Allgemeine-SS regional commands

The Allgemeine-SS regional commands were titled SS-Oberabschnitte (SS Main Districts) and first were established on November 16, 1933. They replaced the earlier command structure composed of five SS-Gruppen and comprised the regional component of the Allgemeine-SS command structure. They reported to the SS-Amt (SS Office), in 1935 renamed the SS-Hauptamt (SS Main Office). Their commanders carried the title of SS-Oberabschnitte Führer and usually held the rank of SS-Gruppenführer or SS-Obergruppenführer. Beginning in November 1937, when the Higher SS and Police Leaders were established, the SS-Oberabschnitte were subordinated to them. However, in nearly every instance, the SS-Oberabschnitt Führer held both positions simultaneously. The Oberabschnitt Führer's staff was headed by a Stabschef (Chief of Staff) who oversaw departments encompassing administration, training, personnel, medical affairs, as well as specialty units such as signals and engineer battalions.[1]

SS-Oberabschnitte in 1944 are displayed in the third inset of the top row, right.

See "Waffen-SS divisions" for the Waffen-SS order of battle

These regional commands originally existed only in Germany and Austria and generally conformed to the existing Wehrkreis (Military Districts) of the Wehrmacht. During the Second World War, additional Oberabschnitte were established for six conquered areas (Baltic States & Byelorussia, Bohemia and Moravia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Ukraine). Other occupied territories, however, did not have Oberabschnitte established, and SS personnel there were directly under the jurisdiction of the Higher SS and Police Leader for that area. By 1944, there were a total of 23 active Oberabschnitte.[2]

Oberabschnitte Commands

The following table lists, by date of formation, the existing Oberabschnitte commands that were established from November 1933 through April 1944.[3][4]

Final DesignationHeadquartersYears of OperationLast permanent commanderNotes
ElbeDresdenNovember 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-Gruppenführer
Ludolf von Alvensleben
Part of former SS-Gruppen Ost and Südost
Renamed Mitte June 1934 – April 1936.
Wehrkreis IV
MitteBraunschweigNovember 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Rudolf Querner
Part of former SS-Gruppe Nord.
Formed as Oberabschnitt Nordwest.
Renamed Mitte April 1, 1936.
Wehrkreis XI
NordHamburgNovember 16, 1933 – April 1, 1936SS-Obergruppenführer Werner Lorenz
Part of former SS-Gruppe Nord.
Divided into SS-Oberabschnitte Nord (later Ostsee) and Nordwest (later Nordsee).
Wehrkreise II & X.
SpreeBerlinNovember 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Sepp Dietrich[notes 1]
Part of former SS-Gruppe Ost.
Formed as Oberabschnitt Ost. Renamed Spree November 14,1939.
Wehrkreis III
SüdMunichNovember 16, 1933 – April 20, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Karl von Eberstein
Part of former SS-Gruppe Süd.
Wehrkreis VII
SüdostBrieg;
Breslau
November 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Richard Hildebrandt
Former SS-Gruppe Südost.
Wehrkreis VIII
SüdwestStuttgartNovember 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-Gruppenführer
Otto Hofmann
Part of former SS-Gruppe Süd.
Wehrkreis V
WestDüsseldorfNovember 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-Gruppenführer
Karl Gutenberger
Part of former SS-Gruppe West.
Wehrkreis VI
NordostKönigsbergDecember 15, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Hans-Adolf Prützmann[notes 2]
Part of former SS-Gruppe Ost.
Formed from a portion of Oberabschnitt Nord.
Wehrkreis I
RheinKoblenzJanuary 1, 1934 – September 11, 1943SS-Gruppenführer
Theodor Berkelmann
Part of former SS-Gruppe West.
Formed from a portion of Oberabschnitt West.
Merged with Westmark in September 1943 to form Oberabschnitt Rhein-Westmark.
Wehrkreis XII
DonauViennaFebruary 15, 1934 – May 8, 1945SS-Gruppenführer
Walter Schimana
Formed as Oberabschnitt Österreich.
Renamed Donau May 1938.
Wehrkreis XVII
MainNurembergApril 1, 1936 – May 8, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Benno Martin
Formed from a portion of Oberabschnitt Süd.
Wehrkreis XIII
NordseeAltonaApril 1, 1936 – May 8, 1945SS-Gruppenführer
Georg-Henning Graf von Bassewitz-Behr

Formed from division of the first Oberabschnitt Nord and named Nordwest.
Renamed Nordsee April 20, 1940.
Wehrkreis X
OstseeStettinApril 1, 1936 – May 8, 1945SS-Gruppenführer
Emil Mazuw

Formed from division of the first Oberabschnitt Nord and also named Nord.
Renamed Ostsee February 1, 1940.
Wehrkreis II
Fulda-WerraArolsenJanuary 1, 1937 – May 8, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Josias Erbprinz zu Waldeck-Pyrmont
Formed from portions of Oberabschnitte Rhein & Elbe.
Wehrkreis IX
AlpenlandSalzburgJune 1, 1939 – May 8, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Erwin Rösener[notes 3]
Formed from a portion of Oberabschnitt Donau.
Wehrkreis XVIII
WarthePosenOctober 26, 1939 – May 8, 1945SS-Gruppenführer
Willy Schmelcher
Oberabschnitt in Wartheland.
Wehrkreis XXI
WeichselDanzigNovember 9, 1939 – May 8, 1945SS-Gruppenführer
Fritz Katzmann
Oberabschnitt in Danzig-West Prussia.
Wehrkreis XX
NordOsloApril 20, 1940 – May 8, 1945SS-Gruppenführer
Wilhelm Rediess
Oberabschnitt in Reichskommissariat Norwegen.
Third Oberabschittt named Nord.
NordwestThe HagueMay 23, 1940 – May 8, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Hanns Albin Rauter
Oberabschnitt in Reichskommissariat Niederlande.
WestmarkSaarbrücken; Neustadt; MetzAugust 1, 1940 – September 11, 1943SS-Gruppenführer
Theodor Berkelmann
Formed as Oberabschnitt Lothringen-Saarpfalz. Renamed Westmark October 15, 1941.
Merged with Rhein in September 1943 to form
Oberabschnitt Rhein-Westmark.
Wehrkreis XII
OstlandRigaDecember 1, 1941 – March 3, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Friedrich Jeckeln
Oberabschnitt in Reichskommissariat Ostland.
UkrainaKievDecember 1, 1941 – April 20, 1944SS-Obergruppenführer
Hans-Adolf Prützmann
Oberabschnitt in Reichskommissariat Ukraine.
OstKrakauSeptember 15, 1942 – May 8, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Wilhelm Koppe
Oberabschnitt in the General Government.
Rhein-WestmarkWiesbadenSeptember 11, 1943 – March 24, 1945SS-Gruppenführer
Jürgen Stroop
Formed by merger of
Oberabschnitte Rhein and Westmark.
Wehrkreis XII
Böhmen-MährenPragueApril 1, 1944 – May 8, 1945SS-Obergruppenführer
Karl Hermann Frank[notes 4]
Oberabschnitt in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

Notes

  1. From November 1939, SS-Gruppenführer Max Schneller substituted for Dietrich who continued to hold titular command.
  2. From December 1944, SS-Gruppenführer Otto Hellwig substituted for Prützmann who continued to hold titular command.
  3. From November 1944, SS-Brigadeführer Hermann Harm substituted for Rösener who continued to hold titular command.
  4. From February 1945, SS-Oberführer Emanuel Sladek substituted for Frank who continued to hold titular command.

References

  1. Yerger 1997, pp. 82–83.
  2. McNab 2009, p. 41.
  3. Yerger 1997, pp. 83–115.
  4. McNab 2009, pp. 34–35.

Sources

  • McNab, Chris (2009). The SS: 1923–1945. London: Amber Books. ISBN 978-1-90662-649-5.
  • Yerger, Mark C. (1997). Allgemeine-SS: The Commands, Units and Leaders of the General SS. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7643-0145-4.

Further reading

  • Höhne, Heinz (2001) [1969]. The Order of the Death's Head: The Story of Hitler's SS. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14139-012-3.

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