Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1945-01-26

reformed and starting with group
of million 200 thousand of the origi-
nal group took charge of training
political soldiers from childhood up,
indoctrinating them in Nazi princi-
Piles and also overseeing military
training before service in the army
and again after the citizen had
passed normal military age.
The second group to come into
prominence in the Reich is now by
all odds the most powerful group
in the country considered from ev-
cry viewpoint. 1t is the "SS."
The "SS" are supposed to have
had their origin in the group who
made up Hitler's bodyguard in the
early days of the party. Their num-
Der was estimated as $50, 900 in 1912,
and Heinrich Himmler was from the
beginning (and still is) their COM
mander although their oath of 10y
atty is to Hitler.
This group was originally Great
ed to form the nucleus of a new
aristocracy. The requirements of en-
trance are strict. In the first place,
the applicant must have been an
outstanding member of the Hitler
Youth organization. He can apply
in his 18th year for SIS membership.
Out of hundred applicants usual
ly 10 or Is are admitted and they
stand frequent re-examinations. The
applicants family must show
healthy physical and (according to
Nazi standards) political back
ground, "aryan" blood back to 1850
and no hereditary diseases.
An SIS applicant must be the
fright" height and the fright"
build, with the fright color of
hair and eyes. When he marries he
must marry suitable wife accord
ing to similar standards. Before he
is eligible he must win certain sport
awards, serve in the Reich labor
service, then in the army. Mean
while, he must attend special schools
of training in Nazi theology and
military and physical training.
When the SIS novice finishes his
term in the army he goes through
more tests and if he passes, is a
ull'member. Then he is under juris-
diction of the special SIS court of
law and must live up to all the
practices and principles of the or
der. He is compelled to defend his
honor with the sword Unjust take
part in duels) and is permitted, if
attacked by an ordinary citizen, to
use a weapon against the at
tacker even if it is not necessary.
IS Comes
Into Its DUN
Gradually from an organization
which took over many military,
police and other functions, the SIS
grew to the point where it is the
dominating police force in Germany,
uniformed and plain clothes (the
Gestapo) and now the dominating
force in the army and the Reich.
1t has one entirely military branch,
the 'SS-in-arms" with its own panzer
and other divisions.
was in Germany when war
broke out and it was that winter
that the SS-in-Arms was formed,
some SIS men being released from
the regular army to form these
units. 1t was evident when one
watched the SIS in any military
formation from sentry duty up, that
they tried to Guido the regular army
in snap, and "spit and polish"
Their legs were little sitter when
they did the goose step. Their
salutes were as precise as a trip
hammer. They tried to look as
mean as they could and often sue
ceeded in looking meaner than that.
There is no doubt that the SIS
divisions have the reputation of be-
ing crack divisions and that they
have won at least some of the re-
spect of what is left of the old,
professional, military element in the
Wehrmacht army which struggled
against their rise in power as long
| as it could. Dispatches from the
western front frequently mention
SIS outfits when they were
shooting American prisoners - but
the Russians refuse to say they fight
any better than other divisions.
They have frequently been used as
reserves in tight situations and
also as Strengthening framework
for less fanatical troops.
The "Black Corps" as it is called
because of its black uniforms, is
described by one authority as en-
bodying "a military fanaticism
such as the world has hardly seen
from the days of Mahdi and Omdur-
] man."