the innerlichen und Symbolik, 3 ., Whereas Schmid, Binner and Grimminger came from working class homes, lower attended only an elementary school, class middle or learn to a trade, proceeded attained closer to their and owed whatever position following in SS, the the membership look because it does not fit the established 1 SS StandartenfUhrer Personnel File: born 25.4.1895, in Augsburg. BDC. then they later case warrants pattern a of the Jakob Grimminger, SS #135, 2 in honour of Grimminger's 50th birthday, Deutsche Article Allgemeine Zeitung (Berliner Abendausgabe), 25 April 1942. 3Völkischer Beobachter, 24 April 1942, "Jakob Grimminger 50 Grimminger married in 1936 at the age of 44, and worked, Jahre alt Blutfahne, to the he required a municipal as not carry was whenever in charge of settling veterans claims. officer welfare 56 early joiners. StandartenfUhrer have become a successful himself to National conclusion that university studies. legal National Socialist. turning He joined twenty SS. are most impressive. some rather - La Between April senior later Machtergreifung Reich: Dokumentarische im in the pre-1933 1933 1925 and February appointments - in the party. in 1926, Leiter He der Rechtsabteilung der H. J. des NSD Studentenbundes in In 1932, at the age of 27, he was made a member of the Hitler's. Sozialismus in April he became a thereafter Hessen-Nassau from 1928 to 1931, GaufUhrer a and year , the proclamation for he was known the NSDAP (#694) His activities fOr Hessen-Nassau in 1931, and ReichsfUhrer 1931 and 1932.2 was a foregone his studies - shortly Ortsgruppenleiter was stellvertretender der Gauleitung it of Frankfurt. Ruehle had completed member of the newly established he held twelve father, professional In 1928, at the age of 23, Ruehle completed his month after Nazi Party he had not committed the Gymnasium in preparation the son would enter But even before as an active man even if With his doctor doubt, would without He came from a well-to-do Socialism. at the University studies 1925 -a professional family. upper-middle-class Gerhard Ruehle 1 he was promoted to the Reichstag. Ruehle compiled Darstellung After the Nazi study Das Dritte des Aufbaues der Nation, and after book Rasse brought he the Laws NUrnberg the und out of 3 In 1939, by he StandartenfOhrer, then a 34-year-old -Recht. 1 SS #290, 2 his Gerhard Ruehle, SS StandartenfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Weinenden b. Stuttgart. born 23.3.1905, Ruehle's "Lebenslauf" contains 4 typed Dages outlining functions. Ibid. numerous party 3 Bracher, Sauer, Schulz, Die nationalsozialistische p. 46 9 999. Maq_ýýýýs 57 to the German Foreign Office. transferred gives no further information Ruehle's personnel file his post-1939 SS or political concerning career. In January 1942, at the time when Hitler serious talked set-backs mentioned Graf and Julius ready for knocks. " inner about the old days, and of the men who had been around him some twenty years earlier. He especially Ulrich in Russia, he reminisced encountered his first Schaub. Joachim Fest wrote circle during Julius He spoke of them as "... some day things and knew that revolution, 1 the names of Emil Maurice, of these men that Schreck, men who were hard to come would made up Hitler's Kampfzeit: the early Auch der bevorzugte Spiessgesellen-Typus in seiner engsten "Chauffeureska" die derbe Umgebung, persönlichen und primitive der Schaub, Schreck, Graf oder Maurice, spiegelte forciert dieses Resentiment /R-itlers Bürgerhass7-, das ngr von wenigen jurchbrochen konnte. Zeit werde-n auf einzelnen The men whom Fest referred Typus, " were also early in SS the who reached general rank of 3 Schaub was the only member of Hitler's Julius former to stay with circle German dictator's on 22 April 1 Bullock, Hitler, his adjutant ubiquitous 1945 after Spiessgesellen- joiners the corps_ d'elite. inner to as "bevorzugte Hitler -Fbhrer only until left the very end. The the FUhrerbunker had decided to stay in the beleaguered p. 341. 2 1973), p. 426. (Frankfurt/M Eine Biographie Joachim Fest, Hitler: inner FUhrer's Speer, the to Of men like Hanfstaengl make and who were able " ist. die "Sie fremd Welt, kommen Hitler mir said, aus einer circle, 3 SS ObergruppenfUhrer Julius Schaub, SS #7, Personnel File: born 20.8.1898ý in MOnchen. BDC. 58 German capital. Ulrich mythology, Gaf,, after of land first was Hitler's was accredited Graf,, whose father parcel 2 with saving Hitler's eked out a meagre living in Swabia, joined learning bodyguard, the miller's trade. city ranking of Munich. met regularly servant He remained he was dismissed 1925, belonging civil for his army at the age of 18 health, in the municipal and given the position administration in the employ of the city involvement until in the Novemberputsch. to the group of former in the Torbrgu of a small He was released from the army in 1904 with the rank of sergeant due to ill of a lower on 9 November 1923.3 as a proprietor the Bavarian 4 life who, in Nazi beer cellar "Stosstrupp Hitler" near the Isartor of the 1923, when In April members that 5 in Munich, 'Fest, Hitler, p. 1008; see also, Hugh Trevor-Roper,, The Last (London 1947), p. 111. Days of Adolf Hitler In 1938 Hitler made a in which he bequeathed on Schaub a legacy of 10,.,000 RM, and an will in 1953, was found annuity of 6,000 RM. The will, which came to light by an electrician who worked on the underground cables of the chancellary Robert Payne, The Life and Death of Adolf shortly after the fall of Berlin. (New York 1973), p. 349. Hitler 2 SS BrigadefOhrer Personnel File: Ulrich Graf, SS #26, born 6.7.1878, in Bachhagel, Schwaben. BDC. 3. Vblkischer Beobachter,, 6 July 1938. According to the Nazi story Graf was severely wounded at the Feldherrnhalle when the police It was claimed that Graf threw opened fire on the Nazi insurgents. himself on Hitler, thereby getting hit by the bullets aimed at Hitler. See also, Payne, Life and Death of Adolf Hitler, p. 180. 4 In the post-war literature on National Socialism Graf has been referred to as either a butcher or butcher's consistently Bullock, Hitler, apprentice. p. 56; Hbhne, The Order, p. 20; Werner der NSDAP (Frankfurt 1965), p. 357; Fest, Maser, Frbhgeschichte In his 199. SS "Lebenslauf" Hitler, personnel file p. and his handwritten to Graf ever having learned the trade of butcher, there is no reference butcher's been having a apprentice. or of 5 Hbhne,, The Order, p. 22. 59 Graf was among the first founded to respond to the call the new Stabswache. position of prominence Ratsherr of Munich, as a civil took over "Uschla" in Munich, never again claim Reichstag, for eligibility Graf was named assistant Graf lived life a retiring a civil service to Walter Buch when he in 1926. at Harthauserstrasse temporary 94 prominence on special ' The man who held the coveted 2 Maurice. Maurice who was described 11 watchmaker by trade and a cutthroat SS membership number 2 was Emil "Saalschlachthero a as by profession in establ i shi ng wi th Li eutenant Kl i ntzsch the "... der damaligen Partei, He was one of Hitler's circle and reinstated (Untersuchungs-und-Schlichtungs-Ausschuss) from which he emerged into anniversaries. small rose to any He was made a impotent the of a member In addition Aside from this, however, in the Nazi hierarchy. so he could servant pension. Graf, of Schreck when he aus dem sich closest Maurice was the first secretary , was instrumental Versammlungschutz dann die SA entwickelt companions, of men who addressed A Hitler to Hitler ,3 and a 5 hat. ., belonged to the extremely and with the familiar "Du. " helped the Landsberg and at I in 1938 Press Nazi in the and Graf was prominently up written See, birthday 65th 60th his 1943 when he celebrated respectively. and 1938; July 9 7 (Berliner Ausgabe) also, Beobachter Vblkischer and Vblkischer Beobachter (Berliner Schwarze Korps, 10 July 1943. Ausgabe) 6 July 1943, and. Das 2 born #2, SS Maurice, Emil OberfUhrer SS Personnel File: 19.1.1897, in Westermoor. BDC. 3 4 Fest, Hitlere Payne, Life p. 199. and Death of Hitler, 5 "Lebenslauf" Handwritten Maurice. Personnel File: 196. p. of Emil Maurice, dated 15 March 1937. 60 imprisoned Hitler refounding of the NSDAPMaurice It the initial with was in 1928 that of Mein Kampf. once more became Hitler's between Maurice of relations Hitler's niece niece with chauffeur Geli Maurice could Raubal. in rather only and Hitler According to accounts compromising save himself bond of friendship the height beside The reason for the Hitler surprised his from which the 4 Although out of a window. circumstanceS3 by jumping seems to have prevailed of the Rbhm crisis, Hitler. chauffeur. appears to have been the Fbhrer dismissed Maurice from the inner circle a special the dass ich mich wieder ganz meinem "... Geschäft widmete, das ich heute noch inne habe. 2 cooling After between the two men became somewhat the relationship with the result, strained typing some six years later, after this incident, between them. During Maurice reappeared He is accused by some of having been the murderer of 5 Edmund Heines, the homosexual SA Obergruppenfbhrer from Silesia, and 6 is, Mein Kampf. the one-time proofreader There of Father Stempfle, of however, no concrete evidence which links 1 Maurice held party 2 'Lebenslauf" #39. Ibid. of Emil Maurice. 3 Bullock wrote in his Hitler: he fury himself beside when with was his Emil Maurice, chauffeur, allowed Payne wrote in The Life and Death of discovered in he Geli with rage when p. 225. 4 5 6 p. 389. Fest,, Hitler, Reitlinger, Maurice with either Ibid. A Study in Tyranny, that "Hitler had discovered that she /Geli/ rl- p. 342; her love to to make .... Hitler, that "Hitler exploded the arms of Emil Maurice p. 361. The SS, p. 64. Konrad Heiden, The Fbhrer; Hitler's Rise to Power (Boston 1944), 61 murder. affair ' If Hitler Geli with to hold it. behalf, thereby The first or for the murder of Father On the contrary, Hitler in which Hitler either Stempfle, intervened twice loyalty showing considerable instance Maurice, held a grudge against towards for his love he did not continue on Maurice's his former companion. came to the aid of Maurice was at the time when it was discovered that SS man #2 was "... ohne Zweifel 2 Abstammung.. This fact was discovered in a routine nicht-arischer racia dismiss check on Maurice when he married Maurice dassi ndiesem k6nne. ,3 Hitler from the SS immediately, einzigen Ausnahmefall While Himmler accepted selbst Hinsicht das Recht hat, bestimen, zu SS jedoch hat heute und in aller I Maurice auch für Himmler wanted to but "Der FUhrer entschied, the fact " he strongly in 1935. ... "... in der SS verbleiben dass lediglich Adolf die SS eine Ausnahme in blutlicher emphasized: Zukunft "Kein ReichsfÜhrer- die Berechtigung in den "... Heines Edmund that Reitlinger's was taken statement Weber Christian Maurice into one of the waiting Emil and cars, where brought Heines to " disputed by Hbhne is that him, was who stated shot he was Stadelheim prison in Munich where he was held in Cell 483 until 1934 by the 30 June hours in the of members of shot early evening H8hne's statement is based on The Order, pp. 117-118. Leibstandarte. 1. Court State Proceedings Munich the to the list of prison, of entrants held in Munich in July 1956. Trial Munich, and the Sepp Dietrich in involved the Maurice fact that Reitlinger the murder was questioned fact that by the his He Stempfle. Father viewpoint substantiated of /thaC/ have "... the Hitler also took swine any action against never HTtler Roffmann, " Heinrich Stempfle. Father my was my good murdered Friend (London 1955), p. 76. The above statement is found in Reitlinger, The SS, p. 66. 2 des Rasse-und Chef the by Himmler to Taken from a letter written " Personnel "Secret. dated August 1935, 31 Siedlunqshauptamt, and marked Emil Maurice. File: 3 Ibid. 62 blutlichen Forderungen "1 der SS Ausnahmen zubewilligen. He, therefore, issued the order that while Maurice could remain in the SS, none of his offspring .42 elite would ever be allowed to wear the black formation. The second instance chauffeur Rally Maurice, that in which Hitler in September 1935. occurred 71-year-old in full man over the head. It became impatient that the old man was a party the incident the SS Gericht, Strafverfahren öff en tlichen obviously during was appears that Mercedes fast and beat the man into When two months after justice, It promoted to Oberfbhrer and beat a trencheon the old man could Maurice a short while later. The of unconsciousness. the man wrote on higher not Maurice did member not help Maurice's Intress es von der Staatsanwalts charges against the Nurnberg Party enough. a state Maurice chaft case. for to Himmler asking authority, den SS-Standartenführer gegen Not only were all his erstwhile protected took a rubber uniform, get out of the path of Maurice's fact of Germany's uniform wrote, ist das mangels eingestellt dropped, "... .--- .3 but he was also 4 1 that only An appendix to the letter Ibid. gave instructions included be to be that letter to two copies of this one was made, were in sealed form, and that one was to be in Maurice's RuSHA file, Siedlungshauptamt. des Rasse-und Chef form, the deposited, in with also sealed file in Maurice's included be marked to The third person copy was been have the found the The "Secret" must author copy which and sealed. in Maurice's The file. Maurice's to copy third personnel copy, attached BDC. file the in the RuSHA file at was not 2 handwriting in Himmler's on a instruction This was written his birth him the of Maurice to letter on congratulating sent copy of a Ibid. 1936. 4 March dated first son, 3 Ibid. dated 24 April 1936. Letter from SS-Gericht, 4"Dienstlaufbahn"of Emil Maurice. Ibid. 63 Julius 1 Schreck, the man whom Hitler to form a new Stabswache, was little by Berchtold in April would become a tool Bouhler heard from after 1926 as head of the infant Schreck was too easy going and it was feared of such powerful and Franz Xavier Schwarz. 3 SS. Schreck lived he died on 15 May 1936 in Munich. he was heralded as the "Begründer carry honour the first the name "Julius Two other reached general unusual these was sentenced of 1951,6 the other Ruehle, 3 by the Allied then that der gesamten ss. "4 They were chapter. description the general any of the early and later to death and executed a 15 year Die Nationalsozialistische H6hne, The Order, obscurity was only murder in the post-1945 war crime at Landsberg prison Julius One SS in June in 1961.7 Schreck, Machtergreifung, of SS members by German courts. sentence Personnel File: SS BrigadefUhrer 13.7.1898, in MUnchen-Grafeling. BDC. Bracher, in this Unlike 1 2 It he as Philp in relative Staffel who did not fit of the SS. received SS members that ,5 be mentioned charged with conducted appeared that who held SS numbers under 1000 and who should joiner early two men were proceedings officer Schreck Standarte. men, much like the average der ersten It Standarte of the Munich SS would henceforth SS officers rank, 2 bureaucrats party 1925 he was replaced by other from 1926 until As a lasting upon in April called SS #5, born p. 837. p. 26. 4 Himmler's "SS-Befehl, " dated 18 May 1936. Personnel File: Schreck; see also, Völkischer Ausgabe), Julius Beobachter (Berliner dated 20 May 1936. 5 Himmler's speech at the funeral of Julius Schreck. Copy of the speech is included in the personnel file of Julius Schreck. 6 Musmanno, The Eichrnann Kommandos, p. 264. 7Hermann Langbein, Im Namen des deutschen Volkes; Zwischenbilanz (Wien 1967. pp. Verbrechen der Prozesse wegen nationalsozialistischer 156-157. 64 The most unusual intellectual sharp-tongued most of the early Hbhne described with SS officers 'social the the necessary like Ohlendorf engineers' care much for ideology Ohlendorf than that the Universities in political the age of 18 while Ruehle, Ohlendorf of Leipzig still farmer. hard-boiled .3 The type did not realistic, norms of conduct. and G6ttingen, He joined at the University a student or of power, and was completely and law. science Unlike the Fbhrer dictatorship was highly represented other ". typical as .- and organization. from what one may term accepted Gbttingen 2 neurotic lower-middle-class who provided veneer of legality that attended a typical was Otto Ohlendorf . SS men who came from either of SS officer free know-all"' "... homes, Ohlendorf was the son of a well-to-do working-class technocrats, joiners of the early from and graduated the SS in 1925 at of Gbttingen. Li ke numerous occasions in the NSDStB, and served on 4 In November 1936 as speaker and Schulungsleiter. Ohlendorf a full-time played accepted an important Ohlendorf the rank of Hauptsturmfbhrer. was presented trial position 5 role in the Sicherheitsdienst The most realistic by Judge Musmanno who presided f a man of orty, as The only blemish of his personality SS Gruppenf0hrer Personnel File: BDC. in Hohengelsen. born 4.2.1907, 4 Hbhne,. The Order, Letter Personnel File: 5 he had Otto Ohlendorf, SS #880, p. 135. of Ohlendorf requesting Otto Ohlendorf. "Dienstlaufbahn" was that p. 234. 2 3 Musmannodescribed " sl ender and wi th del i cate f eatures in the perfection Hbhne, The Order, of Ohlendorf over the Einsatzgruppen defendant. Ohlendorf the major where was Ohl endorf picture with of Ohlendorf. 1936. 18 dated May SS #, old Ibid. 65 killed thousand people. " ninety their an air the Brigadefbhrer opinion in charge of Einsatzgruppe less personality dramatic and Diplom-Kaufmann from an upper-middle-class D. "' Musmanno was of the former the was police 3 Zenner, attended like Ohlendorf, in 1932.4 It came the Gymnasium and later his Diplom he was named Kampfzeit, 1941 in that was the For Gauredner. became Reichs and and the early 2 Zenner, a member 1938, was posted to eastern Europe as SS and Polizeifbhrer 5 Berlin to he 1942, July By Minsk. recalled was when of SD the since of the district Weissruthenien7mit das Land /5eneral bezirk Zenner had lOckenlosen which praised senior In August 1925 he joined of Cologne. to the Nazi cause during Reichstag the of member he were still at Nuremberg. Zenner. background, as the Nazi Party, services ... in the of those Nazis tried personality Carl Kaufmann from the University SS as well as if In 1921, at the age of 22, he obtained the university. fast would crane Hermann G8ring, Otto Ohlendorf stood of that with the exception Another officer and authority of confidence out as the most compelling for at the trial necks in order to ". .. get a good look at Ohlendorf sitting dock exuding his Visitors Netz von Polizeistationen his services Oberzogen.,, Polizeifbhrer SS and as 6 einem The letter continued: "Wenn 1 106. Kommandos, Eichmann p. Musmanno, The 2 Minister, Finance Nazi the Schacht,, Beside Hjalmar one-time defendants. NOrnbert the Q. Ohlendorf scored the highest I. rating among Ibid., p. 197. 3 born #176, SS Zenner, Carl SS BrigadefUhrer Personnel File: BDC. Saarlautern. Krs. Oberlimburg, in 11.6.1899., 4 Handwritten 5 6 Ibid. "Lebenslauf" "Dienstlaufbahn" Letter of Carl Zenner. Carl of from Generalkommissar Zenner, undated. Ibid. Ibid. Weissruthenien, dated 17 July 1942. 66 während Ihrer 10.000den After people Amtstätigkeit besonders das uns feindliche werden konnte, dann ist vernichtet the war Zenner was charged with in the Minsk area while at Koblenz sentenced Judentum zu das auch Ihr Verdienst. " the murder of several thousand he was SS and Polizeifbhrer. him to 15 years in the penetentiary. The court 2 The Later Joiners Himmler's Reich is also to make the SS the true attempt reflected in the rank distribution of the Third elite in Table 2.1. high percentage of officers is between July 1934 and September 1939, and who reached general raises the question, joined who who was it that and was able to advance to general have that attempt warranted such fast to make the SS socially of attracting the old elites the SS during joined rank? promotion? acceptable in Germany. the SS at such a late What qualities Himmler tried First, to incorporate whole organizations rank, date out that in an various means he created such as the that did these men Hbhne pointed 3 (EhrenfUhrer). honorary SS FUhrer the of membership, tried Phase III, The a new form Secondly, he Kyffhauserbund 1 Ibid. 2 The Langbein, Im Nanen des deutschen Volkes, pp. 156-157. from German Zenner the light court, received sentence which relatively der bei Gerichte Haltung "Die Langbein to allgemeine say.prompted der Entscheidung über das Strafausmass zwingt zu dem Schluss, dass es Fällen den in Richtern deutschen als nicht sehr allermeisten von die in Tausende der die Mordopfer Zahl erschwerend angesehen wird, wenn geht. " p. 81. 3 The honourary SS FUhrer was given an SS rank which corresponded Along with this came the privilege in society. of to his position had The FOhrer functions. during SS no the official uniform wearing SS SS the function assigned an membership not and was within command in More included FOhrer this type This study. not of was number. 51 SS, in The is found Reitlinger, EhrenfUhrer the pp. information on 113. and 67 into the SS in the hope of making the newly incorporated more favourably old elite inclined organizations associations, toward the new regime. into SS FOhrer As part of incorporating the SS, Himmler took over the equestrian which automatically put a large number of socially prominent members of German society into the black uniform of the new 1 It will be shown repeatedly in this study that the regime's elite. attempt to incorporate members of certain only in some instances. Prussia, Anton Freiherr SS OberabschnittsfUhrer SS Obersturmbannfbhrer former elites For example, the leading Reichswehr of East Prussia, Karl Deinhard. Apparently officers. comprehended what it equestrian officer. horseman from East von Hohberg und Buchwald, Rittmeister 2 a. D. and was shot on 2 July 1934 by The reason for Hohberg had made some uncomplimentary was that proved successful the execution remarks about the SS to the nobleman from East Prussia meant to be an SS officer, even if had not only an 3 1 The International Military Tribunal at NOrnberg recognized the difference between the regular SS and the equestrian formations when it handed down the sentence on the SS. The court labelled the SS as a criminal organization, units. " IMT, vol. xxii, except the "riding p. 517. 2 Personnel File: SS Obersturmbannfbhrer Karl Deinhard, SS #6,520, born 12.11.1892, in Bremen. BDC. 3The letter Deinhard file contains an interesting which the widow Freiherr of the murdered Hohberg wrote to SS ObergruppenfUhrer von über die bei uns ". Eberstein, Edelmann Nachdenken und als zum ... in .. Verwirrung geratenen Begriffe von unter hochtönenden Phrasen stark is a clear example of the fact that the Recht und Anstand. " The letter East Elbian Junker drawn into the SS were completely unaware, not only had joined, but also of the true nature they the type of organization of Socialism. Reitlinger German that the National said quite rightly of "succumbed to the joys of the black uniform and the higher society like Arab has that they the realizing eaten were who not runes, silver The SS, p. 51. The Hohberg bread and salt with his enemy. " Reitlinger, for the SS with the result that killing repercussions created unfortunate Deinhard had to be released from the SS in 1936. Hohberg's murder was Bach-Zelevski discussed during the trial of the former SS ObergruppenfUhrer in Die Welt, 24 December 1958. Deinhard was tried for the crime in Munich in June 1961. SUddeutsche Zeitu_ng, 19 June 1961. 68 Ten years later SS Sturmbannfbhrer was head of the SS riding Hans-Viktor school at Hamburg until Salviati, prominent to be taken requested 3 Schbnhausen. Chancellor, the SS, was Gottfried in the 1944 plot for That prominent with Edler is Graf von Bismarck- discharged 4 members of the SS FUhrerkorDs could encounter illustrated von Daniels. executed. to of havinq been and dishonourably He was later the Reichsfbhrer 5 him he was suspected Hitler, against from the SS in September 1944. impeccable who, in 1935, rose in the SS from Untersturmf0hrer Unfortunately difficulties in the Bismarck-Schbnhausen, a descendent of the "Iron " in nine years Brigadefbhrer. involved member of German society into who the outbreak of the Second World War, was executed because of his involvement 2 abortive July 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler. Another 1 even though their own conduct was by the case of SS StandartenfUhrer Daniels joined the Allgemeine SS in July 1 SS Sturmbannfbhere Hans-Viktor Personnel File: BDC. in Stuttgart. SS #277,083, born 23.8.1897, Herbert 1935 while von Salviati, 2 found by the The most damaging evidence against Salviati was Himmler was so enraged by what he read SD in his diary after his arrest. "Ich discharge letter, in the diary, that he wrote on Salviati's ihn das Volksgericht Wenn heute nicht verurteilt, schon: erkläre denn SS Mann treulosen lasse ich Herrn Salviati es steht erschiessen, als Eid, der ihn zu besonderer fest dass S. seinen auf den Führer geleisteten discharge, " hat. Letter Zweifel Treue verpflichtet, of gebrochen ohne dated 14 October 1944. Ibid. 3 Personnel File: Schbnhausen, SS #231,947, 4 SS BrigadefUhrer born 29.3.1901, Gottfried in Berlin. Graf von BismarckBDC. dated 1 September 1944. Ibid.; see also, Letter of discharge, (Pittsburgh 1933-1945 History Party, The Orlovq of theNazi Dietrich 1973), p. 150, n. 213. 5 SS StandartenfUhrer Herbert Edler von Daniels, Personnel File: in Arolson. BDC. 31.3.1895, born #258,002, SS 69 he was employed as a senior In 1939 he enlisted LeibesUbun2en 1944. war until General Unfortunately for the communist-directed be posted to the front der dem Freiheitskommittee Daniels, auf die Sippe gebracht in for the sins to the front. 49-year-old he - out of the he had a brother, at Stalingrad Lieutenant- and shortly Freiheitskommittee. "... there- When this was um so die Schande, die sein Generalleutnant hat,, zu sbhnen. "l von That this was not the slightest 1945 Daniels bit dedicated and interested is understandable. Throughout manoeuvred to avoid a direct In the end friends StandartenfUhrer for combat. Daniels of his brother, December 1944 and January posting of Berlin. kept him essentially angehörige SS FUhrer at the homefront atoning the University of Himmler, he ordered that v. Daniels should Bruder, loyal This who was captured drawn to the attention immediately with he head des Amtes was made - education im SS Hauptamt. von Daniels, joined after servant in the Waffen SS, and because of his profession in physical was a specialist fbr civil were able to post him, the to a Panzergrenadierschule to prepare him 2 The determination members of the old elite with incorporate Himmler to proceeded which into groups the SS, at times even against the following by illustrated the is Sicherheitshauptamt, the case. advice of 3 lieutenant-colonelg Ernst von Kretschmann was a retired a Stahlhelm 1933, later 1921 from to and member a Kyffhauserbund member. He 1 Letter from Chef des SS Hauptamtes to SS Personalhauptamt, dated 8 November 1944. Ibid. 2 "Dienstlaufbahn" of v. Daniels. Ibid. 3 SS BrigadefUhrer Ernst von Kretschmann, Personnel File: 12.11.1874, in Seekreis. Hergisdorf, Mansfelder born #277,320, SS BDC. 70 belonged Freiin von Esebeck, had a successful the former his wife military career. He spent four Kyffhauserbund, the member of der NSDAPnoch irgend weder gehört lengthy report innerlichen concluded Umstellung with as a subaltern World War. Kretschmann was absorbed Er Deutschnationalen. an. " derselben Gliederung einer Kretschmann informed Himmler that der Typ des reaktionären ist years during the First into the SS in 1936, the Sicherheitshauptamt Kretschmann "... zu Eulenburg. Gr8fin in China, and he won the Pour le merite When, as a ranking His mother was the German nobility. to the well-established The assessment "Von einer the negative ist des v. K. zum Nationalsozialismus nichts zu Weise ihm in keiner kann Zuverlässigkeit Eine merken. nat. -soz 1 Himmler " the bescheinigt In adverse assessment werden. spite of admitted Kretschmann to the SS, promoted him three elevated him to the rank of Brigadefbhrer The last and general senior late five case histories date. have shown who was able to reach in the caliber promoted and those who were, was clearly outlined On the one hand there above. Koehl referred life normal to, they joined at a relatively to be failed the who men of revealed in the life "bruisers" the were those who had a difficult even within in 1937,2 and 1942.3 in rank in the SS although The difference times the narrow confines stories whom Robert time in establishing of the untere a Mittelstand 1 27 dated Kretschmann, on v. Report of Sicherheitshauptamt 1937 1 May NSDAP the joined finally on Kretschmann November 1936. Ibid. 5,713,240. with party number 2 1937, January 30 Obersturmbannfbhrer on He was promoted 1937. November 9 OberfUhrer 1937, 20 April on and StandartenfUhrer on Ibid. Kretschmann. "Dienstlaufbahn" of v. 3 Ibid. or 71 the Arbeiter milieu, while on the other hand there were men, who were families, members of well-established that made up the pre-1918 elite of Germany. It is not the intention some prominent SS prior persons of the Erbprinz March of 1930, or that in April like phenomenon. numerous Adolf background Beckers, in their resulted - could with the social 1 For the lone upper class 3a there of Freiherr von Eberstein, there of anti-social Erbprinz SS ObergruppenfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Arolson. SS #2,139, born 13.5.1896, 2 were behaviour from the SS in 1936.6 1 Pyrmont, be found in the in joined SS the who 2 SS to the von Eberstein who came whose long histories dismissal that were several Emil Fausts, 4 For every SS officer coming of Koblenz. the Erbprinz 5 elites Yet the SS officer of the Freiherr man known as the "Schl9ger" from the social to ignore the fact zu Waldeck und Pyrmont 1929, was a rare representative writer former members of - to the Machtergreifung. background of this SS ObergruppenfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Halle. SS #1,386, born 14.1.1894, Karl zu Waldeck und Freiherr Eberstein, von 3 (the #2,3 SS Faust, Emil SS ObersturmfUhrer Personnel File: 3.3.1899, born damage), due fire to and water next two numbers not readable BDC. in Oberlahnstein. 4 by trade. blacksmith 1929 April in SS joined the a Faust who was but Kampfzeit during the fights for His reputation was an asset picking for intolerable became He 1933. January liability after proved to be a Ibid. 1936. in both from dismissed SS the Party and the and was 5 Adolf SS ObersturmfUhrer Personnel File: Hessen. BDC. in Friedberg, born 15.2.1900, 6 Becker, SS #256005 began to He like Lebenslauf 17 a novel. Becker's reads page typed He in he behaviour traits school. primary still was while show anti-social lauded be lawlessness to his be came to although misfit, a continued for 1929 1921 he days. Between was convicted and during the Freikorps the Lebenslauf his He with concluded occasions. several on crimes various durch Angst, die 1935 innere im jetzt Jahre drückt "Mich noch sentence Frau Stellung und meiner mit und zu verlieren, Vorstrafen meine meine " Becker die Strasse Sohn was gesetzt zu werden. Jahre auf 2 alten meinem Ibid. he 1935 in SS convicted extortion. the of from was when released 72 The investigation the time period in which he joined between seniority relationship were to illustrate seen that poses in his Third Reich, analysis which VerhAltnis standing, used in this chapter relationship between promotion would suggest in the SS, than between seniority SA von und education and occupation stratification of the factors and occupational quantitative is necessary question, the qualitative there was a more visible that and social Kater that von 1925 bis 1939, " While further can be made to answer this 1 Michael Kater, in der Sozialgeschichte für Vierteljahresschrift ý-1975), p. 340. was belonged to the question in the social role be asked here. of the educational an attempt Therefore, in social an important can also 1934, also des Nationalsozialismus the old differences to play continued July after "Zum gegenseitigen article, SS in der Sozialgeschichte of whether From the case histories, number of the men who reached the general in German society. recent to the SS, had shown that there was no and rank. and who had joined 61ites in relation who was and who was not promoted in the SS, it an overwhelming rank category previous of the rank held by the officer position held prior before data to enrolment and rank. Verhältnis "Zum gegenseitigen von SA und SS 19392' 1925 bis des Nationalsozialismus von Sozial und Wirtschaftsgeschichte, vol . 62 Chapter III THE GEOGRAPHICORIGINS OF THE SS FUNRERKORPS In the literature to the geographic origins on the SS very little attention of the SS members. Where this SS membership has been discussed at all, recruits " um grossen Teil sich verleiten Concerning Steiner, liessen the geographic town-dwel 1ers; ing the regional writes, 5 origin Hbhne suggests that mark on the bourgeoisie Steiner, after Holstein, Steiner, from the peasantry the war, went so far Felix 90% of the Waffen Totenkopfverbgnde the the of men of 1 NeusU'ss-Hunkel, Felix wrote that " officers, remained an army of peasants and artisans. the Lander Schleswig 2 2 die aber auch Städter of the Verfbqungstruppe land. the on they came primarily that on the land. it have been auf 12 Jahre zu verpflichten. never made its VerfUgungstruppe 3 sich origin SS commanders were raised 11 ... waren es Bauernburschen, SS Obergruppenfbhrer, the erstwhile aspect of the Thus NeusUss-Hunkel wrote of the Toten_kop vague and unsubstantiated. ... the conclusions has been paid the and the " 4 Concern- H8hne who saw no future as to claim Lower Saxony, Frankonia that in Saar, the and Die SS, p. 55. Die Armee der Ge9chteten pp. 96-97. 3 (G8ttingen 1963). German text Hbhne used the term Grosstgdter In the original Orden H6hne, Der town-dweller. translated Barry unter Richard as which 1967). p. 413. dem Totenkopf (Gbtersloh 4 5 Hbhne, The Order, Ibid., p. 447. 136. p. 73 74 one out of every three farmer's Statements to substantiate as to provide join there statements on the geographic origins between 1925 and 1939. the SS at different did recruits during times and the branch in which he eventually Before will from specific the pre-war origins be considered. regions in Germany and second, was of the SS applicant however, the general of the FUhrerkorps According of the. SS to be answered years? origin as well served? these questions, considering of the geographic The questions between the geographic a relationship This study these general or correct are first, chapter of the. SS Fbhrerkor2s. information specific FUhrer who joined in this such as these are not based upon a systematic of the personnel files examination can serve sons went into the Verfogungstruppe. 1 picture between 1925 and 1939 data of the sampled to the birthplace SS FUhrer, line, 60.2% came from north of the Main river dividing and 2 29.7% from south of it. This division corresponds to the general population distribution of Germany. were Germans born in Austria, A look at the geographic the Sudentenland, origins 10.1% of the officers Furthermore, in another or of the SS Fbhrer country. 3 in terms of the 1 Leistungen "Die Taken from the article reformerischen entitled, der ehemaligen Waffen SS, " in Wiking-Ru_f, No. 4,1955, p. 12. Wikingfounded by the former SS Gruppenfuhrer Ruf is a monthly publication It soon took on the character as the official Gille in 1951. organ of (Hilfsgemeinschaft HIAG auf the post-war SS veterans' organization Kurt Tauber, Beyond Eagle and Swastika; German Gegenseitigkeit). 347,351, 1, 1967). (Middleton 1945,2 pp. Nationalism vol. vols., since 357. 2 The criteria discussed in chapter region 3 SS officers category. for the regional I. p. 17. division of Germany were born in these areas were classified in the special 75 population 22.4% in towns, centres, 30.3% of the officers shows that centres, in 37.1% and rural were born in urban 1 areas. Table 3.1 shows a Table 3.1 finer breakdown of the regions towns and rural seen that areas from which the sampled officers the north provided more officers Similarly, south. of North and South Germany into was twice that the period it in this considered that study, the overall northern 2 to 1 ratio contribution hold throughout discernible or are there delineated time periods It can be to the corps than did the Does this of the southern. in the six patterns is apparent came. cities, joining Table 3.2 shows earlier? Table 3.2 during joined centered primarily this time periods. in Bavaria, period It during was pattern rate II, Phase of prevailed 1 during North Germans began to come into than South Germans. The table until the latter at 2 to 1. part during shows that Main the born river of north were It was not until January 1931, that the ratio became established of Phase 1. between the second part 50% of the sampled officers southern recruits Regions who is seen that Thus it it. born 44% of to south who were as compared beginning and Special South Germans outnumbered North Germans 1928 and December 1930, that the SS at a faster South, 1925 to December 1927, when the SS was a formation of 2 to 1. by a ratio January each of the six April the period from the North, of Fbhrer the percentage of northern the to This distribution of Phase III, when the ratio 100,000 people, are urban centres with In this study cities 100,000, 10,000 between areas rural and and towns with a population 17. I, 10,000. See p. chapter under population a centres with was 76 Table 3.1 Breakdown of the Geographic AREA NORTH for the Total Corps Sample TYPE OF COMMUNITY PERCENTAGE City 21.2 Town 14.2 Rural 24.8 TOTAL NORTH SOUTH Origins 60.2 City 9.1 Town 8.3 Rural 12.3 TOTAL SOUTH 29.7 SPECIAL REGION 10.1 TOTAL 100.0 77 (A _0 E LO C\i CD CD C%li CD CD LU Q) S.(4 CD . v- C\i cý c%IJ cý cý CD 9.0 CM CM CD cl) m _C) CI%i 1--4 b.-4 - C\i m ýM cý cý C*%i CD LU V) CM 44CD c3CM -CD 4- CD ýM CM cý CD -0_Z, 1-- CD CD I, CD "- 1 OD c"i rcc LU c3- C. -) C\i 1--. ge cL C,, uý cý CD CI%i CI%i r1 LO "t- CD LO -elo OD cr) C,ýi rý ýJO CD rý cý CD -c C 4J 0 V) I I-. 4J S0 (-) CD r_ c:: LU h- hZ) Lii mý CD CD C- LU CY- 1--4 CM C:z F-CD 78 by the influx somewhat offset It can be seen that the Sudentenland and other of men from Austria the percentage foreign and Sudentenland. born in Austria, of officers countries rose only from slightly 3.3% in the 1925 to 1927 period to 8.4% for the years 1934 to 1936. It was during 1939,, that the second part the percentage rose to 25%. Austrians This of Phase III, was undoubtedly and Sudeten Germans who, since territories of independence test the areas from which the SS officers . 001 level indicatinq that variables. differences in joining the seen 1 A more detailed for of of their the SS without the years between the three having phases and beyond came proved to be significant is a relationship there of the Chi-Square An examination differences. due to the influx to Germany first. A Chi-Square the Region category the annexation to the Reich in 1938 were able to join to immigrate 1937 to September in the Special of officers sudden increase January table between these two indicates in Table 3.2 were real patterns joining breakdown of the north-south 1925 to 1939 is provided the that pattern The table in Table 3.3. shows Table 3.3 the north-south the differences marginal takes after place The information birthplaces. the officers' that origin regional Fbhrerkorps the sampled of between urban centres, December 1930. between North 1 The Chi-Square The real 3.3 Table provides which towns, and rural difference is areas are in the joining and South Germany regardless tabulations in terms of of whether rate the 255. 2, Table Appendix A. p. are shown, 79 CF) C) 1-4 1-4 F--q ui V) <c C- m 00 kc) C: ) 00 CIQ Cý C\j ::I- C) RCZI- C\j týo C:) Cý C\j LO C) Cý C) r- r- ko m I-cli rI Qc) C\j m C\l r- CT) m C\j C6 ko Cý C6 C6 t.0 4.0 C\i lz; Cý , C6 0ý I.- LO CY) 110 LO a) r- 9:*- C) C\j Cý C6 C: ) CY) C\i CD Cý C\i C) r--ý Cý m ., 4-) L. ) CY) m LL- C) LO ::I- LO C) CC) C\i 4-3 CD r-ý LLJ L/) r_ C:: -a CY) m CY) m Cý C\i (.0 Cý r-ý clý CIQ CD C\j C) Cý C: ) C\i 4- -C2 C) E "r- 4-J F=3 0 V) 'F(I, -0 c C) M 4-3 S. SC) C > CD CY) C\i rI Lf) m CC) 00 C\j r-ý Cý r-ý Cý C\j Cý LO r-I co C\j C) --l; cy') CD L-ý CD C) LLJ L/) a c 0 C\j r- 4-J 1 . r- (7) LO C\i 4--) =5 1-1 -0 C\i W Cý r- f-- C\; cy') C) 06 r- (.0 CY) cn z; : r- clý C) cy; CD 4--) Ln 0 >) cM r- (cs 4--) >-ý C: M r- 0 :3 4---) 3: F- LLI cr-I FLLJ F- 0 -.:3 CD V) C) S- 4--) 0 FI -0 V) L) r- cli V) ca- (31 V) 0-1 M 4--) 0 F-- 80 the candidate rural was born in a large district. This birthplaces A Chi-Square test joined an officer lending examination of Table 3.3. always hold true. growing increasing is established continues for until Germans offset shown that extent Socialism that the first in Germany, as manifested the SS. in favour influx of Austrian north-south It that ratio. influences It in an is during of North Germans of the population and Sudeten has also been the difference in the north-south lies than the size With the This predominance of North Germans time. 1930 the factor rather of South Germans. the 2 to 1 ratio the established did not in September 1930, one detects at the polls rate of the officers birthplaces born counterparts phase, 1925 to 1930 the SS 1937 when the large after drawn from a visual of North Germans joining percentage the 1931 to 1933 period joining the initial of National breakthrough birthplaces. the 2 to 1 predominance of southern was made up to a large the party's of their the joining proved not to be centre to the conclusion over their During popularity of their of independence between phase during which can be said that born officers or came from a influenced than the size rather support In summary it FUhr was the location and type of population significant northern it North or South Germany that of the SS applicants pattern in a Kleinstadt, that suggests in either city, location centres in the of their in which they were born. At this Fbhrtný ýrs will point of the study be looked 1 The Chi-Square the north-south distribution at in terms of the particular tabulations of the branch in which 256. 3. Appendix A. Table p. are shown, 81 Table 3.4 shows the north-south the officer chose to serve. in relation to the branches of the SS. It is readily distribution seen that the Table 3.4 north-south by the Allgemeine SS and the VerfUgungstruppe, and Sicherheitsdienst corps sample. other pattern, Compared to the distribution the TV had the highest percentage percentage of the patterns of southerners in its 64.9% from North Germany and only the highest 25.2% from South Germany reflected lowest Main the the and of born north between The SD distribution of northerners. hand, with on the other from that of the total shows an almost 50-50 distribution The TV pattern lowest the ranks and reflected the Totenkopf while which differ show patterns North and South Germany. Branches, corps sample is most closely of the total ratio of officers percentage percentage of officers born south of the river. Table 3.4 also birthplaces into fell the percentage showed that Region category the Special Whereas 10.1% of the total branch. should be exercised that category mean that verb9nde. policies this category, only fell from these regions Rather the difference in those branches. But some caution of icers. into The distribution. the Special Region does not necessarily VT 12.8% the to officers of compared as fewer applicants 5.6% of the Totenkopf countries5 of this in the interpretation 5.6% of the TV officers Austrians, SD 9.9% the to of as compared VerfUgungstruppe 12.8% the of and officers fact into fell varied whose from branch to corps sample were either Sudeten Germans, or Germans born in other Fbhr of officers enrolled is due to the different Table 3.2 has clearly in the Totenkopfpromotion shown that the 82 Table 3.4 Distribution over the Four SS Branches of the Geographic Regions from which the Fbhrer Came BRANCHES REGION Total Corps A/SS TV SD VT NORTH 60.2 59.4, 49.4 64.9 58.8 SOUTH 29.7 29.9 45.0 25.2 28.4 SPECIAL REGIONS 10.1 10.7 5.6 9.9 12.8 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 TOTAL 83 majority and 1939. Special This meant that Region candidates commissioned received their commissioned Austrians who the various test the Allgemeine applicants for men who is no doubt that the to be route than much quicker of independence for account for available to the different than that rather fewer KL guard duty. between the branches of the SS SS) and the areas from which they came proved . 001 level. (TV). Most of the variability That is, Regions served in this grounds, while there branch than would be expected. from the Special there avenues of promotion by the Totenkopfverbgnde on statistical to qualify number of prominent Region category beyond the the North and Special study the to become guards in the Q (concentration elected in the Special to be significant this than two years and Sudeten Germans volunteered (omitting in this reach the rank of UntersturmfUhrer could A Chi-Square provided to be included on enrolment, and VerfUgungstruppe percentages the SS between 1937 who took the Junkerschulen applicants In my opinion, Toten had less SS commissions colleagues camp). in order joined Aside from a certain rank. VerfOgungstruppe their from these regions of applicants fewer officers was from branch than would be expected from the South in were more officers The larger percentage of officers Regions in the VerfUgungstruppe (VT) also contributed to the statistically significant relationships between branch and area which was found to exist. The preceding Germany outnumbered Furthermore they analyses have shown that those born in the southern have shown that 1 The Chi-Square tabulations the north-south officers part born in northern by a ratio distribution of 2 to 1. varied 257. 4, Appendix A, Table p. are shown, 84 from branch to branch. It remains to be seen whether there was a between the size and/or location relationship in which the officers centres were born and the branch in which they chose to Table 3.5 shows this serve. of the population distribution of the sampled SS FUhrer and Table 3.5 the branch in which they served. TV had the highest 1owest percentage percentage of The SD distribution it urban and rural however, it can be seen that of urban-born officers As in the north-south the total resemble If and the lowest corps pattern the lack milieu percentage constant relatively of Table a higher contributed verbande 3.5 reveals percentage than to the other SD officers, sampled the A/SS officers inhabitants. as the comparison, the highest percentage percentage of rural-born officers. the A/SS and VT distributions most closely. Kleinstgdte German the of of applicants to the SS regardless was attracted inspection one continues from branch to branch. variation of notable and the branches insofar between 10 and 100 thousand inhabitants) centres the (35%) who were born in the distribution, The absence of any discussion population of the other the SD attracted regional (46.7%), officers of officers of Germany. to note that (21 0%) of fi cers of any branch. . from that percentage parts is interesting of rural-born Gross stadt-born differed showed an equal It that It (those is due to appears that born in the Kleinstadt branch. the of A closer the German towns and rural areas (73.4%) of the FUhrer to the Totenkopf- branches. As can be seen only 58.6% of the sampled VT officers, from population came centres of less 55% of the and 60.7% of than 100,000 a 85 Table 3.5 Distribution Population the of over the Four SS Branches Centres from which the Fbhrer Came POPULATION CENTRES BRANCHES Total Corps A/SS TV SD VT City 30.3 28.6 21.0 35.1 28.6 Town 22.5 22.4 26.7 20.0 20.6 Rural 37.1 38.3 46.7 35.0 38.0 Special Regions 10.1 10.7 5.6 9.9 12.8 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 TOTAL 86 At this point a closer be taken at the population look will in North and South Germany in relation centres made to the various to the contributions branches of the FUhrerkorps, they Table 3.6 shows the Table 3.6 and location between the size relationship and the branches in which they served. it be recalled should percentage of southern-born that 3.6 further to the total corps sample as well the highest areas of Germany supplied in the otherwise variation TV distribution Kleinstadt shows that distribution It outlined security southern in Table service only part that, be recalled will In contrast the death's 3.4 revealed officers that distribution two thirds in the born northern were 25% of the SD officers of the country. officers. urban-born the SD regional in this hand, the TV compared to the other of northern almost to the high Totenkopf the of number On the other head units occurred in the from a coming in addition to the TV, a large a low percentage attracted town category that the rural the largest 26.7% of the Q officers towns. German South from came officers branches stable compared of the men who served percentage Table 3.6 reveals contribution rural southern rather with pattern, milieu. branches, Table 3.5 also shows that in the Totenkopfverbande. areas. by showing that, as to the other of Table 3.5 shows came from rural these findings substantiates percentage Similarly, FUhrerkorps. 46.7% of the KL systems Fbhrerkorps Table the TV had the highest and the lowest officers in its officers northern-born When looking at the TV figures, Table 3.4 showed that that birthplaces of the officers' as of the sampled part of Germany. in the born study were Table 3.5 showed an almost equal 87 Tabl e 3.6 Distribution over the Four SS Branches of the Population Centres in the North and the South from which the Fbhrer Came REGION BRANCHES POPULATION TOTAL CENTRES CORPS A/SS TV SD VT City 21.2 20.5 12.2 26.6 16.8 Town 14.2 13.9 13.1 13.9 14.6 Rural 24.8 25.0 24.1 24.4 27.4 60.2 59.4 49.4 64.9 58.8 City 9.1 8.1 8.9 8.6 11.7 Town 8.3 8.5 13.6 6.0 6.0 Rural 12.3 13.3 22.5 10.6 10.7 TOTAL SOUTH 29.7 29.9 45.0 25.2 28.4 SPECIAL REGIONS 10.1 10.7 5.6 9.9 12.8 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 NORTH TOTAL NORTH SOUTH TOTAL 88 distribution between urban centres and rural 3.6 further that reveals FOhrerkorps consisted compared to the total corps sample the SD of a higher percentage of northern the southern population while areas for the SD. Table centres registered urban officers, a slight under- representation. How do these findings NeusUss-Hunkel fit and Hbhne concerning of members of the SS? Although to compare the quantitative on the backgrounds difficulty of such a task, Steiner's in rural raised the other data. into Neusbss-Hunkel flux, that Hbhne give nor then specific Similarly If is difficult tive study. ... to fit of this The in the attempt. On of the Totenkopf- areas is born out by the however, are not dealt the results study. one attaches with statement Steiner Neither nor as to the time period aber auch Städter" of importance. a iarge number of were attracted the more clearly to any credence to Robert Koehl's are of considerable that so of the published in SS the a state always of was time references into intention writer's by these data. the recruits any indication composition NeusUss-Hunkel's Bauernburschen that is fitting the framework the social origins study with more general not supported Other statements, which they are referring. theory was this became apparent from Germany's rural The major difficulty literature of this however, hand, Hbhne's statement quantitative it and geographic of the SS FUhrer in the literature. is clearly areas, verb9nde came mostly easily. initially made by Steiner, 90% of the VerfU_gungstruppe commanders were that assertion the regional results statements the statements with defined to the Totenkopf verbände framework of a quantita- Chapter IV THE AGE OF THE SS FUHRERUPONJOINING THE CORPS The emphasis on youth of National orientation in the propaganda and the political Socialism is a well known fact. The National Socialist conquest of power has been interpreted as an upsurge and victory 1 National Socialist of youth. leaders themselves claimed that the Nazi Party, more than any other in contrast generation There is no denying the last youth like the importance von Schirach, that order had right, slogans "the represented to the rotten Hitler that "a mission and crumbling hoped to destroy remnants of liberalism, and democratic youth party, world of yesterday. with conservatism, in the country. on its to the Nazi doctrine, "Make way, You old ones" Gregor Strasser of youth during the early the Reich Youth Leader, NSDAP is a party of youth. the help of German age only death. side, ,2 parliamentarianism, Thus according hope, and the future of the younger With already stressed 3 days of the Kampfzeit. Bal dur proclaimed on several occasions A 1 Fest,, The Face of the Third Reich, p. 332. The Daily Mail of 10 July 1933 reported that youth seemed to have taken command in Germany. 2 Ibid. Lerner in his analysis of the age of the Nazi leadership poi nted out that the ". .. youthf ul ness of the Propagandi sts suggests that they must have commenced their Nazi activities at an early age. " The Nazi Elite, Daniel Lerner, I. de Sola Pool and G. Schueller, with an by Franz Neumann, (Stanford 1951), p. 11. introduction 3 Fest, The Face of the Third Reich, 4 332. p. On the importance of youth in the Nazi movement see also, Ibid. in A Study_ Cultural Despair; the Rise of Fritz Stern, The Politics of Hitler Youth; 1961); Koch, H. W. The (Cambridge Ideology Germanic the also (London ff-e-velopment 1975). Origins and 89 90 The propaganda directed the expected results. at the youth Inge Scholl, the sister who were executed in 1943 for distributing campus of the University Hitler of Munich, of Germany was not without of Hans and Sophie Scholl anti-Hitler literature the war, that wrote after on the on the day assumed power; for the first time lives politics entered our ... .... We had heard a great deal of talk about Fatherland, comradeship, community of the Volk, and love of homeland. 1 All this inspired us .... In the struggle generation, for pitted and a ". .. war of the young against as the mobilization possibility was frequently power, youth against the old was as great of the de'classe against "... parents, looked on shuddering In the Schutzstaffeln early as 1925 Julius Stabswache, clearly 23-35 need apply in her study trend Schreck, stated for too, service new elite leader in his Circular force, only importance to the youthful when she wrote: 1961), Life Class and Status Aus dem Leben eines politischen From the book by Paul Oestreich, (Berlin, Leipzig 1947), in Mosse,. Nazi Selbstbiographie Pgdagogen: brother her between Scholl the Inge 275. struggle Culture, recounts p. it 'yes' to did happily ". say father proudly and their not who and .. by through illusions Scholl's one Hans one were shattered all ." 272 ff. Ibid., Youth. Hitler in the p. experiences 4 Hbhne, The Order, p. 25. As only men between 4 formation. NeusUss-Hunkel Social Revolution, David Schoenbaum, Hitler's in Nazi Germany, 1933-1939 (New York 1967), p. 18. 3 3 of the newly created 1 (Frankfurt by Scholl, Inge Rose From the book Die weisse Social Cultural Intellectual in George Mosse, Nazi Culture; and , in the Third Reich (New YoF-k1966), p. 271. 2 " in silence. No. 1. that in the new elite considerable " 2 the f ami ly the emphasis on youth was present. the first on the SS assigned in Hitler's and lamenting a the established. In the words of Paul Oestrei ch, "The Hi tl er cul t subverted while the older 91 Die Tatsache, dass hier jüngeren Jahrgängen, die weder Teilnehmer des ersten Weltkrieges, noch selber am 'Kampf um die Macht' beteiligt waren, teilweise sehr rasche Karrieremöglichkeiten geboten wurden, ist eines der 1 Strukturmerkmale des SS Führerkorps. wesentlichsten It was5 therefore, not by chance that out of the ranks of the younger Waffen SS commanders as Kurt Meyer generation such well-known 3 Klingenberg emerged. In order to facilitate sampled FUhrerkorps, divided into six 2 and Fritz the study of the age distribution in the the age range from under 20 to above 60 has been Table 4.1 shows the age distribution categories. of the Table 4.1 total corps dienst, with it birthday, before corps sample shows that 43.5% is that 20-29 the year olds. of the age of 30. of the 30-39 year olds. 12.2% of the men who joined of the sampled officers 1 Neusbss-Hunkel, Personnel File: 23.12.1912,, in Jerxheim. 3 that The next largest Again if to their forties, it 20th became SS members age group with one adds to this the SS in their age single When one adds to the SS prior joined The age the largest 56% of the sampled Fbhrerkorps emerges that reaching 2 in the Schutzstaffel. of the total the 12.5% of the applicants this the Sicherheits- The age shown is the age of the on the day of his enrolment distribution that the Allgemeine_ SS, the Totenkopfverbande, and the VerfUgungstruppe. applicant group, sample, 28.6% is percentage the is seen that 40.8% that they time 49 30 the between at and were Die SS, p. 22. SS BrigadefUhrer BDC. Kurt Meyer, SS #17,559, SS StandartenfUhrer Personnel File: Mecklenburg. in Rbvershagen, born 17.12.1912, Fritz Klingenberg, BDC. born SS #5194875 92 Table 4.1 Age Distribution Age Ranges for Total Total Corps Corps Sample, A/SS, TV, SD, and VT A/SS TV SD VT under 20 12.5% 20-29 43.5 41.0 37.2 51.9 22.0 Subtotal 56.0 46.3 50.0 60.2 88.5 30-39 28.6 33.4 37.2 25.5 6.4 40-49 12.2 16.0 11.7 11.9 1.5 Subtotal 40.8 49.4 48.9 37.4 7.9 2.8 3.7 1.1 2.3 3.2 50-59 over 59 Subtotal Total 5.3% 12.8% --- 8.3% 1 66.5% .4 .4 .6 3.2 4.3 1.1 2.4 3.6 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 93 donned the black uniform. the FUhrer joined The Table also shows that only 3.2% of the age of 50. after Compared to the total Allgemeine SS, shows that branch of the SS. branches, the Allgemeine joiners. On the other percentage above categories, For that SS also shows the lowest percentage in the Allgemeine recruits the of under 30 shows the highest between the ages of 30 to 49. percentage The higher SS extends to the 50 and with 4.3% of the sample. The TV age distribution 20 joiners of the compared to the other matter, hand, the distribution who joined of older the age distribution fewer men under the age of 20 joined part-time of applicants corps sample, resembles shows, that the total while the percentage corps representation most closely, age groups 20-29 and 30-39 are most heavily and evenly indicates that attracted fewer of the 20-29 year old applicants the KL guard units, of under the This represented. compared to the total corps sample, and more of the 30-39 year ds. ol The SD relied Compared to the total ranks. the applicants that joined corps sample which showed that in their while twenties, into they came when The Table clearly percentage shows that a further can say without the SS prior 22% joining reservation 43.5% of shows branch were in their the SS. the VT attracted of the very young candidates. SS commanders joining its the SD distribution 51.9% of the men that went into the security twenties with fill 20-29 to the year olds on most heavily that With 66.5% of the future to reaching the SS while the highest their 20th birthday, they were in their the VerfOgun2struppe twenties, Waffen and one was a young man's 94 branch. increase slight This On the other hand the VerfUgungstruppe distribution increase military in the percentage of officers undoubtedly element expertise. joined SS shows that element. joined, that The distribution 20-29 and 30-39 were equally joined by over 50% of its The VT had the highest their twentieth ss. were over 40 when they officers while reaching their the age groups The SD, on the other represented. percentage after of the TV shows that they were in their who joined of officers test of independence and the age at which the men joined different of the hand, was twenties. prior to reaching birthdays. A Chi-Square beyond the men of branch contained a higher percentage of the While 15.4% of the sampled officers birthday. the of the sampled officers 20.3% of the Ailgemeine SS FUhrerkorps joined fortieth with branches attracted the SS between the ages of 20 to 39, the distribution Allgemeine older VerfUgungstruppe the various Whereas the majority age groups. professional ' Table 4.1 has shows that different of the older the fledgling which provided much needed military in the 50-59 age group. the influx reflected shows a 001 1evel . . This between the branches of the SS the various statistically age groups tended to predominate branches was significant substantiates in different the fact that branches of the 2 1 for An example of a senior aged military expert who volunteered former Lieutenant-General Paul the VerfUgungstruppe in the was service He joined the SS at the age Hausser, later SS OberstgruppenfUhrer. Paul Hausser, SS #23997955 Oberstgruppenfbhrer SS File: Personnel 54. of BDC. in Brandenburg a. d. Havel. born 7.10.1880, 2 For the detailed Chi-Square tabulations see Table 5, Appendix I, p. 258. 95 Table 4.2 compares the age distribution of the German population Table 4.2 in 1933 with that whereas 31.1% of the German population the year party that I 2 of the NSDAP, the NOrnberg SA and the SS. Hitler fell shows was under the age of 30 in assumed power, 42.7% of the membership of the Nazi into that age group, the sampled FUhrerkorps Machtergreifung the younger It did 50% of the NOrnberg SA and 58.6% of as of the SS. This shows that the SS had been able to attract in German society. element overrepresentation underrepresentation begins to diminish, the SS shows the smallest to the German population, by a considerable margin In the 30 to 39 age group the of the SS FOhr 40 to 49 age category at the time of the the Nazi party percentage and in the when compared and the NUrnberg SA. The becomes more marked in the 50 and above age categories. The age distribution The first is, it who was of the new elite other words, as shown in Table 4.1 raises in German society that donned the black at an age when most men contemplate reitrement? who were the men that fell into the senior A/SS Fbhrerkorps? 4.3% the the sampled made up of into in Germany went who the SS, especially in the SS? An attempt shall uniform In age category The other that question the VerfOgungstruppe happened to them after and what age, very young to serve two questions. is, at a they committed themselves be made to answer these questions 1 NSDAP German the the The age distribution and population of ka; 581_ Swasti i Pol Vi the Merkl ti Peter f ol ence under cal rom are taken , 1975), pp. 12-13. Early Nazis (Princeton 2 is from Eric Reiche, Nbrnberg SA distribution the The age of " 1922-1934. The SA, NUrnberg the paper presented Structure of "Social 21 1977 is October forthcoming Forum, History part a of the Duquesne monograph. at 96 CY) r- = U . f- 44CD S- (1) -0 Z Co Zýý CY) LL- V) LO CC) 0ý LO C\j C:) C\j Cý Ln CY) r2 1.0 00 t.0 C\j C6 C-ý cy; r- clli C1.1 Wý*- C\; r-ý C\j rl: d: r_: a VI -0 .3) z C:: V) M 0) S. CY) (1) m 0% -0 CF) r--- 0ý r_: CY) t.0 cl%i Cý týý cy') t-0 C) Cý Cý 1% C 0 0 r--ý . r- 0C: M5 cy') 0 0 . r- 4--) 4. ) S.- =3 C) 0 Cý CY) CY) CY) r- Lr) CC) r- C\j CY) CY') a) S- a (1) 3 C-! C\l S- cl) (0 CD Cl*.i S.CL) -0 C =3 C: ) C\j -0 =3 V) 0 m CF) 1 -0 4--) 4--) 1 C:) CY) I 4--) qzl1 -0 IC:: V) CD =3 I 0 CT) LO 1 CD LO 4--) 4-) C) t.0 -0 97 by the use of case histories. The perusal of the personnel files joiners provide some of the more interesting represent a highly This is an interesting Third Reich's corps d'41ite. First, reasons. personal histories, SS and diverse group of men. It was in the summer of 1936 I von Maur, General der Artillerie a. D., joined the that Dr. Heinrich elite has shown that the older case for two he was already a respected member of a much older German group, namely the officer was only days from turning 73 years of age when he joined, gave him the dubious honour of being "... While Maur's joining Second, he corps of the German army. a fact which der 81teste SS Mann Uberhaupt. .2 the SS was automatic because of his member- ship in the Council of the Kyffhauserbund which was amalgamated with the SS in 1936, his enthusiasm for the Third Reich is more difficult understand. successful merite Born into a traditional military in the First officer's Maur had a An officer since 1881, he won the Pour 1,e 3 World War. Like so many of his peers, he found the career. republican form of government in Germany after therefore, sought refuge in the highly the Kyffhduserbund. family, to the war repugnant, conservative organization, veteran's He remained a staunch conservative, and, and for that did not join the Nazi Party until a year after he had become an 5 4 his wife also joined the Party. If Maur SS officer. Soon thereafter, matter, 1 SS ObergruppenfUhrer Dr. Heinrich Personnel File: SS #276,907, born 19.7.1863, in Ulm. BDC. von Maur, 2 In the recommendation for promotion to ObergruppenfUhrer dated 20 June 1944. At the time Maur was 80 Years of age. Ibid. 3He was awarded the Pour le merite on 22 May 1917. Ibid. 4 He joined the NSDAPin May 1937 and was given Party #5,890,310. Ibid. 5 His wife, Elsa Maur, was 63 years old when she joined Ibid. with Party #6,101,897. the NSDAP 98 was not convinced of the justice open Supporter of it. to write letter für den Osten war und für all erstwhile army rank a. D. illustrated backgrounds military Hessian regiment, year of the older and for regular consisted three Yet Schmidt was also Wilhelmine family career part Prussia and Austria Schleswig-Holstein in chemistry. issue. during 2 is further Schmidt. 2 Unl i ke matter, one year in a World War I in the German during elite constitutional crisis the Westphalian professional and in the to wage war on Denmark over the At the age of 23,, he obtained German chemical industry. his doctorate The contribution 3 including brought him fame and numerous awardS5 1 Letter his Unti 1 1932 he worked ei ther ina pri vate research i nsti tute in blossoming the or the invention Whether For that for a well-situated decided wenn then with SS applicants army officer. Khan in his SS commission. his SS title, of the established at the time of the Bismarckian that Europa. "' pride of serving years He was born into era. with "Was Tschingis of Dr. h. c. , Dr. Albrecht Maur, Schmidt was not a former navy. first by the case history entire für able SS" a unser Führer, erstrebt Maur showed great his correspondence The diverse Khan: humaneren Mitteln believer, He signed to Jenghiz ihn getan hat, anderen, or true opportunist Kamerad und Reichsführer und verehrter in which he compared Hitler allerdings an At the age of 80, in July 1943, he was still to "Mein lieber auch mit his of the Nazi cause, he was certainly of artificial which the Dr. Ing. h. c., was fog. of Maur to Himmler, dated 22 July 1943. Ibid. Dr. h. c. Dr. Albrecht SS BrigadefOhrer Personnel File: BDC. Westfalen. in GrevensbrOck, 3.7.1864, born #327,474, SS Schmidt, 3 he Frankfurt, Berlin He was named honorary citizen and was and of He Berlin. the University honorary also received at of professor made an decorations. Ibid. military and several civilian 99 With all why Schmidt, 1939.1 the honours bestowed on him it at the age of 74, decided to join is hard to understand the SS in the spring of At the time of his enrolment he was the second oldest He was an active on record. for enthusiasm the regime, Hitler, against Education remained supporter long after high. on the appointments chemical the fortunes Zeit weiter of war had turned He was an advisor of chemistry he promised as an octogenarian, noch vergönnte of the Third Reich and his to the German Four-Year advisor One of the most unusual life Plan. "... is that here, Drechsel's his reasons most clearly the small founding life auch fbr Dezennium. " for joining of Karl Hermann Drechsel .3 .0 the corps d'elite in his extensive stated Lower Franconian die mir 2 among the 61 000 personnel of retiring. is the most unusual of the three story 1944, as July a man who began a new career in the SS when most men think While of and he was As late wie im letzten histories fi1 es at the Berl in Document Centre, to the Ministry professors, his Reichsfbhrer zu wirken SS member of Hitler's Lebenslauf. Drechsel presented Germany are born in was town of Sommerhausen in the year prior to the of the Second Empire. The son of a Lutheran devoutly religious Drechsel 17, however, Drechsel 1 He joined 2 3 Letter (her father at an early was entered decided that in a strict and Because the mother came from a home environment. family military prominent pastor, he was raised was a General oberarzt) the young At the age of age in a Kadettenanstalt. he did not want a full-time the NSDAP in April 1933 with party 11 dated July Himmler Schmidt to of SS Obersturmbannfbhrer Personnel File: Unterfranken. Sommerhausen, in born 12.11.18701, military #1,830,078. 1944. Ibid. Ibid. Karl Drechsel, BDC. SS #27697495 100 career, and, therefore, Kadettenanstalt, left he also new life in the United he spent two years decided States. in three to study established law at the University Tyler and well-known The outbreak an American girl. family of hostilities a however, and begun He obtained that he of Georgia and passed bar exams in Ohio. in the U. S. National even served as an officer After science and philosophy. She came from the From 1894-1901 he Guard. in Europe in 1914 changed Drechsel's 1if e. The event made him aware that he was born a German and, as he stated in his Lebenslauf, wirtschaftlichen after 28 years citizenship the war caused "... und politischen in the United Abbruch aller persönlichen, 1 Beziehungen in und zu Amerika. " Thus States, Drechsel knowledge of English and the American continent intelligence in the German army until officer war that the disullusionment labourer in a "... It he began to listen surrendered he served as an was at this It 1918. Tal. " point, was after Drechsel For a while im Tegernseer Steinbruch followed. of unemployment that set in. his American Because of his detailed to Germany in 1915. and returned However long periods according to the propaganda of National "Lebenslauf'of Karl Drechsel, undated. the worked as a to Drechsel, Socialism: der ihm die Über Erfahrungen mit Bitterkeit Die des Nachkriegsdeutschlands Indifferenz unverständlichen Kriegstätigkeit ihm ihn aufgetragenen seiner angesicht gegen Vermögens, verliess Verlustes amerik. des gesamten seines und 1 the By the time and Marshal College in Pennsylvania. He also married states. in. the U. S., he had become an American citizen his B. A. and M.A. in political proceeded to settling left to start boy on an American freighter. twenties, at Franklin But he not only to leave Germany in order Prior as a cabin he was in his early his studies the cadet school. Ibid. 101 ihn automatisch mit dem Eintritt in die nationalsozialistische Partei und in die SA: Lage obwohl seine wirtschaftliche ... 1 dadurch nicht geringstens verbessert wurde. Here isa prime exampl e of a pauperi zed and resentf ul i ntel I ectual , who found in the fold His wife, purpose. also joined of the Nazi Part,,,, his who also severed all the NSDAPbefore 1933. found employment as a full-time at the Junkerschule general fog. understand. SS officer While Maur's their enthusiasm obvious Drechsel's and Schmidt's The retired uniform. spelled Armies, his entire lost and National movement that Socialism offered Membership in the SS not only science Here on the in both the American and German He felt fortune. with its but it resentful and be to panaceas appeared the embittered officer, are him. by out political helped him to regain commissioned of Reich is harder to the Third of age, who had once taught finally and who former of a for joining reasons for reasons were clearly college status in geo-politics honour bestowed upon him as the inventor held had level commissions who , the political lectures giving eventually quoted above have shown how some members of as another 66 years a man, was unappreciated, Drechsel leaders local council and of the 2 Schmidt most likely the SS as a body. accepted joined the SS commission understandable, As a 66 year old, in 1915, when the central Kyffh9userbund artificial as a new her U. S. connections came to wear the black generation joined as well Tblz. The case histories the older identity returnee a way out. the respect offered and him an opportunity 1 Ibid. 2 the influx the disturbing of the effect which H6hne described There SS. in K&mpfer the resentment open was the alte had on old soldiers General like officers reactionary well-known such of toward the acceptance 138.. Order, The p. Hbhne5 Reinhard. 102 to perform once more a task which challenged his intellect and restored his self-esteem. While the incorporation of the older and more established to by Himmler as the "gerauschlose referred to make the new e0lite respectable, for the reputation responsible fighting force Described and by Stein men commanded divisions and were often during of the Nazi doctrines ruthless, during responsible the last was the young element that was as "starry-eyed, as "harsh, for " was an attempt which the SS gained over the years as a and the enforcer by Reitlinger it Revolution, element, throughout "' and fanatical, 2 arrogant , ,, many of these youthful, and often in their the war while still the fanatical resistance months of the war. 3 Europe. thirties, and the terror Thus SS BrigadefUhrer Kurt Meyer he 33, the age of was chosen to commander at when 4 Witt decorated Fritz 36-yearhighly the as commanding old succeed 5 Kraas, Hugo Oberfbhrer SS d" "Hitlerjuge Division. the was officer of became a divisional division he the took over old when 32 years missing in late in action 1944.6 after Kurt Meyer was reported Kraas had earlier made the headlines be to his awarded regiment of officer 7 highly The French during the Class campaign. first he 1940, the in was when, Cross First the Iron 1 Reitlinger, 2 Stein, 3 The SS, p. 86. Waffen SS, p. 292. Ibid. 4 1943, in 35 the Witt at age of Fritz was chosen SS BrigadefOhrer Division. Witt, Hitlerjugend the of first officer the commanding become to in 1933, died during the Stabswache 120 established man the original one of Fe-itlinger, 86. SS, The p. 1944. June in invasion Allied 5 Personnel File: Witten/Ruhr. in 25.1-1911, SS OberfOhrer BDC. Hugo Kraas, SS 74-289,633, born 6 124. Guard, Hitler's p. Weingartner, V, Chapter 7 also, 63; see SS, Waffen p. Stein, p. 103 decorated SS Standartenfbhrer 1 Klingenberg had just Fritz he was ordered to take commandof the SS Panzergrenadier von Berlich "Goetz and Meyer himself SS commanders Kurt Meyer was the only one youthful to come from a working class background. school. After trades then became a policeman. National Socialism. Youth, His father became a "kaufmAnnischer a miner, Hitler Division ' in January 1945.2 Of these three elementary turned 32 when training Lehrling" was a factory after he worked for Meyer was an early worker, 3 completing a short time as to adherent By 1925, at the age of 13, he had joined the and by late 1930 he had become a member of the NSDAP. In 4 May 1931, when he was 18, he enrolled in the SS. In 1934 Meyer transferred from the Allgemeine he was not a graduate of a Junkerschule of hostilities outbreak leadership techniques SS to the ".Leibstandarte, in 1939. 5 It he was a Hauptsturmfbhrer was through his and ruthlessness that 1 SS StandartenfUhrer Personnel File: born 17.12.1912, in Rbvershagen/Mecklenburg. 2 "Dienstlaufbahn" of Fritz " and although Klingenberg. his rather he won rapid at the unorthodox promotions Fritz Klingenberg, BDC. 6 SS #5194879 Ibid. 3 but in Meyer father Meyer's that Reitlinger miner, a was claims Fabrikarbeiter. father his "Lebenslauf" that his handwritten a was stated Kurt Meyer. The SS, p. 86; see also, Personnel File: Reitlinger, 41bid. 5 leadership is Meyer's combat An example of rather unorthodox Greek Meyer's the During Grenadiere. campaign book in his unit provided behind fire, heavy by pinned Raked down. rocks, machinegun became bogged its handgrenade, took Meyer pulled pin, Thereupon, a not a man moved. "Never did I Meyer last again witness stated, man. threw it behind the 1 The broken, that forward spel leap was second at as concerted such a .... (Panzermeyer), " Meyer Kurt lameness. the handgrenade had cured our 64. (MOnchen 1957), p. Grenadiere 6 in September 1940; SturmbannfOhrer Meyer was promoted in 1943; June StandartenfOhrer 1942; in November ObersturmbannfUhrer 1944, in November the BrigadefUhrer 1944; at age of August OberfU-h-rerin Meyer. Kurt File: Personnel " "Dienstlaufbahn. 31. 104 and was awarded the oakleaf 1 German armed forces. with the swords as the 91st soldier Hugo Kraas was the son of an elementary school in the He teacher. attended the Gymnasiumand obtained his Abitur shortly after Hitler to power in 1933. became a reserve officer attitude and aggressive training He was 25 years course, in the German army. candidate VerfUgungstruppe, and joined left unconventional the reserve the SS Regiment "Germania" After he But he was more its with Kraas, therefore, spirit. old at the time. was chosen to attend some time in the Labour Service, spending to the newly-founded attracted officer After came in 1936.2 spending a year in the ranks, the 2nd course at the Junkerschule from which he was commissioned Untersturmfbhrer in 1938. he Braunschweig Three years later he commanded a battalion, and shortly thereafter was promoted 3 Division Sturmbannfbhrer. By the time Kraas took over the "Hitlerjugend" 4 he had won the swords to the oakleaf and been promoted OberfUhrer. 1 German to be tried After the war Kurt Meyer was the first Ibid. Accused of having approved of the shooting for war crimes by the Allies. death by Canadian to Meyer Canadian a was sentenced prisoners-of-war, of But, the 1945. in December case with so many other as was military court Meyer's SS Waffen sentence was commuted officers, sentences passed on , in 1954. September Bruce from He imprisonment. prison life to was released (Toronto Stein, 202; 1954), Meyer Kurt also, p. see Trial The MacDonald, of in 1954, Meyer Germany to his Upon 277-78. was Waffen SS, pp. return (Hilfsgemeinschaft HIAG in became hero, member active an and a as celebrated for the title innocent major sounding Gegenseitigkeit), a rather auf Eagle Swastika, Beyond Tauber, and post-war SS veterans organization. vol. I,, p. 357. 2 Personnel Kraas, Hugo "Lebenslauf" undated. of Handwritten Kraas. File: 3 Das Schwarze Korps, 4 "Dienstlaufbahn" 23 December 1943. Kraas. Hugo of Personnel File: Hugo Kraas. 105 Fritz Klingenberg was another commander of the Waffen SS. and highly youthful field capable Like Kraas, Klingenberg could have become in the German army, but he chose the VerfO ungstruppe instead. Klingenberg's youth was spent in financially His secure surroundings. an officer father owned a dairy in northern Germany. After 1931, he proceeded to study chemistry and physics Rostock. Intresse" he audited After "Aus persbnlichem four began at an early when, as a "Primaner" VerfUgungstruppe was established SS service. at the Junkerschule 83.3 his in staff officer 1936. low rating work. 18 years old. in 1933, that in National 2 It in service General Hausser, transferred the first were rapid, he showed considerable the founder course 19th out of a class Verfbgungstruppe writing the was after In 1934 he was chosen to attend in the expanding Socialism5 the NSDAPin 1931, Klingenberg T61z, from which he graduated His promotions despite later he was barely of to help ostensibly He joined age. in a course in Rassenh he dropped out of university, 1 business. Klingenberg's interest Kurt Meyer's. to full-time at the University semesters in the family like he obtained his Abitur of the Junkerschulen of and talent and commander in the Waffen SS, used Klingenberg as a staff 4 By the outbreak of the Second World War in his headquarters. senior 1 "Lebenslauf" Handwritten of Fritz Fritz Klingenberg. Personnel File: 2 Master file card. Klingenberg, dated 17 May Ibid. 3 from the Junkerschule Tblz shows that The "Abschlusszeugnis" in "Weltanschaulicher 9 7 marks possible Klingenberg out of a obtained " "Reiten, " "Exerzierdienst, "Leibesbbungen. in 9 " 6 and Unterricht, out of " "Schreibwessen. "Zeugnis in der 9, SS 4 lowest was of His out mark, T81z. " Ibid. "FOhrerschule 11 4 in 1942 "... ausserlich Klingenberg as Hausser assessed und " He FUhrers. SS the des Typ concluded beste der report with innerlich dieser Beurteilung Superlative berechtigt. "Die sind comment the lauditory October 14 1942. dated Ibid. Klingenberg, Hausser report on 11 106 Klingenberg with was a HauptsturmfOhrer. 10 men of the division of Belgrade. For this Three days after fbhrer, thereafter elite "Goetz von Berli was there join to men The question the SS? In other during investigation have shown that the SS was able to certain and for I absorbing members of the old to be answered at this between the age of the applicant a relationship joined he which .2 ages and background, as the young. as well Klingenberg was promoted Standarten- was named commanderof the 17th SS The above illustrations diverse men of in 1941, when he was awarded the Knights Cross in 1941. his 32nd birthday and shortly made headlines "Das Reich" he brought about the surrender action Panzergrenadier-division attract He first older words, was there point and period a tendency is, for in younger 14 the of year time span under periods join to men at others? Table 4.3 shows the Table 4.3 age composition of each of the six This Table shows that extent of young men. 1927, that the SS during in this used is the group of men with study. Phase I was made up to a large Almost 75% of those who joined 1 Bericht des deutschen Beobachter (Berliner Völkischer 2 time periods before December SS numbers under 1000, were under Belgrad, " "So fiel Militärattaches, Ausgabe), 17 April 1941. File: Personnel Klingenberg. Fritz "Dienstlaufbahn" of Klingenberg But even as successful Klingenberg. could as a commander War SS. During the laws the the of marriage stringent run afoul with Klingenberg became engaged to the daughter of SS GruppenfUhrer Walter discovered the it that investigation In the routine KrUger. was racial far back jewish full had KrOger as SS GruppenfOhrer ancestor a wife of his to denied Klingenberg 1711. marry Thereupon, permission was as his According 143. to Order, The Hbhne, fiancee. impure p. racially ' Klingenberg never married. personnel file,, 107 CY) 00 0 m C\j t.0 C\j C) C) I:Ztl M LO CC) r-I LO CIQ CD Cý C\j m 00 LO U, C) CD 0 5U) . U) E S-- ko Q- C") cn "r-" rI 1ý0 ý C Lr) Lf) Lr) C) CY) C\i Lr) Cý ý C C) (I) C) - C) > 0 r-_ m r- R:*- S.C) C6 LO r-ý Cý C\J r- CC) LC) Cý r- C) m C: ) 1-4 C\J U- a) r-_ CC) CNIJ rý- LO C: ) t4 Oý 0 Cý C; rl: Cý C: ) U, a) C: ) "1 C"i 0 t-% r-. C\j C: ) r- t4 Cý C\i LO C\j 0 cy; Cý r- LO (.0 clý m cli C; C) 0-0 C) r- t.0 kD 00 1 r- LA týo r, cy; ::J: rl-. 1 00 1 r- C6 C\i CTI ro 4-) 0 -W -0 C) Cý C) :Z; CY) 4 -0 (IJ h- cu V) a) 0) c C::: C) cl-li Sa) a1 (n C\i C: C) :3 C*--j (0 4-) 0 4-) oll -0 C) V) CY) R:: r :3 C) 0) LO CF) Lf 1 C) > co 4-) 0 4-) .0 =3 V) co 4-) 0 108 the age of 30 when they enrolled joined between January The Table also shows that of the applicants the percentage fell into at the two age categories be seen that the percentage to note that little during regardless the decline that age range. If the percentage of under 20 applicants fluctuated the 1925 to 1939 period. of the political These results reflects which includes percentage between 1937-1939. age, comprise only increases A closer suggest that percentage the age groups 30-39 and joined in applicants between 1937 look at the more mature in the second sub-total in the 30-39-year-old for the 1925-1927 joiners very Whereas only 24.6% of the very early trend. age bracket. of SS applicants in to the SS. the increase the increase can is of interest in Germany a constant conditions were between 30 and 49 51.8% of the men that due to an increase it in the under 30 group is due to a reduction It age range shows that look one takes a closer in the 20-29 age category. shows the reverse declined when only 40% of joiners and 1939 were in that notable of under 30 joiners which make up the under 30 sub-total, The second sub-total, joiners of those who the 1937-1939 period, until of very young men was attracted 40-49, Two thirds 1928 and December 1930 were under the age of 30. in each time period, steadily in the SS. 1 joiners, is partly but more importantly between the ages of 40-49. in the 40-49 age group increased The from 6.6% to 21.5% for the group that came into the SS While the older age groups, those over 50 years of 3.3% of the total in the years corps sample, they register following the Rbhm crisis. most One might 1 Orlov in his study of the Nazi Party and the age of its 1925 in 66% NSDAP the discovered that was membership of membership 1,1919-1933, History Naz lhe the Orlov, 30. of vol. under p. 56. 109 assume that the older applicants before committing older themselves to the new regime's segment of the total detail in later of independence test . age groups joined 001 level rank in the Third age distribution the officers can be said that Reich's times during that the 1925 to 1939 the men who rose to commissioned eOlite force of the total joined uniform during week-ends or on official the older element than did the other of under 20 applicants. percentage even distribution could ages. of men who wore the black branches. It attracted more of had the lowest also showed an The joined, 20-29 between they when were claim to have attracted the earlier applicants, whereas the older applicants suggested that the older Socialism was firmly the largest The study of the age distribution had a higher showed that National men of different occasions, percentage of the under 20 age group. periods of The different between the 20-29 and the 30-39 age groups. the VerfUgungstruppe. This a majority The Totenkopfverbgnde SD the officers of sampled majority the SS. tended to attract SS, which consisted The when they were young. corps sample showed that were under 30 when they joined Thus the Allgemeine until the fact substantiating at different branches of the SS. however, periods. between Phases and Age Ranges 1 In summary it while The be looked at in greater corps sample will beyond the was significant peri od. formation. elite chapters. A Chi-Square different the Rbhmissue was settled waited until percentage of young during SS the to came the later segment in Germany held back established before committing itself #1 to the new regime and its 1 For the Chi-Square elite formation. tabulations see Table 6, Appendix I, p. 259. Chapter V THE EDUCATIONALBACKGROUND OF THE SS OFFICERS In 1939, shortly before the outbreak of the War, Gregor Ziemer, President of the American Colony School in Berlin, Schirach, the Reich Youth Leader: asked Baldur von "When does the Nazi Party become interested it in the German child? " The instantanious "Before reply was, 1 is conceived. " If one adds to this reply the many pronouncements of the various Nazi leaders the young in the National re-educating clear that National Socialism of the German individual Mother Service National on the necessity which also Socialist the Nazi salute toys, is, taught Rust, ideology, it and becomes life span to the Reich care, German mothers how to make the proper obedience. were taught where youngsters Thus the entire to produce a willing pre-school pupil ready to level. higher on a The purpose of education by Bernard out from pre-natal to the Kindergarten coordinated indoctrination absorb more Socialist educating was concerned with the entire ; that and absolute years were carefully of constantly in Nazi Germany was clearly the Reich Minister for Education, spelled in 1936 when he wrote: The chief purpose of the school is to train human beings in the doctrine that the state is more important than the individual, that individuals and ready to must be willin FUhrer. for themselves and nation sacrifice 1 first incident 77. The Education, German was Engelmann, p. (Oxford Death For Education book Ziemer's described in Gregor entitled, 2 1941). in the 79. The Education, German Engelmann, p. excerpt appeared H6heren in der Erziehung Unterricht teacher's to manual und new a preamble 1936). Schule (Berlin 110 ill All the school reforms undertaken during based on Hitler's 1936,1937, and 1938 were commandthat the v8lkisch State has to direct its entire education ... primarily not at pumping in more knowledge but at the breeding of absolutely healthy bodies. Of secoydary importance is the training of mental abilities. Thus from pre-Kindergarten National Socialist differentiate ideological education" emerged. liberal of Heidelberg, Napola, formative to play with were taught to 2 physics , ,, the youth where students and "Jewish years was exposed to a constant Dobers and Higelke used as a guide education teacher its were taught indoctrination. Books like "proper to university between German science of Germany during widely toys, days where children for teachers, along National Profes: sor origin, stressed Socialist Kriek, advanced the idea of creating which were essentially 4 "nationalrevolutionar" orientated. reknown editing elementary inherited Rickert's the Adolf Hitler anti-liberal Professor school chair at Schools and "vblkisch" and Baumler, who had gained Bachhofen and Nietzsche, 1 Engelmann, German Education, Unterrichtspraxis, the necessity for the 3 lines. New prophets in a one-time who eventually schools considerable Rassenpolitische 5 took over the p. 80. 2 in Professors: The Part of Scholarship Hitler's Max Weinreich, Germany's Crimes against the Jewish People (New York 19-4-6), p. 12. The in Johannes 1919 Nobel Prize by the physics, made winner statement was Stark, in the inaugural at the University address at the Lenard Institute, 1935. 13 December Heidelberg, of 3 Engelmann, German Education, p. 81. The importance of the proper Socialist National education for the young generation was also stressed Grundzüge einer politischen in Gerhard Giese's Staat und Erziehung. (Hamburg 1933). Pädagogik und Schulpolitik 4 Machtergreifung, Bracher, Sauer, Schulz, Nationalsozialistische p. 308. 5 Hitler's Professors, 23. Weinreich, p. 112 Political education Bäumler's i dea was ". dass mi t der Schul e di e pol i ti sche Ausri chtung .. at the University of students und die Gewöhnung an das Führerprinzip It is not surprising that the most devastating effects younger The fanaticism in their question, generation. teens, at war's however, that of Berlin in 1933. zu beginnen habe. "' the results indoctrination of this on the development of attitudes with which boys fought, had of the some barely end, is a sad but well-known 2 fact. The be asked at this is not, how could should young boys who had been subjected all point lives of their to an incessant barrage of propaganda sacrifice rather, how could men, some well educated, who were raised in the pre- 1933 period, Socialist become ardent themselves for and unquestioning a lost cause in 1945, but executors of National policies? Dr. Elie as a prisoner A. Cohen, a Dutch psychiatrist in Auschwitz, attempted after who spent several the war "... with years a complete Bracher, Sauer, Schulz, Nationalsozialistische Machtergreifung, in Germany For more information Nazi the p. 309. purpose on of education (London 1971 A Social Third Reich Richard Grunberger, History the see, of chapter 19 "Education, " pp. 362-385. 2 is provided in the combat fanaticism An example of this youthful 1943 " in "Hitlerjugend. Formed 12th SS Panzerdivision the with record of boys born in the year 1926, that is 17-year olds, the division soon in doggedness fanaticism, for brutality, combat. and aquired a reputation Within the first ten days of the invasion in 1944, the youthful soldiers British Canadian division 64 the of war. prisoners and unarmed shot of "it that the A SHAEF board of inquiry was understood after war established that a policy of denying quarter of executing throughout the division SS, " Waffen Stein, The interrogation approved. was openly after prisoners , "Hitlerjugend" Gap Falaise the heavy fighting the 277. the During at p. At the lost 80% of its combat troops, and 80% of its armour. division beginning of 1945 the fighting amounted to 600 strength of the SS division fighting 312. fanatical On Meyer, Grenadiere, the tanks. p. youths and no Trial Kurt MacDonald, The Division Panzer SS 12th also, of the see of Meyer, chapter III "The Murder Division, " pp. 15-36; see also, Koch, The Chester Wilmont recorded "... the troops of the Youth, pp. 244-45. Hitler fought with a tenacity and ferocity seldom equalled and never 12th SS ...during the " Chester Wilmont, for Struggle campaign. whole excelled Europe (London 1952). p. 377. 113 avoidance of emotional atrocities bias to give an explanation committed during the Third Reich were possible. foreword to the book, Dr. Carl Binger, the days that were sentimental, great to-do about Christmas man "... sentimental to bring and took great of father's and polite in terror a New York psychiatrist, slave. " pains youngsters. But everyone, The children in school, The wife to fulfill over the chilren of someone else. of authority trembled at his frown and rushed not to anger him. " " her husband's The wife feared the teacher. this competitive bullying concluded obedient to Dr. Binger, the father lived and the The mother took pains not his foreword in fear of by stating, came the Nazi Schrecklichkeit. 1 Cohen, Human Behaviour wishes which produced "... according was a also held the threat to anger her husband, and the head of the household lived Dr. Binger He lived was described as a and smoking jacket She hurried punishment his employer. recalled good people and who made a The father whose children him his slippers domestic In the he spent as an exchange student at Heidelberg. with Germans who "... figure how the in the Concentration "Out of 112 Camp, Introduction. 2 foreword to Cohen, Human Exerpts quoted are from Dr. Binger's Behaviour, The authoritarian pp. ix-xi. role of the father in the traditionis dealt with extensively al German family, and its effect on the children (Stuttgart in E. Erickson, 1961). Kindheit Gesellschaft Wrote und Erickson, Nenn der Vater nach Hause kommt, scheinen sich selbst die " p. 311. Dahrendorf quotes from Horkheimer's Wände zusammenzunehmen, study Autorität und Familie. "... der deutsche Vater sei gewissermassen Richter und Staatsanwalt in einer Person. " Dahrendorf, Gesellschaft 165. Treitschke Demokratie, p. und wrote during the Wilhelmine era "Schon Der in der Familie finden wir das staatliche Prinzip der Unterordnung. Vater ist das Oberhaupt er übt das Recht. " Heinrich v. Treitschke, (Leipzig 1918), 16. Talcott Parsons points to 4th Politik, p. ed., tendency to superiority and a masculine assume authority of a pattern husbands the fathers German tend part of on and men and prerogatives .... to expect subto be dominating and authoritarian, and, conversely, dependency is the This their part on of perhaps wives. and missiveness " "Democracy the Talcott Parsons, true middle classes. of particularly in Pre-Nazi Germany, " Essays first in 1942, Structure Social published and (Glencoe, Ill. 1954), 113. T, Social ed. rev. p. on 114 It is the contention begins personality as well as that individual. Thus it " This fear /5re-Nazi even before products normal fear ... in every growing in the authoritarian "'But overdramatized system. an Socialism his case when he Dr. Cohen is of the opinion that who grew up during of a highly they were shaped in a system that 1 Cohen, Human Behaviour, the advent of National school system of the Nazi era a worthy life7. even members of German society in essence, of the father, role the average German experienced Perhaps Dr. Cohen slightly of it "... is perpetuated "Was not the dictatorial extension the molding of the The punitive produces be denied that way of life in Germany. the family. of teacher cannot authoritarian asked, with of Dr. Cohen that authoritarian stressed the pre-1933 days were, 2 That is environment. . obedience to authority more p. 245. 2 The numerous school reforms undertaken during the Weimar Republic were to introduce a less authoritarian environment in the But, as Dr. Engelmann pointed out, most teachers who class-room. days were themselves products of the pretaught during the republican 1918 system, and that their practises and attitudes could not be changed in a decade. The concept of the teacher being the drill-master was deeply Engelmann, German Education, chapter I, engrained in many teachers. "Class Education in the German Empire, " pp. 11-40; see also, chapter II, "Educational Engelmann writes Reforms in the German Republic, " pp. 41-76. in method "They were strict about the pre-1918 schools, and efficient and gave the necessary of teacher-lecture and student-recitation " 11. drill In in patriotism, loyalty a study of the p. obedience, and Schaffner, in life German Dr. a psychiatrist, role of authoritarianism Weimar Third Reich. Republic, the German Empire, the the and studied Using the Freudian frame of reference of obsessive-compulsive neurosis, Schaffner found that the German child tended to fear authority, If the developed obsessive traits child orderliness and rigidity. of inferiors, learned to he boy aggression on release suppressed was a "manliness" of which meant the suppression and aquired characteristics Father Bertram Schaffner, tenderness, impulses pity or regret. of of (New 1948). York in German Family Authoritarianism the A Study Land: of P. 55. 115 than independent critical thinking. Because of the important plays in the formulation development role of a younger of his values, the. SS FUhr 1 the topic is discussed 5.1 shows the educational that the educational persons attitude, of education length at greater distribution of the total process and in the in connection in this study. with Table corps sample, the Table 5.1 Allgemeine SS, the Totenkopfverbande, VerfUgungstruppe. sampled SS officers f urther coveted traditional From the distribution the Sicherheitsdienst, it is seen that and the 28.9% of the had no more than an elementary school education. 27.3% attended a secondary school but di d not obtai n the , university Abitur entrance certificate, requirement, the Abitur or Kadettenanstalt Because of the , graduation, as the 1 Post-1945 research has shown that the majority of German parents were of the opinion that the schools should not become involved in training "gute StaatsbOrger. " 48% of the questioned parents felt that schools should stress "menschliche Werte, " and 45% were of the developing habits that more opinion emphasis on schools should place The smallest percentage that would guarantee success in later life. become to thought schools should indoctrinate good Germans. children fOr Bildung und Wissen, Schule und pluralistische Deutsches Institut (Frankfurt 1961), p. 568. The role of the school as shaper of Gesellschaft 167, is discussed by Gesellschaft, Dahrendorf, pp. values and attitudes the influence Caution, however, should be used in stressing 3425 344ff. institutions the German on ready acceptance of cruelty authoritarian of SS It be behaviour by the demonstrated of many officers. should as "danger 65% Milgram's the to the that subjects of who pushed recalled lever were "normal" middle class Americans who were not raised life" The experiment was repeated German environment. in an authoritarian including Germany, and similar in several countries, results were obtained everywhere. 116 -0 > a, 4-) UD F-- rý CY3 u-) CIJ m ýM CD r-_ CD CD -c C-, . CO a) cz (A C.) ý t. C,',i ge cýU CD L', ýM 1 r-_ c*IJ ýM r- CD 1 C%%i 1 CD Cý C, CD n m 1 r- S.- Q) -&!2 -c 4) CD cý c"i m C\i re) Lr) (D') CD C1U C\i C1U Lrý 0 OD c; Ln CD C\i CD CD 4) to r-. qe cn U, ci C-) 44(J) (I, (0 CD - la ý113 00 ý t. LO rý: cý CI%i C\i cý m; 1. -: CD ýIt c; cý cý CD -0 LU r- Liý > a, F- . r-f-) (11 +i r- r(1) 0 ro -a r=0 r-- r-0 <C :3 (L) (n - C) ýa) c (1) > 4-) 4-J LU LU (7) Ul V) -4-3 (A (0 S.:3 (1) tö S.0 -Z3 C-D :: D :: D 4-) (0 r--- Z -0 (0 in C:z -i -i Ci- 2c C: ý CD 117 minimum education non-.Abitur for acceptance in the German officer of the SS will officers who had the Abitur. Third Reich's political elite requisites. that of its reliability 2 corps, be examined separately the from those Thus 56.2% of the sampled Fbhrerkorps of the , force did not possess the Abitur. These findings Hbhne's contention support 1 the SS placed FUhrerkorps greater emphasis on than on educational pre- Table 5.1 also shows that 8.9% of the sampled FUhrer gave the Abitur as the highest of the officers claimed educational university achievement, while 30.1% graduation with either a Staatsexamen or the doctorate. If a comparison is made between the educational the sampled SS Fbhrerkorps with that of German society that the educated of society corps of the Schutzstaffeln officer official only stratum survey conducted an elementary school to have achieved claimed an Abitur. discrepancy 3 When it was heavily prior in 1962,82% education. the mittlere overrepresented to 1939. A further Reife, of one must conclude According of the German population comes to the university between the percentage distribution in the to an had 13% of German citizens and only 5% could boast graduate category, of graduates the in the sampled SS 1 When a few officer cadets were admitted to the German army, 1900 Solz in had Abitur, Kultusminister Trott v. complained zu who no die lung 1900 ". FrUjahr Einstel Fahnenjunker he ab vom als when wanted ..die das der Primareife Zeugnis besitzen, jungen Leuten nicht von beschr9nkt wissen. " Ten years later the dispensation given to some Abitur highly in the the criticized was without applicants officer in Karl Demeter, Das deutsche Offizierskorps Military Cabinet. (Frankfurt 1650-1945,4th 1965). Staat, Gesellschaft edition und p. 96ff. 2 Hbhne, The Order, 3 p. 446. (Allensbach 1958-1964 1965). Jahrbuch fbr Demoskopie, Institut 90% German had the the turn the Around of century 4. of population p. 11. Engelmann, German Education, p. only an elementary school education. 118 officer corps and the percentage of university German society is even more starkly sampled Fbhrerkorps were university graduates found in revealed. Whereas 30.1 % of the graduates, only 2.5% of German in 1962 had completed a course of studies at a recognized 1 In the light university. of these data one has to conclude that society SS during the pre-war years of the educated 'elite If was able to attract distribution compared to the educational officers than the total of university branchess of the other patterns The distribution branch of the SS registered percentage that corps sample is of the pattern SS (A/SS) as shown in Table 5.1 shows that A/SS had fewer non-.Abitur part-time of the total distribution are found. variations Allgemeine percentage of Germany. the educational considerable a considerable the the while corps sample,, the with 37.9% the highest educated officers of any branch. This suggests the A/SS provided for a large number of educated Germans the necessary of demands. society and 'elitist political that It from providing soon became apparent the privilege UntersturmfUhrer respectability with the least to the educated segment in German least black the of wearing uniform with at rank badges opened many career possibilities social amount respectability in a society aside where anyone who in have bed-room had the to be to a closet. uniform somebody wanted 2 1 für Demoskopie, Jahrbuch, p. 4. See also, Dahrendorf, Institut 97. Gesellschaft, p. 2 by Zuckmayer in Der Hauptmann von KÖpenick, The view portrayed "Aber der Mensch fängt erst beim Leutnant an, " was still widely held in pre-1939 Germany. NeusOss-Hunkel wrote about the Allgemeine SS that it served as a "Sammelbecken" for various people, one of the most Ansehen, Beziehungen Geld "Beschaffung von und und important reasons "... dass 15. Kater SS., Die wrote, p. Auslesemöglichkeiten der der Anfang des Mittelstandes, Vertreter gegen oberen manch ein (continued .... ) 119 The Totenkopf had only officers distribution officers an elementary The educational education. that administered that camps shows not only almost men, but also were non--Abitur highest shows that 43% of that branch's school of the officers pattern concentration (TV) distribution that this the notorious 75% of the sampled TV branch contained percentage of elementary school educated officers. findings support Hunkel, statements the previously made statements not based on quantitative of the SS Neusbss-Hunkel These by Kautsky and NeusUss- research. Kautsky's agreed with the In her study assessment of the den stumpfsten when he wrote that he found "... 1in 11 that branch of the SS. While und f aul sten Te i1 der Bevb 1kerung ... concentration camp guards, the percentage kopfverbAnde of university sight it in that graduates in the TV. the majority doctorates The other to find fact branch warrants analysis sciences (23.3%) of university of these cases revealed holding a doctorate doctorates with a few and in anatomy and physiology. by the distribution revealed At first some comment. held the Dr. med. degree, between officers those graduates without high in the Toten- branches of the SS, the percentage However, a closer in the biological large difference was unusually such high percentage of graduates interesting doctorates officers compared to the other is surprising graduates that of non-Abitur (4.4%). held a Staatsexamen or a pattern is the (18.9%) and Most of the officers without in pharmacology or the Entwicklung mit Besorgnis verfolgte, Jahre die politische dreissiger der Mitglied dass man, um sich abzusichern, gerade nicht vielleicht äusserlich der der SA, NSDAP, wohl aber weniger noch egalitären "Zum " Kater, SS sollte. werden und gut organisierten attraktiven des der Sozialgeschichte in SS SA Verhältnis von und gegenseitigen für Sozial-und " Vierteljahrsschrift 1925-1939, von Nationalsozialismus 357. p. Wirtschaftsqeschichte, 1 NeusUss-Hunkel, Die SS, p. 55. 120 biological officers little with degrees. graduates among the sampled TV This suggests that the Totenkopfverbande held graduates on the whole, unless their university had provided them with skills which they could put to use the most macabre experiments on the captive performing will for attraction education pigs. There were no jura sciences. A closer look at the Totenkopf officers of non-Abitur distribution officers, for the SD shows a low percentage a high percentage and conversely, both doctorate graduates, and non-doctorate. branches, the A/SS and the SD had the highest graduates within a collecting some time. their ranks. for point While "intellectuals" many 11 ... qualities: percentage That the security intellectuals of all were attracted service sorts of university of the SS was has been recognized for accepted the fact to the SD, he, nevertheless, concerning the officers' der Intellekt of university Compared to the other Kogon in his study of the SS Staat expressed scepticism blieb who held doctorates be taken below. The educational that human guinea real intellectual der Intellektuellsten unter ihnen ganz und gar auf die wirksame Förderung des SS-Staats-Systems die Ausführung zweckentsprechender Massnahmenbeschränkt. 111 und auf Hbhne was of the opinion intellectuals that whose object the improvement of National 11 the refuge for National the SD attracted was both "... Socialism. " Socialism's a group of young NS professional advancement and Thus the SD soon became most intelligent ,2 men. 1 definition If one accepts Lipset's Kogon, Der SS Staat, p. 351. help but Lipset, Kogon. Said intellectual, cannot one agree with of an betrachtet, die Kultur, "Ich habe als Intellektuelle alle diejenigen Kunst, Wissenschaft d. h. die symbolische Welt des Menschen, einschliesslich " Dahrendorf, Gesellschaft Religion, verteilen anwnden. und schaffeng und 309. Demokratieg p. und 2 Hbhne., The Order, p. 211. 121 The military different branch of the SS, the VerfOgungstruppe, distribution educational branches of the SS. the VT contained pattern The major differences compared with the other are, that the FUhrerkorps of the lowest percentage of officers Volksschulb Only the fact the total of the other branches. Other notable differences VerfUgungstruppe contained degree, university by far Another The subject was raised after in its of the educational rank in that advocating branch. an Abitur criterium category education trained some warrants from the recently Fbhrerkorps. standards senior in the VerfOgungstruppe Waffen SS officers, for selection Thus, whereas the regular for a of university According to these two high ranking Waffen SS officers, education of Abitur holding Paul Hausser and SS Obergruppenfbhrer important was not an the was the only branch of the SS that the war by two former OberstgruppenfUhrer percentage having graduated to have these graduates claim officers achievement, percentage educational the VerfUgungstruppe created occur in the Abitur 2.1% of the officers With 7.6% of the officers comment. up to the level With 34.6% of its the highest With only had attended a officers educational the VT hadthelowest of any branch. officers could as the highest of any branch. officers of non-Abitur graduate categories. the Abitur claiming with only a that more officers secondary school brings and the university shows a their officer Felix SS Steiner. formal to commissioned armed forces were still candidates, 1 the newly 1 like Generaloberst Ritter Some senior army officers, v. Leeb,, des "Verw9sserung Offizierskorps" because they the complained about in the felt that more importance was placed on political conviction than Wehrmacht rather standards. on educational officers, of selection Der Zweite Weltkrieg in Chronik und Hans Adolf Jacobsen, 1939-1945: (Darmstadt 04. 1961 Dokumenten 122 created military branch of the SS waived this long as the potential prowess' officer and was politically formal requirement, could demonstrate above average physical 2 reliable. The statement in November 1937 that over 40% of the pre-war had not matriculated, 3 study, is in essence borne out by this It that is the author's contention, 50% of the sampled VT officers deviation from accepted an equally important of the VT officers the Abitur. fact practices made by Himmler VerfUgungstruppe however, that, had no Abitur quantitative while the fact in the process of officer the rigorous look at the officers officers was a significant which must not be overlooked who completed A closer as officer selection, is that training 1/3 over did have of the VerfUgungstruppe will be taken below. At this point the study intends to look at the educational levels 1 Steiner described how he created a force of military athletes, in 20 minutes, that could, for instance, soldiers march three kilometers Steiner, Wehrmacht officers. Die Armee der a feat that even surprised Geachteten, p. 92. 2 Paul Hausser, Soldaten Wie Andere Auch (OsnabrOck 1966), p. 22. had abandoned many of the traditional That the VerfUgungstruppe army H6hne Heinz in by Steiner with a conversation ways was also emphasized 446. The Order, 1966. Hbhne, 28 January p. on 3 Stein, The Waffen SS, p. 13. When Himmler stated in November he undoubtedly had no Abitur, 1937, that some 40% of the VT officers have but Abitur included in this all those officers may who without an interprets in his book this Stein Gymnasium. statement as attended a 1938 had before "... 40% the candidates accepted officer of meaning hand, " Hbhne, the states other on only an elementary school education. German version of Der Orden unter den Totenkop in his original 11 ... kein 412. " der Abitur, 40% Junker besassen 1938 p. vor This his interpretation Hbhne's has quantitative evaluated and accepted writer findings accordingly. Stein's do this The quantitative agree with study not of results had VT the 40% that officers only an elementary school of statement 17.7% VT that the 5.1 Table officers only of sampled shows education. further 32.4% had an elementary school education, attended a while a secondary school. 123 of the SS officers the SS. in relation to the time period Table 5.2 shows that the non-Abitur in which they joined officers predominated Table 5.2 in the pre-1933 officers gradually those officers who joined that Although declines the percentage between 1925 and 1933, (from 91.8% for with an SS number under 1000 to 71.7% for those officers had the most noticeable effect could not only officers took place in the university of non-Abitur dropped from 71.1% for post-Machtergreifung graduate while after change to this study's to 41.9% for in the university sample, the immediate graduate The distribution categories thus in Table 5.2 suggests that the educated stratum of German refrained Hitler from committing itself to National Socialism until had achieved power. The trend after of Thus the percentage the SS, according the 1931 to 1933 period period, dramatic categories. the percentage increased from 18.2% to 44.1%. society in January 1933. the SS, but an equally joining officers the Machtergreifung of the quality be measured in terms of the percentage joining non-Abitur on the educational effect doubt, was, without outlined of non-Abitur the SS between January 1931 and January 1933) the event FUhr Its intakes. of thousands of Germans rushing January 1933 is a well-known fact. to join the NSDAP The number of "Mdrzgefallene" in imposed May be had Aufnahmesperre to that a general was so great 1933.1 The fact that National Socialism was so readily embraced by 1 from 1933 1 1933 May NSDAP January the 30 grew Between and Der Broszat, 1.6 Martin members. million 850,000 to approximately Verfassunc Entwicklung Grundle un und seiner inneren Staat Hitlers; (Nbrdlingen 1969), P. Zbj. 124 -0 C) LO CY) 0 cy') C\i Cý C\j C\i 4:zj- C) clý C\j C\j q*- C\i C:) C; C\j m Cý clý C) 0') C\j r- 110 CD 4--) U. j Lor) < 0 t.0 CY) C\j . - CY) 9-t- C\j CC) r- c: r- CD *) CY) C) -0 0) E LO 4 C\i Fa) 0 4-) Ol CNJ Cý CZIr_: m CC) CD 1-1; C:) I... 4 ýz r-ý I j -, r- C. C:) r- LU V) CY) 00 r-_ 00 m 4-) cly) C) C) C) C) CD ce) Cý C) 00 cn CY) Of c . rC) CY) Lf) r.. C\j r- 44CD V) V) 40 c)4 Cý C\j Cý m clý 00 Lf') co C\j m C\; clý r-ý 00 CY) C) Cý C) C\; LLJ V) Q- C\j w > a) C\j C) I C\; -J LO r- C**j I-. C) - -0 LU C" . LC) S- >) :3 S- 0 (0 h- 4--) C (1) L) :3> -0 U-i 4-) W -i Wo0 = L) rL.Li (de) 00 u 0 -(-- (L) U V) V) -0 c C:: 1 (a 4--) C: 00 s- :3 4-3 r-M <C -0 ci -0 S. - c(1) Q) > 4-3 -r4-) a :::c =D >) Ln (1) -0 4-) (1) -P (o S- 4--) (Z S- a) =3 > -a o tio -rS- = -P L) 0 (D =D cm >) 4-) V) r- C) V) 4-) S- (z (1)-0=3 M> 4-3 -r0c CO S- ZD C-D C) CL c:::c CC iC: ) F- 125 Germany's Akademiker has been commented on by Joachim Fest. In The Face of the Third Reich Fest expressed genuine amazement at the success that such a "... blatently anti-intellectual movement"' as National Socialism enjoyed among German intellectuals. As far as the SS membership was concerned, it for recruitment for the SS, and that 2 reasons, various Table Abitur officers percentage 5.2 shows that remains of officers with that the years joined January after Reich held a university a university the first it Ka such alte 1920. studied comes as no surprise Boepple, as Dr. Ernst 1 Fest, the to 44% during at about 34% during off seventeen months of the Third should be of interest at this point who some of these men were. to find among the joiners of the SS 3a Boepple, member of the Party since who came from an upper middle modern languages rises of non- Since 44% of the sampled officers to demonstrate through case histories It education and then levels degree, 1933 the percentage around the 40% mark, while 1934 to 1939. the SS during 60,000 SS men were dismissed eventually constant the 1933 to 1934 period, Phase III, is no secret that Himmler had to stop and history The Face of the Third class home background, at the Universities Reich, of Tbbingen, p. 376. 2 Hbhne, The Order, p. 142; see also, John Steiner, Power Politics in National Socialist Germany; A Process of and Social (Atlantic Escalation into Mass_C_hange Distruction Highlands, New Jersey 1976) Lehrgang der Wehrmacht p. 67. Said Himmler to the Nationalpolitischer in January 1937, "So hatte ich im April /1933/ die SS wieder so weit am Zügel, dass ich sagte: es wird niemand mehr aufgenommen, und wir haben dann von Ende 1933 bis Ende 1935 von den Neuaufgenommenen wieder alles In diesen Jahren habe ich etwa das herausgesetzt, was nichts taugte. 60.000 Männer herausgesetzt. " IMT, vol. xxix, doc. 1992 (A)-PS, p. 210. 3 SS Oberf0hrer Personnel File: in Reutlingen. BDC. born 30.11.1887, Dr. Ernst Boepple, SS #16698389 126 Paris, Oxford and London. The First he completed in 1919 in Munich. into contact War interrupted his studies, It was in 1919 that Boepple first the DAP (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei). with which came With the decision to i oi n the party in November 1919, he became one of the ". 91testen .. des FUhrers. "l Due to his long-standing party affiliation Gefolgsleute his in the civil rise Although he only OberfUhrer service joined in April 2 seemed imminent. the SS in February 1935. beim General gouverneur But it an investigation him dealing heavily Boeppl e. instructions this the 55-year-old into in the local 4 ei ne ausgesprochene Although "den Fall entries file 1 Official Letter die SS enquiry beim Reichsführer-SS against was, pol i ti sche Entschei dung des ... Scherff .5 there of Boepple which suggests At any rate, of "Staatssekretgr biography and found in the sale especially Boepple im Auge zu behalten in the personnel administrator In 1942 the of Boepple, Himmler gave Gruppenführer matter was not prusued any further. 2 Kampfer. the activities black market, to SS Brigadefbhrer of a senior alte The assessment of the SS-Richter Reichsführer-SS. further the life appeared that Staatssekretar Although Himmler "... h9lt B. fbr gasoline. 3 .. he was unwilling launch an official to ... thi s was "... that 1934, he was promoted to in Polen, " and his promotion SS launched ungeeignet 1933 was rapid. In 1940 Boepple was made "... in Poland was too good for of illegal and in the SS after the tide that of the Beopple. " Ibid. dated 8 October 1941. Dr. Ernst to. Chef des SS Personalhauptamtes, are no Ibid. 3 "Vermerk Betr.: SS-Oberführer Boepple, " dated 21 July 1943. Ibid. 4 23 July Letter of SS-Richter Ibid. 1943. 5Ibid. to Chef des SS Personalhauptamtes, dated 127 war had turned, his Position and the approaching Russians would soon cancel forever as ,Staatssekretar Another FUhrerkorps educated Kolb was also born into was a successful and obtained his Abitur He was commissioned experience the outbreak activity philosopher of National to join in 1912. the regular of the First the Gymnasium however, not to go to army as an officer in August 1914, just War. Kolb.! his father environment; Kolb attended He chose, entered It cadet. in time to the war, was only after Kolb undertook university studies. began in 1922 when he met Rosenberg, the hazy Socialism, the Party. row of the Putchists class businessman. the army,, that His political induced an upper middle the of power, was Richard seizure Second Lieutenant he had left and after Hitler's and well-to-do and instead university, Kampfer who found his way into alte of the SS after beim Generalgouverneur. " 2 and through him were dropped. press and radio, describing was On 9 November 1923 he walked in the front and was briefly 3 his influence In the late 1920's imprisoned before charges against Kolb worked actively his work "Mein Kampf galt 1 Personnel File: SS Obersturmbannfbhrer SS #60,827, born 29.6.1891, in Bamberg. BDC. for the Nazi besonders den Richard Kolb, 2 Kolb wrote a highly dramatic version of the events on 9 An example of his writing. November 1923 and his role therein. "Vor der Postenkette lagen Tote und Verwundete, mitten unter ihnen mein der Diener Ludendorffs, Bruder Ich erkannte Bauriedl, von und .... Scheubner-Richter. Einer presste sich an den Randstein, wurde aber der bei jedem Körper Treffer anderen zuckte eines mehrmals getroffen, das " der "Lebenslauf" Auf Strasse Blut. schwamm of von neuem empor .... Richard Kolb, Ibid. 3 Harold 475. p. later dropped Indictments against Kolb and his brother. were (Princeton Beer Hall Putsch 1972), the Gordons Jr. , Hitler and It 128 klerikalen Einflüssen where he became "... "1 Rundfunk. am kommisarischer In 1932 Kolb was called Intendant der Berliner to Berlin Funkstunde. ,2 In 1934 "... schied ich aus dem Rundfunk infolge persönlicher 3 Meinungsverschiedenheiten ý, it aus , and was from then on that he began to devote dividends, rich for himself to the study someone to fill the chair Kolb was found to be Science to the army with 4 Kolb in 1941 Cross. Knights the and was awarded Kampfer to reach senior of being one of the few alte decoration army and earn a in the regular rank bravery. it While should National Socialists, SS after January to find not come as a surprise a sound educational with 1933, what is surprising is the number of educated prior or affiliations 5 Calliebe, One of these men was Otto Calliebe. his father's occupation " "Kaufmann, obtained as to study He then proceeded Berlin Marburg, at lost quite interests have had any political foreign and Greifswald- languages, archeology "Lebenslauf" 2 of Richard not to openly to their joining described who his Abitur in 1912. and religion In the Great War he was a flier, East. Middle in down the he was shot an arm when 1 long committed background in the 1934 in 1933 SS to the claiming and men who came date. looked Jena at Universitat In 1939 Kolb returned the rare distinction had, therefore,, for of Military candidate. the rank of major,, This soon paid science. in 1936 when the Schiller for the most suitable of military Kolb. Personnel File: After and his return Richard Kolb. Ibid. 31bid. 4 Korps, Schwarze Das 5Personnel born 15.5-1893, 1 June 1944, "TrAger des Ritterkreuzes. SS Oberf0hrer Otto Calliebe, File: BDC. Randow. Krs. Z011chow, in 11 SS 1111276,650, 129 from the war he completed Calliebe his Staatsexamen and the Padagogische entered the teaching days and was a Studienrat gives no indication National Socialism, Unterrichtslektor by the time Hitler how he came to be attracted itische die National pol an His sole politischen Partei political statement 3 angehört. a reputation Soon after acquired quite released from the SS in 1934 ". as an ardent the rank of Oberfbhrer " Erziehungsanstalten. 1933 wurde ich als "Vor 1933 habe ich keiner was: 1933, however, Calliebe Nazi and although , he was he re-applied der National pol iti schen "Vizeinspektor was Thus the man who claimed affiliations I K8slin Erziehungsanstalt ist"A C. einarmig weil .. Calliebe 5 to By November 1944, when he was promoted to in 1936. and was re-admitted Calliebe came to power. "Im Juli he merely stated berufen. .2 any political during the Weimar Republic profession in his Lebenslauf Prbfunq. 1 in 1933 not to have had had come a long way in the political of the Third Reich. hierarchy Rudolf to no party 6 Bbhmer also prior to 1933. the Gymnasium and obtained 1 Handwritten stated in his Lebenslauf that Born the son of a bookkeeper, the Abitur "Lebenslauf" in 1930. he had belonged he attended He participated of Otto Calliebe. in no Ibid. 21bid. 3 #2,652,486. 1933, in May NSDAP party joined the Calliebe Calliebe. file: Master card personnel 4 Personalhauptamt, SS to Schulpforta A. E. P. Letter from N. Ibid. 1936. dated 22 April 5 Letter to Chef des SS Personalhauptamtes, dated 9 October 1944. Ibid. 6 Bbhmer, Rudolf Dr. SturmbannfOhrer SS Personnel File: BDC. Frankenthal/Saarpfalz. in 9.5.1910, born SS #156,386, 130 Political during activities the final did he belong to any political indication Weimar Republic, the of years The first student organizations. of his willingness to accept National Socialism occurred in 1934 when he became a student of Karl Alexander von MUller, of history at Munich and President a man described as "... Hitler "' power. for attained a leading After of the Bavarian long before his Dr. phil., completing a professor Academy of Science, historian pro-Hitlerite nor Bbhmer worked a few years as a secondary school teacher, before becoming a full2 time. SS FUhrer in the SD. In the SD B8hmer supervised the political teaching in the secondary schools, "Chef des Amtes Erziehung in the SD, the erstwhile and was liaison officer ,3 im Erziehungsministerium. disinterested politically 11 weltanschaulich that he was recommended for positiv the By his superiors B8hmer was considered in his work " and so successful gefestigt, promotion with to StUrmbannfUhrer at the age of 33. joined As a final educated person who example of an apolitical 5 be Gritzbach Erich Dr. 1933, the should the SS after January case of mentioned. during Gritzbach the last few months prior years that to the outbreak First the of World War. a In the four Cross Iron the he Front was awarded he fought at the Western 2 Handwritten Bbhmer. 3 secure surroundings Abitur his Wilhelmine decade of the era, completed 1 Weinreich, Rudolf who was raised in financially "Beurteilung" Hitler's Professors, "Lebenslauf" 45. p. of Rudolf B8hmer. Personnel 1943. 27 March dated Bbhmer, of File: Ibid. Ibid. 5 Erich Dr. OberfUhrer SS File: Personnel BDC. Forst/Lausitz. in born 12.7.1897, Gritzbach, SS #885174S 131 and was given a battle the Grenzschutz Dr. sc. pol. field in 1919, Gritzbach from the University 1932 he served Lebenslauf, as a senior became interested Reich is: civil servant " 2 Gritzbach of the Third in 1924.1 From 1924 until 3 (Regierungsrat). In his The first when he first reference mich Ministerpräsident ernannte his and obtained gave no indication Socialism. Referenten zu seinem persönlichen a few weeks with spending university of Tbbingen in National "Am 24.3.1934 Staatsministerium. entered in 1935,, Gritzbach written After commission. und Pressechef to the Third General GÖring im Preussischen remained on Gbring's staff until the "... das out A Buch Hermann Gbring, Werk und Mensch, vielgelesene and an unquestioning 5 flattering biography of his boss. After the war Gritzbach found a job collapse with Reich, the Internationale Montanunion at a monthly /ýritzbach7muss er Since 1955, however, From the above histories the SS shortly after salary von einer 1,60ODM. of 'mageren' leben. .6 Pension von 1.300DM monatlich joined in 1938 brought and it Hitler's was seen that seizure the educated men who from alte ranged of power 1 joined the Gritzbach Ibid. Gritzbach. Erich "Lebenslauf" of file: Master #3,473,289. 1933, card of personnel NSDAP in April party Erich Gritzbach. 2 his in Mosley Leonard Ibid. Gritzbach. "Lebenslauf" of Erich Dr. Gbring "For his chose Gbring staff own biography states, of recent 151. (New 1974), York Marshal p. Erich Gritzbach. " Leonard Mosely, The Reich 3 4 Berliner Völkischer 5 Z9 14 September 1956. Beobachter (Berliner "Ohne Kommentar. 11 Ausgabe), 6 March 1938. (München 1938). Aufsätze Reden Göri_ng; Hermann und Gritzbach, Erich _ 6 Berlin When 1956. the 14 September courts Zeitung, Berliner in failed he to Gritzbach, appear against initiate proceedings to tried to he had lawyer prove his that evidence through new He announced court. (Entlastungsmaterial). his innocence 132 Kdmpfer, whom one would expect interests., Political party. Yet it interests, if received their to join, or who could has also to men who had shown no previous not claim been shown that the men served their membership in a political regardless of past political and faithfully, new masters well they due rewards. The Eins_atzgruppen Officers: In the autumn of 1947 Brigadier General Telford Taylor, the US Chief Counsel for War Crimes, stated: These defendants are not German peasants or artisans drafted into the Wehrmacht. They are not uneducated juveniles. They are lawyers, teachers, artists, and They are, in short, men of a former clergyman. education, who were in full possession of their faculties and who fully understood the grave and sinister significance of the program they embarked upon. They were part of the hard-core of the SS They were .... hand-picked fanatics, everyone of them an officer of the 1 SS. General Taylor Einsatzgruppen made this trial were charged with averaged at the opening proceedings statement SS in former 23 the NUrnberg members of which at the murder of 1 million Einsatz_gruppen the which search for This high number persons. day for 1,350 to a murders out about in constant of the the two year period of the SD raced across the eastern new victims. The fact that during territories the men who headed from "... in the Kommandos majority the Einsatzgruppen came and 2 Hbhne, According to longer .. is intellectual a secret. no professions "The Jew liquidators in fact were a curious academics, ministerial qualified officials, collection of highly lawyers, and even a 1 93-94. Kommandos, Eichmann The pp. Musmanno,. 2 H6hne, The Order, p. 357. 133 Protestant and an opera singer. " priest The role extermination be looked process early It is, age of 24.3 and the year himself strictly to join he felt the elimination in the Lutheran to be relieved prosecutor his Dr. jur. at the take-over of power, the educated middle faith. class, 1931, as a In July the Nazi party, and in 1934 in the SS, and later he was 32 he already 4 the SD, was held the rank of in 1947 Braune stated At his trial inferior of the racially immediate at times eastern residents, but that Although he was on good terms with Otto superior of his awful that demanded FUhrer the order which about misgivings" he could do nothing about it. his Dr. Werner Braune was born into Wilhelmine of and was in command of an Einsatzkommando in the some "inner Ohlendorf, the SS. His rise 18 of the 23 that was the 38-year-old he had obtained of the late the SS. Obersturmbannfbhrer area. fact shall in Nbrnberg were graduates at the age of 22 he joined By the time that Simpferopol trial that he joined surroundings and was raised he decided a disturbing undesirables That was in the year of Hitler's before comfortable rapid. indeed, in the vast played and racially One of the defendants who prided law student SS officers of politically at the Einsatzgruppen universities. Braune, the educated at next. defendants 2 that 1 duties. he never requested why officer, Braune never once requested To the question a transfer, by the American Braune replied "Herr I Ibid. 2 Werner Braune, Dr. Obersturmbannfbhrer SS File: Personnel BDC. in Mehrstadt/Thbringen. 11.4.1909, SS #107,, 364, born 3 143. Kommandos, Eichmann The p. Musmanno, Ibid. 134 Ohlendorf would have considered me a shirker. testified at the same trial sufficient order occasion in their inner the executions that in " ... " Thus, on the part In his opening Ohlendorf, however, two and a half years I had to see how many of my opinion. 1 did not agree to this I forbade the participation in of these men and sent them back to Germany. ,2 statement Ferenz spoke of the killing to the tribunal the US Chief Prosecutor of 33,000 Jews in Kiev in two days. Ferenz this act an amazing feat "... even among the ghastly records of 3 the Einsatzgruppen. " This act of mass murder was carried out under the called general direction Brigadefbhrer 'C, ' the former SS of the commander of Einsatzgruppe 4 Dr. Dr. Otto Rasch. This senior SS officer who held a Dr. phi 1. in economics as well Wittenberg. as a Dr. j ur. , was the one-time Rasch was considered Hitler's extermination I Ibid., one of the most brutal programme, who frequently mayor of executants of appeared at the execution p. 144. 2 It has been demonstrated on several occasions that it was possible to avoid transfer Professor Six, on trail to an Einsatzkommando. at Nbrnberg from an that it was possible to request a transfer after the war, stated, Einsatzkommando, "At least no one was ever shot for doing so. " Robert (MUnchen 1964), p. 284. According to Robert Kempner, SS im Kreuzverhbr, Weida, refusal to obey the order to shoot innocent people had no more demotion front. Robert to transfer the than or serious consequences in polizeilicher Sicht, " Gewaltverbrechen Weida, "National sozial istische 329-335. On 1966, the subject of refusing Kriminalistik, vii, pp. vol. in mass executions, to participate see also, Herbert Jgger, Verbrechen unter GewaltStudien zur nationalsozialistischen Herrschaft: totalitarer See also, Hans (Freiburg 1967), pp. 64-67,68-71,152-157. kriminialitat Wochenschrift, Welzel,, "Gesetzmassige Judent6tungen, " Neue Juristische 19 March 1964, pp. 521-568; also, Konrad Redeker, "Bewaltigung der Wochenschrift, 11 " Juristische der Neue Justiz. Aufgabe Vergangenheit als hanged Landsberg Braune 1951, Werner June 8 On at 1964. prison. was June 264. Kommandos, Eichmann The p. Musmanno, 3 4 Ibid., 241. p. SS BrigadefUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Friedrichsruh. 7.12.1891, born Dr. Dr. Otto Rasch, SS #10791005 135 sites to direct financially a tile the operation secure and brick at great length, defendants. a fact At the trial in a was the owner of Rach reminisced about his youth which made him one of the more interesting taught him to love his country, care to point one had to show "respect last statement, 1 for how everyone knew that yet hunting the Creator his father that was not just took killing, .2 and His creatures. in the courtroom, who heard he was charged with 75,000 people, asked himself, of his father, "to respect the Creator and His creatures" how could this and to love and respect Rasch stated out to him that Judge Musmanno described Rasch's His father environment. and how to hunt properly. particular and that factory. He was born and raised He recounted how he was educated as a devout Christian how his father nature, and stable in person. the murder of the teachings man reconcile with the Everyone waited for an answer. murderous acts committed in the east. 3 But no answer was forthcoming. Since the war Rasch suffered from Parkinson's Disease, Einsatzgruppen it decided was which by 1947 had virtually commander. He was too ill to postpone trial crippled to give further proceedings against the one-time evidence Rasch. and He died 1 Musmanno, The Eichmann Kommandos, pp. 243-44. 2 of hunting Rasch Asked what he meant by the moral principles individual, the demanded that German in the even "Hunting sense replied, his in his obligations area, realizes if he is completely unobserved from is he to that everything which refrain toward the creatures, and it is that during time the instance prohibited for these, shooting violates her, her only shooting and need ones the young when mother shooting of " it. Ibid. for to passion deliberation ones satisfy not on careful 3 during Rasch that trial by the brought was, One item not out home to Ukrainian home at girl who was work servant a the war had brought local the later at time A short complaints arrived for his wife. the Rasch's the mistreating that severely were to the effect Arbeitsam the that the such proportions reached girl of The maltreatment girl. File: Personnel the take intervene away. girl to had and Arbeitsamt Otto Rasch. 136 from the effects of the disease on I November 1948. Regardless SS StandartenfUhrer executions with Biberstein, 4 executions, his of their background or education, Paul Blobel 2 who actually carried be it out 33,000 3 Komando, or the SS Obersturmbannfbhrer who as a former minister insisted and still the architect Ernst supervised thousands of at Nbrnberg that he "did not sin against the Commandmentsof Love, 115or the SS Sturmbannfbhrer Waldemar Klingelhoefer, Russia ordered had left all 6 who had been a professional and who in the immediate the ghetto execution of 30 Jews simply because they 7 they at Tatresch and gone home to their families, showed a remarkable charged with. opera singer, callousness concerning Judge Musmannostated that the acts which they were he had no difficulties in 1 Musmanno, The Eichmann Kommandos, p. 245. 2 SS StandartenfUhrer Personnel File: born 13.8.1894,, in Potsdam. BDC. Paul Blobel, SS #29,100, 3 Musmanno, The Eichmann Kommandos, p. 156. Blobel was hanged 264. Ibid. 8 1951. June Landsberg p. prison on at 5 4 Ernst Biberstein, SS Obersturmbannfbhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Hildenbach Krs. Siegen. SS #272,692, born 15.2.1899, 5Musmanno, The Eichmann Kommandos, p. 207. Although sentenced S. U. by the imprisonment life to to death, the sentence was commuted 264. Ibid., McCloy. for Germany, p. High Commissioner 6 Klingelhoefer, Waldemar SturmbannfUhrer SS File: Personnel BDCin Moscow. 4.4.1900, born #52,704, SS 7 Klingelhoefer's 210. Kommandos, Eichmann The p. Musmanno, S. by High U. the imprisonment life to death sentence was commuted death That 264. Ibid., McCloy. so many Germany, p. to Commissioner due the to put on pressure was reduced sentences were eventually German such Adenauer groups, by pressure other McCloy and Commissioner and politicians. academics organizations, dignitaries, women's as church ), (New 208. 1961 York Nazis Old the p. Germany New and The Tetens T. . Adenauer's to be death out, carried were the sentences before The night Mr. Speidel to Heusinger see Generals came and the advisers, military Thayer Mr. to They diplomat. a convey liaison S. asked U. Charles Thayer, hanged., Landsberg "If the were McCloy, at prisoners Commissioner to message The Thayer, " illusion. Charles East the an was against ally Germany as an 233-34. (New 1957), York pp. ýaqRýiet Germans 137 a decision reaching 11 or innocence of the accused, but on the guilt me as a human being was the question as to how and what troubled men should have strayed so far and so completely why such well-schooled from the teachings of their which many defendants education received, out the murder of thousands; carrying Not only did the good childhood-"' made them more capable of carrying not prevent them from their on the contrary, out their education tasks in a more efficient manner. The Concentration CampDoctors: der War man einmal in die Behandlungsmaschinerie Opfer jederzeit konnte Reviere geraten, ein man so Der "Forschungs" vorhaben werden. ehrgeiziger Schlimmste in dieser Hinsicht war im Lager Buchenwald 2 Eisele. Dr. Zweifel ohne While one shares Judge Musmanno's thoughts have strayed men could their childhood" concentration and so completely the is saddest chapter perhaps camps in the administration How a medical doctor like those prisoners doctors in the in the role and execution which of Hitler's depot at K. L. Auschwitz and from those immediately be who to gassed who were 1 246. Kommandos, Eichmann p. Musmanno,. The 2 of 3 Dr. Josef Mengele was able day after day to stand on the ramp of the train select from the teachings shown by some medical the barbarity educated men played 1aws. so far "how to such well-schooled as Staat, SS Der Kogon, p. 146. 3 Mengele, Josef Dr. Hauptsturmfbhrer SS Personnel File: BDC. in Gunzburg/Schwaben. 16.3.1911, born SS #317,885, 138 were to be worked to death, Mengele was born into Mengele studied stable spending Erbbiologie After to Kassel. SS-Standortarzt Mengele was known to be particularly who worked at the unloading platform, quick to one side. 1 5 It research instructions When these would tell zum Dr. med. .2 Institute Mengele was posted as Mengele versieht seinen 3 Auschwitz. ý, At Auschwitz and who were familiar interests, to children Mengele that fUr severe in his selections methods, 4 Prisoners to the gas chambers. sending whole transports to whisper at the University at Frankfurt, He zoology and ich in Frankfurt/Main Since May 1943 "... racial-biological was his Abitur (Universit8tsinstitut Race Research and bei der Dienststelle Mengele's completing his father of Munich, Bonn and Vienna. promovierte und Rassenhygiene) frequently surroundings; some time as an "Assistent" Biology "Truppenarzt" " to comprehend. from Munich in anthropology, In 1938 "... of Hereditary Dienst financially at the Universities his Dr. phil. physiology. After indeed, diffucult and a "Fabrikbesitzer. an engineer obtained is, 1 that sometimes found time looked somewhat alike. they were twins, was one way of escaping with he would put them the gas chambers. How many his his Mengele the that praise of severity was earned ihm "Mit hat Umsicht, Ausdauer Energie superiors. er alle und Aufgaben oft unter schwierigsten Voraussetzungen zur gestellten Auf Zufriedenheit Vorgesetzten vollkommensten erfüllt seiner .... das ihm Kriegsverdienstkreuz Grund seiner besonderen Leistungen, wurde dated 19 II. " "Beurteilung" Mengele, KI. /Schwertern verliehen. of August 1944. Ibid. It 2 Handwritten 3 "Beurteilung" 4 Weinreich, 5The "Lebenslauf" of Josef Mengele. Ibid. 1944. 19 dated August Mengele, Josef of Hitler's Professors, Ibid. p. 198. in Nazi Crimes Chief Commissioo for the Investigation of Poland. Concentration CampOswiecim-Brzezinka (Warsaw 1957), p. 88. On Mengele's role as a concentration camp doctor, see also, Dr. Filip (Warsaw 1945), pp. 61-62. Oswiecim Friedman, To Jest 139 real twins there were among Mengele's research subjects, of course, no one knows. Dr. Hannes Eisele' whom Kogon described as "den Schlimmsten" 2 in Buchenwald, was raised as a devout Catholic. of the SS doctors After his Dr. med. in 1935 Eisele worked for a while in a obtaining hospital. His career camp doctor as a concentration summer of 1940, when he was posted to Buchenwald. Buchenwald Kogon wrote: jede andere von SS-Arzten Eisele performed tea with prisoners starben the sick them. chloralhydrate. Doctors like the former at Kremer, who obtained wohl conducted to Kogon, on prisoners for no he would feed the "Die Herzschwachen was 5 er /Eisele7 ab. " The result SS Obersturmfbhrer to the noteriety contributed Eisele According operations bay was too full den Rest 'spritzte' Johann Kremer camps. and other sofort, 6 ,4 begangene Gemeinheit. amputations or if reason at all, Of Eisele "Seine Taten von 1940 bis 1943 übertrafen on humans, and then killed vivisections 3 began in the his Dr. phil. Dr. Dr. (habil) SS doctors the of in zoology at the in 1914, his 1 Dr. Hanns Eisele, SS HauptsturmfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Donauschingen. SS #237,421, born 13.3.1912, 2According to his personnel file there is no recorded his Eisele This suggests that Kirchenaustritt. severed never officially connection with the Catholic Church. 3 4 5 6 "Dienstlaufbahn" Eisele. Hanns of Kogon, Der SS Staat, Ibid. p. 146. Ibid. (habil) Johann Dr. Dr. SS ObersturmfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. b. K81n. in Stellberg 26.12.1883, born #262,703, SS Kremer, 140 Dr. med. in 1919 and his Dr. habil in 1929, was a physician at camp J. Oswiecim_from 1942 on. Professor After at the University the war this triple doctor, and a. o. of Mbnster since 1936, was charged with conducting 15 "Sonderaktionen"l meaning selections in Auschwitz 2 jargon. In addition to the "Sonderaktionen" Kremer was charged with conducting several "Xrztevorstellungen, those of the sick patients or, in camp jargon, " which meant that who were to be given the fatal 3 who were going to be "abgespritzt.. he selected injection, 1 The Polish War Crimes Commission found the diary which Kremer kept during his Auschwitz days. Excerpts from the diary may shed some light on what kind of a man he was. 2.9.1942. 5.9.1942 8.11.1942 At 3 o'clock, time present at a special was for the first (Sonderaktion). Compared with it, Dante's hell operation seems almost a comedy. No wonder Oswiecim is called an (Umsonst extermination camp. wird AusEhwitz nicht das Lager der Vernichtung genannt). Today, Sunday, an excellent dinner: Tomato soup, half chicken, with potatoes and red cabbage, ... and a lovely ice cream. At 8 p. m. was again present at a vanilla Sonderaktion. Another Sonderaktion this afternoon, the 14th which I have In the evening pleasant company in the attended here. FUhrerheim. The Bulgarian red wine and Croatian slivovitz. qhief Commission for Nazi War Crimes in Poland. Camp Oswiecim. pp. 83-84. C 21n 1960 a West German court found it difficult to establish the exact number of people Kremer had sent to the gas chambers. The files at Auschwitz showed that in 9 Sonderaktionen Kremer selected 7,735 people for the gas chambers. No records were available for the If the number of victims for each remaining 6 Sonderaktionen. Sonderaktion was roughly the same, then Kremer could have selected an the Since no exact figures were available, excess of 12,000 people. court charged Kremer with the death of 5,000 people. Langbein, Im Namendes deutschen Volkes, pp. 45-46. 3 According to witnesses Kremer selected between 20 to 60 sick be killed. Since be the to could not ascertained, exact number prisoners "Arztevorstellungen, it to the establish number of nor was possible the court declared that Kremer be charged with conducting 3 PYztevorstellKremer The 3 killing court sentenced prisoners on each occasion. ungen 5 years loss of civil to 10 years penitentiary, and it revoked rights, 178-179. Ibid., titles. his Doctor and Professorial pp. 141 Gerald Reitlinger in his history of The SS recounts how one day Himmler heard of a woman, who, married to a man 15 years her junior, sons. and who herself 1 The Reichsfbhrer-SS, join constantly interested to three in improving the of men and women "of pure blood, " sought out 2 wonder woman, and asked her husband, a Dr. Sigmund Rascher, to 3 This started the career of one of the most notorious the SS. reproductive this had passed the age of 48, gave birth capabilities SS doctors and experimenters uneventful youth. on human beings. As the son of a medical Rascher had a very doctor he enjoyed the comforts of an upper middle class home. According to his father, home life was a stable to Stuttgart later. one and financially The family moved at the end of World War I, and to Constance a few years Here Rascher completed to Freiburg, secure. the his Abitur. The young Rascher then went 4 It was at this time that where he took his Vorphysicum. 1 Reitlinger, The SS, p. 260. 2 Personnel File: SS HauptsturmfUhrer Dr. Sigmund Rascher,, SS #347,142, born 12.2.1909, in MUnchen. BDC. 3 The SS personnel file of Rascher does not support Reitlinger's It shows that Rascher married Nina Diehl nee Wiedemann, a widow, story. on 16 July 1941. At the time she was 39 years of age. She was, therefore, 6 years Rascher's senior. According to Rascher's Lebenslauf, written on 6 January 1944, there were three sons, which he claimed were the result Nina. The birth-dates of his relationship of two sons were, with November 1939 and April 1941. This would make Nina 37 and 39 when two of her sons were born. In her book, The Guest House; The Witnesses at Nuremberg, the Countess Kalnocky, who ran the quarters where the IMT witnesses were housed, recalled that one day an elderly giving his name as Dr. gentleman registered, father. Rascher. It turned out to be the Dachau doctor's The father told 15 Sigmund had Rascher, His the following a married woman, son, story. When had his been Himmler's time at one mistress. years senior, who Himmler objected to the marriage on the grounds that, because of the Frau it Rascher any not produce offspring, pretended could age woman's "robbing" The illegally by children obtained were several pregnancies. Through these children them from orphanages. she hoped to show Himmler Ilona Kalnocky, The Guest House; The Witnesses how wrong he had been. 1974), 222. York Nuremburg_(New p. at 4 "Lebenslauf" of Sigmund Rascher. Personnel File: Sigmund Rascher. 142 his parents 1 obtained a divorce. separated and later was awarded the Dr. med. from Munich. In 1936 Rascher His Lebenslauf omits the years between 1936 and 1939, at which time he claimed to have become a to Ahnenerbe, a journal devoted to the racial study of the 2 Germanic heritage. He joined the SS shortly before the outbreak of contributor the Second World War. In 1941 this member of the Luftwaffe and a serving temperature to Field für The experiments costly began his high altitude notwendig-, ... of Liverpool were called die auf keinen Fall which habe been described in human lives' camp Dachau. in 1942 the experiments Milch die Luftwaffe a member of the Allgemeine SS at the concentration experiments Marshal Lord Russell unknown doctor, by Kogon, length,, at considerable and low In a letter "... gerade dürfen. " unterbleiben 4 Reitlinger, 5 3 and were extremely -7 and were assessed after the war in the following terms: 1 2 Kalnocky, The Guest House, p. 221. "Lebenslauf" of Sigmund Rascher. Personnel File: Sigmund Rascher. 3 Letter to Generalfeldmarschall Milch, dated 2 November 1942. Ibid. When asked about Rascher's experiments after the war, Milch denied any knowledge of them. He only heard that Rascher was conducting "standard physiological volunteers. " David experiments on Luftwaffe Irving, The Rise and Fall of the Luftwa? fe; The Life of Fieldmarshal Erhard Milch (Boston 1973)', pp. 304-305. How Milch could deny knowledge of the The letter true nature of the experiments is, indeed, hard to understand. that the experiments "Onnen bei uns of 2 November 1942 stated clearly, deswegen mit so besonderer Wirkung vorgenommen werden, weil der RFSS übernommen hat, für diese Versuche todeswürdige die Verantwortung persönlich Asoziale und Verbrecher aus den K. L. zur Verfügung zu stellen. " Personnel File: Sigmund Rascher. 4 Kogon, Der SS Staat, 5 Reitlinger, 180-183. pp. The SS, pp. 260-261. 6 History The Scourge of the Swastika; Lord Russell of Liverpool, (New York 1954), 175-177. Crimes War Nazi pp. of 7 Kogon Der SS Staat, 183. p. A Short 143 Zur Entscheidung über ärztliche Massnahmendie zur Lebensrettung in Seenot Erstarrter notwendig wurden, waren die ersten 57 Versuche Holzlöhners und Raschers Narkoseversuche an Freiwilligen. Auch ausreichend: bei diesen waren bereits 13 Tote zu Beklagen, sodass man es vorzog selbst diesen Teil der Luftwaffe vorzuenthalten, Alle weiteren Versuche und Opfer waren gänzlich überflüssig. But Rascher's experiments He was arrested to her children, by illegal the children with not by the Allied Himmler discovered appears that birth were terminated that she had faked the pregnancies, means from orphanages. experiments given and obtained Himmler charged Rascher Sie gemäss Nr. 2 und 3 der SS-D. B. 0. zum SS-Mann und life the Rascher's It zwischen den Jahren 1939-1944, " and Sie aus der SS aus. .2 schliesse but by the SS in 1944. Frau Rascher had not really that "4 Kinderunterschlagungen degradiere forces, sooner than he had anticipated. Mrs. Kalnocky wrote became a capital earned him praise crime, and honor. ,3 while "... that the doctor's According part of heineous to Reitlinger the war, young Rascher 4 Frau killed liberated Dachau, before Allies the while shortly was 5 Rascher was last seen at the concentration camp RavensbrOck. and the senior 1 Ibid. Dr. Rascher's testimony after 182. note, 4. p. , 2 " dated 14 FebruarY 1944. Personnel "Disziplinar-StrafverfUgung, Once Rascher was arrested on the orders of File: Sigmund Rascher. Himmler, the camp commandant of Dachau, and the senior medical officer Rascher launched the a calling at camp, a series of complaints, 261. SS, " The Reitlinger, "dangerous" and "incredible p. person. 3 Kalnocky, The Guest House, p. 222. 4 The SS, p. 261; Kalnocky, The Guest House, p. 222. Reitlinger, intelligence Captain Payne-Best, the British captured at officer bunker at Dachau. Venlo in 1939, was with Rascher in the political he had fact that boasting the "garrulous" described Rascher Best of as Captain S. Payne-Best, The Venlo Incident invented the gas chamber. (London 1950), p. 227. 5 Reitlinger, The SS, p. 261. 144 The Verfbgung_struppen After Officer: the war the former and SS Obergruppenfbhrer the FUhrerkorps SS Obers gruppenfbhrer Paul Hausser 2 Steiner stated that in the creation of Felix of the VerfOgungstruppe Wehrmacht's ways.. '3 the Abitur, physical, racial, selection importance, 34.6% of the sampled VT officers percentage the VerfOgungstruppe branches. of officers Abitur the gave who however, the relatively high percentage graduates of the the future fact interesting . leaders 7.6% of the officers as the final Third the of who joined to the large who claimed 4 it Felix Personnel File: SS ObergruppenfUhrer BDC. Stallupbnen/Ostpreussen. in born 23.5.1896, 4 Social that with between January 1937 Paul Hausser, 2 Hbhne, The Order, an Abitur. to have been be said, may the VerfUgungstruppe 1 SS Oberstgruppenfbhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Brandenburg/Havel. born 7.10.1880, 3 percentage stated aim to educate and was their Reich, obtaining from the by Table 5.1 is is revealed which Since it officers significantly school without of VT officers educational of non-Abitur is due primarily a secondary who attended Conpared the highest did differ corps not officer This, Another train the Abitur. percentage may not shows that nevertheless, held at least In terms of the total achievement. other Table 5.1, requirements branches of the SS, the VT had by far of officers selection but who lacked the standards, While the educational away. have been of primary to the other they were abandoning the No candidate who met the rigorous was waived. and political was turned "... In the process one of the traditional criteria, Abitur, 1 Steiner, SS #239,795, SS #25393519 446. p. 96; Education, German p. see also, Engelmann, 376-77. Reich, pp. Histo Grunberger, A 145 and September 1939 claiming National Socialist With all and political to be graduates of these schools, were beginning schools the talk assets, about ignoring requirements may not have been stressed Wehrmacht, that formal the VT, nevertheless, background educational is revealed The two factors ObersturmfUhrer of the officer 2 officer they become highly Waffen SS during the War. to become a law clerk. in the VT officer leaders combat successful This a secondary attended after 1 SS Kuhlmann3 they sample, of the housekeeper, a mother was whose Berufsschule to a going a law office Herbert had in common was, that Hans Becker, his father) He entered 4 category and second, that tellter. Hans Becker, SS Obersturmbannfbhrer belonged to the non-Abitur mittlere to the attention cadets or Junker. SS Sturmbannfbhrer that Hans Dorr before as much as they were in the paid considerable and SS ObersturmbannfUhrer Reife educational of the SS Junkerschulen. Bruno Beeck, (he never mentioned while of some of in the assessments made by regimental again and again commanders or in reports in favour of physical education shows, that officers function. their look at the case histories a closer the young VerfOgungstruppe to fulfill that the to train he completed He gave no political school until the as the Büroanges- his training reasons for entering in order the 1 Hans Becker, 2 Bruno Beeck, SS #28890249 SS SturmbannfUhrer Personnel File: in PeenemUnde. BDC. born 5.11.1911, SS ObersturmfUhrer Personnel File: born 25.8.1916,, in Hamberge. BDC. 3 SS ObersturmbannfUhrer Personnel File: in Harburg/Wbrtt. SS #118,826, born 7.4.1915, 4 SS Obersturmbannfbhrer Personnel File: BDC. Sontheim/Alg8u. in 7.4.1912, born Herbert BDC. SS 247,838, Kuhlmann, Hans Dorr, SS 146 VerfUgungstruppe, and merely ich bis zum Eintritt verblieb the SS on 30 June 1934. as having "... of the War. gute Lehrfähigkeit. Cross "... "l As an officer Fähigkeiten gute geistige company commander with Knights in die Leibstandarte. the law officeT Becker joined but advanced he was commissioned Untersturmf0hrer the outbreak und ausgesprochene /in He did not attend a Junkerschule, through the ranks until weeks before "Dortselbst stated: " the Leibstandarte wegen höchster he was judged Bestimmtes auftreten, ..., 2 a few In 1942, when he was a young in Russia he was awarded the Bewährung bei der Einnahme von 3 Charkow.., Hans Dorr was born to parents whom he described as Erbhofbauers4 After completing elementary school he learned the trade eheleute. of a butcher. In 1932 he made his "Gesellenprbfung then went to work in the local a "Feinwurstspezialist. .5 In April in January of the following Bereitschaften. until meat packing There he soon became plant. 1933 he joined the Allgemeine SS and to the Politische year transferred He advanced through im Fleischereigewerbes" the non-commissioned rank structure, in 1937, a few months after he was promoted to ScharfUhrer 6 he was sent to the SS Junkerschule at Tblz. The Junkerschule (sergeant) assessment stated sein Auftreten "Oberjunker vor der Front Dorr ist ist 1 "Lebenslauf" Handwritten Personnel File: Hans Becker. 2 3 Vblkischer bestimmt Beobachter, 4 "Lebenslauf" Handwritten Hans Dorr. Personnel File: und sicher. Becker, Hans of Becker, Hans of "Beurteilung" "Dienstlaufbahn" " It concluded: dated 2 April dated 21 June 1944. 1939. Ibid. 31 March 1942. of Hans Dorr, Ibid. 6 bescheidener Mensch, ein stiller of Hans Dorr. Ibid. dated 10 June 1937. ... 147 "Ich habe den Eindruck, Schulbildung Zugführer und Aneignung von Kentnissen wird, Vorgesetzten "Trotz zu erringen. Fächern ziemlich he had only Although Beweglichkeit" of Dorr stressed ". his .. continues: had a most remarkable sicheres geistige in July Cross in September 1941, 1944. A final "Beurteilung" him as 3 his from assessment überhaupt assessment described and .. ." Auftreten Braun They were instructors. " and ... differenziert wenig an geistiger "Er denkt ganz anschaulich sagt alles to in November 1943, and the Swords Kuhlmann was "geistig that in fast in the SS. career "mittelmassige and denkt, so, wie er es Kultur. lebensnahe, " The er ist wobei er allerdings SS Junkerschule by the Dorr Hans of Dorr, Hans "Abgangszeugnis" of Ibid. dated 26 October 1938. 3 Fleiss und eisernen Kuhlmann was at the SS Junkerschule ihm an Sprach-wie 2 Beweglichkeit geistiger Führerpersönlichkeit.. the following of the opinion 1 stated: 112 Once war broke out the gute Leistungen. as the 77th soldier, ausgesprochene unbelastet, seiner of Dorr's report He was awarded the Knights When Herbert report gesunden Ehrgeiz as the 327th soldier, to the Oak Leaves, "Es fehlt ein guter he advanced in six Years from Untersturmf0hrer the Oak Leaves, he received The graduating a Volksschul Obersturmbannfbhrer. a ll ... 1 11 Feinwurstspezialist erstwhile und Erfahrungen und mittelmässiger durch er seinen Dorr bei weiterer bemüht sein wird die Zufreidenheit und stets Volksschulbildung schafft allen dass der Standartenoberjunker Tölz. from the SS Junkerschule oft Ibid. Tblz, 1 1944. The dated July Hans report went "Beurteilung" orr, of 1e 1e f Auf " Kl had schnel Dorr assungsgabe, are, schnel that to say on ... ist "Er the nach sentence and concluded with Entschlusskraft Fähigkeiten hervorragenden Veranlagung seinen und ausgezeichneten seiner " Ibid. Truppführer. der geborene 148 die Gefahr läuft, da wenig selbstkritischg zu verfahren. " unkritisch As far as his education was concerned5 the instructors Kuhlmann, who had attended that opinion very hard "... tried Fehlen einer geistigen so dass er oft the redeeming factors deficient, schooling discipline. to military 11 as a ... ist geistig robuster, 2 ... 9 lückenhaft Junkerschule. Thus, although in early years, into went same year In the heavy commander. "Bauernhof" owned a the "Real -Gymnasium" after Cross. the Hitler attending it " Psychologische four for Youth where he soon found himself "Gutachten des Prüfungsausschusses. Herbert Khulmann. Personnel File: 3 in northern Lehre. 114 The year was 1933. 1 vi. readily assessed him 1944, he was awarded the Knights a "kaufmdnnische he joined he submitted Bildung Mensch," whose ". .. and regimental Bruno Beeck, whose parents Germany, and who left Kuhlmann ObersturmfOhrer; Kuhlmann the was an war of By the outbreak in Russia were that Kuhlmann was allowed to graduate from the by 1944 he was a SturmbannfUhrer fighting and his qualities the psychiatrist etwas kleiner daraufarbeitet. ziellos Empfinden, " and that deep "soldatisches possessed a sich das zeigt While the board found Kuhlmann's intellectual formal 2 years, durch Bereicherung "... work In his practical Ausrichtung, for a Mittelschule seine fehlende Schulbildung des Wissens nachzuholen. " were of the In the in the Prüfstelle 21bi'd. 3 Das Schwarze Korps, 4 1 March 1944. "Lebenslauf" Handwritten Beeck. Bruno File: Personnel 10 January dated Beeck, Bruno of 1937. 111 149 1 rank of Jungbannfbhrer. senior He was so successful in the HJ that with the age of 18 he was asked to become a full-time 1935 he became an SS recruit joining 1935. for date coincided Once again in early graduation the leadership decision qualities from Braunschweig report Schulbildung 2 erreicht.,. and found him "... laufbahn with Hitler's "Germania. " durchaus "Trotz " 3A Braunschw seiner few months before George Stein sich in allen in his history the main problems which the pre-war lack the was of experienced sein reliability fbr die SS Fbhrer- einwandfreiund Beeck was killed in Russia at the age of 25, he was lauded as a "guter dessen Weltanschauung His nicht und Energie commended his political weltanschaulich Beeck's in Beeck were soon recognized, hat der durch Fleiss The instructors geeignet. stated In to rearm Germany in March 1937 he was sent to the SS Junkerschule abgeschlossenen Ziel in the SS Standarte HJ FOhrer. National sozial ist, A seinen Taten äussert. of the Waffen SS wrote that VerfOgungstruppe officers 5 and NCOs. one of had to cope with The few professional dly j 1i ke SS Hausser Stei the rapi oi rose and ner who men ned mi 1i tary in the hierarchy. necessary military But not too many officers, expertise, joined who possessed the the VerfUgungstruppe. It was, 1 background As far as education (non-Abitur) Ibid. social and (small peasant proprietor) is concerned Beeck was the typical representative 1936 leader. It that the Youth Hitler the more after was of pre-1936 leader "... Youth Hitler leaders the more position of made educated 107. Youth, Hitler " The Koch, 'socially p. acceptable'. 2 dated "Abgangszeugnis" of the SS Junkerschule Braunsc Bruno Beeck. 31 January 1938. Personnel File: 31bid. 4 "Beurteilung" 5 Stein, of Bruno Beeck, dated 14 November 1941. The Waffen SS, p. 11. Ibid. 150 therefore,, decided former to attract army NCOs into regular the FUhrerkorps .1 of the VerfUgungstruppe. were the former Hoschke. Two men who followed Feldwebel (sergeants) of the army Willi completing Lehre. " allowed At the age of 18, however, he joined Germany under the Versailles before he received instructor on a jr. This was the first organization it took him until (Unteroffizier). NCO course when he was called as "Kurs-und time that veteran to train he was appointed .5 Bereitschaft. of the Reichswehr, 1 Personnel File: in Metz. born 20.5.1908, came into It contact SS StandartenfUhrer BDC. 2 SS SturmbannfUhrer Personnel File: born 25.5.1902,, in Schlossrippach/Thbringen. 3 "Lebenslauf" Handwritten Braun. Willi Personnel File: 4 5 Ibid. Ibid. of Willi A He was an upon to apply he worked with a National his sergeant "... Willi In (Unterfeldwebel); SS Manner vom Abschnitt was here that with Braun, the 7-year the SS. Braun, His leadership SS #214,175, Hugo Hoschke, SS #160,914, BDC. Braun, 4 Socialist sense of comradeship. June 1933 Braun was promoted to the rank of jr. XI und der Politischen 1930 in der SA Gruppe SUdwest. " PrOfungsleiter and he was impressed with their thereafter Braun was sent Bef6rderung zum Gefreiten. "3 vorzeitige he was promoted to corporal expertise Although and senior NCOcourses, a "... by an aunt. the 100,000-man army Treaty. year later shortly and Hugo he went into the "kaufmannische elementary school, to attend the junior military Braun 1 the SS 2 Braun was orphaned at the age of 11 and raised After to join the call dated 7 May 1934. 151 and potential as a teacher was recognized by the army for, he given another "... transfer to the infant poignant observation in the regular Bef8rderung zum Feldwebel" but he was vorzeitige also recommended for officer At this training. in his Lebenslauf that, because he felt his social that SS on 1 May 1934, and was commissioned The army supported Dienstleistungszeugnis schule Abschnitt the transfer "Braun sich dabei ist against I He transferred Untersturmfbhrer eine Stelle to the and his years origin and stated to the 1 August on in the als Leiter der SS-Führer- in sich auf allen schliesst. Gebieten . Fähigkeiten und Leistungen dass eine Lebens, zum mindestens Angebot, 3 ., The report 1auded "... seine " and assessed him as a ... Mensch, der immer bemüht ist strebsamer him. um ein seinen sehr günstiges eine Dauerstellung ... he were commissioned XI angeboten worden, wo B. schon einen Kurs geleitet Es handelt Leistungen even if he spent as an NCO. He transferred as an other rank would not be held against entsprechendes Braun made the army, he would always have been discriminated VerfUgungstruppe hat. Braun decided to point VerfUgungstruppe of the SS. because of the time that 1934.2 not only was sich weiter zu bilden. 5 By 1935 Braun was a company commander and in 1938 he was dat Sol descri bed by hi s superi ors as a"--. mi t ausgezei chneten geborener 6 The fact that the report also stressed that FUhrereigenschaften. " 1 Ibid. 2 "Dienstlaufbahn, " of Willi 31 Dienstleistungszeugnis dated 11 April 1934. Ibid. Braun. Ibid. über den Feldwebel Braun, Ibid. 5 6 of Willi "Dienstlaufbahn" "Beurteilung" n,,, -, nkor IqIR of Willi Thid Braun. Ibid. Braun by the 11. Standarte "Germanja,," 152 Braun was an officer shows that ... der immer bemüht ist the VerfUgungstruppe furthered officers " their placed some value on the fact After education. campaigns Braun was assessed: the Polish "Er geniesst crumbling eastern front,, 3 NCOwas promoted to StandartenfUhrer. Socialist, National it point the fullest that he would never be able to exercise the NSDAP in May 1933, no mention his Lebenslauf, saw obvious advantages reliability on him. in joining The case of Willi a successful VerfUgungstruppe Reichswehr a young, them to he joined in attitude to in any Braun was a man who aggressive, social and traditionless devote to stigma trade. to the military transition Although ever referred Most likely force which would permit him without military himself written army. is made of his political nor is his political 8eurteilungen the of the erstwhile man who possessed leadership a military in the tradition-bound extent Braun was leading may be asked whether Braun was a convinced or merely but who felt qualities and French 1945, while a regiment on the fast At this that their im ganzen Offizierskorps Ruf. ý2 On 30 January einen ausgezeichneten sich weiterzubilden"' Braun shows that former from NCOto senior officer. army NCOs could make The small in the pre-war era depended on such men to supply it with the much needed military that hand, the shows other on leadership. no all The case of Hugo Hoschke, men were successful in their new 1 Ibid. 2 "Beurteilung" dated 3 October 1940. 3 "Dienstlaufbahn" of Willi Ibid. Braun by the SS Regiment "Germania, " of Willi Braun. Ibid. 153 roles Hoschke, who came from working class background, as officers. began his trades training as a tool and dye maker. The revolution of 1918, however, interferred with his training at the Rheinische Metall ' He was laid off. Hoschke never returned to und Maschinenfabrik. complete the course, even after remained an unskilled labourer Reichswehr as a private had returned. For the next 8 years Hoschke was a conscientious 1933 he was released had expired, leadership with from the army after the rank of sergeant. his 12-year 3 as Braun had, he was not an idle Hoschke took up trades service 4 "Maschinenbauer.. course as interest for very Lichterfelde. important ,5 long, He in a tile factory until he joined the 2 in 1921. He was trained as a communications in the army, and was promoted lance corporal specialist 1925. normal conditions training Civilian factor soldier enlistment in and in period While Hoschke did not display soldier either. In the once again and completed a life, for he soon joined The political (Gefreiter) however, did not hold his the "SS Sonderkommandoin does not seem to have played an for Hoschke did not join the NSDAPuntil two years after 6 he joined the SS. Four months after joining the SS Hoschke was 7 it By 1938, had become however, Untersturmf6hrer. clear commissioned role, 1 "Lebenslauf" Handwritten Hugo Hoschke. Personnel File: 2 Ibid 3 4 5 dated 1934. 6 Hoschke, December Hugo of Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. 6 Although he The date Hoschke joined the NSDAPis uncertain. behind his joining is there #3,601,622 question mark a received party Ibid. Master 1935. April 1 card. date of 7 "Dienstlaufbahn" Hoschke. Hugo of Ibid. 154 dass SS Hauptsturmführer wie als Arbeiter als Führer im Stabe des Sturmbannes bewiesen habe. "' The report by the then BrigadefUhrer was written general, Hoschke seine Ungeeignetheit who was then "Inspektor of the opinion ". that .. sie werden durch seine ausgeglichen. 2 Hoschkes geistige Hausser concluded als Hausser was Befähigung Soldat and therefore 113 Hoschke werden. was released from the VT in December 1938, but the outbreak prompted his recall. He was, however, further one received The fact VerfUgungstruppe in their schools was not without in Hitler the and SS was seen as the elite, physical caliber. " cause. to an incessant of easily calculable 3 4 size and hand-picked Ibid. Hoschke. Hugo of 5 Education, German Engelmann, The Waffen SS, p. 13. p. 87. Ibid. had highest the manpower of dated 23 July Ibid. 6 Stein, ' ,5 The mass reaction. The VT also had an advantage insofar "Dienstlaufbahn" all of National the Verfbgungstruppe 1 To the Chef des SS Personalamtes, 2 to the propaganda There the virtues Youth. and especially of small 6 flocked ". fi tti 1 every ng and earni ng was aimed at .. into the same pattern the advantage the Abitur One has to remember that had been subjected Soci al i sm were extol led, student given no combat command and only so many young men with the young Abiturienten of the War 4 promotion. that nicht Erprobung bei zwecklos" gekündigt aus; nicht gedienter "Eine weitere der SS-VT scheint 11... muss ihm wegen mangelnder " Gaben reichen 12-jährig that lieutenant- the one-time der Verfbgungstruppe. Erfahrungen einem anderen Truppenteil Hausser, that 1935. it was Ibid. 155 for possible the volunteers that of the regular to obtain a level of training In view of the prestige army. branch of t he SS enjoyed it was easy for the frequently secondary school graduates, army which accused the SS of snatching The VerfOgungstruppe prior the opinion exemplified these youngsters of the Waffen SS" young men "... blind obedience highest of all orders aims were loYalty completed (Reichsarbeitsdienst). "... emanating teacher spending Junkerschule After SS OberfUhrer Ibid. spirit and whose completing Hugo Kraas, his labour service "Germania. ,5 rank, from where he graduated as Untersturmfbhrer all SS infantrymen Commandosand United Hugo Kraas, Kraas5 Hugo undated. of After Kraas was sent to the SS 291-292. pp. , 5 "Lebenslauf" the But ten months after to the SS regiment SS OberfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Witten/Ruhr. born 25.1.1911, 4 he joined 12. p. 4 to the to the Labour Service 1 Stein stated that up to 1938 "... nearly British to troops trained similar as assault were States Army Rangers. " Ibid. 3 ... is of In 1933 Kraas from the Ruhr. time as an other at Braunschweig 21bid., Stein themselves from the FUhrer and went straightaway the army he transferred his obligatory commanders the real who had consecrated the Reichswehr as a Reserveoffizieranwgrter. joining ablest and toughness. .3 school his Abitur, young to September 1939. One such young man was the former son of an elementary to attract to the chagrin of the regular 2 the best applicants. from among the young Abiturienten that which the armed some of its recruited to superior Ibid. SS #28956335 156 in 1938. The Junkerschule geistiger 1 Mensch. " 11 wurde als In the spring his actions assessed him as a "... Führer erster seines Regiments mit dem E. K. I. of 1943 Kraas was decorated 3 the Knights with In January commander in the "Leibstandarte, 375th soldier und stark During the French campaign the 29-year old Kraas in the Kharkow sector. regimental sensibler und Tapferkeitsleistungen. the then 33-year-old In the final Cross for 1944, Kraas, by now a " was decorated as the with the Oak-Leaves for his "... A ausgezeichnet. hervoragende Fbhrungsof the war, major offensive Kraas commanded the 12th SS Panzerdivision "Hitler Jugend. .5 August Dieckmann 6 was the son of a junior official. In spite of his lower middle financial handicaps, he was determined he obtained that other his Abitur he could students only in 1932. afford 1 "Abgangszeugnis" August 1938. Ibid. background, railway and severe to go to the Gymnasium from where in his Lebenslauf Dieckmann stated his secondary and found additional class ranking school work after of the SS Junkerschule fees because he tutored school. A grant Braunschweiq, gave 20 2 in the Ibid. Stein wrote that Kraas was the first officer French campaign to receive the E. K. I. The Waffen SS, p. 63. Hbhne, The Order, Stein his the statement. as same who uses source, makes p. 460. Kraas' personnel file makes no such claim; it merely states Iron Cross his to the that Kraas was the first of regiment win officer in the French campaign. 3Das Schwarze Korps, 23 December 1943. 4 "Pressenotiz" Eichenlaub für Re imentskommandeur in der LSSAH. He was awarded the Oakleaves on 25 January 1944. Personnel Kraas; see also, Das Schwarze Korps, 29 January 1944. 5., Personnel Di-enstlaufbahn" of Hugo Kraas. Hitler's Guard, p. 124. Weingartner5 see also, 6 File: File: Hugo Hugo Kraas; SS Obersturmbannfbhrer August Dieckmann, Personnel File: in Cadenberge. BDC. 29.5.1912, born #183,917, SS 2 " 157 him a "Schulgeldermassigung. " 1 Thus the years in sedondary school were not easy ones for the young Dieckmann. in his life in the following einer ernsten Karakters Entbehrungen eine frühe Bekenntnis zu Lebensauffassung aufrichtigen zur Folge. "2 Dieckmann's entry not have been due to any inner political in his Lebenslauf: wenig Gelegenheit. "Zur politischen ich in ihr die grösste Vaterlande und eine Festigung individuelle widmen zu k6nnen. May 1937 by which time A fand ich als Schüler nur not boast of any political his entrance with "... Möglichkeit graduated the NSDAPuntil from the SS Junkerschule. Dieckmann the successful made which demonstrated during he became the commander early war, were The fact that to earn money to pay for he was forced at a time when it education, was not customary degree high of tenacity work, showed a Junkerschule Willenskraft 1 1935. mentioned und Lebenseifer Handwritten Ibid. 2 3 4 for Murch Gymniasasten and perseverance. .... "Lebenslauf" praktische Er will to trait in gehärtete Fälle vorwärts dated 8 Feburary August Dieckmann, of Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. 5 "Dienstlaufbahn" school At the Lebenserfahrung auf alle in his life. his secondary assessment emphasized this the psychological Dieckmann when it weil sah mich meinem Dieckmann did not join he had already The personal qualities for he stated convictions, Tätigkeit he justified meines into the SS in 1933 could 113 Since Dieckmann could involvement as a student, period "Diese Lebensführung hatte durch terms: die Ertragung von mancherlei He described this of August Dieckmann. Ibid. 5 158 kommen."i Dieckmann did turn out to be a determined and tenacious He reached the rank of Obersturmbannfbhrer officer. SS by June 1943. He earned the Knights Cross in 1942; he was awarded the Oakleaves as the of the SS Division 3 posthumously. .2 and the Swords to the second officer Oakleaves The fact that Kraas and Dieckmann had received around 1933 is revealed made no political that in their biographical he had no time to become involved struggling student. that evidence In the Lebenslauf he went not only under the influence of National had actually attended in Italy a number of years, father claimed for through Dieckmann openly admitted in politics a school for he could Brand attended not deny the influence r der NSDAPin Italien. he came ". .. frbh BerUhrung. .6 He expressed 1 "Gutachten verhaltnismassig considerable des Prüfausschusses, pride he but that some time, "Landesgruppenleite who was that had been system that Although one of the Napolas. he was a 4 Brand, one finds while of Heinrich Socialism While Kraas sketches. in his Lebenslauf, statements Abitur their "5 school of his He also in der Bewegung mit in the fact " dated 15 April he was that 1935. The following in the Dieckmann Junkerschule the assessed at psychiatrist Willenseinsatz "Ausreichende Intelligenz, terms. zielbestrebter ... " the Zähigkeit, fanatischer Seine Ziele verfolgt concluded and er mit die bis kann "Für Aufgabe an er sich eine report with the sentence: letzten Grenzen seiner Leistungsfähigkeit und ohne Rücksicht auf sein " Ibid. Wohl einsetzen. persönliches 2 3 Das Schwarze Korps, "Verlustmeldung" 10 June 1943. 22 October dated Dieckmann, August of 4 SS HauptsturmfUhrer Personnel File: in Spandau. BDC. born 11.10.1916, 1938. 5 Handwritten Ibid. 6 Ibid. "Ein Wikinger. " "Lebenslauf" of Heinrich Heinrich Brand, 1943. Ibid. SS #313,052, Brand., dated 11 December 159 told by the Reich Youth Leader in September 1934 "... Schulbildung auf einer NPEAbeenden. 111 He further summer of 1935 he travelled Hier lernte to "... Auslandsdeutscher commented upon, but unlike leadership Grenze. Standartenjunker "... But not all kennen. 2 Weltanschauung" was gefestigte der wenig hervortritt. the young men that the aggressive nor were all the fanatical Kurt Meyer. Alfred definite .3 were attracted the rigorous leadership qualities National Socialist Graf zu Dohna-Schlotbitten Prussian Junker family. The young count had a private to the Verfbgung- of the Junkerschulen 4 which Stein commented on, training by type as examplified 5 came from a well-known As such he was brought National the to of most unknown surroundings At the Junkerschule, Kraas and Dieckmann who demonstrated and who passed through and established hatte, at the SS academy, Brand was assessed as a abilities officers. Ostpommerman die polnische Intresse he which attended in 1938, his "... portrayed described how in the ich in Deutschland den Volkstumskampf, an dem ich als ehemaliger struppe, ich k6nnte meine tutor Socialist until leaders up in and SS the age of 15, at he was sent to the "Realsymnasium des Landschulheimes 6 Neubrunnen, " wherehe obtained his Abitur in 1936. After fulfilling which time 1 2 3 his Ibid. Ibid. "Abgangszeugnis der SS Junkerschule Tblz, " dated 15 August 1939. Ibid. 4 Stein, The Waffen SS, p. 12. 5 Personnel File: SS #279,993, Schlobitten, 1938. 6 Handwritten Ibid. Alfred Graf zu DohnaSS ObersturmfUhrer BDC. in Danzig. born 20.9.1917, "Lebenslauf" of Dohna-Schlobitten, dated 21 February 160 Labour Service, obligatory joined and studying the VerfOgungstruppe Dohna-Schlobitten in April had difficulties applied 1937. "Forstwirtschaft" But from the beginning to the environment he adjusting encountered in the SS. The fact Protestant he was commissioned was a point As late church as 1943 a "Beurteilung" D. noch kirchlich Festigung felt after nicht "Es fehlt gebunden ist, gesprochen of Dohna-Schlobitten of contention. ". .. nat. soz. At the Junkerschule die Härte und Bestimmtheit " Da stated: kann von einer restlosen werden. assessment was that concluding he remained a member of the that 2 he his instructors der Meinung .3 and the , Dohna ist nach dem Ablauf des Lehrganges in keine nur zum Führer geeignet, wenn er verantwortungsvolle A kommt. From the above comments it is clear that the young Stellung Dohna, whose family produced a number of well-known w as not the type required This by the elite has shown that chapter between (1) the education in, to join segment was considerably members of this Ibid. has also "Dienstlaufbahn" of Hitler's relationship in time the period which and been shown that the educated in the Fbhrerkorps overrepresented hesitate did group not in the execution 1 It Reich. and the branch he chose to serve of the officer the SS. of the Third discernible was a there (2) the education of the officer and he decided skills formation figures, military to apply their racial policy of Dohna-Schlobitten. and that knowledge and once war began. Ibid. 2"Beurteilung" of Dohna-Schlobitten, dated 21 May 1943. 3 "Beurteilung" of Dohna-Schlobitten, dated 14 December 1938. 4"Beurteilung" of Dohna-Schlobitten, dated 25 February Ibid. 1939. Ibid. Chapter VI OCCUPATIONSOF THE SS OFFICERS AND THEIR SOCIO-ECONOMIC HOMEBACKGROUNDS As early mUssen die as 1922 Hitler Kampfer kommen."l bard of National "... stratum biography Socialism, der sich of Hitler, Alfred the German Mittelstand Rosenberg, dem Weltbetrug as the only habe. 112 Fest, widersetzt out that the dictator the "... auf diese Weise eine nur sehr schwer zu erschütternde von ebenso grosser Opferwilligkeit More recent studies of the NSDAP have shown that Partei des unteren bedrohten Mittelstand ... und hat sich Anhängerschaft und zäher Kampfbereitschaft which have dealt with the social gesichert. 1,5 Broszat stated A composition the Nazi Party was in essence "... Mittelstandes. in his with mobilized vom Untergang social his emphasis on 3 Lueger Karl of who the techniques copied the hazy philosophical the Mittelstand praised pointed "Aus den Reihen des Mittelstandes stated; in 1970 that eine National Socialism's die Formeln, der neue sämtlich um den wagen Inbegriff nationalen und sozialen Erneuerung kreisten, waren Widerspiegelung der Richtung und Motivierung der 1 Völkischer 2 Fest, Hitler, Beobachter, 30 August 1922. 213. p. 3 Karl Lueger was the well-known anti-semitic mayor of Vienna around have been described as "... His politics the the turn of the century. built into the transformed phantasy, upon politics of reason politics of " Allan Janick Stephen'Toulmin, & blight of anti-semitism. social (New York 1973), p. 50. Lueger's anti-semitic Vienna Wittg_enstein's policy Antidescribed in P. G. J. Pulzer, The Rise of Political is further (New Austria York 1964)_. See esp. chapter 18, pp. 162-70. in Germany Semitism and 4 5 Fest, Kater Hitler, p. 213. "Soziographie. " p. 159. 161 162 sozialen Dynamik der Mittelschichten, Massenbasis der NSDAPbildeten. 1 Peter Strachura in his recent die die soziale study of German Youth in the Weimar Republi c wrote that it had been established beyond doubt in previous . ý. w rks on the rise of National Socialism that the NSDAP gathered a great proportion of its support from that section of German society that had been most devastatingly by the economic dislocation crippled and financial vissisitudes, namely the lower middle and middle middle 2 class. David Schoenbaum in an earlier 1933 workers, in the NSDAPwhile, roughly to the total relative "... white population, collar workers research more precise were underrepresented by were overrepresented NSDAP" that der der Facharbeiter that if Handwerker, untere Kaufleute und could composition of the NSDAP "Soziographie in his say to the pre-1923 der ungelernten ist, one included of the social Thus, Kater according der Prozentsatz method in historical use of the quantitative estimates have become available. verhältnismässig in "... den unteren Mittelstand Angestellte und mittlere alle 1,5 hundert. 62.6 von so ergeben sich schon 3 Schoenbaum, Hitler's Kater, "Soziographie, Ibid. Facharbeiter, Landwirte Beamte, sowie und des Führerbindung und No. 4, Zeitgeschichte., Nazi Youth in the Weimar Republic Peter Strachura, & Oxford 1975), p. 57. 5 niedrig 114 höchsten. Kater found Handwerker am und 2 4 der membership list party Arbeiter 1 "Soziale Motivation Martin Broszat, für " Vierteljahreshefte Nationalsozialismus, October 1970, p. 396. Barbara in of Germany found that 65%. .3 With the increased frbhen history social Social "p. 153. Revolution, 72. P. (Santa / 163 In 1972 Heinrich certain occupations He found, that they comprised Winkler force Winkler private 25.6% and 8.3% respectively 2 On the other hand, who made up 12% of the work 5.1% of Germany's labour force made up of the Nazi membership just prior to the 3 Machtergreifung. Table those made up 45.9% of the German work force, Angestellte and Beamte who comprised of 1 found in the NSDAP. 28.1% of the NSDAPmembership. only distribution the nation-wide and compared them with although Arbeiter found that listed 6.1 shows the occupational distribution of the total corps Table 6.1 The occupational sample. that the untere the untere FUhrer breakdown of the total corps sample shows is overrepresented. When the occupations Mittelstand Mittelstand belonged are added up one finds to that stratum that of society. 4 1 "Extremismus der Mitte? Heinrich Winkler, Aspekte der national sozial istischen Machtergreifung, fUr Zeitgeschichte, No. 2, April 1972, p. 181. of 58.7% of the sampled Not surprisingly, Sozialpolitische " Vierteljahreschefte 2 is of the opinion that the high percentage of Albrecht Tyrell Arbeiter in the NSDAP (28.1%) was faked so that the NSDAPcould call 34,000 discovered that Tyrell itself there Arbeiterpartei. were an in the party prior to September 1930. Only by averaging this Arbeiter total with 121,000 members, which was an "imgingre Bezugszahl, " instead had, Nazis the the 300,000 the able were party actually members which of 379. FUhrer befiel Tyrell, p. to claim a 28.1% Arbeitermitgliedschaft. ..., 3 Winkler, 4 "Extremismus der Mitte, " p. 181. Kater's Mittelstand the In the classification untere of der "Soziographie frbhen in his found as categorization occupational following Therefore the to. occupations were NSDAP" was closely adhered (skilled Facharbeiter Mittelstand: in the untere included workers); (lower llte (tradesmen); Angest and middle Handwerker untere und mittlere Beamte (lower and middle level level employees; untere und mittlere (military-NCO's Mannschaften Militar-Unteroffiziere und servants; civil (small (peasant Kaufleute Landwirte proprietors); ranks); other and half in (elementary teachers); Vokksschullehrer addition school businessmen); Mittelstand. included in Schankwirte the untere as were such the entrepreneurs of 164 00 4--) Lf) a) Ln E-= 4-) (D S-Z-0 ý- co ro > -ý4 r- 0 (1) I C: M 00 0 V) LO V) r- > u V) >) S- >1 ro S- Ln CD -P C 0 EE Ln 4-) co 4--) C: -0 Oj CD (n a) = S-- S- 0) U (a *r- 4- -0 *f-- E=- 0 0= V) 0- S- 4-J = CL V) -D rö r-- U Cu (1) rLU V) III III C\i S(L) CY) W11-U-) I'D r-ý 00 CD LC) Ln Cl) n3 S- CD r- _9_4--) 0M (n Z - 5.-4--1 cm 4-ý (0 CL :3 qe CD (n CL) Cl) >ý 0 co 0c (IJ fm -1-3 0: cn 0) E LLJ -C) S. Lf) ro CD 0 . r- =3 cl) r4- S. a) 4C:) 0 4-) C- LLJ CD CL) 4-) &- tV cl) Cl) CL s- 4--) CM (A S.4--) 0- SCC$ = 4-) ('C$rLn a) 0 CO -r- (A r- rO S- r- M5 4-) -P C r-- Ir- E=-s- S-- (1) Lu V) 4--) fö (n cc r-, 00 CY)C) rrr- CD " r- U) C) r- Ln S. - L2 a) W (1) OJ rr- Q) (A S-ý14 S- CU C) :3 0 CY) C" S- Ul) -10 -0 >. ) -0 (/) a) L) r- C> -a 4--) 4r- *r- C: 4CO C) > ý-. o LIJ -10 S= -0 : ýc -0 = (3) >-, 0) a) C: Sa) Ln E cc$ -0 tio r-- CL) (n 4-) tio V) (1) -C) to Sý- C\j ro r-Nd r- rrCIO C: 4--ý (1) a) C)r(v Q_ 4- 4z C) L/) S. Cl) ý: 0 -i dm: (0 > -Scl- S. (1) -ý:: > 0 4--) __j LO Cýo 165 since the study finds the Arbeiterschicht that deals exclusively highly 9.5% of the pre-1923 in the Fbhrer If untere the officer with Nazis were Arbeiter, the percentage of Arbeiter was a mere 1.1%. one compares the percentage of Arbeiter found in the officer accepted distribution Whereas Kater found underrepresented. of the Schutzstaffel Mittelstand corps of the SS, one and members of the corps with in German society, the generally the under and over-representation of the two social groups becomes all the more apparent. Regardless 1 it is generally of the model used, accepted that between 40-50% of the German labour force falling into percentage the sampled officers representation are Arbeiter, the untere belonging of this Mittelstand. With only with 59% of the sampled officers into the untere holding revealed. Similarly, which place them occupations the overrepresentation 1.1% of- the under- is clearly of society the same approximately to the Arbeiterschicht stratum Mittelstand, with of this group is demonstrated. Equally obere Mittelstand. interesting results According to a number of sociological between 5-10% of Germany's work force as the obere Mittelstand. of the officers 1 belonged 2 has occupations In the pre-war to that stratum For the various sociological 100. Demokratie, Gesellschaft p. und 2 are found when one considers of society. models, that Fbhrerkorps 3 the are categorized of the SS 33% Especially the models used, see, Dahrendorf, Ibid. 3 The following occupations were placed in the obere Mittelstand: (military-officers); (artis-t-s-T; Kbnstler h6here privat M-ilitgr-Qffiziere (senior (senior h8here Beamte Angestellte private employees); servants); civil (students); (jurists); (professionals); Studenten Juristen Akademiker (Secondary school and university Professoren teachers). (continued) ---und 166 Akademiker (Freiberufliche) 11% jurists the of sample and - of the sample - are most noticeably Table 6.2 illustrates 10.7% - overrepresented. the rates at which men from the various Table 6.2 joined occupations corps sample, it greatly the SS. is readily Compared to the joining seen that during overrepresented 19301,35% of the ungelernte By the time of the Machtergreifung The overrepresentation Phase I. It the period Arbeiter were By the end of Phase I. in this study had joined the percentage of the untere is during the ungelernte Phase I. Arbeiter rate of the total Mittelstand had risen December the SS. to 70%. is also seen during January 1931 to January 1933 that all lower Mittelstand, the the and of untere exception occupations of with 1 40% Whereas level civil servants, middle were overrepresented. of the total the skilled middle civil level 1933,60.8% by in SS January the corps sample was workers, private servants,, school teachers Hitler's been a watershed 63.5% of the tradesmen, 48.9% of the lower and employees, 34.6% of the lower and middle 43.1% of the former landed proprietors, of NCO's and soldiers, level 44.4% of the 54.1% of small businessmen, and 40.8% of elementary had donned the black uniform. seizure have to 1933 30 January appears of power on in the joining pattern of the various occupational groups. Students in included this category. were Also half of the entrepreneurs Abitur the had and them obtained because either included of all were they SS full-time attending still were or officers, embarked on careers as university. 1 likely is caused the joining most servants civil rate of The slow join to forbade servants Government's civil which edict Prussian by the Mit Reich; im Dritten Beamtentum Mommsen, Hans KPD. NSDAP the or either Schriftenk_ý h iti ik 1 1n iL i Lt11at ten i ol nýýaLm SL e sc eL sl sti soz oLna ýOrl iat ti 11 Que ýOzl zur en en -L-L 196 itgeschichte Stuttg t Ze Or te fte art geschichte Zei t ie ff V der e1jahresche rt reiihe 167 9:*- co LO C) CINIJ Lr; cn C) 00 00 Cý Lý C\j C\j CY) czf C6 CV) -l; L/1) V) co I C) C) Lr) CY) 4.0 00 LO 4 Cý Lr; C\j fr- CIQ M C) rlý c1l; Cý r-ý L-ý C) 00 -C3 . r- q*- Wýd- 1ý3- 0-i m CIQ C) M C\j m Lf) (0 0 c3 -0 -rZ 0 C9 LO LX) 00 r--. V) C:L :3 0 caCD 4::,: CY) 1ý0 C) C%j CY) Cý C\l 943- ro (V -r- -r- C) llzt (.0 C:) 1.0 r-_ (ýo m I:*- m rlý Clsi Lr) rl_ C\i rl_ C\j CC) LO CT) I:zt- C-1; C\l co CY) tD ro " I, - m 0 . f4J (10 >-- 7-- CL- LO 4ý0 1,- 00 CC) 4--) S. a) 44- S-CCD n -0 -i U C) 4- CD 4- U CD =: " Lr) I'D m : C6 1 cl; C\j Uý Cý C\j 0ý Cý Cý Cý LIJ (D LLJ V) S.w > 0 -j zCY') CY) 00 L(l) LLJ C\j clý 4-) I:d- C\j 3: 0) r- 4-3 co 00 C6 C\j kjý r- r- Lý Lý I:*- 06 4ý0 r- r- r- 8 r_: r-ý t. CY) I CY) C\j cy; S. -V- - -0 4-) C\j r- CL) r- 4- w 0. 0 EE to 4-) V) CY) d4:; r- 00 LO ::d- ro LO r-ý c1l; r.: a a) r- u 4--) (ES Cý C; clý Ln SW0 I-. C\j V) (o _r_ 0- m C*CY) m -ý (n ro -C CL 110 (VI) CY) -. - a) OD C\j C\j (0 4--) r-- (Y) m CY) (0 4-) CY) CY) 0LO Cý CY) r- p--q P--4 r-ý CD C\j m C) S. 0 =D V) F-- -j P--4 6-4 0-4 4:*- r- CY) CY) E (1) Ln CL)S-0 Q) Ln cc -C 0to 4-) C\J CY) %: *- 168 r- I 00 C\j 1 C\j 9.0 Cý Cý rlý I'D I (ýo Iq:: CY) Lfý CY) Cý kjý 010 r- C\j CY) Lc) rl_ C\j LO rl_ Lr; CY) Cý Cý Ilc:: Cl%j (Y) r- 1ý0 C) cy; C\j SLn (L) > 4) C*Q C) r- 0 U C\i CD C9 Cý Uý Cý ljý rl_ cy') ko C\j q*IIt:: LO (3) CIQ r- U =D ro E cu -0 Cl)-0 F- a tz 0 00 LO Cý Cý m r- 4-3 a) C\j CY) Lý cy; Cý LO Cý C\i C\j R:d- 00 c4c &-- 0 u= V) u (-0 m C: -0 0 C) I 1 1 m CD CD 00 LO Ln c; tlý C\j zt I-- m C:d- S- >-) S. Ln co ILl) 4--) Ln 4--) CO ýLn = -P C -0 cu cy') cn a) = a) Ln q- -0 '- E0 CNJ 1.0 >) 0=S. S- 4-) =3 (t L/) r-. ) U-i V) :3 LO C-D I r- Oj r- r- -It I'D C) kc) co r-Ir " Ln C\j co CY) 00 C%j C\j LO r- r- 00 cy') 14:: 00 j- U-) ko r4:: R*Ln r- r- r-- r- r- 0 . r- 4--) ný CL co CD C\j I C\i I I Cý Cý Lr; Cý cy; Cý cy; r-ý C\j cý C: ) C) 4-) C) C) C: ) CD C: ) CD C) C:) ý J: Cý C6 C, C6 Cý ý6 06 ::: (U LLJ cm LU -i 44- CýCý 00 C:) C\J r- r- LO j: r-ý 0ý 0ý -: C\j rLo ON CY) 00 Cý cy') %;I- C6 C1.1i I'D r- m C\j C6 Cý ko 00 r-ý LiJ SCL) (1) r- 3: 4-) S. CO >-r- > 4--) (10 S- CU Cl- (A C) C: 4J (a c:r_l 4- co C) tl:ý F- C\i CO Ln m r..: C\i cý C\i rl: LO Cý 4:4- C) rl: Cý CY) C:2- S(1) 00 S- 'r. S- 4--) C: C: (3) 1-4 1-4 t.0 m C: ) m S- C\j C) Lo CC) C\i 0- C\j CY) 4-) CY) C\j F- C) (A cn M CL CY) M CY) c::r, LLJ V) C:) r- S- 4--) F- 4-) S- r- CD- C\j -0 (n cy') 0 Lor) C\j F- r- 169 Officers drop off most dramatically of the Arbeiterschicht Machtergreifung the exception The occupations era. of former school teachers fall in the post- of the untere Mittelstand, non-commissioned military hand, professions of the obere Mittelstand overrepresented. While the joining and elementary personnel below the sampled corps joining On the other rate. are, for the first rate for the total with time, corps sample between February 1933 and June 1934 was 29.5%, 38.5% of the senior employees entered the SS during this private the Akademiker jurists. 42.6% the and of 17 months of the Hitler 9.0% for corps, teachers to 27.7% for and university Hitler in the realm of art analysis 44% of the sampled secondary between February joined "conversion" the sudden aware of Socialism, those who "suddenly change their as though nothing the 1933 to 1934 period. in the occupational professors was well to National intellectuals that from rose doctorates with of officers are substantiated demonstrates which June 1934. all the percentage it the the officers, of education with the 1931 to 1933 period These findings of the percent regime. In the chapter dealing was shown that Forty-four teachers entered the SS during the secondary school and university first time, as did 46.9% of and issued a stern flag had happened in order and cultural policy.,, 2 of the school 1933 and of the warning against into the new state and move have to a main say once again 3 IA between the independence social class of test of Chi-Square the SS joined the in they substantiates the which period the officers and Table 6.2. That is, there was a statistically from drawn generalization between social class and level 001 the beyond relationship . For the detailed Chi-Square significant joined. the officer in which period 260. I, Appendix 7, Table p. see tabulation 2 124. 5.2-3, p. See Table 3 Fest, Face of the Third Reich,, p. 382. 170 Aside from the senior civil still of the obere Mittelstand 22% joined the SS between 1925 and 1933, and only a between February 1933 and June 1934. join pure transfer absorbed senior the German police natural But the third military Hitler bearer military January regular almost nucleus regular their after these officers to join establishment demonstrated of arms' in the new state. establishment of this should find 3 million strong SA, advocated Rbhm, of course, army was totally the SS. June 1934 was the fact it was still that the 'sole the German of Rbhm. Between took place which made the friend closest of a new German army and that forces. into way their handling was Hitler's which would control from the army, it The event which convinced Rbhm, Hitler's acquired reason for members of the former army that 1933 and June 1934 developments army uneasy. on a 1934 that Himmler release the SS after to the regular such as Since a number of officers and perhaps most important be established military that it was after in a number of officers was also after forces. in the police positions was only Second, it First, veteran organizations This move brought basis. date. this rate after Himmler absorbed several the Kyffhauserbund. Why did so June 1934? There are several events which after account for the high joining June 1934 that group which held back was that of former officers. Only 22% of them had joined many officers point were to come into the SS, the only other occupational reluctant further servants who, at this that para-military of Defence should and regular was to head the new ministry. opposed to this of an the SA should become the a new Ministry all leader and idea. I The When Rbhm was finally 1 The SS, p. 55; see also,, J&n Reitlingers, in The Army Politics, German Power; Nemesis The of -p-. 308. 1954T, W. Wheeler-Bennett, 1918-1945 (London 171 by Hitler eliminated and was henceforth in June 1934, the army breathed a sigh of relief 1 more prepared to cooperate with the Nazi regime. The general easing of tension between the regular in Germany and the new Government most likely retired officer It, corps. one of the para-military therefore, formations of the Third joined officers 31.2% joining between July became quite also warrants civil servants assumed power. immediately June 1934, only itself caste unto and cared the joining little rate 1 Ibid., rate an additional 2 of the war. of the senior Table 6.2 shows that had come into that civil servants only 17% of the sampled the SS by the time Hitler 25.6% that the Machtergreifung, is true The most was that 23.6% of the former 42.6% of the sampled civil While it uni f orm. to join and most prestigious 1937 and the outbreak With an additional following in the 1934 and December 1936, with slow joining some comment. felt appropriate of the new regime. The result between January The unusually senior Reich. establishment made itself obvious choice was the SS, the most disciplined formation military it joined had in the period can be seen that servants by had donned the black the h8here Beamtentum in Germany was a ". did the admit outsiders not on whole which .. . for political of this 3 ., it values, professional must be pointed out that distorted. is somewhat group The p. 325. 2 became for officers that The fact more career opportunities 1934, June VerfUgungstruppe contributed only in the after available during Phase this joining high sample study's the of to rate marginally joining the with because satisfied is were This most officers III. in the fraction careers military new SS seeking a only Allgemeine with ýofthe SS. 13-r-a'nn-ch 3 Practice National Structure The Behemoth: and of Neumann, Franz 1942, 373. (New first 1963), York p. published 1933-1944 Socialism, 172 distortion is unintentional been included because the jurists and occurs in the h6here Beamten category. the sampled jurists were civil Since a large number of and since 42.6% of the jurists servants, rushed to the SS during the 17 months period following the joining Machtergreifung, rate for the senior civil would undoubtedly have been higher had the jurists A closer look at the jurists will have not Hitler's servant category been included here. now be taken. The jurists: In his book Gesellschaft und Demokratie in Deutschland Dahrendorf jurists: German the wrote about deutschen der innerhalb die Juristen Jedensfalls sind durch die Klasse ein grösste einzelne, politischen Merkmal bedeutendes gemeinsames wahrscheinlich Eine Wanderung über einige herausgehobene Gruppe. kann Gipfel der Macht in der deutschen Gesellschaft Bereichen, in dass Juristen allen uns zudem zeigen, der Konzentration, in an unterschiedlicher wenn schon 1 Spitze stehen. The question that arises again Dahrendorf supplies profession opposed to a more specialized Wunsch nach einer a law student .3 zu werden. 2 Ibid., that " 2 which qualifies receives If,, therefore, 1 Dahrendorf, answer. jurists? of In his discussion many young men study because of a "... disciplines Eliteausbildung. does the Fbhrerkorps why high percentage a suitable he states is, point inordinately an such the SS contain German legal at this It is the general of Once of the law, as konsequenten training which him "Experte des Allgemeinen "Wunsch the nach a young man expressed Gesellschaft Demokratie, und 262. p. p. 265. 3 Dahrendorf explains for more specialized studies Fbhrungspositim in a career that those students who gave up their for studies also gave up expectations Ibid. law a 173 einer Eliteausbildung" the elite formation is it so illogical of the current for him to desire to join regime? Johe in his book Die gleicKgeschaltete 1933 "... January offen bekannten zur NSDAP.'11 This of the jurists. Table the SS prior however, Socialism. is also noticeable trend 6.2 shows that 1933 were sincere say. Johe questions were convinced conservative, that The fact of this A perusal \ range of reasons 2 Ibid., jurists they were more days more university 2 One cannot deny that partially sympathetic 42.6% of the sampled jurists entry into jurists the shows a wide of 3 Dr. UntersturmfOhrer the SS. Arnold Bacmeister4 was one of the oldest 1 Johe, is hard to group. "Lebenslgufe" the of their in 1933 and June 1934 demands a closer occupational for to the Nazi Party that anti-semitic. joined toward National many of the "Marzgefallene" that pattern of power, aloofness least at views would make many the SS between January examination seizure and from their and basically Socialism. in the joining flocked He is of the opinion and nationalistic, these political to National that Staatsanwälte und and how many were pure opportunists the fact Nazis. orientated Hitler's before stated that 13.2% of the jurists to abandon their How many of the jurists vblkisch only to the Machtergreifung. early entered nur wenige Richter sich caused many jurists Justiz Die gleichgeschaltete National Justiz, Socialist jurists in 197. p. 198. p. 3 Such in this jurists wellstudy. Only lesser-known are examined dealt in been Best have Werner Dr. considerable jurists with known as 142-152. Heydrich, Reinhard Aronson, pp. in other studies. detail 4 Arnold Dr. SS Untersturmf0hrer File: Personnel BDC. in N. Heilbronn 13.11.1907, born a. SS #277,480, Bacmeister, 174 the sample. The son of an Oberstaatsanwalt, the Universities from Berlin Berlin. and of Thingen in 1931. After Hitler by this fällt der dargelegten task ... for him to write es mir schwer, Feststellung, his career alter den schwarzen mein Reichsführer, auf Grund zu müssen mich in background, in the Propaganda Ministry, was released however, did not he continued where to film censor. a as function 1 Master Card. 1937. "Als vortragen A Bacmeister zu entlassen. racial übertrat. ... 3 ý, been have an must to Himmler: die Bitte Ehren aus der Schutzstaffel 5 His spotty three weeks later. it in der 8. Generation Stolz der SS Führer mit und als Ihnen, ,2 in a routine when it and revelation, by His life the Schutzstaffel. system seemed secure, was shattered Nationalsozialist affect der Filmprbfstelle. Leiter habe ich den Ahnen meiner Mutter difficult Rock trägt, to Berlin der im Jahre 1725 vom Judentum zum Christentum festgestellt, extremely stellv. Socialist "... check Bacmeister law degree of the Stuttgarter assumed power he was called Bacmeister decided to join in the National racial became editor Bacmeister Goebbels who made him "... was then that his His affiliation from university, NS Kurier. He obtained law at with the NSDAPwent back to 1926 1 the party a few months after his Abitur. Upon when he joined graduation Bacmeister studied 2 Handwritten Ibid. He obtained party #38,455. "Lebenslauf" Arnold of 3 Letter of Arnold Bacmeister Ibid. dated 2 December 1937. 4 Ibid. Bacmeister, to "ReichsfUhrer-SS dated 22 February Himmler, " "Wie Ihre letter the the sentence, with Bacmeister concluded ich Reichsführer, aufhören nie werde Entscheidung auch ausfallen mag, mein hoch ihre Ideale fühlen, SS der stellen zu dem Geist zu verbunden mich " Ibid. Tugenden ihre nachzueifern. und 5 Master Card. Ibid. 175 Obersturmbannfbhrer Lutheran pastor, early teens his where Abitur but he was also raised the family father took over a larger to Munich, his law degree in 1933.2 Munich where he was active at the univeristy that in National in the NSDStB. 3 the SD, and remained with the collapse of the Third des Reichssicherheitshauptamtes sich schaft bannführer .. the intelligence branch until he was "Verbindungsfbhrer " he was described Parteikanzlei, zur als ein alter, juristische was in flay 1934 that It bew9hrter appears of the NS journals Nationalsozial lange Jahre vor der Machtübernahme innerhalb bereits für ". began in " but it sozial istische In 1944, while Reich. he he remained graduation Hilfsarbeiter, Recht. 4 Beyer joined later Socialism In June 1934 he was editor "Jugend und RechC and "Deutsches by his superiors After "national head to a was his main function " Two years to Jena where he obtained that as a "wissenschaftlicher Arbeitsgemeinschaft. In 1928 Beyer passed his at Marburg. His interest In his Pomerania to Thuringia parish. and a year after the son of a was not only as a devout Lutheran. moved from his native and began his law studies transferred Beyerl Dr. Justus ist, der der Studenten- hat. 115 He was promoted Obersturm- die Bewegung eingesetzt 1944.6 June 21 on 1 Beyer, Justus Dr. ObersturmbannfUhrer SS File: Personnel BDC. Pommern. Stolp, Krs. in Schurons, 16.4.1910, #107,138, born SS 2 Handwritten 3 4 "Lebenslauf" of Justus Beyer, undated. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. 5 "Beurteilung Ibid. 7 May 1944. 6 "Dienstlaufbahn" des SS Sturmbannfbhrers of Justus Beyer. Dr. Justus Ibid. Beyer, " dated 176 In 1971 Simon Wiesenthal, the renowned Nazi hunter and director of the Dokumentationszentrum in Vienna, wrote to the then Chancellor the Federal Willy German Republic, German chancellor's Dr. Ludwig Hahn. attention ' Brandt, a letter of in which he drew the to the case of the former Standartenfbhrer It appears that the case of the one-time "Chef der Sipo und SD in Warshau" between 1941 and 1944, had been under 'investigation' in Hamburg.. for 2 been responsible and other for the state Wiesenthal's camps. attorney was propelled urgings. was the cause of all Pawiak prison the transport concentration a case that years by the "Staatsanwaltschaft Hahn was charged with causing the death of numerous in the notorious prisoners that the past twelve 4 3 in Warsaw, in addition of 5000 Polish It was only with in Hamburg proceeded with into prominence Who was this the furor prisoners great to having to Auschwitz reluctance the case against Hahn, by the German press at erstwhile Standartenfbhrer in the German press? who In his meticulously 1 Dr. Ludwig Hahn, SS #65ý823s SS StandartenfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Eitzen, Krs. Uelzen, LOneburger Heide. born 23.1.1908, 2 Letter of Simon Wiesenthal to Chancellor 10 January 1971. Wiesent-hal Archive. 3 "Zwölf 2 May 1972. Jahre Ermittlungen für Willy Brandt, dated NS-Prozess. " Süddeutsche Zeitung, 4 "Der Allgemeine Zeitung of 5 June 1972 wrote: The Frankfurter Fall 'Hahn' wir schon vor Prozessbeginn der Fall 'Hamburger Justiz' in jüdischen Dokumentationszentrums des der Leiter Erst als geworden .... Wien in einem Brief an Bundeskanzler Brandt fraaete, weshalb sich NSErmittlungsverfahren Hamburger schwerwiegender wegen zahlreiche die kam Jahrzehnt ins Gewaltverbrechen schleppten, zweite mittlerweise 1972 15 June " in Vorwarts Gang. der Hansestadt Justizmaschinerie of left" More "unbegreiflich. in Hahn the found the progress made case 27 December Report German Democratic the of such as wing publications " Konkret "public Hahn of the labelled 1972 scandal. proceedings as , Hahn was 10 June 1972 openly asked whether the fact that the SS officer had Steinhoff Nato Johannes the anything brother-in-law general of the German the justice? The post-war chief of to do with the slow progress of trial. during for Hahn the air force appeared as a character witness 177 handwritten "Lebenslauf" bewirtschaftete Realgymnasium zu LOneburg. " to study law at Jena. "' genutzt wurden. how he grew up on the family and then nine years "Gymnasium und In 1927 he passed his Abitur He remained at Jena until exams in 1932 "... mit dem Pradikat and proceeded he had passed his 2 From cum laude.,, ... 1930 to 1931 Hahn was a member of the SA, but as he explained: preussischer Refendar musste ich den SA-Dienst man mich sonst aus dem Ausbildungsdienst 26 September. succession. 4 sicherheitshauptamt Warschau" in 1941.5 and SD officer holding After 1934. His promotions 1 August, on several and Sturmbannfohrer appointments During he committed the period that the crimes with "Dienstlaufbahn" 20 April dated Hahn, Ludwig of Ibid. Hahn. Ludwig of Sipo in he was charged which Ibid. 5 on in the Reichs- he served as senior 21bid. 4 in the he was named "Kommandeur der Sipo und SD in 1 "Lebenslauf" Handwritten Ludwig Hahn. Personnel File: 3 aufgeben, weil 3 hätte. " He joined In 1938 he was promoted ObersturmfUhrer HauptsturmfUhrer on 30 January, "Al s leider entfernt the SS in March 1933, and the SD in early SD came in rapid who German, which betrayed the SS Hahn described training, farm, how he attended "Vorschule" doctoral "Landwirt" as a une 75 ha forstwirtschaftlich and somewhat stilted legal officer's his father bis 1927 einen Bauernhof von 150 ha, von denen 75 ha landwirtschaftlich In a precise Hahn described Ibid. 1934. 178 1972. The one factor was that each had been an active Of the following Party which Bacmeister, case studies or in any affiliated ObersturmbannfUhrer disinterested graduating with Until Socialist organization Upon his return to January 1933. prior to the Machtergreifung. prior 2 Zimmermann had been a politically at the University of Marburg. a law degree in 1933 he joined the SS at the same time, America. National not one could claim membership in the Nazi Dr. Herbert law student Beyer, and Hahn had in common after the NSDAP. He joined and then took a six months' he continued Shortly to train trip to North as a "Geri chtesref erenda r. he joined the Gestapo in 1937, he worked as an "Assessor bei der 3 Provinzialverwaltung in Marburg.,. As a full-time in the Gestapo officer Zimmermann was employed first as "Leiter des Sachgebietes fOr AusbUrgerungen Pass -und Hei mats ac hen 1939 wurde er zur Stapostel le , . ... A In 19439 by then Sturmbannführer, Münster versetzt. Zimmermann was as "Kommandeur der Sipo und des SD" to Bialystock. transferred he was in Bialystock carried 5 out. Zimmermann ordered several mass executions 1954 Zimmermann was cleared In July having the on charge of ordered executions While to be by a German court in Freiburg im Breisgau. In 1 Hahn was asked by the German judge whether he During the trial legal action against him after feared that German courts might initiate dachte ich Aber "NatOrlich. Hahn jurist the the war, to which replied, dann das, kann dann beruhigt Jahr und sich vergehen, mir, es wird ein lived 1949 Hahn " leben. After Mensch openly man wieder als normaler "Vor deutschen for he in West Germany, his stated, own name under Gerichten hatte ich keine Angst. " Vorwärts, 10 June 1972. 2 SS Obersturmbannfbhrer Personnel File: in Eisleben. BDC. SS #118,240, born 22.8.1907, 3 October Handwritten Ibid. 1938. 4 "Lebenslauf" "Dienstlaufbahn" 5Ibid. of Herbert of Herbert Dr. Herbert Zimmermann, Zimmermann, dated 16 Zimmermann. Ibid. 179 November 1959 he was tried by a court in Bielefeld on the charge of 1 in Bialystock. He was cleared having ordered several mass executions in both instances, in the second because Zimmermanncould no longer 2 having remember given the orders for the executions. Hermann Langbein, Auschwitz Committee, the general wrote that in twenty-three conducted by West German courts, were charged, only on three Bbhme, the son of a "Mittel of Halle and Rostock. StaatsprOfung. Gestapo. A closer his decision Third .5A schul lehrer, year later the jurist entered to serve in the state to the right-wing lLangbein, " studied law at the Universities bestand ich die grosse juristische Reich was not a sudden move. B8hme belonged to receive 4 Hans-Joachim Bbhme. look at B6hme's past political and willingness of 87 SS officers One of the officers Sturmbannfbhrer In 1936 "... trials was the most severe time penalty occasions was the former such a sentence Einsatzgruppen in which a total 3 handed down. (die h6chste Zeitstrafe) of the International secretary As early the service force of the as 1923, at the age of 14, Bismarck JUgend "die Im Namen des deutschen shows that activities police of the Volkes, im Osten des p. 153. 2 Langbein commented: 'Tas Gericht konnte sich nicht letzte Gewissheit darüber verschaffen der sich nicht dass der Angeklagte, ...diese Befehle gegeben hatte In der tatsächlich mehr erinnern will, .... überzeugt, ist davon dazu Gericht Urteilsbegründung Das gesagt: wird dass der Angeklagte in mehreren Punkten sicher die Unwahrheit gesagt hat Die Folgerung, er hätte nicht die Unwahrheit zu sagen .... brauchen, wenn er nicht etwar zu verbergen hätte liegt zwar nahe, ist " Ibid., 51. p. aber nicht zwingend. 3 Ibid., 81. p. 4 SS SturmbannfUhrer Hans-Joachim Bbhme, Personnel File: in Magdeburg. BDC. SS #151,121, born 1.10.1909, January 5 Handwritten Ibid. 1940. "Lebenslauf" of Hans-Joachim Bbhme, dated 14 180 Reiches einen ausgeprägten militaristischen this group he became affiliated youth Charakter trug. " to the 9th Infantry 1 Through Regiment in 1925, for the purpose of "Sonderausbildung. " In his student days he belonged to a right-wing student association, and in May 1933 he joined 1938, when he joined the Gestapo, Bbhme the NSDAP. Until was a member of the Allgemeine SS and "Rechtsberater des Bezirkes 42 2 der Stammabteilung Ost.,. In 1958 B6hmewas charged by a West German court in (wegen Beihilfe) for assisting he was senior the murder of 3907 persons while 3 of the Gestapo in Tilsit. officer established Mass er /ýýöhme-/ mit geradezu eiserner ausgerottet hat, " sentenced years "Ehrverlust. him to 15 years studies and member of the SD, who proudly exam ... Erlangen. .7 Dr. Wilhelm In 1926 he passed his of Munich. und promovierte reported began his law the son of a Bezirksamtsassessor, in 1922 at the University der Universitat 10 and Jude wurde zum .5 GruppenfUhrer Osten was abgeschoben, nach Harster, "Referendar Konsequenz Juden in a penitentiary to Himmler on 24 May 1943 "Der sechzigtausendste Arbeitseinsatz 6 which .4 A German jurist Harster. The court in 1927 zum Doktor der Rechte an joined In 1929 Harster the police I Ibid 2 Ibid 3 Langbein, 4 Ibid., Im Namen des deutschen Volkes, 150-51. pp, 81. p. 5 Undated Stern article the BDC. 6 found in the Harster personnel file SS GruppenfUhrer Personnel File: Niederbayern. Kehlheim, in born 21.7.1904, 7 Handwritten "Lebenslauf" Dr. Wilhelm BDC. of Wilhelm Harster, Harster, undated. at SS #225,932, Ibid. 181 (Kriminalpolizei) Police. and in 1931 he was assigned to the Bavarian Political At that time Harster "deutschnationaler. Freikorps Oberland. " police a number of other right-wing and ended up in 1926 as a member of the "Bund organizations From 1921 to 1929 Harster was "JugendfUhrer Wehrkraftsverein. "l joined Harster the spring of being a In 1920, at the age of 16, he belonged to the "Oberland, " then joined para-military that " had the reputation With this the NSDAPshortly of 1933 he also joined of Bavaria background it political Hitler after the SS. to the Sicherheitsdienst im bayr. is not surprising came to power. In The step from the political of the Third Reich did not difficult In 1935 he became a member be to appear a one for Harster. 2 in hierarchy Reichssicherheitshauptamt SD. the the His the of of rise was rapid. It took him eight in the occupied Another into to "Befehlshaber der Sipo" and to reach the rank of Brigadefuhrer. Netherlands, German jurist the post-war years to rise whose war-time former is the era Oberfbhrer activities 3 pursued him Horst Bender. 4 After Bender 1 Ibid. 2 "Dienstlaufbahn" of Wilhelm Harster. Ibid. 3 After the war Harster was tried "... von einem milden Ibid. in But twelve to already Gericht" hollandischen years. and sentenced 1955 he was returned to Germany where he found immediate employment as the It Bavarian in after the only was government. an Oberregierungsrat 1963, in in Vienna former SS HauptsturmfUhrer Rajakovic was arrested in Netherlands, the Harster's facts activities about more revealed who Even then from be government serivce. that Harster asked to retired it took the German courts three years to gather further evidence against in the " Galgenfrist, "Zwanzig Jahre personnel enclosed him. Stern article Information on the Harster case was also obtained file of Harster. from the Wiesenthal 4 Archive. Personnel File: in Lyck, 24.2.1905, born SS OberfUhrer Horst BDC. Ostpreussen. Bender, SS #122,746, 182 completed his Assessorenexam in 1930, he settled down as a alwyer in ' his birthplace in East Prussia. Although he became a member of the NSDAPin late 1932, he did not join 1936, by this time a HauptsturmfUhrer, the SS until April 1933.2 In Bender was taken into the fulltime SS and posted to the "Hauptamt SS-Gericht. " 3 From 1936 until the of the Third collapse (Gerichtswesen), law, involved After former in Frankfurt. Richter in the judicial III beim Reichsfbhrer-SS, apparatus lawyer in Stuttgart at the major trials " of the of when he was charged zum Mord" by Simon Weisenthal prosecutor der Abteilung the war Bender once more took up the practise and was a practicing "wegen Beihilfe "Leiter as " then as "vortragender Bender was actively Schutzstaffel. Reich, first and Robert Kempner, the in Nuremberg who is now a lawyer 4 1 Biographical information taken from "Anzeigesache gegen den jetztigen Rechtsanwalt Horst Bender, " ehemaligen SS Oberfbhrer, Staatsanwaltschaft bei dem Landgericht Stuttgart, dated 2 April 1976. Wiesenthal Archive. 2 Master Card. 3 "Dienstlaufbahn" Personnel File: of Horst Horst Bender. Bender. Ibid. 4 "Anzeigesache gegen Horst Bender. " The charge against Bender 'Justitiar' 'Justizminister' des Reichsführer-SS stated that "... als oder dessen Tötungsverbrechen " Speci ly Tat fi Rat mit und unterstützte. cal ... he was charged with having advised Himmler on 26 April 1942, that "Bei Befehl Befugnis bei Judenerschiessungen erfolgt rein politischen ohne und bei Motiven keine Bestrafung, aber oder sadistischen wohl eigensüchtigen document along with Bender's bzw. sexuellen Motiven. " The original "Zum Vortrag RFSS" is found in the Bundesarchiv Koblenz, handwritten Nürnberg. NS7/247; also Nürnberg Dokument No. 1744, Staatsarchiv After examining the documents presented the Landesgericht Stuttgart " The Befehlsbbermittler. decided to label Bender "... lediglich Allies 1744 known Document that the furthermore5 to was court ruled, "entnazifiziert. in their he that Bender custody, and was was still while The court, therefore5 concluded "Es werde ihm lediglich anbelastet, " in die Terrormethoden Himmler's hatte, ihm aber zugute dass er Einblick Posten Verfahren Das dass seinem mildernd auf einwirkte er gehalten, .... 170 Abs. 2 StPO Gründen tatsächlichen insgesamt deshalb para. gem. aus war Archive. Wiesenthal " einzustellen. 183 These case histories German jurists involved who joined from the truth. ObersturmfUhrer Nordwest requesting Dr. Albrecht Dieckhoff. vom SD-Hauptamt nach hier unbedingte Zuverlässigkeit Bedenken. .2 d. Reserve. " "Leutnant for with post-war L6bbarth. " Dieckhoff, involvement with the latter of the surroundings his Abitur completing era Dieckhoff claimed Jena, " and he actively im Freikorps however, und By 1917 he was made service. He also Putsch" the "Hitler-Ludendorff gewisse des Schiffbaues After period. in the Kapp Putsch of 1920. participated explained: about whom such reservations In the immediate to have been "Halbzugfbhrer connection military about a certain Dieckhoff the comfortable of the Wilhelmine wrote bestehen gegen die wird, Dieckhoff But case history The Oberabschnitt mitgeteilt Reeder zu Hamburg, " was born into in 1915 he volunteered 1 the son of a "Professor Dieckhoff, obere Mittelstand information des Obersturmführers Who was Albrecht were voiced? The following In May 1939 the SS-Personalkanzlei statement. to the Oberabschnitt all the SS in 1933 and 1934 were in some way would be further bears out this of his that with the heinous crimes committed by the Black Order. nothing Nie might lead the reader to believe through is not very precise putsch. claimed some vague an "Organization in his description In 1919 he began his law hi in to s he of vi how ew study though abl e Ki was much el , al studi es at Kiel did He does very at he stay not say. not activities, political long, before he moved on to Heidelberg, Greifswald and Hamburg. 1 Albrecht Dr. ObersturmfUhrer SS File: Personnel BDC. in Hamburg. 25.12.1896, SS #194,318, born 2 "SS Personalkanzlei" from the "Eilt" Letter marked 1939. Ibid. dated 4 May " Nordwest, Oberabschnitt After Dieckhoff, to "SS 184 his Dr. jr. completing in his "Lebenslauf" privilege he studied to have been "ein englischer The international he joined SS, was looked to alleviate to question considerable membership in the "All a certain reliabilitY. the entering by the security suspicion Peoples Association" which Berlin in manchen Dingen eigenartig out that went on to point his political branch. did not help amount of uneasiness about his outside connections. The most damaging accusation vielfach enjoyed caused the Rotary Club three months after upon with His continued which Dieckhoff connections the Reichssicherheitshauptamt that Volljurist" with the 1 law in England as well as South Africa. of practicing The fact law at Oxford and London, and claimed could make was "D. ist Mann. " interesierter interested was Dieckhoff ein The letter in the histories der al ten Hamburgischen Gross kaufmannsf ami1ien ," and concl uded with the statement "Dabei haben alle seine Neigungen einen Einschlag ins 2 Feudale. .. discussion. indeed is to open case Dieckhoff's and crass three der geschickt .3 or was the spiessbUrgerliche lavieren, unable opportunist, "... to comprehend a man with languages gesel 1schaftl i ch äusserst Kreisen möglichen fluently, 2 Letter Seiten weiss nach allen cosmopolitan gewandter Mann ... interests, as "... der Zutri tt who spoke ein 1 zu al en " hat. heute und auch noch hatte immer schon of Albrecht Personalkanzlei SS of zu of the SS Fbhrup_g mentality described and who was 1 "Lebenslauf" Handwritten Ibid. December 1936. Was he a smooth Dieckhoff, to Oberabschnitt 3 des SS-Oberabschnittes "FOhrer from Letter 13 1939. dated May " "Chef der SS-Personalkanzlei, How was dated 20 Nordwest. Nordwest" Ibid. Ibid. to the 185 the SS Führung going to understand a man "... Inhaber einer der angesehensten Hamburgischen Anwaltsfirmen der und einzige Rechtsanwalt, ist. "' der bei den englischen The SD had to admit that ... Gerichten it deutsche in London zugelassen had only a certain amount of ohne dass i edoch besonderes Tatsachenmateri al vorl i egt .2 . In the end the SD had to admit defeat. Dieckhoff remained in the suspi ci on SS; he was even promoted to Hauptsturmfbhrer record of his war-time and it activities,,, had managed to keep well While Dieckhoff's There is no there was only an address for 1941, read "Wehrwirtschaftsinspektion Dieckhoff in 1941.3 Ukraine. " It appears that back of the combat zone. behaviour left certain questions unanswered, 4 the case of ObersturmbannfUhrer Johannes Hossfeld left little doubt of his political orientation. Bismarckian and his mannerisms remained those ". .. eines typisch era, deutschnationalen zur Schau tragt. architect, during Herrenmenschens "5 provided and social status Hossfeld Hossfeld's his family so vital the Second Reich. was the typical father, an independently entered employed Berlin financial the necessary for the 'good life' Hossfeld of the der einen gewissen Standesdünkel ... with product security of the obere Mittelstand the "... k6ngl. Luisengymnasium 1 Ibid. 2 Letter from"Chef des Reichssicherheitsamtes" dated 2 May 1939. Ibid. 3 "Dienstlaufbahn" of Albrecht Dieckhoff. 4Personnel File: SS Obersturmbannfbhrer BDC. SS #227,632, born 24.7.1879, in Berlin. 5 to "SS Hauptamt, " Ibid. Johannes Hossfeld, des Landesfinanzamtpräsidenten Beurteilung "Politische " Ibid. Hossfeld. Johannes Schlesien von 186 in Berlin, " and then proceeded to study law. "ReferendarprUfung" Prior and in 1909 sat for his "Gerichtsassessorenexam. 11 to the war Hossfeld was awarded a naval commission, and in 1914 he went into belonged the Imperial Navy as a lieutenant to the traditional the "... represented Beamtenschaft" überwiegend Hossfeld "... that stated 1933. after 2 in his ministry with socialist servants Beamte die nicht herauszunehmen, "Politische since civil in Breslau. informed attitude refused pressure to fill men. "... goes non-political, which discredited Beurteilung" lists official Beamte in his department 1 Handwritten positions non-national wie Parteigenossen. included "Lebenslauf sei, had der Bewegung, " and the refusal Wing Hermann when clearly to the party itself showed than junior of Johannes Hossfeld,, Ibid. 2 Mommsen, Beamtentum in Dritten The the use of non-party in response to a complaint less gave " misdemeanors which Hossfeld die Gefallenen StandesdUnkel Hossfeld's a high party thirteen day him the off under servants service angesetzte geworden seien, aus diesen Stellen These offences für civil He also did not fire da sie ebenso Gutes leisten 1933. "... to attend der dass Begründung, mit es ungerecht Parteigenossen "Gedenkfeier in a members to give traditional seven page "Politische He steadfastly party Beurteilung" committed eingestellte Hossf el d hat von j eher ei ne kl are nati onal soz i al i sti sche Schulungsabende" and resisted civil Hossfeld of Staatsdienertum It was this socialist, A detailed lassen. " vermissen und konservativ national tradition whose unpolitical than his anti-national rather commander. 1 h6here Beamtentum, and politically back to the days of Bismarck. Linie In 1903 he passed his Reich, p. 21. arrived he when that senior Beamte, dated 1 June 1934, 187 dass Beamte des höheren Dienstes auf Grund der unvermeidlichen höheren Aufwendungen nicht ihre Kinder nicht soviel zu lassen brauchen. studieren mÜsse seine Kinder studieren auch selbst hat. " studiert können, die Beamte, andere geben wie lassen, Der höhere Beamte aber weil er, der höhere Beamte ja The report concluded with the poignant statement that the admission of Hossfeld into the SS ". hat die .. berbhrt. "l One might wonder why gesamte Beamtenschaft eigenartig Hossfeld was taken into in a letter the SS. Himmler was asked this and der NSDAP, Hauptamt fOr Beamte he to the Reichsleitung da die in SS er aufgenommen, wurde Hossfeld "... gave his reasons: question, der wenigen war, die damals in Schlesien den Mut hatten sich einer der Herrschaft restlos nicht process of standing SA ObergruppenfUhrer to up BrUckner Hossfeld had inadvertently 11... restlos against verfolgte Hossfeld protected SS in Schlesien. an attack die noch heute nicht Amt entfernt hand Himmler saw that against Heines and Gauleiter some members of the Himmler saw in the complaints können, dass Herr Brückner verwinden Hossfeld 3 In the the SS by the BrUckner followers, den Gerichten und sogar the SS, yet with .2 beugen. zu Heines-Brückner überstellt " wurde. von seinem On the other in he type the wanted of man whom was not some unexplained loyalty of sense he stated, "Ich in jetzt Hossfeld Herrn ich guten käme mir schlecht vor, wenn 4 his " Himmler severed never Zeiten aus der SS entlassen würde. 1 behaviour Hossfeld's socialist non-national The comments on " In his Beurteilung. six-page entire "Politische from the are taken either reference does political a single Hossfeld make not "Lebenslauf" Hossfeld. Johannes File: Personnel Socialism. National pro or against 2 der Hauptamt NSDAP, "Reichsleitung to Himmler Letter from Ibid. 1936. March 16 dated fUr Beamte, " 31bid. 4 Ibid. 188 connection with the cantankerous Oberfinanzprdsident; on the contrary, he promoted him in time to the rank of Obersturmbannfbhrer. In his book Die gleichgeschaltete innerhalb der Partei herrschten nach der Machtergreifung sozialisten gelten waren, die Ziele ý2 In the opinion sein, das bestrebt the new dictum als Nationalder Staatsthe NS writer be grouped in with of the sampled jurists to accept ist, of this While there were jurists who should the majority reluctance darüber ob die sofort konnten, die bereit Dieckhoff, little Zweifel offenbar Justizangehörigen Fbhrung need not have worried. adherents, Johe wrote: eingetretenen führung zu verwirklichen. and perhaps Justiz in this "Deutsches like Hossfeld, the doubtful study showed Recht muss das das deutsche Volk in seiner Eigenart zu A The assessment of und seine Volkwerdung zu begbnstigen. 4a Dr. Falk Ruttke, could at Berlin, prominent member of the law faculty erhalten in the SS "... jurists ied German be to a number of appl perhaps sicher Ziele dass er sich in jeder die Partei und ihre einsetzt. The professional officers: A second very important 1 "Dienstlaufbahn" 2 Johe, 3 old elite, Die gleichgeschaltete Justiz, military officer, Ibid. p. 197. Ibid. SS SturmbannfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. Halle. in 11.11.1894, born 5 the former Hossfeld. Johannes of 4 1936. für Lage rückhaltlos es ist "Dienstleistungszeugnis" Ibid. Dr. Falk Ruttke, of Falk Ruttke, SS #156,315, dated 11 November 189 be looked at next. will Karl Demeter in his study of the German officer corps in 1933 wrote that three discernible at the time of the Machtergreifung groups among the "... mehr ganz jungen Offizieren. nicht besonders intelligenten "' The first Socialism, indifferent. .2 ". smaller, die meisten aber reagierten .. Demeter concluded his discussion "Auch bei der älteren Generation haben viele, German officer National und group reacted favourably toward the new regime, the second, considerably National there were rejected wohlwollend oder with the statement: bald rascher, bald 3 langsamer, den Weg zur neuen Bewegung gefunden. " This attitude of the toward is substantiated Socialism by F. L. Carsten in his study of the Reichswehr when he wrote "The nationalism so loudly his by Hitler proclaimed was closely nationalism akin that 'apart armed forces toward National only had the same aims as the the older with included former Socialism all study of former generation has been done to date. joined who men occupation "aktiver as 3.8% of the sampled SS officers 2 3 4 and their officers of officers Offizier. reactions This quantitative to 1939 and listed the SS prior " Table 6.1 showed that had been professional 1 Offizierkorps, Deutsche Das Demeter,, 1966), as Hammerstein put Schutzstaffel. the have been of a member could No quantitative their really that German the is of member concerned, since no serving study this study own - that to their Hitler from the speed' A It is particularly Reichswehr. it to believe induced the officers officers p. 191. Ibid. Ibid. F. L. Carsten, 404. p. The Reichswehr and Politics, 1918-1933 (Oxford 190 prior to coming into the SS. corps d'61ite military joining slow rate of the officers group has been commented on above. professional seems to support the assertions officers the SS as the para- did the of new regime not appeal to too many The unusually officers. This suggests that This joining pattern made by Demeter and Carsten, that the around to look more favourably came gradually as a upon the regime. Yet it would take them some time before the members of the erstwhile "first Estate"' of robbers. " would realize in various for officers, Colonel and the retired expertise positions German League prior 1935 and taught service 75 years old, wrote stopped until den Typ eines 1 Ibid., their last military Von Einem, Braunschwei2. in 1945. offensive, "... gehalten With his in 1938, entries It appears that with by then Einem, von eine Ehrenprbfung. "... Himmler's remark was Generalstabsoffizieres Felix to the VerfUgungstruppe January to Himmler requesting The reason for his indignation applied at the Junkerschule launch their to about the Allies a gang of War and vocal advocate of the Pan- at the Junkerschule from active file 3 in the VerfUgungstruppe. to 1914, was recalled tactics in his personnel example Paul Hausser, von Einem, the son of the Wilhelmine Minister retirement "... 2 Some of the former Steiner they had indeed joined that " dass ich fOr deutschen der der werde, 397. p. 2 in found Oster Hans Abwehrgeneral former by the A note made , The Generals: His Hitler Deutsch, Harold and his diary in 1944. (Minneapolis 19. 1938 1974). January-June p. Hidden Crisis, 3 Oberf8hrer SS File: Personnel BDC. in Northheim. born 31.12.1880, Kurt von Einem, SS #25690505 191 Armee schädlich und daher grundsätzlich 1 abzulehnen ist. " Himmler had made the remark in response to von Einem's request to be posted as commander to the front a regimental Third Reich. stressful Himmler's curt "Ich unterscheide Offizier bei den Generalstabsoffizieren sind ... Offizier und SS-Führer qualifiziere, 11 11 NSDAP, ... Zufriedenheit to Lubl in. Lublin 5 eine Tätigkeit welche für die Armee Hilmar Mosed joined he retired from an active die Generalleutnant des Reichsorganizationsleiters the 34-year military der Ordensburgen der Moser bisher zur vollsten ausübt. A In 1942, the Moser was posted as "Kommandantdes Oberfeldkommandos" As the result soon fell hopelessness den truppenfremden 1942 Moser served as "Inspekteur then 61-year-old wrote to von Einem: nor his regiment. Lieutenant-General SS in 1938 after Until the muss mir überlassen werden. ý2 Von got his "Ehrenprbfung" The former career. reflects Zu welcher Art ich den einzelnen mir untergebenen nützlich Einem neither officer The Reichsfbhrer-SS und die andere Art des Offiziers, ... Allgemeine to the insulted reply at the time. situation during those dying hours of the into of the overall the combat zone. defending of the city retreat of the German army, The aging general and surrendered soon saw the to the Russians 1 Letter of Oberführer von Einem to "Kommandierenden General des XIII SS A. K. GruppenfUhrer Simon, " dated 10 January 1945. Ibid. 2 Letter of "Reichsfbhrer-SS Heinrich 1945. dated 12 Ibid. January Einem, von 3 SS GruppenfUhrer Personnel File: Krs. Roda. in Langenorla, born 5.11.1880, Himmler" to OberfUhrer Hilmar BDC. 4 Moser, SS #3095713, der NSDAP to the "Leiter Letter of "Reichsorganizationsleiter Ibid. des SS-Personalamtes, " dated 3 September 1938. 5 "Dienstlaufbahn" Hilmar Moser. of Ibid. 192 und hat sich nicht " erschossen. might have ended there, had other information 1 Moser's military he and would probably "a gang Of robbers. " Lublin he had that who realized had been for years the location Moser had been shocked by what he saw. of and The camp was also one of the by be the Russians, and when Moser was taken to taken camps over first he immediately prisoner information was quickly "Ich Moser stated: by the Russians both in leaflet publicized halte von Lublin mitzuhelfen Verbrechen, die im K. Z. begangen worden sind, The retired message with "Ich Lublin Befehl meinem Untaten II this ihre standen, im Vernichtungslager. writer " success. Aussagen zu machen über made the statement Freies this The above case illustrated 1944 to recognize the horrors Deutschland, 2. Jahrgang, that Himmler's did not meet with an 1 Himmler" "Reichsf0hrer-SS Letter of 1944. 12 October dated " Personalhauptamtes., SS. from the Moser was expelled this action 2 completed 2 attempt to absorb members of older elites took Moser until " aufzudecken. his der Wehrmacht, die in der Stadt Soldaten ersuche alle In Chapter unqualified restlos ... um die unerhörten d'e"lite, in the Gruppenfbh_rer corps and general unter als General Teilnehmer an zwei Weltkriegen Oberfeldkommandant form issues In one of its Deutschland. meine unbedingte Pflicht, es für und Soldat von 42 Dienstjahren, und letzter This the camp. about information volunteered and in the communist paper Freies it It appears camps in the eastern territories, one of the major extermination alle have been soon forgotten, not reached Himmler's Feldquartier. that Moser had been one of those officers joined and SS career point, although of the Nazi regime to the "Chef des SSAs the result of Ibid. No. 37,10 September 1944. 193 and, more importantly to do something about it. 1 The case of Hermann von Festenburg-Pakisch to a fellow officer than loyalty was stronger he held the rank of Obersturmbannfbhrer. son of a senior from a Kadettenanstalt. graduation Germany's e,lite infantry 11 selbstandiger SS until to join July encountered Although It which was to test a situation of Festenburg's he (Hirschwald) He der SS. " joining of 11 was a half-Jew. Eisern Husarenoffizier war Kreuz II. I socialist Klasse 2 was one of the he did not join his loyalties. In that applied for year, membership seemed undeterred. his rejection by the Rechtswahrer- ". f8rderndes he already a when was .. lawyer's that he had earned the privilege organization und Kriegsteilnehmer, das Frontkämpferkreuz und as he had been habe auch das erhalten. ATe Hermann von FestenbergSS Obersturmbannfbhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Flensburg. SS #273,742, born 8.1.1880, Pakisch, 2 His wife the was denied on the grounds Hirschwald He was of the opinion the national getauft, In the then Sturmbannfbhrer His application Bund because he was a half-Jew, Mitglied stage, named Hirschwald he could not understand that stated Festenburg-Pakisch 1938 in that was in the NS Rechtswahrer-Bund. that in one of 3. Garde Regiment Fuss. zu - the NSDAPat an early 1935.3 an aquaintance commissioned in 1899 after to remain in the army, and became a successful Kaufmann. " few officers was the By 1914 he was a captain regiments 1919 he did not request loyalty to the Black Order when Festenburg-Pakisch and was himself officer, shows that He joined the NSDAPin December 1930 with party #410,354. Ibid. Master Card. joined the party at the same time. 3 "Lebenslauf" Handwritten of Hermann von Festenberg-Pakisch, Ibid. undated. 4 " dated "SS-Personalhauptamt, the to Hirschwald Letter of Ibid. 1938. 28 November 194 item in the letter most embarrassing be in possession of "... 19.8.1938, vom was that tolerate Schreiben des Reichsführer-SS ein angebliches des bei ihm vorliegenden wonach anlässlich keine Bedenken bestehen, dass er weiter bl ei be. "1 Hirschwald claimed to förderndes Mitglied The SS Führung was in an obvious dilemma. a half-Jew could one get rid as a "f8rderndes Ausnahmefalles der SS How could the SS Mitglied"; on the other hand, how of a member who had a letter from the ReichsfUhrer-SS him gave permission which to remain a member of the SS? The Reichssicherheitshauptamt was called claims, and reported of the letter. the letter. It Hirschwald several strange indeed Hirschwald in possession was point Festenberg-Pakisch. not only not to surrender advice his for advice, reprimand Lieutenant-Colonel Report This was indeed But he could not protect Festenberg-Pakisch letter. received a severe 3 but remained in the SS. Thus Himmler would at times Reichssicherheitshauptamt 2 from the Gestapo became so great Soon pressure he gave up Himmler's advised but also to make in hide them secure places. and coming from an SS officer. The former The Sturmbannfbhrer the letter, copies forever. his fellow remembered Hirschwald that of it Hirschwald apartment he bestimmiter Form" aber was asked to surrender was at that aquaintance, officer Hirschwald's A team of the Gestapo went to Hirschwald's in h6f 1icher ". and .. that to Himmler that in to investigate act against in the quest for the advice socially prominent v. Kretschmann was admitted investigation the of on Hirschwald, of the into persons. the SS dated 1 December 1938. Ibid. 2 Letter of GruppenfOhrer Ibid. dated 8 May 1939. 3 Ibid. Heydrich to "ReichsfUhrer-SS Himmler, " 195 even though the security The former Dr. Oscar Lossen major, of the SS against known historian Professor and secretary was an artillery committing his colonelcy himself, July 1938, his described into the FUhrerkorps Lossen, the son of the well- army commission in 1907. the "bayerische Landespolizei" his doctorate outwardly, He some time with the under the Nazi regime, at least he ever became a party taken 1919, when, after able to complete a Parteianwarter, was only a regular until Bamberg, he entered he received was also unreliable. of the Akademie der Wissenschaft, received officer He was also maj or. 2 him politically the advice of Heydrich. Max Lossen, Freikrops branch considered in 1925. as a Although he was very slow in to the regime. By 1937 he does not show that and his personnel file 3 Even though Lossen joined the SS in member. "Politische Beurteilung" marked "streng vertraulich" Lossen as follows: ist ausser Zweifel national Mann eingestellter und .. o kann als ausgesprochener 'Soldat' bezeichnet werden ... ist jedoch im Gegensatz zur heutigen Zeit noch zu sehr Er wurzelt noch zu sehr mit Standesdünkel behaftet .... in alten Anschauungen des unpolitischen Offizierskorps der Volksgemeinschaft und hat demzufolge die Notwendigkeit 4 noch nicht voll erfasst. The report concluded with the statement: angesehen werden. "5 er nicht appeared Himmler's Below this comment made with 1 See Chapter II, "Als Nationalsozialist rather unfavourable the traditional SS StandartenfUhrer Personnel File: in MUnchen. BDC. born 17.6.1887, 4 assessment green pencil "ist 70. p. 2 3 Handwritten kann "Lebenslauf" Dr. Oskar Lossen, SS #3099503, of Oskar Lossen, dated 25 June 1938. des Oberstleutnants der Gendarmerie Beurteilung "Politische dated Gauleitung by MUnchen-Oberbayern, the Lossen" Oskar Dr. written Ibid. 13 July 1937. 5 Ibid. Ibid. 196 zu bef6rdern. The officer and shortly in the SS as a Standartenfbhrer. HH'11Lossen was enrolled who resigned his commission in the Reichswehr in 1924, became Ortsgruppenleiter thereafter in the town of BUckeberg, appears to have been an early adherent to National Socialism. 2 Friedemann Goetze was raised in an obere Mittelstand milieu; was Stadtsyndicus, Lieutenant and later than ". his early eine grenzenlose .. leaving He gave no reason for He was commissioned Second Verehrung it in 1926. dissolved was 1935 Geotze volunteered autumn of 1933. In early VerfUgungstruppe and was employed as a teacher Braun . Although the NSDAPuntil tacti Braunschwei that g cs at In April SS-Fbhrerschule" It seems that Goetze's wrote then GaufUhrer, a SturmbannfUhrer and by the Nazis in the for service in the in February 1937, he did not was while he was teaching 'doubtf ul ' pol i ti cal past was 1935 Standartenfbhrer letter a It the at the Junkerschule in January the summer of 1937.4 join 3 Goetze joined Goetze became Obersturmbannfbhrer 1935 and commandant of the Junkerschule Socialism General Ludendorffs. became LandesfUhrer, in the Bund until remained active commitment to National the party of Ludendorff, Tannenbergbund revealed. his father in 1890, and remained in the army for the next 34 years. Goetze gave no reason for other Landrat. Colonel Hausser, then "FUhrer der to Himmler in which he discussed Dr. Koster, 5 Goetze. the Goetze and remembered 1 Ibid. 2 Personnel File: Stade. in 26.7.1871, born 3 4 Handwritten SS BrigadefOhrer BDC. "Lebenslauf" "Dienstlaufbahn" Friedemann Goetze, Goetze, Friedemann of Goetze. Friedemann of 5 Dr. StandartenfUhrer SS File: Personnel Koster BDC. Eifel. Kellberg, in born 20.4-1905, graduate. SS a university was the who joiners of in SS full-time became officer he a surgeon until SS #261,4053 undated. Ibid. Ibid. "3. Paul Koster,, SS -; )700.3 IF few the early was one of He was a veterinary 1934. 197 11 ... Saalschlachten erheblichen der Saalschlachten einer der Weiterführung ... Obersturmbannfühere Goetze an The same SS officer berührt, einem ganz eigenartig der sich frÜher hergelaufenen der jetzige das bei und seiner Tannenbergbund-Versammlung durch uns mit Gewalt wurde. " verhindert dem Tannenbergbund mit stated to Hausser "dass es einen Mann als höheren SS-Führer zu sehen, in gehässigster Weise über unseren Führer als Ausländer und Konjunkturredner geäussert hat. "' Hausser's method of dealing with the case is of interest, it shows hi s, as wel 1 as the Verf b2ungstruppe's, central SS FUhrung. It code of the non-political military expertise, a tactics teacher habe Dr. Koster unabhängig for dass alle job he did as the report with: "Ich Führer der Schule jetzt müssen. für Ich betrachte - die Durchführung agreed with Hausser, es als meine besondere und dieses was his political the jurisdiction Grundsatzes zu sorgen. " Goetze was not reprimanded, he was named commandant of the school outside lower a adherence to the Hausser lauded Goetze's He concluded hingewiesen, Only in one instance but this continued von ihrem Werdegang - gemeinsam und kameradschaftlich Pflicht, matter First i ndependence f rom the and commendedhim on the effective darauf Himmler apparently that officer. at the school. zusammenarbeiten persönliche shows Hausser's also for SS. the of for in 1937. past held against him, In 1938 Goetze applied NSDAPmembership number, in view of his earlier services to 1 "Reichsfbhrer-SS Hausser to StandartenfUhrer Letter of Ober Obersturmbannfbhrer SS Koster Dr. SturmbannfUhrer SS Betr. Himmler; Ibid. 1938. April 8 dated " Goetze, 2 Ibid. 2 198 the party. Gauleiter Oberführer Rust turned down the request "... Goetze am Liebsten Friedrich Jeckeln, the Gauleiter-. haben möchte. "' then Fbhrer des Oberabschnittes "... Tannenbergbündler Er war vielmehr nicht in der Partei da er den Mitte, agreed with ich weiss dass Goetze vor der Machtübernahme war und sich keineswegs für die Bewegung betätigte. jener jungen Tannenbergbündler, einer die die NSDAP als unerwünschte Konkurenz ansahen und die stur die Ludendorffsche Richtung It " vertraten. is surprising 2 Goetze did not receive though, purpose was to train a future Six months after the then 25--year-old Geotze Hans a son, and after The case histories interest, 4 a Freikorps, selected his commission, married. one to study After with He also 1 Letter of Gauleiter Ibid. 1 February 1938. the VerfUgungstruppe. the careers the First the Eiserne Division in the "Grenzschutzab- in the Ruhr fighting Mitte" Oberabschnittes des "FUhrer Letter of the 1938. Ibid. February 8 dated " der SS-Personalkanzlei, Master Card. StandartenfUhrer SS File: Personnel BDC. Rendsburg. in born 3.11.1897, Later in Lithuania. Rust to "SS-Personalhauptamt, # was 5,226,122. of two World War Hans Goetze joined Regiment 210 to fight participated and attitudes 2 4 army Goetze Hans Friedemann are of particular and of then fought 3 His party leaders. Some22 months later his commission entered resigning whose sole The son too became a regular born. was of officers. Bromberg. " of specially number. political Friedemann Goetze had received the Freiwil-ligen he joined generation second lieutenant as they allow generations schnitt in view of his pre-1933 that Goetze remained commandant of a FUhrerschule activities, officer a lower party 3 before he " dated to "Chef Ibid. Hans Goetze, SS ý028197715 199 joined the 100,000-man Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic. He retired from the army on 31 January 1933.1 as a captain The day after he left he remained a member until the army Goetze joined he went into the SA, of which the SS in May 1937. Between 1933 and 1937 Geotze worked with the Bahnschutz, and in 1936 he the post of "militarischer Leiter der Bahnschutzschule Munchen2 Freimann. " In the VerfUgungstruppe Geotze was given the rank of received SturmbannfOhrer Bahnschutzschule and because of his teaching he was immediately While he was a teacher was investigated function he which attended branch for It the posted to the Junkerschule T81z. at the Junkerschule by the security unbecoming to an SS officer. background with the younger Goetze having made remarks appears that at a Junkerschule in the company of "... social Frau von Blomberg, geb. von Hammerstein, Ehefrau des Hauptmanns von Blomberg, und Frl. von 3 Hammerstein" Goetze said "Die Austattung der Schule mit Bildern ist so, dass man Gästen dabei viel noch nicht immer wieder die beiden Bilder, Goetze was also 5 Sanftmbtige. " kann. bieten SS Heini wie unser supposed to have referred Es hängen und Adolf to Himmler as "Heinrich For making these remarks Goetze was called 1 Biographical ., data from the "Lebenslauf" ý4 der to Hausser, Hans Geotze, of undated. Ibid. 2 Ibid. 3 "Vernehmungsniederschrift" Ibid. 1938. July 27 dated Voss, of testimony given by SS Oberfuhrer of testimony Ibid. given by SS Hauptsturm- 41 bid. 5 f0hrer "Vernehmungsniederschrift" 1938. July 23 dated Lemke, 200 the Inspekteur that der VerfUgungstruppen. he meant no offence repeated remarks "... habe. "1 die ich selbst 8fters and made StandartenfUhrer former the was national Colonel socialist 1934. Karl since He was also Ritter 1933. 4 the then 73-year-old Waffen SS. 1 2 Heimatschutz Von Kurz was one of those officers very seriously. in who In July 1943, OberfUhrer asked Himmler for a posting to the innige Bitte eines alten Soldaten "Vernehmung des SS SturmbannfUhrers "Mein Reichsfbhrer, SS BrigadefUhrer Personnel File: Ibid. Wien. in 24.12.1873, Karl "Dienstlaufbahn" "Lebenslauf" of Ritter der Kämpfers und Goetze, " undated. Ibid. Handwritten Ibid. imprisonment member of the Steirischer Goetze. Hans of 4 his Leoben" until 3 1940. who had been an active He completed his request with the plea: Sie die erfüllen 3 had Kurz been a von Socialism commitment to National his came into the SS. Amongthem von Kurz, Ritter an active and the NS Reichskriegerbund. to the Reich in March 1938, officers der SA Brigade "Nachrichtenoffizier born. before he fell the French campaign of 1940.2 a number of prominent Austrian took were not Goetze was promoted Obersturmbann- With the annexation of Austria July and imprison the of the corps d'elite even reprimanded for such offenses. during and seemed to understand the reason to arrest officers fUhrer a short time later, geh6rt remarks were made. While remarks like sufficient man in the street, ordinary he only in der Schnutzstaffel Hausser accepted the explanation, these were frequently to his superior when he made those remarks, and that in which the offending spirit Goetze explained Ritter von Kurz, zu Kurz, Ibid. SS -#132350465 dated 14 February 201 Bewegung, am Freiheitskampf des deutschen Volkes auch in seinen alten Tagen noch aktiv zu können. "' septogenarian teilnehmen for his offer and told the cause as speaker in his native Another active active national general staff, him that Austria. he could best serve 2 member of the Reichskriegerbund but a less was the former major-general in the Austrian 3 Anton Edler Kless von Drauwbrth. Von Drauw6rth, the socialist in in 1902 commissioned a and was served son of a Bezirksrichter infantry Hungarian Himmler thanked the as a major-general. Twenty-eight regiment. years There is no indication the old general was politically army and the annexation active of Austria NSDAPin 1938 and joined later he left the army in his "Lebenslauf" from the between his retirement in 1938. that He became a member of the 4 the SS in the same year. by General Drauw8rth 1939 in November When was recommended von the Reichskriege Reinhard, Ostmark '. 5 adherence a question f0hrer, was raised to the Catholic to be named "GaukriegerfUhrer concerning Church. Drauw6rth's in der continued The Fbhrer des SS Oberabschnittes den Oberf Uhrer Kl ess ". ty the Donau was goi ng to use next opportuni .. 1 "Reichsfbhrer-SS Kurz to Ritter von Letter of OberfOhrer Ibid. 1943. July 19 dated " Himmler, Heinrich 2 "SS-OberfUhrer to Himmler Letter of Ibid. dated 23 August 1943. Karl Ritter " Kurz, von 3 Kless Edler Anton von BrigadefOhrer SS File: Personnel BDC. Kýrnten. in Gurk, 8.9.1882, born #310,301, SS Drauw6rth, 4 von handwritten from the data Biographical Ibid. Drauw6rth, undated. dated 5 Reinhard General Letter of Ibid. 1939. 13 November "Lebenslauf" of Kless to the "SS-Personalhauptamt, " 202 Über die Folgen seiner Zugehörigkeit It appears that zum Katholizismus the attempts to change the old soldier's on deaf ears. Von Drauwbrth remained a Catholic, Gaukripge_rfbhrer 'elites or social of individual among his officers. Himmler tolerated such diversity, been believed absolute obedience to orders from above. amount The cases showed that in an organization possible that extent than had stressed Background of the SS Führer: In his analysis Dahrendorf stated had to accept a certain perhaps to a greater hitherto The Socio-Economic in 1943.2 show that Himmler in his attempt to gather members of professional diversity fell religion he was named and was promoted to Brigadefbhrer These case histories aufzuklären. "' that of post-1945 German society German social "... was conditions, nach wie vor eine das Unten, in Oben, vom wenig ein zerschnitten 3 The lack Oben das Unten of general social vom wei ss.., wenig und ein Gesellschaft, halbierte mobility was an accepted fact "... Germans to many and der Ordnung der Welt und wird nicht Several studies background of the pre-1918 obere Mittelstand für die breiten on the socio-economic ". indes auch zeigen .. die ausgeprägte 1 des SS-Oberabschnittes Letter of"FUhrer Ibid. 1940. April 8 Personalhauptamt5"dated 2 "Dienstlaufbahn" 3 Dahrendorf, 4 Ibid. Drauw6rth. Kless von of Gesellschaft es in Zweifels. fragenden Gegenstand zum done by German sociologists Oberschichtsgruppen liegt und Demokratie, Tendenz zur Donau" to the "SSIbid. 119-20. pp. A 203 Selbstrekrutierung. "i in the terms Ner seiner Familie The social einmal oben steht in German society 3 educational system. .0 elite findet in der Regel Mittel den eigenen Status zumindest zuerhalten j prevalent Studies which Dahrendorf described rigidity, "... were primarily der Gesellschaft. background of the Nazi Party .4 In other aus den unteren words "Mit status wrote of the Nazi elite "... in the Nazi Party positions than the rest. that ... 'Ibid., 2 Ibid., Mittelschichten mdssi ge Schul bi 1dung. ,5 those persons who rose to the had less education ... and ,6 Table 5.1 which showed the educational sampled SS Fbhrer, of the dem Sieg der NSDAPbegann der Auf sti eg der Pl ebej er, " who had only a highest of the have shown that the men who rose to power as the result Machtergreifung Lerner was particularly because of the class orientation of the gocio-economic und Wege, suggests that a different distribution of the type of man rose to a p. 248. p. 117. 3Engelmann, German Education, p. llff; Dahrendorf's views on German education are expressed in Gesellschaft und Demokratie, pp. 341-358; (TObingen deutschen Universitaten Arbeiterkinder Dahrendorf, an see also, 1965). Dahrendorf's views can be summed up with the following statement der akademischen kommt als Rekrutierungsfeld "Die Unterschicht Führungsgruppen in Deutschland nicht in Frage. " Gesellschaft und Demokratie, p. 118. 4 Ein ZirkulationsWolfgang Zapf, Wandlungen der deutschen Elite; FMünchen 1919-1960 1966), 51. Führungsgruppen, Deutscher p. modell 5 6 Ibid. Lerner, The Nazi Elite, p. 106. " index status. of social is here an Lerner emphasized "Education 204 of leadership position January 1933. in the SS. encountered in his study, the Table shows that had completed university. 30% of the FUhrerkorps 1 where less than 5% have a university population conclude that the officer the educated segment of society by showing that degree, one has to in was overrepresented of Table 5.1 31% of the sampled FUhrerkorps had professions 2 In view of these results a university education. almost which presuppose SS the as an organization one cannot speak of were leading Compared to the German the findings Table 6.1 substantiates corps. the case after leaders Lerner the party uneducated of In spite of the Schutzstaffeln This was especially "... where the uneducated the educated. 113 ask then, One might from what socio-economic did the SS FUhrer come? Table 6.3 shows the social of society strata class of the sampled Table 6.3 and their SS officers Arbeiter from an came highly underrepresented should shown earlier, is apparent was also 4% of the officers only that in the Fbhrer_korps of the SS. not come as a surprise. the NSDAP, and, second, underrepresented one cannot expect 1 See Table 5.1, 116. p. 2 6.1, Table See 164. p. 3 Lerner, it The Nazi Elite, only 1% of Compared to the percentage home background. in the German population however, and that Arbeiter, corps were the sampled officer Arbeiter The Table shows that home background. 107. p. First, the Arbeiter was These findings, the Arbeiter, in the general of as was membership of high representation a of this 205 Table 6.3 Social Stratum of SS Officers in Relation to Their Home Background HOME SOCIAL STRATUM ARBEITER- UNTERE OBERE BACKGROUND OF OFFICERS SCHICHT MITTELSTAND MITTELSTAND TOTAL ARBEITERSCHICHT UNTEREMITTELSTAND OBEREMITTELSTAND TOTAL . 4% .6 0 l% 3.2% . 4% 4% 52.2 24.2 77% 3.8 15.2 19% 59.2% 39.8% 100% 206 stratum of society officer when one deals exclusively The Table shows furthermore, corps. FUhrer belonged to the untere Mittelstand, Mittelstand with members of an homes. It is the obere Mittelstand that Of the sampled officers stratum. placed them into this social stratum, is most noticeably sociological 1 by Dahrendorf between 5-10% of German society social 59.2% of the sampled while 77% came from untere According to the various overrepresented. that models mentioned belongs to this upper 39.8% had professions which while 19% came from obere Mittelstand background. Table 6.3 reveals On the one hand the table trends. of the social strata, While admittedly milieu two interesting, on the other the percentage is small the social , FUhrer is remarkable. homes, only . 4% remained it shows considerable of this or officers in the same social Mittelstand. in the Arbeiterschicht percentage as remained social mobility. from an Arbeiter segment of the small Of the 4% of officers able to advance to the untere contradictory, shows a high degree of "Selbstrekrutierung" of Arbeiter mobility seemingly from Arbeiter came who stratum, whereas 3.2% were Most surprisingly the same 4% to able was - . - barriers to the the obere and advance social numerous overcome 2 While there was considerable Mittelstand. upward social mobility 1 Dahrendorf, Gesellschaft Demokratie, und p. 100. 2 Dahrendorf states that in his climb to the upper stratum of die deutsche dass Gesell ". discovers schaft the soon striver society, .. davon Zwei kennt. drei Barrieren sind von in ihrer Schichtstruktur kennt. Gesellschaft jede Barrieren sie moderne Grösse wie mittlerer .... den den Eliten Grenze die angrenzenden und zwischen Das ist einmal Es des Mittelstandes eine gibt noch Dienstklasse der und Bereichen .... überschrittbar. leicht ist diese viel weniger sehr Barriere dritte und das Drittel Unten, Oben obere etwa nähmlich von einem Sie trennt ein 119. " Ibid., Drittel. dem p. unteren zwei von des Schichtgebäudes 207 for the officers Arbeiter that came from Arbeiter in the officer homes, the distribution a different corps reflects of the Of the 1% pattern. of Arbeiter in the sample only 4% came from the same social milieu, . whereas, . 6% had come from the untere Mittelstand. Thus while over half of the Arbeiter downward social being sample also experienced social It mobility. dragged down to the Arbeiterschicht, the untere Mittelstand. in chapter cited II Arbeiterschicht. is not surprising of Arbeiter of the Arbeiterschicht in the Führerkorp2_ these men sank to the that These men were the flotsam the narrow confines this by dreaded so much which was Fromtheexamples it mobility, loss of statusq this was precisely it was a of society who even within in difficulties encountered eking out a meager existence. Whereas the limited either mobility, since with . If 6%. 24.2% of the officers one takes stratum. them into factor "Selbstrekrutierung" in the untere factor should also not be over- the to to obere advance were able mobility of this the untere Mittelstand is most pronounced. Mittelstand while the Of the 59.2% of 52.2% came from the same social themselves to work 3.2% Only were able Arbeiterschicht, group is neglegible however, who had a look at the officers, which placed occupations officers mobility The downward social Mittelstand. Of the 77% factor. homes, 52.2% remained in the same social The upward social stratum. looked, is the "Selbstrekrutierung" Mittelstand from untere showed some social downward, the most pronounced characteristic upward or Mittelstand of the untere sample of Arbeiter 3.8% experienced up from the the loss of middle class 208 status. The "Selbstrekrutierung" Mittelstand from this homes is also very high. social On the other Mittelstand. social mobility who had professions can be said that who came from an Arbeiter stratum. be detected could in the the obere Mittelstand, considerable at the social considerable occupations, one finds upward social who came from mobility Conversely, is noticeable. of the untere that class who belonged to this mobility status, while of the is most pronounced. is so noticeably stratum of their the "Selbstrekrutie- Mittelstand factor one looks a considerable Among 39.2% of the officers the upward social if belonged by virtue a loss of middle Since the obere Mittelstand is the officer one looks at the 4% of officers among the 1% of Arbeiter is most apparent. obere Mittelstand if is apparent. of them had experienced factor Mittelstand. to which the officers among the 59.2% of officers I who came from the obere Mittelstand "Selbstrekrutierung" classes homes, while 24.2% had and the 77% of officers milieu looks one at the 19% of officers 1A who came which placed them into from the untere climb In summary it rung" from obere Of the 19% of officers 15.2% had come from obere Mittelstand made the difficult fraction the officers Of the 38.9% of Führer who belonged to the obere Mittelstand the untere for 15.2% remained in the same social stratum, hand, greater group of officers If factor of society it overrepresented, that warrants a Chi-Square test of independence between the social class of the home background is that their there shows officers specific and a beyond the 001 level between the statistically significant relationship . Although the value of the Chi-Square is significant, two variables. an (Cramer's Phi) is very ciose to 0 index of strength of relationship between the variables it indicating that although a relationship exist, For Chi-Square and Cramer s Phi is not a very strong relationship. 261. A, 8, Appendix Table p. see calculations, 209 brief the degree of upward social comment. To find as found in this obere Mittelstand SS officer who belonged to this study, stratum He was the kind of man who, in a society was the exception and ambition perseverance, of his own social obtained and it their earned position What better stratum. That this Mittelstand. status, than the rule, rather should after was a particular Hitler the SS. into the the pre-1939 kind of person. in which upward social mobility had demonstrated a drive, which helped him to overcome the confines This be recalled do this to way of the new regime, suggests that in the obere then person was a parvenu person who had finally degrees prior mobility that achieved professional had in FUhrer the sample most to 1933, would want to secure his hardcame to power, is quite than to join understandable. the most prestigious organization Chapter VII FAMILY LIFE ANDMORALITY At the time when the SS numbered a mere 15,000 men' and the 2 of the formation numbered no more than 350 officerss FUhre Himmler already had visions Since an integral achieve. blood" was the selection December 1931 issued in ten short Schutzstaffeldismissed application through part of the selection of their from the SS. the strict of the official marriage attitude be dealt with 1 Statistisches 2 "Zahlenm8ssige hauptamt/13. This order outlined be applied Any member of the could be regulations has been written code, this chapter about the will show - how the code was applied. - toward women, divorce, in this 3 would henceforth marriage Since very little the use of case histories official that of the mates of the SS members. 4 of men of "pure Heiratsbefehl_. the criteria who violated was to spouses, Himmler as early as 31 the well-known paragraphs to the selection of what the black corps d'e"'lite and homosexuality will The also chapter. Jahrbuch, 1937, p. 7. Entwicklung des SS Fbhrerkorps, 3 The text of the "Heiratsbefehl" doc. 2284-PS, pp. 134-35. xxx, is reproduced " SS-Personalin IMT, vol. 4 An SS-Hauptamt ruling of 23 June 1937 laid down that any SS This strict the Heiratsbefehl member who disregarded would be expelled. ' by a subsequent order of 23 June 1938 which stated order was modified that the SS member who ignored the marriage law need not be expelled SS his Knoebel, he satisfied wife racial regulations. provided and Necessity, Racial Illusion and Military p. 22. 210 211 The Selection of SS Wives: What type of womanwas the specially to marry in order to produce a future The importance Himmler placed and their candidates SS man permitted selected "pure blood"? of generation on the selection of racially wives can be seen by the fact that pure in 1931 he had the Rasse und Siedlungsamt (RuSA) which shortly thereafter ' developed into a major Amt of the SS. RuSA's primary duties were to established (1) racial deal with (3) geneological (2) farm worker and settlement questions; (4) and education. supervision; When a SS member, regardless he had to apply to RuSA (later to undergo thorough Furthermore, medical, her racial blood as that of themselves pictures mental, of her husband. frontal one - Himmler himself prospective alone, brides whether and decided the girl of Jewish or Slavic had to submit three one side, , and one full investigation team. looked at the pictures body pose In the of all the on the basis met SS racial led to many problems as will screening had examinations. had to be as clear Both partners His wife permission. and political which were examined by the appropriate case of officers, 2 of rank, decided to get married RuSHA), for record questions; of the visual examination 3 This method of standards. be illustrated by a few case histories. 1 1 January 1935 the Rasse-und Siedlungsamt Effective Anatomie, p. 203. Buchheim et. al. Hauptamt. 2 Ibid., became a p. 202. 3 on a number of occasions this researcher encountered several in file. for The RuSHA this was one explanation marriage applications first the officer's that Himmler might reject choice, thus the officer, look for forced to a if he abided by Himmler's decision, elsewhere was bride, and re-apply. suitable 212 In the spring Bauer, 1 Mika. on active 1941, the then 41-year-old of with the army, applied to marry Frl. Anna into the background of the prospective bride service An investigation was launched and the resultant to be an SS officer's wife. The report stated: enough. Bauer Apparently that the pictures der SS nicht and her grandparents. team was submitted in July darstellt, Grenzfall ,4 k8nnte. werden 1941. jedoch other tragbar. 2 second report zur Since it it was and sisters, of the investigation This team judged Anna Mika to be a der in rassischer Seite noch zur positiven While the racial i commiss on expressed Bildern of her seven brothers 3A Mischling, nordisch-östischer Dr Ernst were of very poor quality, requested that Mika submit pictures her parents Anna Mika did not look aryan "Die Braut des Antragstellers, Aufnahme in die Sippengesellschaft was admitted questioned Anna Mika's suitability report nach den dem VH-Gesuch beigelegten erscheint ... Dr. med. Ernst question Hinsicht hin entschieden seemed settled, reasons why Anna Mi ka ". .. einen the al s zukbnf ti ge der SS SS-Mannes nicht geeignet und für die Sippenschaft 5 It appears that Frl. Mika received the investigating tragbar ist. " Frau eines nicht in her apartment officers dyed hair. The officers displaying also felt: red painted fingernails and red- "Den Gedankengdngen der Schutzstaffel 1 Dr. Ernst SS HauptsturmfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in NUrnberg. SS #75,664, born 24.7.1902, Bauer, 2 Nordwest" to "Chef des Letter from "Erganzungsstelle " dated 27 May 1941. Ibid. Reichssicherheitshauptamtes, 31bid. 4 Report to the "Sippenamt, 5 Ibid. Berlin, " dated 3 July 1941. Ibid. 213 dürfte sie kein Verständnis entgegenbringen Wohnung stehen heute noch neben einigen Im Bücherschrank ihrer .... Klassikern Bücher von Arnold Zweig,, Emil Ludwig (Cohen), Maxim Gorki und Hermann Mann."' Upon the receipt appealed to Berlin. It of the negative decision seems he was not given the reasons for his bride's and he questioned why "Frl. reiection, die an eine Offiziersfrau entspreche, Himmler wrote: "Ich to marry, Verlobung mit den Anforderungen 3 the official 2 sind?., Frl. bin jedoch nicht heranzutragen... but without Mika nicht zu stellen habe zwar Ihre eigene Verantwortung freigegeben, Gesuch an den Fbhrer of RuSHA, Bauer Thereupon Mika auf Ihre in der Lage Ihr Thus Bauer was given permission blessing of Himmler. He married in 4 March 1943, and remained a member of the Al_lgeme_ineSS. An early also III/I of the SS, Hauptsturmfbhrer of the strict ran afoul bride's joiner pictures for marriage examination to the. Sippenamt stated: östische Rassenanteile Mongolenfalte ist angedeutet. 1 Ibid. The SS report with the name Mann, which the Heinrich, one must assume that well versed in German literature. 2 Letter from Dr. Ernst Ibid. dated 3 July 1941. 3 "Frl. Frl. Klasen wurde beurteilt und nordische Klasen ist his of the Rasseamt ... Beimischung. als unausgeglichener Rassenzusammensetzung als Frau eines stated Hermann Mann. Since the two writers Nazi regime had banned, were Thomas and SS officers the investigating were not Bauer to "Reichsfbhrer-SS Letter from "Reichsfbhrer-SS Ibid. dated 11 December 1941. 4 Master Card. when he submitted to RuSHA. A report überwiegen westische in der geschilderten Mischtyp regulations Paul Bettingen 5 Himmler" Himmler, " to Dr. Ernst Bauer, Ibid. 5 SS HauptsturmfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Kolberg. born 11.11.1906, Paul Bettingen, SS 214 SS-Angeh6rigen nicht Mer Antragsteller " geeignet. selbst überwiegend fälisch, technique grudging In spite was determined the decision in ergAnzender als unausgeglichener of these adverse reports due to injuries Klasen "auf struggle was conducted 4 The story warrants MUI1er. eigene Verantwortung. to gain permission member could challenge in 1929, in October According Leupold. bride the of .5 vorgelegt. "... After retelling who joined for 1936 applied to the official to marry his permission remain report the documents and pictures zur persönlichen Entscheidung decided to Himmler documents not the of to "Heiratsamt 2 Report of "Rasseamt III/P Ibid. 12 February 1942. to "Sippenamt 4 and still SS to marry Frl. Babette 1 Report of "Rasseamt III/I" Ibid. 12 February 1942. 3 Master Card. Hermann the SS in 1928 and the NSDAP dem Reichsführer-SS wurden his perusal 3 determined how a shows it of the Reichsfbhrer the orders MUller, in the organization. for After Himmler's by the mechanic and SS ObersturmfUhrer fiancee during received he Rasseamt the also received of The most persistent the alte to marry the woman of his choice. to marry Frl. permission als seine Partnerin. "' Klasen ist Bilder KAmpfer, who was "50% Parteiverletzt" challenging Beimischung wertvoller "Frl. stated: Mischtyp zu bezeichnen. ,2 the Kampfzeit, östischer of the Rasseamt which shows the haphazardness durch die eingereichten Beurteilung concluded with the statement: bei geringer und damit erheblich A second report of the selection ist The report im Hause, " dated im Hause, " dated Ibid. ObersturmfOhrer SS File: Personnel BDC. Hof/Saale. in born 3.1.1909, Hermann MOller, 5 Siedlungs-Hauptamtes, des Rasse-und "Chef from Letter 1937. Ibid. 3 July dated " "SS-Personalkanzlei, SS 741,6701, " to 215 grant the requested permission was told if that have to resign MUller reasons were no given and in his desire he persisted from the SS. Himmler must have sensed that in denying ground weak permission back his decision. MUller, he also refused to resign. informed was Leupold, not however, refused to accept the verdict denying the reasons for which were essentially ingenious idea of that claiming When asked to produce a medical certificate he replied "Auf Befehl was informed falls aufgefordert, Ihre his fiancee that Entlassung since he refused He received order: Zeitpunkt on the claim, On 9 July Eheschliessung seem all 1937 he nicht aufgeben, the more remarkable FUhrung. SS the of and commands "Die SS-Personalkanzlei nicht entsprechend geäussert 3 .. The issue was clear-cut. entlassen. hit das durch RuSHA Sie wurden bis zum 15.8.1937 entgegen und sollten Nachricht certain of MUller to bow to the requests a more direct Then Mbller 2 beantragen. zu aus der Schutzstaffel actions to remained and to substantiate des Reichsführer-SS He fiance4e was pregnant. had had a miscarriage. Sie die beabsichtete The subsequent his and bat der him permission medical, permission was once more denied. therefore, too he was on for he asked a medical doctor to At the end of March 1937 "... by RuSHA that marry Babette the he would Überprüfung um eine nochmalige seines Gesuches."' Antragsteller that, to marry the girl date or he would be expelled. sieht Ihrer Sie sich bis zu diesem haben, werden Sie von hier He was to give But MUller up the girl aus by a took no heed of this 1 Ibid. MUller, 2 Letter from "Chef der SS-Personalkanzlei" dated 9 July 1937. Ibid. 31bid. to SS Obersturmfuhrer 216 communique. He wrote to Himmler on 10 August requesting of his application betr. "... meines Austritts /iChT daher die von mir verlangte und der Schutzstaffel aus to give up Babette Leupold with SS-Mannes unwürdig und feig, deutlich It is, writer erkennbar ist, was a junior in an organization to orders case is that from superiors. RuSHA relented des Verlobungs- freizugeben. " 2 mit MUller that the letter stressed MUller: unquestioning Müller des Obersturmführers hat der Reichsführer-SS Babette in this "Nach nochmaliger entschieden Leupold auf eigene Verantwortung married "' wurde. A more amazing development und Heiratsgesuches Frl. that wo klar und getroffen one considers and informed am 16.8.1937 beim Reichsführer-SS die Eheschliessung if his "Es ware eines alten dass eine Fehlentscheidung officer He explained sich hier zurückzuziehen, letter obedience Vorlage the words, indeed,, a remarkable Erklärung erst nach Bearbeitung und Rückgabe meines vorgenannten Gesuches abgeben kann. " refusal a re-examination ... 1938 Leupold on 12 February 3 4 and remained a member of the SS. Some of the exchanges between individuals absent from the situation. 5 impatient SS member Georg Rupert very got humor was not completely old-time 1 Letter from ObersturmfUhrer Ibid. dated 10 August 1937. MUller and RuSHA showed that For instance, with RuSHAwhen his to "Reichsfbhrer-SS, 2 Siedlungs-Hauptamtes,, des Rasse-und "Chef from Letter Ibid. 1937. August 27 dated " "SS-Personalkanzlei, 3 Master Card. " to Ibid. 4 During the war MUller served as a corporal Ibid. MUller. Hermann "Dienstlaufbahn" of 5 the SS ObersturmfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. Bechtheim. in born 30.10.1908, in the Waffen-SS. George Rupert, SS #17525 217 request for marriage was not answered immediately. scribble, which obviously ObersturmfUhrer required wrote to Berlin an answer to his marriage request. wrote Rupert, sein. gleich rascher und schneller bei der Braut nur gewisse landläufige Schwachsinn leichtesten .3 of Rupert's sich Bilder Shortly und zustellungsreif schwanger machen damit die genehmigt wird. "' wenn auch nicht Grades. 2 "Auf Grund der Akten lässt Akten befindliche kann, " What Rupert the examining SS doctor had declared under the "... the intelligence and he received "Soweit ich es beurteilen heading of "Erbgesundheit" erscheinen. was about time that "mÜsste die Sache doch mindestens fertig did not know was that into it Oder muss man jedes Mädel zuerst Beurteilung the Bahnarbeiter some effort, that In an awkward lassen thereafter zu erklären Dummheit vorliegt ist, ob oder ein This remark launched an investigation future darüber Finally wife. it was decided: schwer etwas sagen. die Braut nicht Bei den als schwachsinnig Rupert received permission to marry 4 Hel ene Scherer. The above case histories they insisted on the right able to to bring to marry the girls about reversals took months, yet struggles The selection have shown how some SS officers, process could, of their in RuSHAdecisions. choice, if were At times the in the end Himmler grudgingly gave approval. of course, be used for other purposes too. 1 Rupert to "Chef des Rasse-und Letter of ObersturmfUhrer " dated 12 February 1937. Ibid. Siedlungs-Hauptamtes, 2 1936. "Verlobungs-und Ibid. Heiratsgesuch, 3 " Sippenamt, dated 14 October Dr. med. Geyer to "Chef des Letter from SS HauptsturmfOhrer " dated 5 February 1937. Ibid. Rasse-und Siedlungs-Hauptamtes, 4 Master Card. Ibid. 218 That is, girl, an officer could blame RuSHAfor not being able to marry the when RuSHA had actually 1942 Sturmb_annfbhrer Paula Gander. by her fiance e She, therefore, 2 By August 1943 Paula Gander had still that mit meinem Bräutigam Still, Karl Betzwieser RuSHAand told bride Betzwieser advised it Kentniss too cowardly zu wollen. " She concluded In the meantime Betzwieser he did not care to marry Frl . sent another letter the girl that dass der Reichsführer-SS was still die Angelegenheit was unaware of the change of Only after Gander von Ihrem Entschluss verschanzen, "... Sie mir doch zu meinem Lebensglück, the Amt that the prospective to Himmler was Betzwieser erteilen lebenswert wäre. .3 heart of her "LebensglUck. " Frl. marriage had been obtained. to Himmler pleading with the plea "Verhelfen had 'contacted not been informed zu lassen und die Genehmigung zur Eheschliessung da mein Leben sonst nicht Gander. for their permission wrote a letter nochmals überprüfen the letter Karl him permission to marry. In July 1 Betzwieser received permission to marry Frl. given Ihr high "... time was dass Sie geben und sich nicht habe. " Gesuch abgelehnt to confront his fiancee dahinter with 4 the truth, ". in 1944 SS-FUhrung him July the and once more schliesslich reminded .. 5 is known " It Sie not whether sich entscheiden. selbst zu wissen, wie Paula Gander was ever informed of Betzwieser's decision 1 SS SturmbannfUhrer Karl Personnel File: Bez. Amt Bruchsal. in Mingolsheim, born 3.7.1912, 2"Vermerk, " dated July 1942. Betzwieser, BDC. SS #24450883 Ibid. 3 Letter from Paula Gander to "Reichsfbhrer-SS Ibid. dated 30 August 1943. Heinrich Himmler, " 4 to SturmbannfOhrer Betzwieser, 5 to SturmbannfUhrer Betzwieser, from "Feldkommandostelle" Letter Ibid. dated 17 January 1944. dated not to marry her, Letter from "Feldkommandostelle" Ibid. 16 July 1944. 219 for in the autumn of 1944 Betzwieser was declared missing at the ' eastern front. The SS Once an officer to produce as many offspring obligation coul d. showed that had advocated that the ideal SS family 2 While the above-cited case histories of four children. some SS FOhrer resented Himmler's interference plans, legislation the wives did not comply with on the size Himmler's dream. of "pure blood" as he possibly Himmler, at one point should consist marriage had obtained permission to marry, it was his much trumpeted of their families. four-children the Reichsfbhrer's The result was, that remained largely family per a the 115,650 married of 31 December 1939 showed that Statistics with their SS men had on the average 1.1 chi 1dren, whi 1e the of fi cer's had an 3 1937 der SS for Jahrbuch The Statistische 1.4 average of children. showed that 1938 stated for Jahrbuch 5 children. that The SS statistics reveal men, 37,376 had no children the SS statistical an Verheirateten 1 in 1938 1.1 children. This gives the average SS family that at all. compilers Kindern und 2 H6hne,, The Order, In the light "Hinsichtlich Betzwieser. p. 157. Ibid. 4 Statistisches Jahrbuch, 1937, p. 61. 5Statistisches Jahrbuch, 1938, p. go. SS of such evidence des Anteiles lag die SS in den vergangenen Jahren Karl of "Dienstlaufbahn" 94,000 the married over of had to admit: the while SS men had 105,459 94,457 married further 1.2,4 was per SS family the number of children Ibid. 220 unter dem Reichsdurchschnitt. erheblich could ignore the fact " Not even the SS Führung in 1936 the SS was 32% below the national that in 1938 the corps_d_'elite ' average. average, while national The quantitative data on the number of children the sampled SS FUhrer substantiate their chief's 14% below the was still the failure for family criterion 2 size. fathered of the officers by to meet Table 7.1 shows that 87.9% Table 7.1 of the sampled officers the married officers had three or fewer children. the desired four-children attained takes a look at the size of the officers' joining date,., the trend toward smaller becomes apparent. trend in relation to their than larger rises the percentage families with 1931 to 1933,85.3% the between 1928 two years of had three or fewer children. percentage with three or rose to the 90 mark and remained remarkably constant. suggests four children SS numbers of officers to 84.7% for those who joined post-Machtergreifung_joinem3 fewer children This If one Of those men who came to the SS during the last the Weimar Republic, For the rather or fewer children, size family 1930. and families mark. Thus, whereas 75.4% of the officers under 1000 had three with this Only 7.4% of that largely went Himmler's urging his officers to have at least unheeded. Party Membership of SS Wives: In his study on the social composition of the early NSDAP, Kater P. 94. 2 It should be recalled careers. the entire officers' that the children data are taken from 221 (71 CY) CIQ lc: d- 00 91-t CY) 4: 3- C\J 8 ý r c; C\; U; CY) C'ý, j mcd- al LO LO r-ý C*-J C-1; C'Q clý Lý C\i C) CV) 0; Cý ý. Cý r- rý- Cý CY) L LJ L/) < CY) C\j CY) 00 CY) C\j C\j CC) CY) CIO m : kjý C\J rl: C\l Uý C\J LO LO r_ CD LO Cý m CO M ko U') CO M r- m CF) co C\i CIO U- LLJ V) Ln LO I rm 44C) ý tjý CIJ .4 C\J rC\J (: cl; 00 r-ý 00 M qzjr- C) CY) 1-1 C\j Rd- I'D -C3 co C\j cl; r-ksý cý "Lcý)C\J Cd, C%j ICZI- LO m C"i 4: zj- cn rl_ LO m Ln Rzt- co r- Rd- r- cl-i C\j CO C\j C\J M r- 1: 0J cl; r-ý OQ r- I I m ý10 C"i -c 4- 0 4- 0E ra 4-) W V) C: Sr-(D U) C: ) cy') Lr) C\j M LO C\j C\J C\i Lr) r-ý cd: C\; Clý co S- -r- 4-) 0 W _s_- Cl- C-) F- S- S-0 4- 0a CL) S- SC) :3 -C Z: L. ) r- C\j CY) :3 0 4- SC - (D 3: ai = Lo io r-, CY) CC) Q) c -a co co u S- I ý- C). - a) a aj S- - 222 1 discovered that only 4.4% of the pre-1923 Nazi Party members were women. 2 In January 1933 barely 6% of the membership of the NSDAPwas female. The low percentage of female party members was no accident Socialist National from the beginning an organization Movement was that 3 had no place for women. An official that "the NS Frauenschaften claim it that could in the old belief due primarily "In stated, solve that struggle position liberalism was As Fest movement of the of such ideas the woman's rights The quantitative rested in German society of the sexes. of equality and Socialism's National of woman's emancipation woman's undefined notion 4 ,, .... the question to the mistaken the light tasks political ' decay, like 'symptom of century appeared as a 5 " and parliamentarianism. nineteenth wives are determined to lead the womenunder their feminine back to the particular 1933 stated commentator after out of the depth of the day-to-day direction as the democracy, data on the membership of the sampled officers' in the NSDAPshow that 22% of the early SS officers' wives were Table 7.2 party that and members, the SS just 1 2 after Kater, this figure It the Machtergreifung. "Soziographie, Schoenbaum, Hitler's those who joined dropped to 10% for was during Phase III July - " p. 151. Social Revolution, p. 41. 3 the NSDAP, the passed members first of meeting At the general holding from of position any a woman prohibited which a resolution 397. Reich, Third the Face p. The Fest, of in the party. leadership 4 5 Ibid., 402. p. Ibid., 402-03. pp. 223 CY) 1-4 11-1 1-4 LO LO rz; Uý Cý r- co C) 00 C; C) LLJ V) C\i co r - Cý 4 r- 0 V) C) A C; r- co C) C\j co CD kjý co Cý CD Cý C"i (n V) a) - 1-4 LU V) 4) CY) m 0 r lI r- r- CY) r- C) m (0 CL C\i c"I 0ý C\j co r-I C) rý00 C; C) cn C) LLI V) C\j Cý clý C) CQ C\i >) -P >) a) 4-) > s- . r- (10 S- (A (L) r- i S-0 S110 CL a) Q) I >CE0 -im Q) C) I 224 1934 to September 1939 that members rose again. This increase to the fact, attributed Phase III the percentage of wives who were party that in party membership could partly the younger officers had married women, who, if of the. corps d'elite, who joined during they consented to marry an officer had themselves gone through the BDMand after they had been subjected to the barrage of propaganda, had taken the logical the party. after step of joining the initial Aufnahmesperre be rush to join It should also be kept in mind that the NSDAPin 1933, the Party lifted which was gradually imposed an around 1937. Divorce in the SS: Due to the haphazard recording files, it impossible was sampled SS Fbhrer. personal It to ascertain divorces of the divorce is indeed surprising event was not more carefully that recorded in the personnel rate among the such an important in the personnel files. The Statistische total Jahrbuch of the SS for 1938 lists 113 divorces for the 1 The Statistische Jahrbuch membership of the SS for that year. for 1937 separates the divorce that for officers. rate of non-commissioned SS men from The statistical survey for 1937 shows that 2 Since there 64 22 to to officers. and were men were granted 3 some 200,000 serving SS men at the time as opposed to some 9,000 4 divorce it is the that rate among the officers seen clearly officers, divorces 1 Statistisches Jahrbuch, 1938, p. 95. Statistisches Jahrbuch, 1937, p. 65. Ibid. 9 P. 16. 4 "Zahlenmässige hauptamt/13. Entwicklung des SS Führerkorps, " SS-Personal- 225 was considerably higher than among the men. Since heredity it such an important played that a number of officers should come as no surprise a reason to obtain quick divorces. StandartenfUhrer a bookdealer before he became a full-time for divorce in 1942. in SS philosophy, role It appears that used heredity Friedrich Knolle, as l in the SD, applied officer Knolle applied for divorce after he met the widow of a former SS officer who worked with him in the SD in 2A the Netherl ands. child had been born to the couple in 1941.3 In order a speedy divorce to obtain when he had married He admitted ailment. hip ailment wife. years code been enforced he would surely He also entschieden, nichts for that im Wege stande. shaky grounds in February that from a hip Knolle cleverly as vigorously out that pointed to marry his and "Heydrich hat damals Ehescheidung dienstlich Umständen einer divorce had was in in 1933 as it not have been given permission diesen AA recalled some time he had wondered whether the his case to Heydrich, presented dass unter Knolle in 1933, she had suffered was due to heredity. the marriage later his wife from his wife, to Knolle was granted 1943, and he remarried on these in September of that year. 1 SS StandartenfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Amsterdam. born 12.3.1903, Friedrich Knolle, SS #59,601, 2 der Sipo "Inspekteur Knolle to Obersturmbannführer from Letter letter his to the Knolle 19.4.1943. superior dated " SD, des wrote und die darzulegen, Gründe die mich tatsächlichen kurz "... um officer " Ibid. Ehe zulassen. scheiden meine veranlassten, 3 Master 4 Card entry under number of children. Letter from ObersturmbannfOhrer Ibid. " SD. des und Knolle Ibid. to "Inspekteur der Sipo 226 SturmbannfUhrer Otto Jacobs, a full-time after discovered officer, he had married that auch beantragt, a Dekorateur before he became the devastating "... Abstammung ist. arischer l truth a few months der Vater der Frau Jacobs nicht Auf Grund dieses Umstandes hat Jacobs dann seine Ehe für nichtig zu lassen. 2 erklären How a woman, whose father was not of pure aryan background could have obtained permission to marry an SS officer in the correspondence. explained of his non-aryan ObersturmfUhrer his marriage wife's sister that his wife had suffered of his wife an uncle "Ich Hans Gm6hling which he was certain ailment, for less than a year later he 3 remarried. after place is not Jacobs could not have taken the loss too seriously, wife in the first from a heart had died from heart this had gone unnoticed RuSHA replied that disease. der Familie since that birth, Letter from "SS-Gericht Himmler, " dated 11 April 1938. 3 Master Card. 4 IIP Ibid. erst im Laufe meiner health examination of concerning to "ReichsfUhrer-SS the medical SS #102,446, Heinrich Ibid. SS ObersturmfUhrer Personnel File: in Zumberg, Mittelfranken. born 10.9.1908, 5 and that Gm8hling wrote: 1 SS SturmbannfUhrer Otto Jacobs, Personnel File: BDC. in Wardenburg, Oldenburg. born 23.7.1907, 2 his was curious as to whether in the original no information and nerve He stated ailment writer, he found out that from a heart inherited. was Ehe erfahren. 115 Gm6hling, like his wife. also stated suffered habe von dem Gesundheitszustand these factors 4 Hans Gm8hling, BDC. SS #8793609 des "Chef Rasse-und Gm6hling to ObersturmfUhrer from Letter 1940. Ibid. 18 October " dated Siedlungs-Hauptamtes, 227 examinati on coul d be rel eased si nce ". di e gemachten Angaben unterl i egen .. der arztlichen Schweigepflicht. "l What seems even more surprising is the fact that is no evidence which would suggest that his wife was there to another physical subjected husband's story. A divorce Friedrich PolizeifUhrer Jeckeln, 'Ostland, Jeckheln's to his first explain ,4 .. As a result that in 1927. Jeckeln on his father-in-law, the difficult drei erst letter, in his first klar .... in this of his first "... Wenn schon mal fürher waren" wrote incident is marriage He explained fiel that mir ein Dieses Buch machte mir das Blut. Jeckeln, in 1932 Jeckeln was forced to marriage Abstammung des Herrn Hirsch in Kindern zu ihrem Recht to be a Jew. der arischen married obligations wrote to Hitler What is interesting Buch in die Hände, Die Sünde wider die Rassenfrage to meet his financial deutschen whom he believed time He had initially to blame the break-up tried and Hbhere SS und The SS became involved The wife of this his case to Himmler. the fact during ". Gruppenfbhrer the SS in 1929. and the children. wife zu verhelfen. the future when he failed his assistance requesting 3 divorce a life private her was granted in July 1941.2 ' joined in 1918, and obtained in order to corroborate examination mir Zweifel /i-he father-in-Iaw-/ "so hat mir das gelesene an gekommen Buch mit der Schilderung 1 Letter from "Chef des Sippenamtes, " to ObersturmfUhrer Gm6hling, dated 5 May 1941. Ibid. 2 Master Card. Ibid. 3 Friedrich GruppenfUhrer SS File: Personnel BDC. Schwarzwald. Hornberg, in born 2.2.1895, 4 Letter from Frau Charlotte Ibid. 1932. 5 February Jeckeln to Adolf Jeckeln, Hitler, SS #4,367, dated 228 des Charakters des Juden die unumstössliche Herr Hirsch ein Jude ist. Es war mir klar, meine Ehe in die Brüche gehen muss. "' further While he could not use this financial interesting court for for it an essentially demonstrates the attitude the role to be sexually Karl Bauerle perverse. in 1928 under the in order non-aryan Bguerle 2 of a National and the rights no was a Jew. argument effectively case of Hauptsturmfbhrer toward marriage, considered he used this responsibility The divorce No other reasons were given, as a reason for divorce laws of the Weimar Republic, dass dass über dieses Wissen To Jeckeln his father-in-law proof was presented. to avoid Gewissheit gebracht, family. is most Socialist and what it of a wife, and his wife were He was a Studienrat people. at a Napola, she had her 3 Staatsexmen. In 1941 Bguerle applied for a divorce. Although educated in the documents,, he must have become interested never mentioned for someone else Bauerle charged his wife Socialist with child, marriage, and with It With regard for with is sexual interesting to the first refusing holding became final to share with on to bourgeois duties in her marital failing the divorce a month after he remarried. 4 beliefs, religious to have another perversion. to see how the court charge, dealt "... the man where with ist ganz von seinem Bguerle, Karl SS HauptsturmfUhrer File: Personnel BDC. Krs. NeuenbUrg. in Langebrand, born 9.2.1907, "Lebenslauf" Ibid. Ibid. the charges. Jeckeln to "Reichsfbhrer-SS 1932. Ibid. 2 4Master Card. in him a National by an unwillingness 1 Letter from StandartenfUhrer Himmler, " dated 28 February Heinrich 3 Handwritten is it of Karl Bgurle, SS dated 2 March 1940. 229 beruflichen erfüllt in der grösseren Gemeinschaft des Volkes und politischen Zu diesem Ziele .... ordnet er alles, insbesondere das Fami1i enl eben unter. fe wanted ". the i and wi nur ei n gemütl ches ," .. harmonisches Leben mit ihrem Mann und Kindern, " the court ruled und that the marriage was "... charge that " zerrOttet. To substantiate hung on to bourgeois religious the wife mentioned the incident den Klagenden gebetet heimkommen." endgUltig where "... beliefs, the the husband die Beklagte mit den Kindern fbr haben, er möge aus dem Kriege wieder gut The court ruled that act was "... this keine verr4te- rische Betatigung wife. Towards the charge that the wife refused to have sexual relations with christlicher her husband out of fear liberal and progressive dass es in einer ihre Weltanschauung, " even for an SS man's It ruled view. geführten ordentlich Auffassungen, of pregnancy, showed a remarkable "Er /Uäuerle7-beobachtet Ehe der Hausfrau wohl zukommt, kundzutun und eine verständige Würdigung derselben durch ihren Ehemannzu erwarten .... insbesondere the statement in der Frage der Nachkommenschaft. " SS officer's an of ich mir nicht das lasse keinem Reichsführer wife: .... Die Frau ist In view of the above ruling, sexual nicht perversion I charge the court's is most surprising. The above statements Stuttgart, Oberlandesgerichtý even accepted Privatsache, nur da zum in der Welt herum. " fährt der Mann kriegen Kinder und und Arbeiten The court und bleibt "Es ist Das gilt von keinem Heissmeyer und von befehlen, Himmler nicht, den Wünsche verschiedenen auf und Hoffnungen den beruflichen B. auch z. Gebieten the court attitude In this 1 toward the instance from the taken court ruling were Ibid. dated 18 July 1941. the court of the 230 Bauerle had charged his wife with adopted an almost medieval attitude. the continued practice of masturbation. Treiben der Beklagten, The court ruled, dem der Kläger offenbar ständig Widerspruch hat, war eine schwere Eheverfehlung, entgegengesetzt Natur nach auch geeignet war, die Parteien "Dieses welche ihrer zu entfremden und die Ehe Der Beklagten muss der Vorwurf gemacht werden, dass sie zu zerrütten. es an genÜgender Bekämpfung dieses Triebes hat fehlen lassen. "' Thus the court realms, but ruled in the marriage The divorce freedom in determining even in the professional in her life, of aspects the wife allowed that masturbation and child was a severe failure and equated the habit relationship, a number bearing on her part to a compulsion. was granted. Homosexuality in the SS: into In 1933, when Himmler put a temporary halt to recruitment the SS, he used the interlude managed to gain acceptance Aside from the chronic aryan background, 1 expel ed. crime 2 to weed out any undesirables into men suspected with death. the Kampfzeit. alcoholics, of homosexuality were ruthlessly homosexuality 3 had doubtful and men of unemployed, Himmler considered punishable the Black Order during that a persoanl There is no doubt, that insult, and a the puritanical 1 Ibid. 2 The court made special mention die dass ". it stated, summation when .. hat, sich Selbstbefriedigung getrieben hat Ehegattin verfehlt Pflichten einer 3 H8hne, The Order, 142-43. pp. its in last the charge of Beklagte dadurch, dass sie besonders, schwer gegen die " Ibid. ... 231 attitude toward homosexuality attitude toward this youth, in the SS was the result of Himmler's ' kind of sexual activity. Even as a particular Himmler found homosexuality associated it disturbing. particularly He with the degeneration and lack of morality which he saw 2 everywhere around him in post-war Germany. Not even alte Kgmper, like the SS GruppenfUhrer Kurt Wittje, escaped prosecution that after and eviction each homosexual be expelled, the first from the SS. 3 head of the SS-Hauptamt, In 1937 Himmler decreed handed over to the courts, and that he had served his sentence ". he wi 11 be sent on my instructions .. to a concentration of his merciless illustrated camp and shot while prosecution trying of men suspected of this The extent habit sexual is by some case histories. He demoted his nephew Obersturmfbhrer sentenced to escape. A him to death for drunkeness. Hans Himmler 5 and He then gave the unfortunate 1 Himmler had numerous conversations with Felix Kersten on the In these talks it became apparent that Himmler subject of homosexuality. considered homosexuality an inherited characteristic and,, therefore, incurable. Felix Kersten, The Kersten Memoirs, 1940-1945, with an introduction by H. R. Trevor Roper, trans. from the German by C. Fitzgibbon and J. Oliver (New York 1956). pp. 56-64. 2 After reading the book Die Rolle der Erotik in der mannlichen in which the author Hans Blbher argued that physical Gesellschaft is between a natural result of male companionship, males attraction Himmler commented in his diary "In any case the pure physical homosexuality that is contrary to human nature. " is an error of degenerate individualists Bradley Smith, Heinrich Himmler, 1900-1926 (Stanford 1971), p. 115. 3 Wittje was released because of ill health, Officially Schwarze Korps of 22 May 1935 expressed the hope that the alte duties. his would soon resume 4 and the Kampfer. Hbhne, The Order, p. 143; see also, Knoebel, Racial Illusion 1941, "... in in Hitler 38. one Necessity, said Military p. and be homosexuality SS, the punished must of case every namely organization, there be the the SS7to /fhe it When nation elite of aspires death. with SocialPower Politics Steiner, and be punishment other any cannot 91. P. I 5 BDC. Himmler the Hans file missing at was The personnel of 232 man the opportunity When he survived to prove himself this ordeal, at the front with an airborne derogatory some and made unit. remarks about hi s uncl e, Himmler had him impri soned ". 1i i hn schl i ess 1i ch und ess .. als Homosexuellen im K. L. Dachau 'liquidieren'. In view of the treatment "' his nephew received, that it is not Himmler proceeded with utter ruthlessness against 2 StandartenfUhrer Hans Himpe. It appears that Himpe, a one-time that surprising professional officer, was a young student age of ten. Socialism had been introduced at a Kadettenanstalt Although prior to homosexuality he while where he had been sent at the Himpe was lauded for his services to National to 1933, he was paraded in front demoted and expelled of the Sturmbann, 3 Even from the SS because he was a homosexual. the plea to Himmler "Mein ReichsfUhrer, ist schwarzen Rock auszuziehen ist heute gezwungen wer halber ein nur noch Mensch, und wird A did können, Staate heutigen im in Ehren arbeiten niemals wieder jail from Himpe year a one not save 5 L. Sachsenhausen. den 17-months stay at sentence and a Hauptsturmfbhrer Dr. Rbdiger von Bodingen, 1 The above cited incident is related 6 jur. Dr. a young by Kogon, Der SS-Staat, p. 356. 2 SS StandartenfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Berlin. born 18.11.1899, 3 The official degradiert SS-Mann zum Ibid. 1936. Hans Himpe, SS #26,854, Unzucht Negen widernatürlicher reason given was April 10 " dated SS der ausgestossen, und aus 4 "Reichsf0hrer-SS to Himpe Hans Letter of Ibid. 1936. April 30 dated 5 Master Card. Heinrich Himmler, " Ibid. 6 Bodungen, RUdiger Dr. von Hauptsturmfbhrer SS File: Personnel BDC. Stettin. b. in Eichwerder 28.6.1910, born SS #241,798, 233 and an early this adherent to National and enthusiastic crime while as an instructor serving Socialism, committed at the Junkerschule Tblz. A member of the NSDAPsince 1930, and a member of the SS since 1934, Bodungen was sent to K. L. Sachsenhausen. released from the concentration SS penal unit. 2 a minefield. the notorious clearing UntersturmfUhrer fortunate that that In January 1940 he was camp, sent to the "verlorene 1 During the French campaign he died while Dr. Georg Hagen, 3 he did not share a similar he had had a homosexual relationship der Reichspostdirektion Prasident release fOr die SS. No further action in Breslau, dismissal former since regular was discovered Hagen, who was an immediate he had become "... and senior untragbar the Ministerialdirektor. to bring was sufficient BrigadefUhrer army officer it requested was taken against from the SS. himself consider fate after of homosexuality The mere suspicion about instant 5a GrUnewald, could in 1923. from the SS, which was granted A Haufen, " Hans Dietrich police officer 1 Mm 'verlorene Haufen: the Hoess wrote the following about Lauf e des Kri eges, a1s sel bst Himmler di e Todesurtei 1e zu vi el wurden, 'Himmelfahrtskommandos' die Bewährungsabteilungen, SS man errichtete Widerstandsunternehfast die Minensuchen aussichtslosen oder zu genannt lebend Bewährungseinsätze diese haben Nur wenige wurden. men eingesetzt 273. Change, Social Politics Power " Steiner, p. Oberstanden. and 2 of Rbdiger von Bodungen. "Dienstlaufbahn" Rbdiger von Bodungen. 3 SS UntersturmfUhrer Personnel File: BDC. in Breslau. born 16.3.1899, 4 Personnel Dr. Georg Hagen, SS #36,191, 1933. dated November Hagen, Georg of Release report Ibid. date unreadable. 5 SS BrigadefUhrer File: Personnel in Beuthen, 14.12.1898, born SS J-0309,502, File: Hans Dietrich Oberschlesien. Exact GrOnewald, BDC. 234 since 1928, was on an inspection he was suspected one night A lot of drinking night, everyone was intoxicated, GrOnewald, whose history could not be proven. SS, on the grounds that Reinhaltung schools in 1944, when of police of having had a male companion in his room. had gone on that and the charge against tendencies, trip he violated von SS und Polizei. included no homosexual Yet GrOnewald was released from the "... den Erlass des Fbhrers zur "' That Himmler at times thought the SS court decisions lenient and directed of Hauptsturmfbhrer Dr. Hennig Graf von Hardenberg. doctor young medical was during a more severe sentence is illustrated in the case Hardenberg was a to the Verfbgungsdivi-sion attached a regimental 2 party, celebrating too the collapse in 1940.3 of France, it that Hardenberg was accused of having made homosexual approaches toward an N. C. 0. That he was described und ohne Hgrte ... ,4 cannot homosexual tendencies. dass unter Kartei lead one to assume that Purely circumstantial einigen Träger wohnende als weich Hardenberg had any facts the and evidence, SS-Männern ein Gerede entstanden Anwandlungen" and "... habe gleichgeschlechtliche in Berlin by his company commander "... sei, v. Hardenberg dass zwei ebensfalls des Namens Graf von Hardenberg bereits in der der Homosexualität Bekämpfung als zur 5 latente das Feldgericht haben eine auf sind, ... der Reichszentrale Homosexuelle bekannt Proceedings against Hans Dietrich 1944. GrOnewald, dated 1 April Ibid. 2 Personnel File: Hardenberg, SS #220,823, Dr. Hennig Graf von SS HauptsturmfUhrer in Demmin, Pommern. BDC. born 18.10.1907, 3 "Deutschland" The VerfUqungsdi_vision was renamed 107. SS, Waffen The Stein,, " "Das Reich. p. then renamed in late 1940, 4 führer den SS HauptsturmStrafsache Division, SS-V. der gegen "Gericht 1940. Ibid. 20 August " dated Hardenberg, Graf von Dr. Hennig 5 in Reichszentrale the Hardenbergs entered The two Ibid. brother and uncle. Hardenberg's Hennig were 235 Erbanlage des v. Hardenberg in dieser While the SS Divisional Court granted that may have made Hardenberg a latent found it necessary, Richtung schliessen lassen. "' hereditary certain homosexual, the trained factors jurists basis the of the evidence presented on v. Hardenberg im vollem Umfange mangels Beweises freizusprechen. When he received the divisional Himmler, however, thought otherwise. court's verdict he reversed it, Eignung entlassen. informed hat, that Himmler had reviewed Entscheidung A of the case. und es abgelehnt In February with He felt Selbstmord Hardenberg wegen mangelnder Eignung so zu Herzen genommen, dass die Gefahr besteht, dieserhalb 1941 Obergruppen- Hardenberg, that hat sich den Ausschl uss aus der Schutzstaffel begeht. " der aus auf Entlassung aquainted who was personally a renewed review "... the sentence Waffen-SS aufzeheben. und Heissmeyer, requested and ordered ". .. wegen mangelnder When Hardenberg appealed the sentence he was die gegen Sie getroffene Schutzstaffel f0hrer .3 " 2 Heissmeyer reiterated dass er that Hardenberg he that homosexual was and relatives, had nothing to do with the two 5 Himmler adament to remained It avail. happily married. no was all 6 his in to corps. serve that Hardenberg was unfit 1 "Gericht 2 3 der SS-V. Division. l' Ibid. Ibid. "Dienstlaufbahn" Hardenberg. Hennig of Ibid. "ehem. the to SS-Gericht" Hauptamtes des "Chef from Letter 19 " dated Hardenberg, Graf Hennig Dr. d. von R. SS Hauptsturmfbhrer Ibid. October 1940. 4 SS des "Chef 5 to Heissmeyer ObergruppenfUhrer SS Letter of Ibid. 1941. 8 February dated " Personalhauptamtes, 6 Master Card. Ibid. 236 From these case histories FUhrer carried the stamp of a "laughable well 2 Socialism. on Frau KrOger's that side there of GruppenfUhrer simple suspected matter a racial to obtain code looked divorce a factor homosexuality, What made matters an officer. On the other or hereditary or charged with ancestor upon homosexuality in 1711.3 It is were less awed by hand, it appeared to be a in the SS, provided was little fact the even worse was as a hereditary was KrUger because in one's favour. there as accepted the rulings educated officers the commands of the SS FUhrung. successfully Klingenberg Walter educated SS officers some less well could enforced. Rasse-und Siedlungshauptamt was a jewish so many well from above, while could twist were capriciously the war hero and Ritterkreuztrager to marry the daughter relatively Himmler, "l of a pedantic, Yet the rules the powerful against as Himmler, surprising Heinrich KAmpfer and mechanic Hermann MUller a fight forbidden They frequently sense of values. and prudish man who had become leader of the praetorian guard of National While the alte can be seen that the SS by a peculiar was guided kleinbbrg_erlich, conduct it sickness one Once escape for that that the SS moral had to be eradicated. 1 Kogon, Der SS-Staat, p. 359. 2 is kleinbUrgerliche Himmler's provided mentality An example of One day the book Freude - Sexualther incident. in the following the name) was found in (Himmler meant to write Freud but misspelled Dilcher Himmler Dilcher. StandartenfUhrer ordered the desk of dieses Nie kommt he his could explain to come to so immediately office " des Buches? der Bestzer "Ist Dilcher " and Buch in den Dienstschreibtisch? in ". Berl 1 Di that importance cher was ordered The matter was of such .. Power " Steiner, ich bis genehmige. es wieder verlassen, nicht zu 353. Change, Social p. Politics and 3 H6hne, The Order, 144. p. CONCLUSION The quantitative of the SS FUhrerkorps has made it composition detail approach used in the investigation the social 1939. and changes that While Hitler's using January of the composition analysis of the sampled composition 1933. 1933 as the only dividing Kampfzeit. That is to say, the Fbhrerkorps Similarly, from what it after of the corps changed so that from what it had been in early major social of the various Phase 1: which this branches of the SS will an elementary Arbeiter look at the for The social each of the composition be summarized. analysis of the early SS member who would eventually born in southern only composition again was different This summary will also Hitler 1925-1930 The quantitative typical study to the early the social by September 1939 it the The officer had been during is divided. for on the day that the Machtergreifung 1933. periods changes prior of the sampled Fbhrerkorps characteristics into phases three line of the SS is unsatisfactory. assumed power was different _FOhrerkorps, and post-Machtergreifung corps of the SS had undergone a number of social January in some of power on 30 January 1933 led to seizure breakdown of the pre- has shown that to trace the corps between 1925 occurred within some major changes in the social a more detailed possible of the social joiners showed that FUhrerkorps to the advance Germany, was under the age of 30 when he joined, school education, had an occupation or and was either which placed 237 him into the was had an ungelernter the untere Mittelstand. 238 In the early depicted living, literature as a social on the SS the man who wore the black uniform was a man who was incapable of earning a decent misfit, and one who exemplified data, qualitative the detailed of SS man did in fact the very early stringent this for seizure 1931 to 1933 showed that officers in the first was northern-born was already over their for the first a trend time. In this of Phase II. The educational old age group. showed fewer that with officers only or even some university were still was most noticeably data, of Quantitative breakthrough the election on the social While the gradual increase that in toward the end of Phase I, the 2 to 1 predominance of southern-born compatriots was The trend toward an older officer time period continued there during the was a noticeable 39-yearin 30increase to the and an analysis for the 1931 to 1933 joiners a Volksschulbildung education, to commissioned promoted of the qualitative in the middle Phase I, began the at of end which decrease in the under-30 joiner, Abitur Phase of the SS. an influence noticeable of Phase II part officers established part the Infancy of power occurs of the SS Fbhrerkorps. northern-born early among This suggests that the be looked at in two parts. phase will the period composition corps, type 1931-1934 of the NSDAP in September 1930 exerted it showed that this he could be found primarily during enforced Because Hitler's results The advocated by Schreck in his Order No. 1 criteria were not too stringently Phase II, case histories, but that exist, Schlagertyp. adherents of the Schutzstaffel. selection Phase 11: the anti-social rank, and more with While ungelernte it was the untere overrepresented in the FOhrerkorps. the Lebenslgufe showed that an Arbeiter Mittelstand A perusal the Schlagertyp 239 or the individual even within who had difficulty providing the narrow definition longer taken into the SS during the officer the final home environment, a stable of the untere Mittelstand, In other words, the men who joined corps. two years of the Weimar Republic, promoted to commissioned rank, were from the more stable Hitler's seizure of power was associated major changes in the social toward an older it composition officer in the non-Abitur officer university-educated SS was also category, and a corresponding in the occupational between 1933 and 1934. that For the first educated segment which joined did employed and not consist person continued was only Phase III in the second half was slightly it was noticed officers for rise the for the those joining time it was the obere Mittelstand data showed that the SS at this of disgruntled the time was productively or unemployed intellectuals. the northern-born, to make up a significant of Austria annexation was a sharp drop 1934-1939 Throughout It the most of educated men into distribution The qualitative was overrepresented. Phase 111: sudden influx of Phase II, that categories January 1933 there This While the and the trend After group. reflected with some of the officers, and occupational pronounced changes occurred. BUrgertum. in the second part corps continued was in the educational and who were of the FOhrerkorQs. of 2 to 1 in favour of northern-born ratio was no that Among the professions in the latter and the senior part civil professional Fbhrerkorps. the sampled of 1937 1939, to the phase, with of and the Sudetenland altered. educated, part II Phase of the geographic the pattern of the. obere Mittelstand that did join not servants the former professional in the headlong 240 rush of the other educated Marzgefal_lene to don the black uniform. However, it in greater June 1934 that was after As a result numbers. these two groups began to join of the influx groups, there was a marked increase of these two professional in the above-50 age group. Branches of the SS The study has shown that take place in the composition that also major variations branches various and the Sicherheitsdienst had the largest of northern-born had the largest men. applicants in their formation young man's 20's, of officers tended to attract The Sicherheitsdienst 39-year-old could claim VerfUgungstruppe the and with of its two-thirds the while of southern-born percentage percentage the Sicherheitsdienst of each branch was concerned, the TotenkopfverbAnde of 40, while officers, SS of university- had the highest percentage the highest SS contained the Allgemeine percentage Geographically, officers. as the age distribution Allgemeine the largest but composition of the has been shown that the Totenkopfverbande percentage Totenko fverbgnde As far Thus it educated of elementary-school in the social contained while changes of the SS FUhrerkorps over the years, existed of the SS. educated officers, not only did major social officers. the over the age 21to the more of a preponderance of was a predominantly FOhrer joining the SS before they reached the age of 20. he Officers Socio-economic At least comment. aspect In the investigation Fbhrerk2. nps it . social further one mobility discovered was than one might of this of the social study warrants background of the sampled that the officers expect to find some summary had experienced more in post World War I German 241 While the Selbstrekrutierung society. 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Winkler, " Vierteljahreschefte Machtergreifung. der nationalsozialistischen No. 2, April 1972. für Zeitgeschichte, Standesideologie "Unternehmerverbände zwischen Heinrich. Winkler, Zeitgeschichte, für " Vierte_Iiahreschefte Nationalsozialismus. und No. 4, October 1969. Newspapers: Democratic Frankfurter Freies GerTan Re2ort. Al Deutschland. 253 Das Schwarze Korps. SOddeutsche Ze Völkischer Vorwarts. Beobachter. APPENDIX A Table 1. Table of Frequencies of the Study to Rank Achieved Relating Phases by the Officers PHASES III JUNIOR RANKS RANK SENIORRANKS LEVELS 383 (376)* 1724 (1797) 904 (838) 3011 229 (222) 1032 (1017) 541 (563) 1802 56 (70) 250 (192) 131 (175) 437 668 3006 1576 5250 GENERALRANKS TOTAL *The observed frequencies (fo-fe) fe x2 TOTAL are given in parentheses. 2 2 41 14.78! 13.46 3.5 89 22 21 + + 4.82 + + 13 3.09 + + + + = X4 --. . . . 2. Cramer's 0= N= total number in sample k= the smaller of number of rows or columns X2 N k-l /j 1 V. 5250(3-17 = . 06 254 255 Table 2. Table of Frequencies Relating Birthplaces to Officers' in Terms of Geographic Phases of the Study North/South/Special Regions PHASES I NORTH REGIONS SOUTH SPECIAL TOTAL *The observed (fo-fe) fe 401 (317)* II 1808 III TOTAL (1936) 949 (950) 3158 198 (318) 891 (854) 468 (385) 1557 68 (33) 307 (216) 160 (286) 535 667 3006 1577 5250 frequencies are given in parentheses. 2 2 14.72 18.01 26.97 1.54 2.04 72.73 17.60 9.06 + + + + + + + X4 = 99.23 = 261.9 Cramer's 2 0= V/ýN k-1 0 261.9 52560(2) 16 N= total number in sample k= the smaller of number of rows or columns 256 Tabl e 3. Table of Frequencies Relating Phases of the Study Birthplaces to the Officers' in Terms of Population Centres PHASES TOTAL CITY POPULATIOt I TOWN CENTRES RURAL TOTAL *The observed x 2- 2= X4 (fo-fe fe . 117 214 (209)* 941 (956) 435 (425) 1590 158 (155) 695 (713) 322 (307) 1175 263 (271) 1154 (1121) 533 (558) 1950 635 2790 1290 4715 frequencies are given in parentheses. )2 173 2.43 944 699 466 230 056 239 +1 + + + +. +. + +. . . . . 4.167 = 257 Tabl e 4. Table of Frequencies Relating Branch of SS Joined to Birthplace Officers' in Terms of Geographic North/ South/Speci al Regions BRANCHES NORTH SOUTH REGIONS SPECIAL 1 TOTAL * The observed TV SD VT 112 637 137 (89)* (668) (129) 50 287 62 (81) (259) (59) 18 104 23 (10) (101) (34) 145 180 1028 222 1430 are given in parentheses. frequencies TOTAL 886 399 (fo-fe fe 5.26 09 3.56 15 2.73 + 19.22 + + 47 1.51 + + 4.72 + + + X4 = . . . 37.71 2 2. 2 Cramer's 0x ,V N(k-1) 0 =/ý7_71 140 TC2 1 N= total number in sample k= the smaller of number of rows or columns 258 Table 5. Table of Frequencies Relating Branch of SS Joined to Officers' Age at Time of Joining BRANCHES TO 29 AGE 30-49 )s GROW A/SS TV SD VT 2141 101 574 123 (2038)* (90) (617) (194) 1558 73 418 90 (1650) (88) (384) (17) 126 6 34 6 (137) (2) (25) (8) 172 3825 180 1026 219 5250 50+ TOTAL *The observed frequencies are given TOTAL 2939 2139 in parentheses. (fo-fe fe 1. 96 59.21 2.77 3.08 5.43 + + 40.98 + + 1.2 3.22 + + + + . x2=4.96 6 2.67 + 2.38 + . 67 = 127.52 2. 72 OF Cramer's /525 , 127652T (-2 in N= total sample number k= the smaller of number of rows or columns x -Lý NTk--1 11 . 259 Table 6. Table of Frequencies Relating Phases of the Study Age at Time of Joining to the Officers' PHASES TOTAL TO 29 AGE 30-49 GROUPS 374 (454)* 1683 (1792) 882 (693) 2939 272 (205) 1125 (1169) 642 (765) 2139 22 (9) 98 (45) 52 (118) 172 668 3006 1576 5250 50+ TOTAL * The observed (fo-fe-)fe 1. x2= 4 frequencies are given in parentheses. 2 17.14 + 7.09 + 40.60 + 16.57 + 2.54 + 23.52 + 7.59 + 29.04 85.32 = 229.41 2. 01 Cramer's v7 . 2 x ( k-IT N73N 229.41 g57215ý(2) 14 . N= total number in sample k= the smaller of number of rows or columns 260 Tabl e 7. Table of Frequencies Relating Phases of the Study to the Officers' Occupations in Terms of Social Structure PHASES I ARBEITERSCHICHT UNTERE MITTELSTAND SOCI AL STRUCTURE OF OCCUPAOBERE TIONS MITTELSTAND 11(1) ! 1(2) 111 7.13 15.55 16.51 16.81 (20)* (20) (3) (13) 394.06 860.08 913.17 929.69 (728) (729) 618.32 29.50 ( 817) (834) (1084) (556) 267.81 582.37 (354) (92) 1458 668 TOTAL 3097 frequencies are given 2097 1 1548) 1576 5250 in parentheses. (fo-fe fe 1. x2= a 86 + 66.55 + 58.30 + 37.55 + 43.32 23.32 + 1.27 + 11.06 + . 576.49 66.43 63.84 + 89.55 = + 114.53 + /! 2. 56 1 1 *The observed TOTAL_ Cramer's . 576.49 -Z§ 52564(-2T 2 x2 NFk;- 1 N= total number in sample k= the smaller of number of rows or columns . 23 261 Tabl e 8. Table of Frequencies Relating Officers' Socio-Economic Home Background to their Occupations in Terms of Class Structure HOMF RArKnpniiNn ARBEITERSCHICHT ARBEITERSCHICHT SOCIAL STRUCTUR OF OBERE OCCUPA- MITTELSTAND TIONS TOTAL *The observed (fo-fe 2.15 43.14 10.72 (20)* (34) (2) 119.58 UNTERE MITTELSTAND UNTERE OBERE TOTAL MITTELSTANDMITTELSTAND 2393.46 56 594.96 (166) (2738) (204) 80.27 1606.41 399.32 (16) (1271) (799) 2086 202 4043 1005 5250 frequencies are given 3108 in parentheses. )2 fe 2 400.04 70.03 51.46 256.90 49.60 18.02 + + 7.09 1.53 + + + + + X4 = 1002.87 2. Cramer's 0x2 VN r- 1002.87 7 2 5250ý2 2 N= total number in sample k= the smaller of number of rows or columns k-1 . 31 APPENDIX B Comparative Table of SS and Commonwealth Army Ranks (Commissioned Ranks only) SS-Untersturmfbhrer Second Lieutenant SS-Obersturmfbhrer First SS-Hauptsturmfbhrer Captain SS-SturmbannfUhrer Major SS-ObersturmbannfUhrer Lieutenant-Colonel SS-Standartenfbhrer Colonel SS-OberfUhrer ------- SS-Brigadef0hrer Brigadier SS-Gruppenfbhrer Major-General SS-Obergruppenfbhrer Lieutenant-General SS-Oberstgruppenfbhrer General Reichsfbhrer-SS Field 262 Lieutenant Marshal