SS-Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler


The origins of the infamous “Protection Squads” (Schutzstaffeln or “SS”) can be traced back to the early days of the Storm Troopers (Sturmabteilung-SA). In January 1931 Ernst Rцhm established a number of Staff Guards (Stabswachen) to protect key leaders of the SA and the National Socialist Party. In order to protect himself, Rцhm established his own Staff Guard (Stabswache der Obersten SA-Fьhrung). In addition he provided a Staff Guard for Hermann Gцring (Stabswache Gцring) as well as for Adolf Hitler (Standarte Adolf Hitler). Hitler's primary goal was to establish a regiment of dedicated men that would protect him in the event his leadership was challenged by other National Socialist Party members including Rцhm.

After Rцhm was murdered and the SA purged, Hitler disbanded all of the Staff Guards except for his own which was renamed "SA-Standarte Adolf Hitler." This elite guard unit later became the "SS-Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" (LAH) in September 1933. The LAH independently fielded combat troops during the campaign against Poland. Elements later joined the SS-Special Purpose Troops (SS-Verfьgung-struppe-SS-VT) prior to the invasion of Russia in 1941.

Although not commonly known by today's collectors, units comprising the SS-VT were not collectively known as the “Waffen-SS” until a speech by Adolf Hitler in July 1940. In 1941 the Division SS-Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler joined the combined field units of SS-VT thereafter known as the Waffen-SS.

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