Julius Schreck (13 July 1898 – 16 May 1936) was a German Nazi Germany official and close confidant of Adolf Hitler. Born in Munich, Schreck served in World War I and shortly afterwards joined right-wing paramilitary units. He joined the Nazi Party in 1920 and was a founding member of the Sturmabteilung ("Storm Detachment"; SA). Later in 1925, he became the first leader of the Schutzstaffel ("Protection Squadron"; SS). He then served for a time as a chauffeur for Hitler. Schreck developed meningitis in 1936 and died on 16 May of that year. Hitler gave him a state funeral.
Early life
Julius Schreck was born on 13 July 1898 in Munich in
Bavaria. He served in the German Army during World War I. After the war ended, Schreck became an early member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party; NSDAP), having joined in 1920 and documented as member No. 53. Schreck developed a friendship with the party's leader
Adolf Hitler during its early years.
Career in the SA
Schreck was a founding member of the
Sturmabteilung ("Storm Detachment"; SA), being involved in its growth and development. This was a paramilitary wing of the party designed to disrupt political opponents and provide muscle for security tasks. Hitler, in early 1923, ordered the formation of a small separate bodyguard dedicated to his service and protection rather than an uncontrolled mass of the party, such as the SA. Originally the unit was composed of only eight men, commanded by Schreck and
Joseph Berchtold. It was designated the
Stabswache ("Staff Guard"). The
Stabswache were issued unique badges, but at this point the
Stabswache was still under overall control of the SA, whose membership continued to increase. Schreck resurrected the use of the
Totenkopf ("death's head") as the unit's insignia, a symbol various elite forces had used in the past, including specialized assault troops of
Imperial Germany in World War I who used
Hutier infiltration tactics.
In May 1923, the unit was renamed Stoßtrupp-Hitler ("Shock Troop-Hitler"). The unit was solely responsible for Hitler's personal protection. On 9 November 1923 the Stoßtrupp, along with the SA and several other paramilitary units, took part in the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich. The plan was to seize control of the city in a coup d'état and then challenge the government in Berlin. The putsch was quickly crushed by the local police. In the aftermath of the failed putsch both Hitler, Schreck, and other Nazi leaders were incarcerated for treason at Landsberg Prison. The Nazi Party and all associated formations, including the Stoßtrupp, were officially disbanded.
Career in the SS
After Hitler's release from prison on 20 December 1924, the Nazi Party was officially refounded. In 1925, Hitler ordered Schreck to organise the formation of a new bodyguard unit, the
Schutzkommando ("Protection Command"). Hitler wanted a small group of tough ex-soldiers such as Schreck, who would be loyal to him. The unit included old
Stoßtrupp members such as
Emil Maurice and
Erhard Heiden. The unit made its first public appearance in April 1925. That same year, the
Schutzkommando was expanded to a national level. It was also successively renamed the
Sturmstaffel ("Storm Squadron") and then finally the
Schutzstaffel ("Protection Squadron"; SS) on 9 November 1925. Schreck became SS member #5. He was asked by Hitler to command the bodyguard company. Schreck never referred to himself as
Reichsführer-SS, but the title was retroactively applied to him in later years.
In 1926, Schreck stood down as commander of the SS and Berchtold took over the leadership. Berchtold changed the title of the office position, which became known as the Reichsführer-SS. Schreck remained on the SS rolls as an SS- Führer and worked as Hitler's private chauffeur after Maurice until 1934. In 1930, after the SS had begun to expand under Heinrich Himmler, Schreck was appointed an SS- Standartenführer, but had little actual power. He continued to serve at Hitler's side and they were on very good terms.
Death
Schreck continued as Hitler's personal driver until 1936. That spring Schreck developed
meningitis and died on 16 May in Munich. He was a well-liked man and Hitler was distraught when Schreck died. His final rank was SS-
Brigadeführer, a rank equivalent to that of a
Generalmajor in the
Wehrmacht. Schreck was accorded a Nazi state funeral. Himmler referred to him as "Adolf Hitler's first SS man".
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