Osprey Men-at-Arms 220 : The SA 1921-1945 : Hitler's Stormtroopers

In 1919 Adolf Hitler joined the tiny German Workers' Party (DAP) in Munich, becoming its leader the following year and adding 'National Socialist' to its title. Thus the NSDAP, popularly known as the Nazi Party, was born. All political parties had strong-arm squads to protect their meetings from disruption by rivals, and the NSDAP was no exception. In August 1921 ex-naval Lieutenant Hans Ulrich Klintzsch took command of the NSDAP's 'Defence and Propaganda Troop' which, the following month, was renamed the SA (Sturmabteilung = Storm Detachment). That November the SA had its 'baptism of fire' when the Communists attempted to break up a Nazi meeting in the Hofbräuhaus in Munich; although outnumbered, the SA gave their adversaries a bloody nose. 14 years later, on 30 January 1933, as a result of a combination of victory at the polls and back-stairs intrigues, Hitler was appointed Chancellor (Prime Minister) of Germany. The burning of the Reichstag building the following month was blamed on the Communists and used as the pretext for pushing through an enabling law which gave Hitler virtually dictatorial powers. Goering, Minister of the Interior for Prussia, authorised the SA to act as a police auxiliary and to sweep all 'enemies of the state' into concentration camps. David Littlejohn examines the history, uniforms and insignia of Hitler's stormtroopers complemented by numerous photographs and illustrations, including eight full page colour plates by Ron Volstad.

Contents

• History of the Sturmabteilung Organisation
• Organisation
• Evolution of SA Uniform
• Special SA Formations
• Other Specialist Sections
• 'Police' and Para-Military SA Formations
• The Plates