SS (Schutzstaffel)

The Schutzstaffel (SS) was a major paramilitary organization in Nazi Germany, originally formed as Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard in the 1920s. Over time, it expanded into an elite force responsible for many of the regime's most notorious activities, including security, intelligence, and the enforcement of racial policies. The SS was deeply involved in war crimes, including the Holocaust, where millions of Jews and other groups were murdered. Led by Heinrich Himmler, the SS became a powerful symbol of Nazi brutality and totalitarian control, playing a central role in carrying out the regime's genocidal agenda.