SS vs. Heer

[TastesLikeChicken]

i know ive brought this up in other posts, but i dont seem to get the answers i need.

i dont understand the difference between the SS units versus the regular Heer units.I know that the SS was hitler's personally commisioned army, but other than that, i dont see the difference. could someone please explain

[mauser98k]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the Heer were pretty much the farm boys recruited to fight for Germany, they didn't know much of what was going on. SS had direct orders from the Generals and were ordered to commit many of the war crimes. They were also used as concentration camp guards and such. Again correct me if I am wrong.

[CharleyNovember]

Umm yeah they were "special" Himmler's boys.

[Ungar]

Heer= conscription

SS= volunteer unit (thus supposed to be elite), many SS man were forcefully volunteered

Now!

Its worth to mention the the Heer was probably the worlds most succesful Conscript army.

[Sascha Gusdorf]

As for the HEER, thay were Germany's "Army". They actually made up 75% of the armed force in the second World War under the NAZI nation. As for the SS, they were, as mentioned, a volunteer unit, but quite unlike the HEER, they were specially picked out, with stipulations such as pure blood from that of Germany (aka: "The Aryan Race"); the SS were normally the average height of 5'5"/6'; they were mostly blonde hair with blue eyes, and very well built and extremly athletic. The SS were extremly fanatical and 100% devoted to Adolf Hitler. Most of the HEER may not have met the strict requirments as that of the SS, and thus, asked to join the army.

[Ungar]

Many germans with Polish names were refused entry into the Waffen SS

[jardows]

Later on, however, the SS began to include many non-germans. Norwegian volunteers, especially, I know were used in the SS. Nearer the end of the war, the SS was made up of anyone who would join, and the racial purity idea was thrown aside.

[tech5]

the german heer or army still exists today and had before the third reich. Its is and was germanay's standing proefessional army. In fact they did do a majority of the fighting in ww2. the SS however had grown from the military police branch of the heer as well as hitler body guard/parade units. then became bigger and bigger. they would always get the first pick when it came to new gear and technology. It was essentially an elite corps.

- ALex

[mikkel]

I'm sorry, but you most of guys need to read some books.

[Gordak]

LOL, Mikkel, Realize it’s actually a very Challenging question. So try to give the guys a break or at least give em a pointer or two

The SS changed radically as the war went on, that’s the only definite statement you can make about them.

By the end of the war, there were 1 million SS men, and of these many were not even German. SS men considered themselves a united European army created to defeat bolshevism. Early in the war, The German Army successfully barred the SS from reqruiting German citizens en mass. Thus the SS sought Volks Deutche, (Germanic peoples from throughout the world).

The German Heer, (army ) is Deeply steeped in tradition. They were NOT all conscripts, often their fighting quality was in fact better than SS units. The Heer has to be acknowledged are probably the best army in the world from 39-43, in 44 it was the equal of its opponents, and finally it succumbed to the weight of taking on most of the world. A German who wanted to "be the best" for his country did necessarily not join the SS, He could have, and rightfully believed that the SS was an artificial military organization, police men, not soldiers. There were many factors to how it was perceived by Germans.

We have the gift of Hindsight, But like Mikkel said, some of you guys need to hit the library.

Things you will find, Early in the War the SS took heavy losses, trying to make up for lack of training with fanatisism.

By the end of the war, "Waffen SS" is too general a term, if an American general was told his division was facing the Waffen SS, it did not mean he was facing elite troops, he would have needed/wanted to know what particular division or unit he was facing. then he would know what he was dealing with.
-Gordak

[waffenman1945]

wow, good research man i could never type that much but good job on the research it helped me alot

[jardows]

yes, and to go along with Mikel and Gordak, the SS was usually the LAST to get picks for new techs and equipment. Many weapons shipments going to front line Heer troops were 'diverted' for use by the SS. The SS got many weapons by reconditioning well used and worn weapons, and made use of forced labor camps to recieve a number of their rifles. The Heer weapons were mostly all made by free Germans and Czechs, outside of what foriegn captured weapons were impressed into service.