The European Front

The German Shutzstaffel

The German Schutzstaffel was a project that took place in 1925. It was an "army" that was created by Hienrich Himmler, one of Adolf Hitler's High Command Officers. It was main purpose was to provide security for Adolf Hitler. The Schutzstaffel was known to the Americans as the SS. The SS had normal police officer, security agents, and the famous Waffen SS infantry soldiers. All of the SS officers are believed to have been involved in cult like activities.

During World War II the SS took on the Totenkopf symbol as their personal insignia. Totenkopf is a German word that means "Death Head" The SS had it indented in their helmets, they wore it on their uniforms and had it scratched into their weapons. The SS also wore rings with the Totenkopf Symbol on it. Today if you can find a German weapon from World War II with the Totenkopf symbol, the symbol can make the gun over $5,000 in value. The SS was feared by all Allied soldiers during the war. It was the SS that launched the major offensive in Andennes forest and other parts of Belguim that resulted in over 15,000 Allid deaths. The SS executed 72 Allied prisoners by mowing them down with machine guns in an open field in Belguim just a few miles outside of Bastogne. The SS were the last standing in 1945. They were ordered to start a guerilla war just before Hitler shot himself. A few months after he killed himself the remaining Germans, including the SS surrendered.

Some of the SS insignias that were worn and used by the Schutzstaffel.

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