German ranks

[chuckfourth]

Hi Narwan
On the Geneology of the SS my source gives this.
SS 'Leibstandarte' (hitlers body gaurd).
SS Verfugungstruppen (SS-VT) formed, each unit raised to battalion strength, "exclusively at the disposal of the Fuhrer for special tasks during peace and war" these were the 'aryan' crew.
By 1939 we have 3 SS-VT regiments 'Deutschland', 'Germania' and 'Der Fuhrer'.
Paralell with the SS-VT were the Totenkopffverbande, in 1937 they constituted 3 regiments, 'Oberbayern', 'Brandenburg', 'Thuringen', 'Ostmark' added after Austria was annexed.
After the Polish campaign the 3 SS-VT regiments were reformed into the Verfugungdivision. Leibstandarte becomes a fully motorised infantry regiment. Totenkopf division raised from the best of the Totenkopffverbande
SS Polizei Division raised. you are correct from "normal" police.
SS regiment Nordland formed from Danish and Swedish volunteers.
SS regiment Westland recruited from Holland and Belgium.
These two regiments were merged with the Germania SS-VT becoming the 'Germania' Division and then 'Wiking' division.
Verfugungdivision renamed 'Das Reich' Division.
5th and 6th Totenkopf regiments become Kampfgruppe Nord
8th and 10th Totenkopf regiments becomes the 1st SS Motor brigade.
4th and 14th Totenkopf regiments becomes the 2nd SS Motor brigade.
SS cavalry regiments formed.

True the SS were origionally Hitlers Body guard but it soon grew way past this role. Dont forget the SS owned and ran the camps and the inmates and because of the shortage of manpower these inmates became a precious industrial resource. The SS charged a fee for their use and through this became very rich. Because the SS insisted the inmates had to be worked to death there was now an economic imperitive to collect more inmates guilty or not. Pretty sinister Organisation no?