Allgemeine-SS: The Commands, Units and Leaders of the General SS

254 Pages·2000·117.02 MB·English

by  Mark C. Yerger

ALLGEMEINE-SS
The Commands, Units and Leaders
of the General SS
Mark C. Yerger
The commands, units and leaders of the General SS are
finally compiled into a single detailed reference book for
both the historian and SS memorabilia collector. This com-
plete volume begins with an explanation of the twelve ad-
ministrative and command main offices involving the SS
to include the development, components and functions of
each as well as their respective office chiefs. The follow-
ing section explores the most powerful posts in the SS, the
Higher SS and Police Leaders, along with the subordinate
SS and Police Leaders found in occupied territories - both
the commands and the individual holders of these posts
are examined in depth. The SS Main Districts are covered
next including all their various subordinate components,
title changes, development, commanders and chiefs of staff.
The more than forty SS Districts follow, detailed in a simi-
lar format. Examining the more than one-hundred and
twenty-five SS Foot Regiments in the General SS, the
names and ranks of the hundreds of commanders, as well
as details of unit location changes, popular and honor titles
as well as other data for each are within a separate chapter.
Finally, the elite SS Riding Districts and Regiments are
covered similarly. Career biographies are included for more
than two hundred senior SS commanders, many of whom
served portions of their career in the Waffen-SS, Polizei,
SD and other facets of Himmler's commands. The bio-
graphical data for individuals alone adds vast detail to this
fascinating topic. Along with more than 120 rare photos of
SS senior ranking officers and seven maps, a detailed in-
dex allows referencing of individual commands or person-
alities.
Research historian Mark C. Yerger, a Pennsylvania
native, has maintained a fascination with the SS since read-
ing his first book on the topic. With an interest in all facets
of the SS and Polizei, his priority as an author and researcher
has been to examine, in detail, previously unexplored top-
ics within the broad theme of the SS from its inauspicious
beginnings in the early 1920s to the end of World War II.
His first major studies were the first two volumes of Knights
of Steel which presented new facets and details of the 2.SS-
Panzer-Division "Das Reich." Among his other works are
Riding East, a history of the SS Cavalry Brigade, an au-
thorized bilingual biography of Knight's Cross with Oak-
leaves holder Ernst August Krag, and a photo album titled
Images of the Waffen-SS. All have been well received by
readers on SS subjects. In addition to his own continuous
work on a number of projects, he has contributed material
or research to more than twenty books by other authors in
the U.S. and Europe, including numerous official histories
of Waffen-SS units. He is currently finishing the first of a
multi-volume series on a Waffen-SS topic that has not been
previously detailed by other authors.

Also by the Author
RIDING EAST: THE SS CAVALRY BRIGADE IN POLAND AND RUSSIA 1939-1942
IMAGES OF THE WAFFEN-SS: A PHOTO CHRONICLE OF GERMANY'S ELITE TROOPS
SS-STURMBANNFÜHRER ERNST AUGUST KRAG
Schiffer Military History
Atglen, PA
Dedication
To Phil Nix
In appreciation for more than a decade of friendship and guidance
Book Design by Robert Biondi.
Copyright © 1997 by Mark C. Yerger.
Library of Congress Catalog Number: 96-71386.
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systems - without written permission from the copyright holder.
Printed in the United States of America.
ISBN: 0-7643-0145-4
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c o n t e n ts
Acknowledgements 6
Introduction 8
Chapter 1 SS Command and Administration 11
Chapter 2 Higher SS and Police Leaders & SS and Police Leaders 22
Chapter 3 Main Districts 82
Chapter 4 Districts 117
Chapter 5 Foot Regiments 169
Chapter 6 Mounted Districts and Regiments 214
Maps 222
Bibliography 230
Glossary 234
Index 238
The part of any project I enjoy most is thanking the friends and associates who have helped. Though each
is aware of my appreciation, it is also the reader who owes each of them thanks for their contributions.
This volume is dedicated to my colleague and friend Phil Nix in appreciation for more than a decade of
constant help and, more valued, friendship. Aside from simply wishing to dedicate this book to him, his
assistance with photographs, corrections, information, explanations and detailing from his own research made
the text possible in its final form. He is among the most knowledgeable people in the field of SS research.
Ruth Sommers is confidant, teacher and friend. Without her as a sounding board during stressful research
(and life) I would have probably quit many times. I also thank her for help in finding needed obscure texts and
periodicals in her native Germany and for keeping me informed on the status of many older friends. To say I
admire and respect her does not express my thoughts enough.
Serious life situations almost made me quit researching. My special thanks to James Lucas for his friend-
ship, logic and humor used to prevent that mistake from happening.
I have a valued group of individuals who support me mentally and emotionally as they are aware of the
stress and frustration with this type of work. Most are researchers with interest and knowledge only of the
Waffen-SS, the topic I will permanently return to with the conclusion of this volume. Though they did not
assist directly with this book, their friendship, material and support in many ways provide the inspiration and
motivation needed by this researcher for multiple ongoing projects. Each is aware of their contribution and all
are within any text devoted to the Waffen-SS.
Most of my friends not connected to writing or research describe me as focused, driven and intense. I
value and appreciate the better parts of those characteristics and owe them to my initial teacher Henry Deemer.
He has known me since I was in high school and hopefully I have turned out to be the type of constructive
contributor he envisioned. Special thanks must go to Robin Cookson and the staff of the National Archives.
They have saved me massive time and eased the frustrations of assimilating thousands of documents and
pouring over thousands of texts.
George Nipe continued with his cartographic skills as he had in my history of the SS Cavalry Brigade.
For that, constant phone calls and help with archive research for me I give my thanks as well as appreciation
for the most recent friendship obtained within my circle of colleagues and friends. His text on one of the
pivotal armor battles of the Eastern Front will soon be published and be welcomed by all readers of Waffen-
SS history.
AI Brandt is both a friend and energetic researcher. His help with linguistic proofreading, cross reference
checking and a host of other aspects with this and other projects in progress deserves more than these brief
lines. Those with an interest in Waffen-SS Knight's Cross holders can look forward to his biography of Remy
Schrijnen, one of the bravest holders of Germany's highest WWII decoration.
John Moore is my most helpful colleague and friend. Our phone bills could pay for an extended vacation.
He has always made his complete holdings available and I the reverse, the result of which is a collaboration
for a text that has already begun. His superior knowledge of the Waffen-SS and abilities as a researcher is
evident in his book on Waffen-SS signals officers. I also owe him for pushing me into the computer age thus
preserving my sanity.
My sister Leslie hears it all despite having absolutely no interest in the SS aside from confirming my
name is correctly spelled on the book cover. I know few siblings as close as we are, being each other's friend,
confidant and advisor. She is also one of the most intelligent women I know and among those I most admire.
I want to thank my publisher Peter Schiffer and designer Bob Biondi for everything as well as allowing
me the freedom of choosing my topics within this field. Their support and using many of my design sugges-
tions reduces much stress.
I would also like to thank Linda Lease, George Lepre, Jim Marks, Bob Ruman of "Articles of War" and
Emmett Lehmann, including his entire family, for their help and friendship. A special acknowledgment goes
to John Wissler for honesty, humor and keeping my land yacht operational until it could be replaced. Also my
appreciation goes out to BÖC for focus and energy release. I would also like to thank the many readers who
respond, all of which I enjoyed replying.
Finally, the resident best known by my research friends must be given his due credit. Fred, my cat, has sat
patiently, though unimpressed, through it all, providing companionship, stress relief and humor. Research
continues to ascertain the location of his depository for all my missing writing instruments and disposable
cigarette lighters. Those who have received letters signed in pencil, crayon or simply typed "can't find pen"
can attest to his skills at confiscation and hiding of these items.
Mark C. Yerger
1997
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i n t r o d u c t i on
The SS is probably the most famous, yet overall unknown, organization to exist during the Third Reich.
The uniform flash and connection with the concentration camps give a layman the misconception that all of its
members were concentration camp guards. Studying this vast topic, the written knowledge of which really
just started, proves with each fact unearthed and its resulting answers that more needs to be understood. In a
sense the more an individual learns the less one feels he knows in comparison to the overall vastness of the
topic. While some aspects of the SS, such as its wartime combat troops, the Waffen-SS, have received concen-
trated attention while other facets have not. All SS units began with the scattered squads that began forming
after the activities of the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter Partei (the National Socialist German Workers'
Party or Nazi Party, or NSDAP) became legal again following the dismal failure of the November 9, 1923,
Munich Putsch. While one can logically argue for the actual beginning of the SS being the "Stosstrupp"
formed by Emil Maurice prior to November, 1923, the post-ban period began the uninterrupted start and
growth of the SS. These initial small formations were simply SS, at that time there was no specifically desig-
nated Allgemeine-SS, Waffen-SS or the other parts of this eventual multiple tentacle Party organization that
became the most powerful in Hitler's Germany. In the early period many SA (and SS) men were not even
members of the NSDAP though this was not the norm later, especially for the SS. As will be seen many early
SS leaders had been veterans of WWI, the Freikorps or the Stahlhelm.1 The story of the SS units and com-
mands as they pertain to this book generally start with the second creation of the SS when the ban on the
NSDAP and its affiliated groups was lifted following Hitler's release from prison.2 Many of the personalities
within the text were involved with the Socialist movement in Germany (or other countries) prior to the Munich
Putsch of November 9, 1923 that resulted in a prison term for Hitler.
1 The Freikorps (Free Corps) were composed of German troops who fought communist infiltration during the chaotic 1919-1920
period. Though not officially supported by the government they were tolerated, primarily because they were better able to counter the
threat than the government. Most units were named for their leaders, for whom most of the troops had more loyalty than official govern-
ment leaders. By 1923, the border activities of the Freikorps ceased and their leaders faded into obscurity. The Stahlhelm (Steel Helmet)
veterans organization was founded in December, 1918, and was the strongest radical minded group during the period the SA and NSDAP
were outlawed following the disastrous November, 1923, Putsch. Following a period of competition with the SA. it was later absorbed by
that organization in July 1933 (thus coming under Ernst Röhm's command) and was finally dissolved in November, 1935. Grill, "The
Nazi Party in Baden 1920-1945," page 436.
2 It can logically be argued that the orginal "Stosstrupp" developed into the "Leibstandarte" verses the Allgemeine-SS though in
both early development phases there was simply the SS. the separate designations (and duties of each) coming several years later. Some
members of the initial "Stosstrupp" lasted to become involved in its early re-established form as "Schutzstaffeln" (protection squads).
Though generally considered to start in 1933. the "Stosstrupp" and the "Leibstandarte" were more similar as to function in their early
forms than the former was with the Allgemeine-SS. When the NSDAP and SA were outlawed following the Munich Putsch, many SA
members served with the disguised Frontbann which was actually the SA under another name.
8