SS-Verfügungstruppe facts for kids
The SS-Verfügungstruppe (short: SS-VT) was a special group of soldiers within the SS in Nazi Germany. Its name means "Combat Support Force." These soldiers were trained just like the regular German army, called the Wehrmacht. The SS-VT was an early version of what later became known as the Waffen-SS.
Contents
How the SS-VT Started
On September 24, 1934, a new military unit was created. It brought together several smaller Nazi groups and guard units. This new group was meant to be trained as combat soldiers. It was named the SS-Special Purpose Troops (SS-Verfügungstruppe).
This unit was not part of the police or the regular army. Instead, it was a special group of trained soldiers ready for use by Adolf Hitler, whether during peacetime or war. The public learned about the SS-VT on March 16, 1935. Before the invasion of Russia in 1941, some of Hitler's bodyguards even joined the SS-VT.
SS-VT in Early Conflicts
Some SS-VT units worked with the Wehrmacht during Germany's takeovers of areas like the Sudetenland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. They also took part in the invasion of Poland. Later, they fought against the Allied forces in Western Europe.
The regiments that made up the SS-VT eventually formed the Waffen-SS. These "Armed SS" divisions fought in all areas where Germany was involved during World War II. The units were not officially called "Waffen-SS" until Adolf Hitler gave a speech in July 1940.
Different Parts of the SS
In 1939, the entire SS organization was divided into two main parts:
- The Allgemeine-SS (the General SS)
- The Waffen-SS (the Armed SS)
The Waffen-SS itself was made up of three smaller groups:
- Hitler's personal bodyguards, known as the Leibstandarte.
- The Death's-Head Battalions (Totenkopfverbände). These units were in charge of the concentration camps.
- The Combat Support Force (Verfügungstruppe). During World War II, this group grew to include up to 39 divisions. They served as highly skilled combat troops, fighting alongside the German army.
Foreign Volunteers in the Waffen-SS
In 1941, Heinrich Himmler, the leader of the SS, announced that more Waffen-SS Verfügungstruppe units would be created. These new units would include soldiers from countries other than Germany. The idea was to get more soldiers from nations that Germany had occupied.
Some of these foreign units included volunteers from countries like Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, and the Netherlands. Even countries that were officially neutral, like Spain, sent many volunteers to the Waffen-SS by the end of the war. Many of these volunteers, especially those in the SS Wallonien division, continued fighting until the very end of the war in Europe. These volunteers from non-German backgrounds believed in the German cause.
Images for kids
-
LSSAH troops during a drill inspection in Berlin, November 1938
-
A motorcycle unit of the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf in the Soviet Union, 1941
See also
In Spanish: SS-Verfügungstruppe para niños
