See "Waffen-SS divisions" for the Waffen-SS order of battle

The Allgemeine-SS regional commands were titled SS-Oberabschnitte (SS Main Districts) and first were established on November 16, 1933. They replaced the earlier command structure composed of five SS-Gruppen and comprised the regional component of the Allgemeine-SS command structure. They reported to the SS-Amt (SS Office), in 1935 renamed the SS-Hauptamt (SS Main Office). Their commanders carried the title of SS-Oberabschnitte Führer and usually held the rank of SS-Gruppenführer or SS-Obergruppenführer. Beginning in November 1937, when the Higher SS and Police Leaders were established, the SS-Oberabschnitte were subordinated to them. However, in nearly every instance, the SS-Oberabschnitt Führer held both positions simultaneously. The Oberabschnitt Führer's staff was headed by a Stabschef (Chief of Staff) who oversaw departments encompassing administration, training, personnel, medical affairs, as well as specialty units such as signals and engineer battalions.

These regional commands originally existed only in Germany and Austria and generally conformed to the existing Wehrkreis (Military Districts) of the Wehrmacht. During the Second World War, additional Oberabschnitte were established for six conquered areas (Baltic States & Byelorussia, Bohemia and Moravia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Ukraine). Other occupied territories, however, did not have Oberabschnitte established, and SS personnel there were directly under the jurisdiction of the Higher SS and Police Leader for that area. By 1944, there were a total of 23 active Oberabschnitte.

Oberabschnitte Commands The following table lists, by date of formation, the existing Oberabschnitte commands that were established from November 1933 through April 1944.

Final Designation Headquarters Years of Operation Last permanent commander NotesElbeDresdenNovember 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-GruppenführerLudolf von AlvenslebenPart of former SS-Gruppen Ost and Südost Renamed Mitte June 1934 – April 1936.Wehrkreis IVMitteBraunschweigNovember 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerRudolf QuernerPart of former SS-Gruppe Nord.Formed as Oberabschnitt Nordwest.Renamed Mitte April 1, 1936.Wehrkreis XINordHamburgNovember 16, 1933 – April 1, 1936SS-Obergruppenführer Werner LorenzPart of former SS-Gruppe Nord.Divided into SS-Oberabschnitte Nord (later Ostsee) and Nordwest (later Nordsee).Wehrkreise II & X.SpreeBerlinNovember 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerSepp DietrichFrom November 1939, SS-Gruppenführer Max Schneller substituted for Dietrich who continued to hold titular command.Part of former SS-Gruppe Ost.Formed as Oberabschnitt Ost. Renamed Spree November 14,1939.Wehrkreis IIISüdMunichNovember 16, 1933 – April 20, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerKarl von EbersteinPart of former SS-Gruppe Süd.Wehrkreis VIISüdostBrieg;BreslauNovember 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerRichard HildebrandtFormer SS-Gruppe Südost.Wehrkreis VIIISüdwestStuttgartNovember 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-GruppenführerOtto HofmannPart of former SS-Gruppe Süd.Wehrkreis VWestDüsseldorfNovember 16, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-GruppenführerKarl GutenbergerPart of former SS-Gruppe West.Wehrkreis VINordostKönigsbergDecember 15, 1933 – May 8, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerHans-Adolf PrützmannFrom December 1944, SS-Gruppenführer Otto Hellwig substituted for Prützmann who continued to hold titular command.Part of former SS-Gruppe Ost.Formed from a portion of Oberabschnitt Nord.Wehrkreis IRheinKoblenzJanuary 1, 1934 – September 11, 1943SS-GruppenführerTheodor BerkelmannPart of former SS-Gruppe West.Formed from a portion of Oberabschnitt West. Merged with Westmark in September 1943 to form Oberabschnitt Rhein-Westmark.Wehrkreis XIIDonauViennaFebruary 15, 1934 – May 8, 1945SS-GruppenführerWalter SchimanaFormed as Oberabschnitt Österreich.Renamed Donau May 1938. Wehrkreis XVIIMainNurembergApril 1, 1936 – May 8, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerBenno MartinFormed from a portion of Oberabschnitt Süd. Wehrkreis XIIINordseeAltonaApril 1, 1936 – May 8, 1945SS-GruppenführerGeorg-Henning Graf von Bassewitz-BehrFormed from division of the first Oberabschnitt Nord and named Nordwest.Renamed Nordsee April 20, 1940.Wehrkreis XOstseeStettinApril 1, 1936 – May 8, 1945SS-GruppenführerEmil MazuwFormed from division of the first Oberabschnitt Nord and also named Nord.Renamed Ostsee February 1, 1940.Wehrkreis IIFulda-WerraArolsenJanuary 1, 1937 – May 8, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerJosias Erbprinz zu Waldeck-PyrmontFormed from portions of Oberabschnitte Rhein & Elbe.Wehrkreis IXAlpenlandSalzburgJune 1, 1939 – May 8, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerErwin RösenerFrom November 1944, SS-Brigadeführer Hermann Harm substituted for Rösener who continued to hold titular command.Formed from a portion of Oberabschnitt Donau.Wehrkreis XVIIIWarthePosenOctober 26, 1939 – May 8, 1945SS-GruppenführerWilly SchmelcherOberabschnitt in Wartheland.Wehrkreis XXIWeichselDanzigNovember 9, 1939 – May 8, 1945SS-GruppenführerFritz KatzmannOberabschnitt in Danzig-West Prussia.Wehrkreis XXNordOsloApril 20, 1940 – May 8, 1945SS-GruppenführerWilhelm RediessOberabschnitt in Reichskommissariat Norwegen.Third Oberabschittt named Nord.NordwestThe HagueMay 23, 1940 – May 8, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerHanns Albin RauterOberabschnitt in Reichskommissariat Niederlande.WestmarkSaarbrücken; Neustadt; MetzAugust 1, 1940 – September 11, 1943SS-GruppenführerTheodor BerkelmannFormed as Oberabschnitt Lothringen-Saarpfalz. Renamed Westmark October 15, 1941.Merged with Rhein in September 1943 to formOberabschnitt Rhein-Westmark.Wehrkreis XIIOstlandRigaDecember 1, 1941 – March 3, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerFriedrich JeckelnOberabschnitt in Reichskommissariat Ostland.UkrainaKievDecember 1, 1941 – April 20, 1944SS-ObergruppenführerHans-Adolf PrützmannOberabschnitt in Reichskommissariat Ukraine.OstKrakauSeptember 15, 1942 – May 8, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerWilhelm KoppeOberabschnitt in the General Government.Rhein-WestmarkWiesbadenSeptember 11, 1943 – March 24, 1945SS-GruppenführerJürgen StroopFormed by merger of Oberabschnitte Rhein and Westmark.Wehrkreis XIIBöhmen-MährenPragueApril 1, 1944 – May 8, 1945SS-ObergruppenführerKarl Hermann FrankFrom February 1945, SS-Oberführer Emanuel Sladek substituted for Frank who continued to hold titular command.Oberabschnitt in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

Notes

References

Sources

Further reading