SS-Hauptamt
Encyclopedia
The SS-Hauptamt (SS-HA) was the central command office of the German Schutzstaffel
(SS) in Nazi Germany
until 1940.
.
This agency then became the SS-HA on January 30, 1935. The organization oversaw the Allgemeine-SS, concentration camps
, the SS-Verfügungstruppe
(Special-purpose troops), and the Grenzschutz (Border Control regiments).
During the late 1930s, the power of the SS-HA continued to grow becoming the largest and most powerful office of the SS, managing nearly all aspects of the paramilitary organization. But shortly after the outbreak of WWII, the SS-Verfügungstruppe expanded rapidly becoming the Waffen SS in 1940. By this time, the office of the SS-Hauptamt could no longer administer the entire SS organization. As a result, the SS-HA was downsized losing much of its pre-war power to the SS Führungshauptamt
(SS Leading Main Office) and the main offices of the Allgemeine SS
.
The SS-HA had 11 departments :
The SS-HA was technically subordinate to the Persönlicher Stab Reichsführer-SS
(Personal Staff of the SS Reich Leader), but in reality it maintained autonomy.
After the close of World War II
, members of the SS-Hauptamt were tried as war criminals because they had maintained, for other branches of the SS, the "paper trail
" for such activities as the Einsatzgruppen
, Final Solution
and the commission of the Holocaust
The files of the SS-Hauptamt can be today be found (via microfiche) with National Archives and Records Administration
at College Park, Maryland
. The original documentation is kept in Germany
, under the authority of the Bundesarchiv in Berlin.
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
(SS) in Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
until 1940.
Formation
The office can trace its origins to 1931 when the SS created the SS-Amt to serve as an SS Headquarters staff overseeing the various units of the Allgemeine-SS. In 1933, after the NSDAP came to power, the SS-Amt was renamed the SS-Oberführerbereichen and placed in command of all SS units within Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
.
This agency then became the SS-HA on January 30, 1935. The organization oversaw the Allgemeine-SS, concentration camps
Nazi concentration camps
Nazi Germany maintained concentration camps throughout the territories it controlled. The first Nazi concentration camps set up in Germany were greatly expanded after the Reichstag fire of 1933, and were intended to hold political prisoners and opponents of the regime...
, the SS-Verfügungstruppe
SS-Verfügungstruppe
The SS-Verfügungstruppe was formed in 1934 as combat troops for the NSDAP. By 1940 these military SS units had become the nucleus of the Waffen-SS....
(Special-purpose troops), and the Grenzschutz (Border Control regiments).
During the late 1930s, the power of the SS-HA continued to grow becoming the largest and most powerful office of the SS, managing nearly all aspects of the paramilitary organization. But shortly after the outbreak of WWII, the SS-Verfügungstruppe expanded rapidly becoming the Waffen SS in 1940. By this time, the office of the SS-Hauptamt could no longer administer the entire SS organization. As a result, the SS-HA was downsized losing much of its pre-war power to the SS Führungshauptamt
SS Führungshauptamt
The SS-Führungshauptamt was the operational headquarters of the SS.It was responsible for the administration of Officer Schools , Medical services, logistics, and rates of pay...
(SS Leading Main Office) and the main offices of the Allgemeine SS
Allgemeine SS
The Allgemeine SS was the most numerous branch of the Schutzstaffel paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany. It was managed by the SS-Hauptamt...
.
Organization
In 1940 the SS-Hauptamt remained responsible for SS administrative in matters such as manpower allocation, supplies, personnel transfers, and promotions.The SS-HA had 11 departments :
- Amt Zentralamt (Central office)
- Amt Leitender Ärzt beim Chef SS-HA (Chief Medical Officer)
- Amt Verwaltung (Administration)
- Amt Ergänzungsamt der Waffen-SS (Waffen-SS Reinforcements)
- Amt Erfassungsamt (Requistioning)
- Amt für Weltanschauliche Erziehung (Ideological Training)
- Amt für Leibeserziehhung (Physical Training)
- Amt für Berufserziehung (Trade Training)
- Amt Germanische LeitstelleGermanische LeitstelleDuring World War II, Germanische Leitstelle was a department of the SS-Hauptamt under the command of Obergruppenführer Gottlob Berger . It oversaw the recruitment and propaganda offices for the Waffen SS in Oslo, Copenhagen, Brussels and The Hague....
(Germanic Control) - Amt Germanische Ergänzung (Germanic Recruitment)
- Amt Germanische Erziehung (Germanic Education)
The SS-HA was technically subordinate to the Persönlicher Stab Reichsführer-SS
Persönlicher Stab Reichsführer-SS
The Personal Staff of the Reich Leader of the SS was a main office of the SS which was established in 1933 by Heinrich Himmler to serve as a personal office coordinating various activities and projects subordinate to the Reichsführer-SS.-Operations:...
(Personal Staff of the SS Reich Leader), but in reality it maintained autonomy.
Post war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, members of the SS-Hauptamt were tried as war criminals because they had maintained, for other branches of the SS, the "paper trail
Paper Trail
Paper Trail is the sixth studio album by American hip hop artist T.I., released September 30, 2008 on Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. He began to write songs for the album as he awaited trial for federal weapons and possession charges...
" for such activities as the Einsatzgruppen
Einsatzgruppen
Einsatzgruppen were SS paramilitary death squads that were responsible for mass killings, typically by shooting, of Jews in particular, but also significant numbers of other population groups and political categories...
, Final Solution
Final Solution
The Final Solution was Nazi Germany's plan and execution of the systematic genocide of European Jews during World War II, resulting in the most deadly phase of the Holocaust...
and the commission of the Holocaust
The files of the SS-Hauptamt can be today be found (via microfiche) with National Archives and Records Administration
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
at College Park, Maryland
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
. The original documentation is kept in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, under the authority of the Bundesarchiv in Berlin.