Editing Waffen-SS (section)

===1939===
====Invasion of Poland====
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1968-034-19A, Exekution von polnischen Geiseln.jpg|thumb|Members of the ''[[Einsatzgruppen]]'' murdering Polish civilians in [[Kórnik]] shortly after the outbreak of World War II in Europe]]
Himmler's military formations at the outbreak of the war comprised several subgroups that would become the basis of the ''Waffen-SS'':
* The ''Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler'' (LSSAH), under then SS-''[[Obergruppenführer]]''{{efn|Equivalent to a full general. The independence of the LSSAH can be partly explained by Dietrich's rank, as well as his personal friendship with Hitler.}} Josef "Sepp" Dietrich{{sfn|Stein|2002|pp=4–8, 27}}
* The Inspectorate of ''Verfügungstruppe'' (SS-VT), under then SS-''Gruppenführer'' Paul Hausser, which commanded the ''Deutschland'', ''Germania'' and ''Der Führer'' regiments. The latter was recruited in Austria after the ''Anschluss'' and was not yet combat-ready.{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|p=149}}
* The Inspectorate of Concentration Camps, under SS-''Gruppenführer'' [[Theodor Eicke]], which fielded four infantry and one cavalry [[3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf|Death's Head ''Standarten'']], comprising camp guards of the ''SS-Totenkopfverbände'' (SS-TV). These troops wore the SS-TV skull and crossbones rather than the SS-VT "SS" runes.{{sfn|Stein|2002|pp=27, 28, 33, 34}}
* Police units of ''Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei'' [[Kurt Daluege]]'s ''Ordnungspolizei'', which reported to Himmler in his capacity as Chief of German Police. These troops used police [[Ranks and insignia of the Ordnungspolizei|ranks and insignia]] rather than those of the SS.{{sfn|Stein|2002|pp=xxii, 35, 36}}

In August 1939, Hitler placed the {{lang|de|Leibstandarte}} and the SS-VT under the operational control of the Army High Command ([[Oberkommando des Heeres|OKH]]).{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|p=149}} Himmler retained command of the {{lang|de|Totenkopfstandarten}} for employment behind the advancing combat units in what were euphemistically called "special tasks of a police nature".{{sfn|Stein|2002|p=24}}

In spite of the swift military victory over [[Second Polish Republic|Poland]] in September 1939, the regular army felt that the performance of the SS-VT left much to be desired; its units took unnecessary risks and had a higher casualty rate than the army.{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|p=149}} They also stated that the SS-VT was poorly trained and its officers unsuitable for combat command. As an example, the OKW noted that the {{lang|de|Leibstandarte}} had to be rescued by an army regiment after becoming surrounded by the Poles at [[Pabianice]].{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|p=149}} In its defence, the SS insisted that it had been hampered by having to fight piecemeal instead of as one formation, and was improperly equipped by the army to carry out its objectives.{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|p=149}} Himmler insisted that the SS-VT should be allowed to fight in its own formations under its own commanders, while the OKW tried to have the SS-VT disbanded altogether.{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|p=149}} Hitler was unwilling to upset either the army or Himmler, and chose a third path. He ordered that the SS-VT form its own divisions but that the divisions would be under army command.{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|p=149}} Hitler resisted integrating the ''Waffen-SS'' into the army, as it was intended to remain the armed wing of the party and to become an elite police force once the war was won.{{sfn|Reitlinger|1989|p=84}}

During the invasion, numerous war crimes were committed against the Polish people. The {{lang|de|Leibstandarte}} became notorious for torching villages without military justification.{{sfn|Butler|2001|p=45}} Members of the {{lang|de|Leibstandarte}} also committed atrocities in numerous towns, including the murder of 50 Polish Jews in [[Błonie]] and the massacre of 200 civilians, including children, who were machine gunned in [[Złoczew]]. Shootings also took place in [[Bolesławiec]], [[Torzeniec]], [[Goworowo, Płońsk County|Goworowo]], [[Mława]], and [[Włocławek]].{{sfn|Rossino|2003|pp=114, 159–161}} Eicke's SS-TV field forces were not military. 
{{blockquote|Their military capabilities were employed instead in terrorizing the civilian population through acts that included hunting down straggling Polish soldiers, confiscating agricultural produce and livestock, and torturing and murdering large numbers of Polish political leaders, aristocrats, businessmen, priests, intellectuals, and Jews.{{sfn|Sydnor|1990|p=37}}}}
His {{lang|de|Totenkopfverbände}} troops were called on to carry out "police and security measures" in the rear areas. What these measures involved is demonstrated by the record of ''SS Totenkopf Standarte "Brandenburg"''. It arrived in Włocławek on 22 September 1939 and embarked on a four-day "Jewish action" that included the burning of synagogues and the execution en-masse of the leaders of the Jewish community. On 29 September the ''Standarte'' travelled to Bydgoszcz to conduct an "[[Intelligenzaktion|intelligentsia action]]".<ref>{{harvnb|Wardzyńska|2009|pp=8–10}}. "Oblicza się, że akcja "Inteligencja" pochłonęła ponad 100 tys. ofiar. [It is estimated that ''Intelligenzaktion'' took the lives of 100,000 Poles.]" [p. 8.]</ref>

====First divisions====
In October 1939, the ''Deutschland'', ''Germania'', and ''Der Führer'' regiments were reorganised into the ''[[2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich|SS-Verfügungs-Division]]''. The {{lang|de|Leibstandarte}} remained independent and was increased in strength to a reinforced motorised regiment.{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|p=149}} Hitler authorised the creation of two new divisions: the [[3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf|SS ''Totenkopf'' Division]], formed from militarised ''Standarten'' of the ''SS-Totenkopfverbände'', and the [[4th SS Polizei Panzergrenadier Division|Polizei Division]], formed from members of the national police force.{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|pp=149–150}} Almost overnight the force that the OKW had tried to disband had increased from 18,000 to over 100,000 men.{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|p=150}} Hitler next authorised the creation of four motorised artillery battalions in March 1940, one for each division and the {{lang|de|Leibstandarte}}. The OKW was supposed to supply these new battalions with artillery, but was reluctant to hand over guns from its own arsenal. The weapons arrived only slowly and, by the time of the [[Battle of France]], only the {{lang|de|Leibstandarte}} battalion was up to strength.{{sfn|Flaherty|2004|p=151}}