Germanische SS Schweiz

The Germanische SS Schweiz (Germanic-SS in Switzerland) was an underground group of the Nazi Party which existed in Switzerland between approximately 1942 and 1944. Nazi sentiment had existed in Switzerland since the 1920s; however, during both the inter-war years and World War II, Switzerland maintained a policy of strict neutrality. Nevertheless, Germany violated Swiss airspace constantly during the course of the war and the Germans maintained an invasion plan up until the final days of the conflict.

The idea for an SS unit in Switzerland was first thought of in 1941, after early attempts at such groups in other countries led to Germanic-SS organizations in Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands. In mid-1942, the first officially recognized SS group was established in Switzerland under the command of Franz Riedweg. Heinrich Himmler had hoped that the Swiss SS would follow the same path as the Austrian SS, and eventually lead to a capitulation of the Swiss government in favor of a Nazi regime.

The Swiss SS was never a widespread or influential force in that nation, with membership less than a few hundred. In 1944, a second organization was formed, known as the Schweizer Sportbund (SS), intended to be a paramilitary sports company of the Swiss SS leading to the possible formation of guerrilla units. This new group had only a handful of members, with most of the SS influence in Switzerland considered non-existent by 1945.

References

• Zentner, Christian Ed; Bedürftig, Friedemann Ed (1985). Das große Lexikon des Dritten Reiches (in German). München: Südwest Verlag