SS-Begleitkommando des Fuhrers

The SS-Begleitkommando des Führers , later called Führerbegleitkommando ( FBK ), was a special unit made up of members of the Schutzstaffel (SS) with the mission to protect Adolf Hitler . Originally it was a squad formed by eight personnel (known like SS-Begleitkommando ) that with time increased its size, being in charge of the security and personal protection of Hitler until the 30 of April of 1945.

History

The SS-Begleitkommando was created on February 29, 1932 to offer general protection to Hitler and other party officials. Twelve members of the SS were selected by Sepp Dietrich to appear to Hitler. ¹ Of the twelve, a small group of eight men named SS-Begleitkommando des Führers was chosen to protect Hitler during his trips through Germany. ¹ Their first appearance was when they accompanied Hitler during their trips by the electoral campaigns of 1932. They acted throughout the day organizing the protection of Hitler in three shifts of eight hours.

Expansion and restructuring

In the spring of 1934, the Führerschutzkommando (FSK) replaced SS-Begleitkommando des Führers in its Hitler protection functions throughout Germany, ² although the small SS-Begleitkommando des Führers continued to offer personal protection to Hitler. ³ The FSK was also responsible for security measures in general, both on prevention measures and on the prosecution of assassination attempts. ⁴The Führerschutzkommando would be officially renamed Reichssicherheitsdienst (RSD) on 1 August 1935. ⁵ The FSK and SS-Begleitkommando cooperated with the Ordnungspolizei (OrPo), the Gestapo , and other law enforcement agencies to provide the requirements Of internal security, whereas the external protection was in charge of the general units of the SS.

Subsequently the SS-Begleitkommando was expanded and began to be known as Führerbegleitkommando (FBK). ⁶ The FBK continued to maintain an independent leadership and provided only personal protection to Hitler. ⁷ Other additional members for the FBK were drawn from the 1st Division “Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler” (LSSAH). ⁸ Hitler did not use them exclusively for the guard service, but also as assistants, valets, waiters, and messengers. ⁸ Although the FBK was administratively under the control of the LSSAH, they received orders directly from Hitler and in recent years from their deputy chief, Julius Schaub . In February 1939 the Führer-Begleit-Bataillon was created , although this unit depended on the Wehrmacht and its troops came from the Army; This battalion was not related to the Führerbegleitkommando , although ultimately both units were coordinated to organize the protection of Hitler.

While on duty, only members of the FBK were allowed to be close to Hitler. They were not required to hand over their Walther PPK 7.65 guns , nor were they to be searched or searched. ⁹ Although the FBK and RSD worked together to ensure the safety and protection of the Fuehrer during their travels and public events, in practice they functioned separately as two separate agencies and did not use the same vehicles. Johann Rattenhuber , the head of the RSD, had overall command of the entire security device, while the head of the FBK acted as his deputy. ¹⁰ By March 1938 both units were wearing the Schutzstaffel (SS) standard gray field uniform . Organically, both units were under the control of the SS and both units were composed of SS members. ¹¹ The RSD uniform, on the other hand, had the Sicherheitsdienst (SD) badge on the bottom of the left sleeve. ¹²

The FBK accompanied Hitler in all his travels and was always present in the Führerhauptquartiere ( General Quarters of the Fuehrer ) that existed in several points of the occupied Europe during World War II . ¹³ The FBK men continued to provide close protection to Hitler, while the RSD men would patrol the grounds. By June 1941 the FBK had expanded to 35 members. Subsequently, on January 15, 1943, it had increased to 31 officers and 112 service men. ¹⁴ Of these, 35 were employed in escort work, which rotated among themselves in groups of 11 staff. The rest were used as guards of Hitler’s residence and as drivers, assistants, valets, waiters, messengers or field links. ¹⁴ The terms Begleit-Kommando or Begleitkommando-SS used to be used to refer to the Führerbegleitkommando . ^fifteen

The last commander of the FBK was the SS-Obersturmbannführer Franz Schädle , who was appointed on January 5, 1945 following the resignation of Bruno Gesche . ¹⁶ From that time Schädle and the FBK accompanied Hitler (and his environment) in the Führerbunker complex located under the garden of the Chancellery of the Reich , in the governmental district of Berlin . ¹⁶ From April 23, 1945, Schädle commanded the approximately 30 members of the unit who set up guard for Hitler until his suicide on April 30, 1945. ¹⁷

Original members

• Bodo Gelzenleuchter ¹⁸
• Willy Herzberger ¹⁸
• Kurt Gildisch ¹⁸
• Bruno Gesche ¹⁶
• Franz Schädle ¹⁶
• Erich Kempka ¹
• August Körber ¹
• Adolf Dirr ¹

Commanders

Commander of the Reichssicherheitsdienst (RSD):

• Johann Rattenhuber (1933-1945)

Commander of the Führerbegleitkommando (FBK):

• Bodo Gelzenleuchter : March - Autumn 1932
• Willy Herzberger : Late 1932 - April 11, 1933
• Kurt Gildisch : April 11, 1933 - June 15, 1934
• Bruno Gesche : June 15, 1934 - December 1944
• Franz Schädle : January 5 - April 30, 1945

Notable members of the FBK

• Ewald Lindloff ¹⁹
• Fritz Darges ²⁰
• Hans Hermann Junge ²¹
• Heinz Linge ²¹
• Karl Wilhelm Krause ²¹
• Max Wünsche ²²
• Otto Günsche ²⁰
• Richard Schulze-Kossens ²⁰
• Rochus Misch ²³

References