Waffen-SS

The Waffen-SS was the armed wing of Nazi Germany's SS organization, serving as an elite military force alongside the regular German army (Wehrmacht) during World War II. Initially formed for ideological reasons and to serve as personal bodyguards for Adolf Hitler, it expanded into a large, highly trained military unit involved in combat across Europe. The Waffen-SS was notorious for its brutal tactics, involvement in war crimes, and association with Nazi atrocities. After the war, many members were prosecuted for war crimes. It played a key role in Nazi efforts but was also marked by its complicity in the regime’s crimes against humanity.