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Gestapo

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Gestapo

The Geheime Staatspolizei ([ɡəˈhaɪmə ˈʃtaːtspoliˌtsaɪ] , lit. 'Secret State Police'), abbreviated Gestapo ([ɡəˈstaːpo] ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one organisation. On 20 April 1934, oversight of the Gestapo passed to the head of the Schutzstaffel (SS), Heinrich Himmler, who was also appointed Chief of German Police by Hitler in 1936. Instead of being exclusively a Prussian state agency, the Gestapo became a national one as a sub-office of the Sicherheitspolizei (SiPo; Security Police). From 27 September 1939, it was administered by the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA). It became known as Amt (Dept) 4 of the RSHA and was considered a sister organisation to the Sicherheitsdienst (SD; Security Service). The Gestapo committed widespread atrocities during its existence. The power of the Gestapo was used to focus upon political opponents, ideological dissenters (clergy and religious organisations), career criminals, the Sinti and Roma population, handicapped persons, homosexuals, and, above all, the Jews. Those arrested by the Gestapo were often held without judicial process, and political prisoners throughout Germany—and from 1941, throughout the occupied territories under the Night and Fog Decree (German: Nacht und Nebel)—simply disappeared while in Gestapo custody. Contrary to popular perception, the Gestapo was actually a relatively small organization with limited surveillance capability; still it proved extremely effective due to the willingness of ordinary Germans to report on fellow citizens. During World War II, the Gestapo played a key role in the Holocaust. After the war ended, the Gestapo was declared a criminal organisation by the International Military Tribunal (IMT) at the Nuremberg trials, and several top Gestapo members were sentenced to death.

Infobox

Formed
26 April 1933; 92 years ago (1933-04-26)
Preceding agency
mw- Prussian Secret Police (founded 1851)
Dissolved
8 May 1945; 80 years ago (1945-05-08)
Employees
32,000 (1944 est.)
Legal jurisdiction
GermanyOccupied Europe
General nature
Secret police
Headquarters
mw- 52°30′25″N 13°22′58″E / 52.50694°N 13.38278°E / 52.50694; 13.38278
Ministers responsible
Hermann Göring 1933–1934, Minister President of PrussiaWilhelm Frick 1936–1943, Interior MinisterHeinrich Himmler, Chief of the German Police, 1936–1945; Interior Minister, 1943–1945
Agency executives
Rudolf Diels (1933–1934)Reinhard Heydrich (1934–1939)Heinrich Müller (1939–1945)
Parent agency
Allgemeine SS Reich Security Main Office Sicherheitspolizei

Tables

· Leadership
Diels, RudolfRudolf Diels(1900–1957)
Diels, RudolfRudolf Diels(1900–1957)
No.
1
Chief
Diels, RudolfRudolf Diels(1900–1957)
Took office
26 April 1933
Left office
20 April 1934
Time in office
359 days
Party
NSDAP
Heydrich, ReinhardReinhard Heydrich(1904–1942)
Heydrich, ReinhardReinhard Heydrich(1904–1942)
No.
2
Chief
Heydrich, ReinhardReinhard Heydrich(1904–1942)
Took office
22 April 1934
Left office
27 September 1939
Time in office
5 years, 158 days
Party
NSDAP
Müller, HeinrichHeinrich Müller(1900–1945)
Müller, HeinrichHeinrich Müller(1900–1945)
No.
3
Chief
Müller, HeinrichHeinrich Müller(1900–1945)
Took office
27 September 1939
Left office
May 1945 †
Time in office
5 years, 7 months
Party
NSDAP
No.
Portrait
Chief
Took office
Left office
Time in office
Party
1
Diels, RudolfRudolf Diels(1900–1957)
26 April 1933
20 April 1934
359 days
NSDAP
2
Heydrich, ReinhardReinhard Heydrich(1904–1942)
22 April 1934
27 September 1939
5 years, 158 days
NSDAP
3
Müller, HeinrichHeinrich Müller(1900–1945)
27 September 1939
May 1945 †
5 years, 7 months
NSDAP
· Ranks and uniforms
Kriminalassistentanwärter
Kriminalassistentanwärter
Junior career
Kriminalassistentanwärter
Orpo equivalent
Wachtmeister
SS equivalent
Unterscharführer
Kriminalassistent
Kriminalassistent
Junior career
Kriminalassistent
Orpo equivalent
Oberwachtmeister
SS equivalent
Scharführer
Kriminaloberassistent
Kriminaloberassistent
Junior career
Kriminaloberassistent
Orpo equivalent
Revieroberwachtmeister
SS equivalent
Oberscharführer
Kriminalsekretär
Kriminalsekretär
Junior career
Kriminalsekretär
Orpo equivalent
Hauptwachtmeister
SS equivalent
Hauptscharführer
Kriminalobersekretär
Kriminalobersekretär
Junior career
Kriminalobersekretär
Senior career
HilfskriminalkommissarKriminalkommissar auf Probeapl. Kriminalkommissar
Orpo equivalent
Leutnant
SS equivalent
Untersturmführer
Kriminalinspektor
Kriminalinspektor
Junior career
Kriminalinspektor
Senior career
Kriminalkommissar with less than three years in that rank
Orpo equivalent
Oberleutnant
SS equivalent
Obersturmführer
Junior career
Senior career
Orpo equivalent
SS equivalent
Kriminalassistentanwärter
Wachtmeister
Unterscharführer
Kriminalassistent
Oberwachtmeister
Scharführer
Kriminaloberassistent
Revieroberwachtmeister
Oberscharführer
Kriminalsekretär
Hauptwachtmeister
Hauptscharführer
Meister
Sturmscharführer
Kriminalobersekretär
HilfskriminalkommissarKriminalkommissar auf Probeapl. Kriminalkommissar
Leutnant
Untersturmführer
Kriminalinspektor
Kriminalkommissar with less than three years in that rank
Oberleutnant
Obersturmführer
Kriminalrat with less than three years in that rank
Hauptmann
Hauptsturmführer
KriminalratKriminaldirektorRegierungs und Kriminalrat
Major
Sturmbannführer
Oberregierungs und Kriminalrat
Oberstleutnant
Obersturmbannführer
Regierungs und KriminaldirektorReichskriminaldirektor
Oberst
StandartenführerOberführer
· Ranks and uniforms
Kriminalassistent
Kriminalassistent
Sicherheitspolizei
Kriminalassistent
Rank insignia
Sicherheitsdienst
SS-Scharführer
Kriminaloberassistent
Kriminaloberassistent
Sicherheitspolizei
Kriminaloberassistent
Rank insignia
Sicherheitsdienst
SS-Oberscharführer
Kriminalsekretär
Kriminalsekretär
Sicherheitspolizei
Kriminalsekretär
Rank insignia
Sicherheitsdienst
SS-Hauptscharführer
Kriminalobersekretär
Kriminalobersekretär
Sicherheitspolizei
Kriminalobersekretär
Rank insignia
SS-Untersturmführer
Kriminalinspektor
Kriminalinspektor
Sicherheitspolizei
Kriminalinspektor
Rank insignia
Sicherheitsdienst
SS-Obersturmführer
Kriminalkommissar
Kriminalkommissar
Sicherheitspolizei
Kriminalkommissar
Rank insignia
SS-Hauptsturmführer
Kriminalratwith more than three years in the grade
Kriminalratwith more than three years in the grade
Sicherheitspolizei
Kriminalratwith more than three years in the grade
Rank insignia
Sicherheitsdienst
SS-Sturmbannführer
Kriminaldirektor
Kriminaldirektor
Sicherheitspolizei
Kriminaldirektor
Regierungs- und Kriminalrat
Regierungs- und Kriminalrat
Sicherheitspolizei
Regierungs- und Kriminalrat
Oberregierungs- und Kriminalrat
Oberregierungs- und Kriminalrat
Sicherheitspolizei
Oberregierungs- und Kriminalrat
Rank insignia
Sicherheitsdienst
SS-Obersturmbannführer
Regierungs- und Kriminaldirektor
Regierungs- und Kriminaldirektor
Sicherheitspolizei
Regierungs- und Kriminaldirektor
Rank insignia
Sicherheitsdienst
SS-Standartenführer
Reichskriminaldirektor
Reichskriminaldirektor
Sicherheitspolizei
Reichskriminaldirektor
Rank insignia
Sicherheitsdienst
SS-Oberführer
Sicherheitspolizei
Rank insignia
Sicherheitsdienst
Kriminalassistent
SS-Scharführer
Kriminaloberassistent
SS-Oberscharführer
Kriminalsekretär
SS-Hauptscharführer
Kriminalobersekretär
SS-Untersturmführer
Kriminalinspektor
SS-Obersturmführer
Kriminalkommissar
SS-Hauptsturmführer
Kriminalratwith more than three years in the grade
SS-Sturmbannführer
Kriminaldirektor
Regierungs- und Kriminalrat
Oberregierungs- und Kriminalrat
SS-Obersturmbannführer
Regierungs- und Kriminaldirektor
SS-Standartenführer
Reichskriminaldirektor
SS-Oberführer

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