19 Dec. 45
were created. This was the origin of the SS in 1925.
With the reinstatement of the SA in 1926, the SS for the next few years
ceased to play a major role. But it continued to exist as an
organization within the SA, under its own leader, however, the Reichsführer
SS. This early history of the SS is related in two of the authoritative
publications to which I have referred: The first is a book by SS
Standartenführer Gunter d'Alquen, entitled Die SS. This
book, a pamphlet of some 30 pages, is an authoritative account of the
history, mission, and organization of the SS, published in 1939. As
indicated on its frontispiece, it was written at the direction of the
Reichsführer SS, Heinrich Himmler. Its author, SS Standartenführer
Gunter d'Alquen was the editor of the official SS publication Das
Schwarze Korps. This book is our Document Number 2284-PS. I offer it
in evidence as Exhibit Number USA-438. The passage to which I refer will
be found on Pages 6 and 7 of the original and on Page 1 of the
translation.
I shall not now read that passage.
The second publication is an article by Himmler entitled, "Organization
and Obligations of the SS and the Police." It was published in 1937
in a booklet containing a series of speeches or essays by important
officials of the Party and the State — known as National
Political Course for the Armed Forces from 15 to 23 January 1937.
The article by Himmler, to which I refer, appears on Pages 137-161 of
that pamphlet. Large extracts from it make up our Document Number
1992(a)-PS. I offer the essay by Himmler as Exhibit Number USA-439. The
passage to which I referred appears on Page 137 of the original and Page
1 of the translation, our Document 1992(a)-PS. I shall have occasion to
quote from both these publications, but with respect to this matter of
history, I assume that these references to the pertinent passages in
them are enough.
As early as 1929 the conspirators recognized that their plans required
an organization in which the main principles of the Nazi system,
specifically the racial principles, would not only be jealously guarded
but would be carried to such extreme as to inspire or intimidate the
rest of the population — an organization in which, also, there
would be assured complete freedom on the part of the leaders and blind
obedience on the part of the members. The SS was built up to meet this
need. I quote from D'Alquen's book, Die SS at Page 7; this
passage appears in our Document Number 2284-PS at Page 4 of the
translation, Paragraph 4:
"On the 6th of January 1929 Adolf
Hitler appointed his tested comrade of long standing, Heinrich
Himmler, as Reichsführer SS. Heinrich Himmler assumed charge
therewith of the entire Schutzstaffel totalling at that time 280 men
with the express and particular order of the Führer to form this
organization