Eichmann, Bureaucracy and the Holocaust (8 page)

Source: Hilberg, 1961, p.353

Appendix 5: S.S. Ranks and regular army equivalents

Source: Hilberg, 1961, p.766

T
he Schutz Staffel (Protection Echelon) was created by Hitler in 1925 as successor to the "Hitler Assault Squad" of 1923, and as its name suggests was originally intended as a bodyguard unit for Hitler and the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter Partei (NSDAP) leadership. Being subordinate to the Sturm Abteilung (S.A. - Storm Detachment), the S.S. was initially a rather insignificant force in the Nazi organisational hierarchy and remained that way until Himmler's appointment as Reichsführer S.S. in 1929. Between 1929 and 1933 the ranks of the S.S. grew from 250 to 50,000 men, and it became an independent organisation with a greatly enlarged role following the demise of the S.A. in June 1934.

In 1933, Himmler was joined by Heydrich whom he appointed head of a new S.S. security service, the Sicherheitsdienst (S.D.), which was essentially an absorption of the Gestapo (Geheime Staatspolizei - Secret State Police), newly acquired from Göring, into the S.S. hierarchy. Together, Himmler and Heydrich worked to bring all national and regional police departments under the control of the S.S., which led to Himmler's appointment as Reichsführer S.S. and Chief of German Police in June 1936. Himmler then proceeded to reorganise the police, forming two separate divisions of Order or Regular Police (Ordnungpolizei - ORPO) and Security Police (Sicherheitspolizei - SIPO). On 27th September 19939, the SIPO and S.D. were merged to create the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Security Main Office - RSHA) headed by Heydrich. In the process the S.D. was technically subsumed by the Gestapo, although in practical terms the two remained synonymous.

Sources: Dawidowicz, 1987; Buchheim in Krusnick et al, 1968; Crankshaw, 1956

D
eportation schedule from Paris to the German border, final destination being Auschwitz. The most disturbing aspect of this schedule is its very normality: remove the context and it assumes the appearance of a normal timetable for the benefit of regular fare-paying passengers, rather than a 'shipment' of human 'material' destined for 'special treatment' in the gas chambers of Auschwitz.

Source: Gilbert, 1979, p.136

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Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

Evil Genius: The Eichmann Myth

Eichmann Unmasked

An Idealistic German

A Minor Bureaucratic Functionary

The Will of the Führer

A Glorious Page in Our History

The Ingredients of the Holocaust

A Cog in the Machine?

Eichmann, plc

The Satisfaction of Pilate

The Pursuit of Excellence

Without Ill-Will or Favour

In Accordance with the General Measures

Concluding Thoughts

Postscript

Synopsis of Charges

Nisko Project

Madagascar Project

IV-B-4 Representatives

S.S. Ranks and their Equivalents

A Brief History of the S.S.

Sample transport schedule

Bibliography

Web sites