SS Führungshauptamt
Encyclopedia
The SS-Führungshauptamt (SS Leadership Main Office) (SS-FHA) was the operational headquarters of the SS
.
It was responsible for the administration of Officer Schools (Junkerschulen), Medical services
, logistics
, and rates of pay. It was also the administrative and operational headquarters for the Waffen SS that was responsible for its organisation and equipment
and Order of battle
of SS combat units.
Heinrich Himmler
, was formed in 1940 from some of the departments of the SS-Hauptamt
and the Allgemeine SS
. Its main duty was the operational control of the Waffen-SS
developing general policy on recruiting and handling special personnel requirements. By 1942, recruitment by the Allgemeine-SS had almost ceased as a result of WWII, meaning local units were responsible for maintaining their own staffing levels.
The SS-FHA had priority over all other branches of the Armed Forces in selection of recruits. Likewise, to meet the casualty rates and expansion of Waffen-SS field divisions
, service in the Waffen-SS was made compulsory for all members of the Allgemeine-SS in 1941. The SS-FHA also accepted personnel who requested voluntary transfer to the Waffen SS after being inducted into any another branch of the military of Nazi Germany
; this later included members of the Hitler Youth
. When Himmler stepped down as SS-FHA chief in 1943, SS-Obergruppenführer Hans Jüttner
managed the department till the end of the war.
Organisation, Personnel and Supply (Organisation, personal, versorgung)
Departmental Group B (Amtsgruppe B)
Training (Ausbildung)
Departmental Group C (Amtsgruppe C)
Inspection (Inspektionen)
Departmental Group D (Amtsgruppe D)
Medical Arm of the Waffen-SS (Sanitätswesen der Waffen-SS)
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...
.
It was responsible for the administration of Officer Schools (Junkerschulen), Medical services
Medic
Medic is a general term for a person involved in medicine, especially emergency or first-response medicine, such as an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or a military member trained in battlefield medicine. Also the term is used toward a Nurse in pre-hospital care and/or emergency...
, logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
, and rates of pay. It was also the administrative and operational headquarters for the Waffen SS that was responsible for its organisation and equipment
Table of Organization and Equipment
A table of organization and equipment is a document published by the U.S. Department of Defense which prescribes the organization, staffing, and equippage of units. Also used in acronyms as 'T/O' and 'T/E'....
and Order of battle
Order of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
of SS combat units.
Formation
The SS-Führungshauptamt, which was under the direct command of Reichsführer-SSReichsführer-SS
was a special SS rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945. Reichsführer-SS was a title from 1925 to 1933 and, after 1934, the highest rank of the German Schutzstaffel .-Definition:...
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
, was formed in 1940 from some of the departments of the SS-Hauptamt
SS-Hauptamt
The SS-Hauptamt was the central command office of the German Schutzstaffel in Nazi Germany until 1940.-Formation:...
and 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...
. Its main duty was the operational control of the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
developing general policy on recruiting and handling special personnel requirements. By 1942, recruitment by the Allgemeine-SS had almost ceased as a result of WWII, meaning local units were responsible for maintaining their own staffing levels.
The SS-FHA had priority over all other branches of the Armed Forces in selection of recruits. Likewise, to meet the casualty rates and expansion of Waffen-SS field divisions
Waffen-SS divisions
All divisions in the Waffen-SS were ordered in a single series as formed, regardless of type. Those tagged with nationalities were at least nominally recruited from those nationalities. Many of the higher-numbered units were small battlegroups , i.e...
, service in the Waffen-SS was made compulsory for all members of the Allgemeine-SS in 1941. The SS-FHA also accepted personnel who requested voluntary transfer to the Waffen SS after being inducted into any another branch of the military of 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...
; this later included members of the Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
. When Himmler stepped down as SS-FHA chief in 1943, SS-Obergruppenführer Hans Jüttner
Hans Jüttner
Hans Jüttner was head of the SS's Main Leadership Office and also an SS Obergruppenführer.-Early life and career:...
managed the department till the end of the war.
Organisation
Departmental Group A (Amtsgruppe A)Organisation, Personnel and Supply (Organisation, personal, versorgung)
- Amt I - Command Department of the Allgemeine-SS (Kommandoamt der Allgemeinen-SS)
- Amt II - Command Department of the Waffen-SSWaffen-SSThe Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
(Kommandoamt der Waffen-SS) - Amt III - Central Chancellory (Zentralkanzlei)
- Amt IV - Administration Department (Verwaltungsamt)
- Amt V - Personnel Department (Personalamt)
- Amt VI - Office for Rider and Driver Training (Reit- und Fahrwesen)
- Amt VII - Office for Logistical Theory (Nachschubwesen)
- Amt VIII - Weaponry Department (WaffenamtWaffenamtWaffenamt was the German Army Weapons Agency. It was the centre for research and development of Germany and also during the Third Reich for weapons, ammunition and army equipment to the German Reichswehr and later Wehrmacht...
) - Amt IX - Department for Technical and Mechanical Development (Technische Ausrüstung und Maschinen)
- Amt X - Motor Vehicle Administration (Kraftfahrzeugwesen)
Departmental Group B (Amtsgruppe B)
Training (Ausbildung)
- Amt XI - Officer Training (Führer-Ausbildung) and SS-Officer Cadet Schools (mit SS-Junkerschulen)
- Amt XII - NCO Training (Unterführer-Ausbildung) and SS-NCO Training Schools (mit SS-Unterführerschulen)
Departmental Group C (Amtsgruppe C)
Inspection (Inspektionen)
- Insp. 2 Infantry and Mountain Troops (Infanterie- und Gebirgstruppen)
- Insp. 3 Cavalry (Kavallerie)
- Insp. 4 Artillery (Artillerie)
- Insp. 5 Engineers / Technicians (Pioniere/Techniker)
- Insp. 6 Panzer troops (Panzertruppen)
- Insp. 7 Signals Troops (Nachrichtentruppen)
- Insp. 8 Field Maintenance Troops (Feldzeug- und Instandsetzungstruppen)
- Insp. 9 Service Support Troops (Versorgungstruppen)
- Insp. 10 Motor Pool Troops (Kraftfahrparktruppen)
- Insp. 11 Unknown
- Insp. 12 Technical Training (Technische Lehrgänge)
- Insp. 13 Anti-Air Artillery (Flakartillerie)
Departmental Group D (Amtsgruppe D)
Medical Arm of the Waffen-SS (Sanitätswesen der Waffen-SS)
- Amt XIII - Administration (Verwaltung)
- Amt XIV - Dental Department (Zahnwesen)
- Amt XV - Supply (Versorgung)
- Amt XVI - Medical Treatment (Ärztliche Behandlung)