Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression
In the remainder of this section the criminal responsibility
of the GESTAPO and the SD will be considered with respect to
certain crimes against the peace, war crimes, and crimes
against humanity which were in principal part committed by
the centralized political police system the development and
organization of which has previously been considered. In
some instances the crimes were committed in cooperation or
conjunction with other groups and organizations.
Frequent reference will be made to the phrase, "SIPO and
SD." The SIPO and SD was composed of the following
organizations, the GESTAPO, the KRIPO and the SD.
The GESTAPO was the largest of these, having a membership of
about 40,000 or 50,000 in 1943-45. It was the political
police force of the Reich. Much of its personnel consisted
of transferees from former political police forces of the
States. Membership in the GESTAPO was voluntary.
The KRIPO was second largest. having a membership of about
15,000 in 1943-45. It was the criminal police force of the
Reich.
The SD was the smallest, having a membership of about 3,000
in 1943-45. It was the intelligence service of the SS.
Membership in the SD was voluntary. (3033-PS)
In common usage, and even in orders and decrees, the term
"SD" was used as an abbreviation in the term "SIPO and SD."
Since the GESTAPO was the primary executive agency of the
SIPO and SD, and by far the largest, in most such cases the
actual executive action was carried out by personnel of the
GESTAPO rather than
[Page 264]
of the SD or of the KRIPO. In occupied territories members
of the GESTAPO frequently wore SS uniforms. (3033-PS)
The term "Chief of the Security Police and SD" describes the
person who is the head of the GESTAPO, KRIPO and the SD, and
of their headquarters office called the RSHA. The "Chief of
the Security Police and SD" and the "head of the RSHA" are
always one and the same person. The RSHA was a department in
the Reich Ministry of the Interior and in the SS. Sometimes
organizational responsibility can be established by the fact
that the orders in question were issued by or submitted to
Amt III of the RSHA (in which case the action concerned the
SD), to Amt IV of the RSHA (in which case the action
concerned the GESTAPO), or to Amt V of the RSHA (in which
case the action concerned the KRIPO ).
Although the GESTAPO was the chief executive agency in the
political police system, all three organizations contributed
to the accomplishment of most of the criminal activities
discussed hereinafter.
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Volume II
Criminality of Groups and Organizations
The Geheime Staatspolizei (Gestapo) & Sicherheitsdienst
(Part 4 of 9)
D. Criminal Responsibility of the Gestapo and SD.