Reichssicherheitshauptamt facts for kids

The RSHA (pronounced "R-S-H-A") was a very important and powerful organization in Nazi Germany. Its full name in German was Reichssicherheitshauptamt, which means "Reich Main Security Office." This group was created to control all the different police and security forces in Germany during World War II.

What Was the RSHA?

The RSHA was set up in 1939 by Heinrich Himmler. He was a very high-ranking leader in Nazi Germany. Himmler was in charge of all German police and also led the SS, a large and powerful Nazi group. The RSHA brought together several different security departments under one command.

The main goal of the RSHA was to find and stop anyone they considered an "enemy of the Reich." This included people who disagreed with the Nazi government, or groups of people the Nazis targeted. The RSHA played a big part in enforcing the strict rules and ideas of the Nazi party.

Who Led the RSHA?

The first chief of the RSHA was a man named Reinhard Heydrich. He was known as a very powerful and feared leader within the Nazi system. After Heydrich was attacked and died in 1942, Heinrich Himmler took over for a short time. Later, another SS leader named Ernst Kaltenbrunner became the chief of the RSHA. He held this position until the end of World War II in 1945.

What Did the RSHA Do?

The RSHA had many different jobs, all focused on keeping the Nazi government in power and controlling the population. It combined several important security branches:

• The Security Police (Sicherheitspolizei or SiPo)
• The Security Service (Sicherheitsdienst or SD)

The Security Police included:

• The Secret State Police (Geheime Staatspolizei or Gestapo): This group was famous for its secret investigations and for arresting people who were seen as a threat to the Nazi state.
• The Criminal Police (Kriminalpolizei or Kripo): This was the regular police force that investigated crimes like theft or murder.

The Security Service (SD) was the intelligence agency of the SS and the Nazi Party. It collected information on people and groups, both inside and outside Germany. The SD also helped to spread Nazi ideas and control public opinion.

Different Departments

The RSHA was organized into several main departments, each with a specific role:

• Department I handled administration and organization.
• Department II dealt with internal administration and legal matters.
• Department III was the SD-Inland, focusing on intelligence within Germany.
• Department IV was the Gestapo, responsible for fighting "enemies" of the state.
• Department V was the Kripo, handling criminal investigations.
• Department VI was the SD-Ausland, dealing with foreign intelligence.
• Department VII focused on ideology and historical research for the SS.

The RSHA used these departments to monitor people, gather information, and enforce Nazi laws. They were a key part of the Nazi government's control over Germany and the areas it occupied during the war.

Images for kids

• 

  Reinhard Heydrich, the first chief of the RSHA, in August 1940.

• 

  SS guards overseeing people being gathered in March 1943 during the closing of the Krakow Ghetto.

See also

In Spanish: Oficina Central de Seguridad del Reich para niños