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Waffen -SS elite troops?

Article about: I've been thinking about the structure of SS. I have some points about it. The SS TV and SS VT was a elite troops with their own structure, supply etc which was highest quality. After 1942 y

  1. #21

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    Quote by drmessimer View Post
    The question is, what makes an "elite" military organization elite? And is one "elite" unite any more elite than another? And what about "elite," single specialty units; are they in a different category of "elite?" And then there is the question of how to describe a well trained, battle-hardened "regular" unit that performs well to exceptionally well, but lacks the glamour appeal that attends designated "elite" units. The term often used to describe such "regular" units is "crack." Does a "crack" unit become an "elite" unite after a period of time?
    Does the attention, favor, and privilege that the higher authority lavishes on a unit make it "elite" by setting it apart from the rest of the army?
    The SS was certainly lionized in the media and given special uniforms and sometimes special equipment that lent an air of favoritism, but does that constitute "elite?" There is no questioning that the SS fought well, but did they fight any better than troops who were not similarly indoctrinated and equipped? And Is the presence of an Esprit de Corps a prerequisite for being "elite?" If so, then the German Panzer Grenadiers and Paratroops who fought at Monte Cassino must be described as "elite." And by that standard, so must the Allied troops who fought there.
    So please tell me, what makes an "elite" military organization, "elite." Dwight
    Tough question Dwight, there are probably as many answers to that as there are members here. Anyway its a greyzone when exactly a unit could be termed "elite".

    My understanding of the term "elite", is when the soldiers a recruited based upon certain above average physic or mental requirements, could also be based upon skills and experience. Also they should receive better training and equipment than regular units. Grossdeutschland is a good example of such.

    Finally it should be considered prestigious to serve at the unit, so attention, favour and privilige do play an important role in order to stand out as something special. As you mention "crack" units are missing the prestige but they can earn it and surely they can evolve into "elite" units over time.

    WSS are such a vast organisation with huge differences in the quality of the divisions, same as in the werhmacht, so I dont think WSS can be termed "elite" as a whole, but some of the single divisions have all the features to be considered elite.

    Special units like British Commandos or SS-Jagdverbände I consider elite units but they are in another category than large divisions.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Btw. Anyone who knows what was the requirements to become Fallschirmjäger?

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  3. #22

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    Many years ago I interviewed lt. Gen. Paul W. "Bull" Kendal who commanded I corps in Korea. June 1952-April 1953. He maintained that there is no such thing as an "elite" unit, meaning one that is so demonstrably superior that it has no peer and excels without exception. In his view, as a combat commander in two wars, any group of people can be trained to fight effectively. National origin, education, and the level of social development are of no consequence in the process. He told me that given proper training, provided with proper weapons and supply, and properly led any motivated group will fight well. Motivation in his opinion came from a variety of sources, among them training, equipment, leadership, and social pressure. He cited the Allies' citizen , conscripted armies as his example, pointing out that they performed well throughout the war with the expected peaks and valleys of performance that are natural to combat units in any war. He also pointed out the so-called elite forces of all the warring powers experienced the same peaks and valleys in performance throughout the war. He attributed the cult of elitism to wartime propaganda hyperbole that was actually aimed at the civilian audience rather than the specifically designated "elite" units. Esprit de Corps was evident throughout all the warring armies without regard to any given special status. His bottom line was that, given training, equipment, and leadership, a sense of specialness among fighting troops will arise from their perception of their performance in relation to other units around them, the age old competitive spirit--"we're better than they are, because we are us." Dwight

  4. #23

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    Well said. Dr. Messimer's discussion embodies the practice of the citizen soldier, an important tradition in the U.S. army and the German army, to be sure, which is unknown to
    many who post here who are either too young to have any experience of such a thing, or have no military experience at all.
    The latter is predominate, of course.

    I would also add that black uniforms, rings with skulls on them, and physical requirements for tall, blonde men, daggers and the like do not in and of themselves
    constitute an elite.

    I have some experience with these themes in other than a "hobby" dimension, and thank Dr. Messimer for a fine intervention.

    The original idea of an elite in European armies derived from the customs, heritage, manners and honor of the nobility at arms, which, with the rise of the standing army
    in the epoch of the 16th through the 18th century was witness to infantry and cavalry regiments of particular dash and elan, and to which the sons of the finest noble families aspired
    to serve, because their forebearers did and their reputation in battle was well known.

    The SS was a copy of a copy of this idea, but with a scientific racist idea of political soldier, para military elite on a new basis, but with modified trappings
    of the old.

    If one's criterion is strapping physical specimens and masculine ideal akin to movie stars and such,
    then this is again a different issue that goes beyond an analysis of military organizations and society over time.

  5. #24

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    This being said, I nonetheless collect SS regalia and have spent more than 25 dollars over fifty years on such things, but my own interest derives more from the place
    of this group in the epoch of total war and in German history, generally.

    There are also many examples of elite fighting units failing in the record of war, a fact that deserves mention here. This aspect speaks to Dr. Messimer's imponderables of leadership, citizenship, morale, obedience and the psychology of military life and combat in fact versus some propaganda depiction of same, especially in a nation state for which propaganda was a central aspect of all national life.

  6. #25
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    The Waffen SS were no different from the heer. They had the same basic training. The only slight difference in training was the ss emphasized on more sports such as boxing, fencing, etc. People, please stop calling them "elite". They were fanatical fighters, yes, but by no means elite.

    Regards
    Samir

  7. #26
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    Quote by Shadwellarmy View Post
    Special units like British Commandos or SS-Jagdverbände I consider elite units but they are in another category than large divisions.
    I agree.

  8. #27

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    US Navy Seals, I would consider to be an actual "elite" unit. Trained far past the normal troop training and endurance levels and totally weeded out of physically inferior specimens. The WSS, while some of their divisions were superiorly equipped and trained, they were not entirely the "blonde haired supermen" the propagandists liked to tout. Indeed, there were more than a few WSS divisions that were miserable specimens and failed spectacularly in the field. There have been many so-bragged about "elites" that have performed miserably in war. Take, for example, the much dreaded Iraqi "Republican Guards" who ended up being all smoke and no fire when the time came to prove themselves. In the case of the WSS, they were, by many accounts, more ruthless and stood fire quite well, but certainly not All of them.
    William

    "Much that once was, is lost. For none now live who remember it."

  9. #28
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    Don't get me wrong, guys. The German military as a whole, was some of the best I've read about, and in my opinion the best military of WW2. They had the best soldiers, equipment, and leadership. As far as Waffen SS divisions, in my opinion the Totenkopf was the most ferocious of them all.

    Regards
    Samir

  10. #29

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    Well I guess it's time to give my 2 Canadian cents (round to a dime unless you're paying credit ).

    I think the the WSS were probably on average what they were cracked up to be but I think this varied greatly by division and time period. At the start of the war they certainly received more intensive training than WH units. They also throughout the war received superior equipment. They also largely appeared braver than the WH units because they were volunteers and not conscripts. Of course this should be looked at on a divisional basis. I also think that we may have a more elite view of the WSS because many of the units that fought the western allies were "elite" units and the stereotype stuck.

  11. #30

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    While you can think whatever you wish, and even write it here, a scholar has addressed this issue
    in a breath taking and compelling way.

    Schöningh Wissenschaft: »Weltanschaulich gefestigte Kämpfer«: Die Soldaten der Waffen-SS 1933-1945

    - - ------- - -

    I mentioned this book when it appeared, by the way.

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