The SS “Protection Squad” Flashcards
What were the SS?
The SS were a police organisation which controlled all other police units. They were led by Heinrich Himmler. They were originally set up as elite bodyguards for Hitler to rival the SA. It ❑ was the SS who Hitler used to attack the SA leaders after the
Night of the Long Knives in 1934.
The SS were given smart black uniforms as a way to make them
stand out and to make them look intimidating.
The SS had to be totally loyal to Hitler
and Himmler believed that the SS could use any methods they wanted to protect Hitler and the Nazis even if this meant acting violently.
Recruitment
Himmler was very careful about the men he recruited to the SS. He looked for men who could prove they were from ‘racially pure’ Aryan families and expected his SS men to marry racially pure wives.
