Quote:
Originally Posted by Oberst39
The Waffen SS were not a political force as you may think. The Waffen-SS were the armed units of the Schutzstaffel, better known as the SS. The SS were the protective guards of the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) - or the "Nazis." The military branch of the SS at this time was first known as the Bewaffnete SS, and later Waffen-SS. Many soldiers in the Waffen-SS distinguished themselves in combat, and in a small number of cases, became notorious for their atrocities.
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I appreicate the precis on the origins and purpose of the Waffen SS.
However having two family members who served with the Waffen SS and having written my undergraduate thesis on the Waffen SS I can assure you that is was considered very bad form to use the expression Mein Herr in the
Waffen SS. In fact I saw it mentioned the other day in a reference text I was consulting on putting together my own SS impression, and if I see it again I will be pleased to post it here.
While many people try to play down the "political" nature of the SS, political and other ideologies were an essential part of SS training. One of the reasons the SS were so effective in combat (and suffered very high casualties) was their fanaticism and belief that they were superior to their opponents. That fanaticism did not simply come from having the coolest collar tabs.
Arising out of Memel's comments, I am curious as to whether or not they are originals or repros?
LD