Waffen SS

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1st SS LSSAH soldiers in action in Mariupol October 1941

1st SS LSSAH soldiers in action in Mariupol October 1941

1st SS Panzer Division „Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler” motorcycle unit moves south thru Greece 1942

1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" motorcycle unit moves south thru Greece 1942

2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich Kharkov 1943

2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich" Kharkov 1943

5.SS-Panzer-Division „Wiking” troops during Battle in Korsun Cherkassy Pocket 1944

5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking" troops during Battle in Korsun Cherkassy Pocket 1944

6th SS Mountain Division Nord man with 7 5cm LeIG 18 in Finland

6. SS-Gebirgs-Division "Nord" man with 7,5 cm leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18 in Finland

6th SS Mountain Division Nord troops advance on Murmansk 1941

6th SS Mountain Division Nord troops advance on Murmansk 1941

A group of Waffen-SS soldiers posing with a captured KV-1

A group of Waffen-SS soldiers posing with a captured KV-1

Flak-Kanoniere of the 2 SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich wave a flag to alert the German pilots above them Belgorod 1943

Flak-Kanoniere of the 2 SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich wave a flag to alert the German pilots above them Belgorod 1943

German soldiers of the 1st SS-Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

German soldiers of the 1st SS-Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler examine a captured Soviet war flag somewhere in the Ukraine 1941

German soldiers of the 6th SS Mountain Division Nord in position

German soldiers of the 6th SS Mountain Division Nord in position on the Kola Peninsula during Operation Arctic Fox, 1942

German soldiers of the Waffen-SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

German soldiers of the Waffen-SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

Horch 901 of the 5th Panzer Division Wiking

Horch 901 of the 5th Panzer Division Wiking

Josef Dietrich in France LAH 1942

Josef Dietrich in France, LAH 1942

Kavallerie Waffen-SS

Kavallerie Waffen-SS

Kradmelder from LAH

Kradmelder from LAH

Kradschutze of 3rd SS Totenkopf aid wounded comrade

Kradschutze of 3rd SS Totenkopf aid wounded comrade

SS Kradschutzen of the LSSAH with Zundapp KS600

Kradschutzen of the 1st SS-Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler riding a KS600 Zundapp motorcycle sidecar combo through a destroyed Russian village, 1942

LSSAH Soldiers during Operation Marita Greece 1941

LSSAH Soldiers during Operation Marita Greece 1941

Obersturmbannfuhrer Franz Hack

Obersturmbannfuhrer Franz Hack from 5. SS-Panzerdivision "Wiking"

Panzergrenadier squad in Kharkov February 1943

Panzergrenadier squad in Kharkov February 1943

Renault AGC trucks of the Waffen-SS

Renault AGC trucks of the Waffen-SS

Rottenfuhrer from S Sturmgeschütz Abteilung „Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler”

Rottenfuhrer from S Sturmgeschütz Abteilung "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"

SdKfz 232 and Horch 901 cars from 1st SS Aufklarungs Abteilung LAH

SdKfz 232 and Horch 901 cars from 1st SS Aufklarungs Abteilung LAH

Soldier advances with pistol ready on Russian Front 1941

Soldier advances with pistol ready on Russian Front 1941

Soldier from 3 SS Division Totenkopf on Eastern Front 1943

Soldier from 3 SS Division Totenkopf on Eastern Front 1943

Soldier of the Waffen-SS

Soldier of the Waffen-SS

Soldiers of the LAH

Soldiers and truck of the LAH

Soldiers from 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar

Soldiers from 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar

Soldiers from Waffen-SS Regiment Nordland

Soldiers from Waffen-SS Regiment Nordland

Soldiers of 1st SS LSSAH during Operation Barbarossa 1941

Soldiers of 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler during Operation Barbarossa 1941

Soldiers of the 1 SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler 1943/1944

Soldiers of the 1 SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler 1943/1944

Soldiers of the LAH 1943/1944

Soldiers of the 1. SS-Panzerdivision "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" 1943/1944

Soldiers of the LAH 1943 1944 2

Soldiers of the 1. SS-Panzerdivision "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" 1943/1944 2

Soldiers of the LAH 2

Soldiers of the 1. SS-Panzerdivision "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" 2

Soldiers of the 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar 2

Soldiers of the 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar 2

Soldiers of the LAH

Soldiers of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

Soldiers of the LAH 1943/1944 3

Soldiers of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler 1943/1944 3

Soldiers of the Division „Das Reich”

Soldiers of the 2. SS-Panzerdivision "Das Reich"

Soldiers of the Totenkopf

Soldiers of the 3. SS-Panzerdivision "Totenkopf", Winter

Soldiers of the 33rd Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Charlemagne

Soldiers of the 33rd Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Charlemagne (1st French), 1941

Soldiers of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking

Soldiers of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking

Soldiers of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking, Eastern Front

Soldiers of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking, Eastern Front

Soldiers of the Division Das Reich Eastern Front

Soldiers of the Division Das Reich Eastern Front

Soldiers of the SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

Soldiers of the SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

Soldiers of the Totenkopf 2

Soldiers of the Totenkopf Division 2

Soldiers of the Waffen SS

Soldiers of the Waffen SS

Soldiers of the Waffen SS 1945

Soldiers of the Waffen SS 1945

Soldiers of the Waffen SS 2

Soldiers of the Waffen SS 2

Soldiers of the Waffen SS 5

Soldiers of the Waffen SS 5

Soldiers of the Waffen SS in action

Soldiers of the Waffen SS in action

Soldiers of the Waffen SS, Russia 1942

Soldiers of the Waffen SS, Russia 1942

Soldiers of the Waffen-SS 3

Soldiers of the Waffen-SS 3

Soldiers of the Waffen SS 4

Soldiers of the Waffen-SS 4

Soldiers of the Waffen-SS Division Das Reich Eastern Front

Soldiers of the Waffen-SS Division Das Reich Eastern Front

Soldiers of the Waffen-SS Totenkopf Division with PPSH 41

Soldiers of the Waffen-SS Totenkopf Division with PPSH 41

Soldiers of the Waffen-SS with halftrack Holland

Soldiers of the Waffen-SS with halftrack Holland

Soldiers of Waffen SS in action with flammenwerfer 35 1942

Soldiers of Waffen SS in action with flammenwerfer 35 1942

Soldiers of Waffen SS in action with flammenwerfer 35 1942 2

Soldiers of Waffen SS in action with flammenwerfer 35 1942 2

Soldiers of Waffen SS with Eiserne Kreuz France

Soldiers of Waffen SS with Eiserne Kreuz France

Soldiers preparing a meal at an outpost on the Western Front ’40

Soldiers preparing a meal at an outpost on the Western Front 1940

Waffen-SS soldiers riding a BMW R12 with side car

Soldiers riding a BMW R12 with side car

Gun crew opens fire with Pak 36 on Eastern Front 1941

SS gun crew opens fire with Pak 36 on Eastern Front 1941

SS Hauptsturmfuhrer of the 6th SS Mountain Division

SS Hauptsturmfuhrer of the 6th SS Mountain Division 'Nord' thanks his men for successful operations in the Kola Peninsula 1942

Troops from 3. SS-Panzerdivision „Totenkopf”

Troops from 3. SS-Panzerdivision "Totenkopf"

Troops of LSSAH clear town during Operation Barbarossa

Troops of LSSAH clear town during Operation Barbarossa

Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, Klidi Pass

Troops of the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler just before the final assalut during the Battle of Vevi, also known as the Battle of the Klidi Pass, 1941

Unterscharfuhrer with MP40 Machine Pistol Eastern Front 1942

Unterscharfuhrer with MP40 Machine Pistol Eastern Front 1942

Waffen SS Cavalry

Waffen SS Cavalry

Waffen SS Division Totenkopf Eastern Front

Waffen SS Division Totenkopf truck, Eastern Front

Waffen SS soldier 3

Waffen SS soldier 3

Waffen SS soldier firing 98k Mauser on Eastern Front

Waffen SS soldier firing Mauser 98k on Eastern Front

Waffen SS soldiers attacking a Russian village July 1941

Waffen SS soldiers attacking a Russian village July 1941

Waffen-SS soldiers posing beside a Sd.Kfz 11

Waffen SS soldiers posing beside a Sd.Kfz 11

Waffen SS soldiers pushing truck out of hole ’41

Waffen SS soldiers pushing truck out of hole 1941

Waffen SS troops with MG34 mounted on Lafette heavy tripod 1940

Waffen SS troops with MG34 mounted on Lafette heavy tripod 1940

Waffen SS trops with MG 34 attacking village on Eastern Front

Waffen SS trops with MG 34 attacking village on Eastern Front

Waffen SS LAH Greece

Waffen-SS 1. SS-Panzerdivision "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" in Greece

Waffen-SS 9

Waffen-SS 9

Waffen-SS in Russia 1941

Waffen-SS in Russia 1941

Waffen-SS Kradmelder with BMW R12

Waffen-SS Kradmelder with BMW R12

Waffen-SS Officer, Russia

Waffen-SS Officer, Russia

Waffen-SS Officers

Waffen-SS Officers

Waffen-SS soldier 2

Waffen-SS soldier 2

Waffen-SS soldiers advancing on enemy on Eastern Front

Waffen-SS soldiers advancing on enemy on Eastern Front

Waffen-SS troops

Waffen-SS troops

Waffen-SS troops dig grave, Eastern Front 1941

Waffen-SS troops dig grave, Eastern Front 1941

Waffen-SS troops during Warsaw Uprising

Waffen-SS troops during Warsaw Uprising

Waffen-SS troops during Warsaw Uprising 2

Waffen-SS troops during Warsaw Uprising 2

Waffen-SS troops during Warsaw Uprising 3

Waffen-SS troops during Warsaw Uprising 3

Waffen-SS was the combat arm of the Schutzstaffel. Headed by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the Waffen-SS saw action throughout the Second World War. After beginning as a protection unit for the NSDAP leadership, by October 1944 the Waffen-SS had grown into a force of 38 combat divisions comprising over 910,000 men, including a number of elite army units. In the testimony given at the Nuremberg Trials, the Waffen-SS was condemned as a criminal organisation due to their involvement with the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP), and Waffen-SS veterans were denied many of the rights afforded other German combat veterans who had served in the Heer, Luftwaffe or Kriegsmarine. Conscripts were exempted from the judgment on the basis of involuntary servitude.