German ranks

[narwan]

Unfortunately that's not exactly true about the origins of the SS, although many of the more basic books do mention it like that. It's simpler than the truth and serves to give a SS an even more sinister reputation.

But the original role for the SS was the protection of Hitler, especially during the putsch of Munich in 1923. The name SS (Schutz Staffel) does translate into 'body guards' and that was exactly what they were meant to be, much like modern day bodyguards protecting 'important' people.
While the SA was declared illegal after said putsch, the SS was very small and overlooked by the authorities which gave it time to grow, but not much. When soon after the SA was reformed, the infighting between SS and SA resulted in the effective end of the SA as a player.

In the years after two separate parts emerged, the SS-VT (VerfugungsTruppe) and SS-TV(TotenkopfVerbande). The VT were the 'fighting' arm, which included the Leibstandarte regiment (later 1st SS division) and the Das Reich (which was initally called the SS-VT division and became the 2nd SS division) for example. These continued the original role of the SS in guarding it's leaders and is the part which became the 'Waffen-SS' early in the war. Initial recruitment standards for the VT were higher than for the TV.

The TV units were responsible for guarding concentration camps and other police duties (in occupied areas). There was some interchange of personel between TV and VT but not much. Some of these TV units were later 'merged' to form the Totenkopf division. By the time of Barbarossa the TV and VT distinction had effectively ceased to exist.
If I remember correctly the concentration camp duties were taken over by the Allgemeine SS, with waffen-ss men serving short periods as guards, usually after recovering from wounds, after leave or awaiting permanent assignment to a (new) field unit.

So the 1st and 2nd SS division were NOT formed from concentration camp guards but the 3rd ss division was (although only about half the troops came from guarding the camps). Some soldiers from the 1st, 2nd and other divisions did serve short terms as guards but that was later in the war, after their formation as divisional units.

The SS Polizei division was never really part of the SS. It was formed from police units in late 39 and meant to serve in occupied areas as a 'militarised' police force. As the SS was claiming the right to police the occupied area's the division was later given SS status. The bulk of it's men were not members of the SS however and they did not wear SS insigna but police badges and signs. The were NOT formed from any SS police force but from the regular police.

Finally, the Wiking division was initially formed from foreign recruits (dutch and danish especially) with a cadre of experienced german soldiers. So not not by german volunteers.

Narwan