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The SS, short for Schutzstaffel, was a protection squadron. They ultimately became a virtual

state within a state in Nazi Germany. They were the future of Nazis and looked upon as the

racial elite. Their top three responsibilities were to be there as security, identifying of

ethnicities, and population control. SS officers were in charge of the German forces, and

controlled them along with the concentration camp systems. Before the Nazi took complete

power, the SS were to only protect Hitler, other Nazi leaders and speakers, as well as political

meetings. As the SS count of men began to increase, Hitler saw the opportunity to turn them into

an elite group. Once the Nazis took control, the number of officials grew to 52,000 men.

https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007400

"SS." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum,

n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2017. <https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007400>.

Expectations of SS:

On January 6, 1929, Hitler then put Heinrich Himmler head of the SS forces. Under his

guidance he recruited and trained the top men into a first-rate paramilitary unit. The first step in

becoming a part of the SS was proving that you were of no Jewish descent and agree to to marry

only with the consent of the superior officer. Months of long, scrutinizing military training is

received. The men are then taught (basically brainwashed) that they are the elite of not only the

Nazi party, but of all humankind. They learn to put themselves aside and commit themselves

fully to their duty. No outside distractions would be tolerated. Above all, the men pledged their

allegiance, and swore to their obligations. Expectations were reflected upon their motto,

Loyalty is my honor.
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http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/ss

History.com Staff. "The SS." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

<http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/ss>.

SS relation to Night:

Ellie Wiesel will forever be haunted by the horrific experiences the SS put him, along with tons

of other Jews through. He suffered beatings after beatings for just being alive. Jews had an

immense amount of fear for the SS and Gestapo officers. They strip the Jews of their identity

completely. Wiesel states that he remembers the screams of SS commanding everyone to give up

their valuables, clothing, etc. They were then dressed in the same clothing, with the same

haircuts, and given a number of identification. The book tells of them being completely

dehumanized when it says, There are eighty of you in the carIf any of you go missing, you

will all be shot, like dogs (page 24). Zero regard was given to the people. Ellie Wiesel recalls

the evening when three SS officials hung three people, one a young child, in front of the many

people to witness. The SS surrounding us, machine guns aimed at us: the usual ritual. Three

prisoners in chains-and, among them, the little pipel, the sad-eyed angel (page 64).

Wiesel, Elie. Night, Elie Wiesel. New York: Spark, 2014. Print.

Responsibility:

The SS Inspectorate of Concentration Camps was soon established. This meant that all

concentration camps in Germany and Germany-occupied territory was under the command of SS
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officials. Special SS, known as the Deaths Head Units, guarded and administered the camps. It

was in the hands of the Gestapo and Deaths Head unit to incarcerate, release, and order the

execution of the prisoners. By 1937, they were in charge of upholding four concentration camps,

as well as the 30 main camps, and hundreds of sub camps. The chief of the SS Administration

Main Office (SS-Verwaltungshauptamt), SS General Oswald Pohl, recognized the potential of

concentration camp prisoners as forced laborers to produce construction materials. In 1941-

1942, the SS came to a decision to construct new gigantic concentration camps at Auschwitz-

Birkenau. Through brutal techniques, the SS were responsible for the death of almost two

million prisoners in the camp systems.

https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007399

"SS and the Camp System." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States

Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.

<https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007399>.