Germanic-SS
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The Germanic SS (Germanische-SS) was the collective name given to paramilitary groups which arose in conquered and subject nations of Nazi Germany between 1939 and 1945 and which were modeled on designs of the German Schutzstaffel (SS). The Germanic SS was founded on principals identical to the Allgemeine-SS and its purpose was considered to be enforcement of Nazi racial doctrine and Anti-Semitic ideals.
The Germanic-SS typically engaged in such duties as serving as local security police and augmenting units of the Gestapo, Sicherheitsdienst, and other commands of the RSHA. The group was most notorious in the Netherlands where the Germanic-SS was employed to a great extent in Jewish roundups for deportations to death camps.
After the close of World War II, most members of the Germanic SS were branded as traitors to their countries and several independent war crimes trials were conducted by the nations in which the Germanic-SS had existed.
It should be noted that the Germanic-SS was not the same as the Foreign Legions of the Waffen-SS, although many Germanic SS members would join this sister organization in the last years of the Second World War.
[edit] List of Germanic-SS Organizations
- Netherlands: Germaansche SS in Nederland (before 1942: Nederlandsche SS)
- Flanders (Belgium): Germaansche SS in Vlaanderen (before 1942: Algemeene-SS Vlaanderen)
- Norway: Germanske SS Norge (before 1942: Norges SS)
- Denmark: Schalburgkorps
An underground Nazi organization also existed in Switzerland, known as the Germanische SS Schweiz. It had very few members and was considered merely a splinter Nazi group by Swiss authorities.
France, which isn't a country of Nordic origins like Germany or any of the Scandinavian nations, did not maintain a Germanic-SS group, but the police forces of the Vichy Government assisted local SS authorities. The British Free Corps did not maintain a Germanic-SS group either as the British are not a Nordic people, but later became (at least on paper) a division of the Waffen-SS Foreign Legions.
[edit] Germanic-SS ranks
The Germanic SS maintained an insignia system identical to the ranks and insignia of the Schutzstaffel. The various names of the ranks was slightly modified depending upon the particular country in which they were used. The following is a comparison of regular SS and Germanic-SS rank titles.
| Equivalent SS Rank | Netherlands | Norway | Denmark | Collar Insignia | Shoulder Insignia |
| SS-Anwärter | SS-Maat | No Insignia | No Insignia | ||
| SS-Mann | SS-Man | SS-mann | Schalburgman |  |
|
| SS-Sturmmann | SS-Stormman | SS-stormmann | Tropsfører | ||
| SS-Rottenführer | SS-Rottenleider | SS-rodefører | ---- | ||
| SS-Unterscharführer | SS-Onderschaarleider | SS-nestlagfører | Obertropsfører | ||
| SS-Scharführer | SS-Schaarleider | SS-lagfører | Vagtmester | ||
| SS-Oberscharführer | SS-Opperschaarleider | SS-nesttroppfører | Obervagtmester |  |
|
| SS-Hauptscharführer | SS-Hoofdschaarleider | SS-troppfører | Stabsvagtmester | ||
| SS-Sturmscharführer | ---- | ---- | Fændrik |  |
|
| SS-Untersturmführer | SS-Onderstormleider | SS-neststormfører | Løjtnant | ||
| SS-Obersturmführer | SS-Opperstormleider | SS-stormfører | Overløjtnant | ||
| SS-Hauptsturmführer | SS-Hoofdstormleider | SS-høvedsmann | Kaptajn | ||
| SS-Sturmbannführer | SS-Stormbanleider | SS-stormbannfører | Major | ||
| SS-Obersturmbannführer | SS-Opperstormbanleider | SS-neststandartfører | Oberstløjtnant | ||
| SS-Standartenführer | SS-Standaardleider | SS-standartfører | Oberst | ||
| SS-Oberführer | SS-Opperleider | SS-nestbrigadefører | ---- |  |
 |
| SS-Brigadeführer | SS-Brigadeleider | SS-brigadefører | ---- | |
|
| SS-Gruppenführer | SS-Groepsleider | Stabsleder | ---- |  |
|
| SS-Obergruppenführer | SS-Oppergroepsleider | ---- | ---- |  |
|
