"Josef Wunsche" The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Standard Bearer

With the formation of the Schuzstaffel in 1925 there existed two competing and separate paramilitary political organizations within the NSDAP, The SA and the SS. It is from this point that the history of the Leibstandarte truly begins. In the Spring of 1933, that a move was made to form an elite unit within the already elite SS. This elite of the elite was to be a new, special body guard unit, formed from hand picked SS men, to act as the special body guard of Hitler, and to be responsible only to his wishes. This new unit was named the SS-Stabswache Berlin. Shortly after its formation, later in 1933, it was redesignated as the SS-Sonderkommando Berlin.

Two other SS-Sonderkommando units were formed in the early summer of 1933, SS-Sonderkommando Zossen and SS-Sonderkommando Juterbog. These two Sonderkommandos functioned as training cadres for the SS, as well as in the role of auxiliary police units until that function was later dissolved. Both units were later absorbed into the SS-Sonderkommando Berlin in 1933, at which time, its designation was changed once more to the Adolf Hitler-Standart.

On November 8/9th, 1933, the 10th anniversary of the failed Munich Putsch, the entire Adolf Hitler-Standarte took part in a mass oath taking rally, in honor of those killed in the 1923 uprising. The rally took place at the location of the Feldherrnhalle, erected on the spot where many of the party members had been killed during the Putsch. During this rally, each member personally swore his life to the Fuhrer. Also during this rally, the unit was again renamed, this time as the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler. In 1934, by order of Himmler, the initials "SS" were added to the Leibstandarte's title, thus becoming the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.
 

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