Das Schwarze Korps (German for The Black Corps) was the official newspaper of the Schutzstaffel (SS). This newspaper was published on Wednesdays and distributed free of charge. Each SS member was supposed to read the publication and urge others to do so as well. The chief editor was SS leader Gunter d'Alquen; the publisher was Max Amann of the Franz-Eher-Verlag publishing company. The paper was hostile to many groups, with frequent articles condemning the Catholic Church (any act interfering with the state being denounced as "political Catholicism"), Jews, Communism, Freemasonry and others.[1]:242 The first edition appeared on March 6, 1935, with 70,000 copies in print. In November of the same year, publication reached 200,000 and by 1944 had increased to 750,000. The newspaper was published in close co-operation with the SS Security Service, which had substantial editorial control.
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It contained foreign news reports, analyses of threats, and theoretical essays on Nazi policies.[1]:240 Praise for motherly women and families was contrasted with discrediting the women's movement of "Amazons" and "men-woman."[1]:242 It had a strongly pro-natalist slant, though at one point, it declared some tactics were excessive: an employee being publically admonished by a superior to have children, or divorce or adopt.[2]:236-7
It covered foreign press attacks with instructions on how to refute them.[1]:241–2
In accordance with doctrines of blood and soil, it spoke of the need to break up the aristocratic estates, although this was not implemented.[2]:151
Prior to the passing of the Nuremberg Laws, it called for a law to ban Rassenschande, or intercourse between Jews and Germans, as preferable to the extra-legal violence that the Stormtroopers indulged in;[1]:181 after it, articles on the "Jewish Question" did not increase in number but grew ever more harsh in tone.[1]:243 One article stated that since German Jews were part of "world Jewry" they shared the responsibility for what "world Jewry" brought upon Germany.[3]
The paper attacked the newly created Superman comics character and his Jewish creator, Jerry Siegel,[4] urged harsh action against grumblers,[5] put forth anti-American propaganda with the suggestion that the Jews were responsible,[6] and paid tribute to Hitler on his birthday.[7]
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