The Allgemeine-SS (Men-At-Arms Series, 266) [Paperback]

Robin Lumsden (Author), Paul Hannon (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Men-at-Arms | Publication Date: November 25, 1993

The SS originated as Hitler's personal bodyguard and following his rise to power in 1933 the organisation divided into two: the Waffen-SS, which comprised the military wing, and the Allgemeine-SS, whose role was to support the police in maintaining order. The Allgemeine-SS had a wide-ranging effect on all aspects of life in Nazi Germany, from enforcing Hitler’s racial policies through to the running of over 500 factories in Germany and occupied Europe. While the more visible armed SS combat units naturally received all the publicity, especially during World War II, it was the rather faceless Allgemeine-SS which wielded the real power.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Packed with specially commissioned artwork, maps and diagrams, the Men-at-Arms series is an unrivalled illustrated reference on the history, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the world's military forces, past and present.

About the Author

Robin Lumsden lives in Fife, Scotland and is an Inspector with the local constabulary. His life-long interest in military memorabilia, especially that of Nazi Germany, has resulted in several definitive works on the subject.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (November 25, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855323583
• ISBN-13: 978-1855323582
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.1 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #840,005 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A General reader on the General SS, December 30, 2006

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M. G Watson "Miles Watson" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Allgemeine-SS (Men-At-Arms Series, 266) (Paperback)

THE ALLGEMEINE-SS is yet another entry in Osprey Publishing's successful and seemingly endless series of handy-reference booklets on all subjects World War II. Although little more than an extended pamphlet in terms of length, like all of Osprey's books it manages to stuff an impressive amount of information and a hell of a lot of illustration into just shy of 50 pages. It makes for an eye-pleasing and easy read, and more importantly, a super-convenient reference manual.

The Allgemeine (or "General") SS is a sadly neglected subject, standing as it does in the long shadows cast by the other, more toothly branches of Heinrich Himmler's sprawling organization, most notably Security Service and the Waffen-SS; yet it is the Allgemeine-SS, and not these later-comers, which gave the organization the distinctive "black-clad" character which it is still associated with today, and (despite what Hollywood would tell you) it is only the Allgemeine SS who continued to wear notoriously beautiful and ultra-distinctive all-black uniform until the end of the war.

As the name implies, the General SS was made up of all SS men who were not part of the "full-time" (that is to say, paid) members of the organization - in other words, all SS men who had not been selected to serve as SS combat soldiers, concentration camp staff or security personnel. Except for their seniormost officers they were unarmed, part-time volunteers, who periodically traded in their civilian clothes for black uniforms and jackboots when so ordered, lending their hands as police auxiliaries, security officers, collectors for Winter Relief, etc. The General SS was a large, popular and highly selective organization in peacetime, turning down about 90 of every 100 applicants and stressing rigid adherence to National Socialist ideology and racial purity. When the war came, however, the vast majority of the General SS (being mostly fit young men) were either drafted into the regular army services or transferred into the Waffen-SS, trading in their black uniforms for the field gray of wartime. Though vastly reduced in numbers, however, Lumsden smashes the myth that this outfit and its famous black getup disappeared into the ether after 1939, pointing out that as late as 1944 some 40,000 men, exempt from the draft because of age, wounds or other infirmities, continued to serve as representatives of the "black SS."

Lumsden is terse but efficient in overviewing the organization. He briefly but thoroughly explains the history, mission, organization, uniforms, recruitment standards, symbolism and ideology of the General SS, adducing a number of photos as he goes, but relying mainly on attractive illustrations by Paul Hannon to show the many variations of the infamous black uniform, from the regular service getup to the astonishing English-cut dinner jacket, from the silver-buttoned overcoat to the white-jacketed summer dress. Lumsden may not have much room to work with, but he manages to stuff information and illustration from cover to cover, and will leave even knowledgeable readers with a better understanding of the subject than whence they came.

To sum up: the ALLGEMEINE-SS is by no means the end-all on this complex and ill-explored subject, but it makes for a very fine beginning.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good overall guide for the SS..., February 21, 2010

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C. B. Miller "C.B. Miller" (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Allgemeine SS (Paperback)

This soft back edition through Ian Allen Publishing makes for a good quick reference guide as to the large "overblown" organization. It covers the origins and history but also gives the reader nice examples of uniforms & insignia. The majority of the book covers the organization of the SS, specially the Allgemeine - SS or General SS. Sections include: Conditions of service; uniforms; insignia, forging together the police force (SD, the Gestapo, the Orpo, SiPo and the RSHA); the racial concept; the relationship of the SS with education, the economy, and public life in Nazi Germany.

The weakest section is Chapter 12 on the Waffen-SS or Armed SS. It seems to be more of an afterthought. The space allowed its history is very minor and brief. It would have been better to either leave this section out or written an expanded separate work. In the end, the volume is comparable to Chris McNab's recent book: "SS DATABOOK: 1923-45", published in 2009 by Amber Books, Ltd. Although, this book does not have the handy charts and graphs like McNab's volume. Quick reference guides are popular these days, but Mr. Lumsden deserves credit for writing one of the earliest that still holds up well, overall.

Footnote: Almost all of the information put forth in the soft back volume herein is covered in Mr. Lumsden's other book, "Himmler's Black Order 1923-45", published by The History Press in 2005. If you buy one, there is no need to purchase the other, even though the book, "Himmler's Black Order" is somewhat expanded. Further, "Himmler's Black Order", has a clear error in the book when it states that in the closing days of the Berlin fighting, the Waffen-SS troops were under the overall command of SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS, Felix Steiner. In fact they were under the overall command of SS-Brigadeführer, Wilhelm Mohnke. Steiner never made it to Berlin. His refusal to counter-attack the Soviet Army (that outnumbered his forces 10 to 1) resulted in one of Hitler's most infamous outbursts.

3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Basic!, May 5, 2000

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G. Tejera (Miami, Florida USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Allgemeine-SS (Men-At-Arms Series, 266) (Paperback)

Basic information about the sinister and black clad soldiers of the nazi party. Must read for historians, modellers and militaria collectors alike.