Tyler Young

Professor Wertz-Orbaugh
UWRT 1102
2 February 2015
The topic that I have decided to research is The SS in Nazi Germany. I chose this topic
because I am very interested in the SS soldiers. Soldiers is something that I have always had a
big interest in. I like to learn about soldiers in different branches, and soldiers who had different
jobs during the war. I love to learn why they joined the military and what their experience was
like during their time in the military. The reason I have decided to choose the SS is because my
only knowledge of soldiers during World War II is of the allied soldiers, so this is a chance to
learn about soldiers from the Axis Powers.
I really do not have any background knowledge of this topic. The only things I know is
Hitler created The SS, at first The SS served as Hitlers bodyguards, and then after a while I
know The SS began to grow and become a lot bigger. I also know The SS had soldiers that
fought in the war but that is the only background knowledge I have of this topic. Furthermore
what interests me about this topic is soldiers and war. All throughout my earlier education my
favorite topics to learn about was in History when we learned about wars and soldiers. Another
reason I believe I am very interested in The SS is because I do not know much about soldiers on
the other side of the war during World War II. When we learned about World War II in high
school we would learn about both sides but I felt like we would learn a lot more about the

American Soldiers and our allies. This is why I am very interested in The SS because I want to
learn more about the other side during the war and the Holocaust.
Like I have previously stated there is not much I know about this topic besides the fact
that Hitler created The SS to protect him, and The SS had soldiers that fought in the war. I want
to know more about the soldiers and battalions of The SS who fought in the war. I also want to
know how these soldiers became a part of The SS and did not join other German military
branches. I would like to know if the requirements to be a part of The SS were more demanding
than other German military branches. Additionally I would like to learn what life like was for a
soldier in The SS. Some of the questions that I already have for this topic are what life like was
for a soldier in The SS during the war? What led Hitler to create The SS? What was their
mission during the war? What did other Germans feel about The SS? Did The SS continue on
after the war, and after Hitler killed himself?
The first angle to think about my topic is through the eyes of an SS soldier. I can look
into what the daily life was like for an SS soldier. Look at why the soldier decided to join The
SS and what his experiences were like during his time in The SS. The second angle is to look at
The SS from an outside view. What were the German peoples emotions about the SS? Did they
believe the SS was something that was good for Germany during the war?
For this topic I need to make sure I cover all areas of The SS from when it was created, to
during the war, and to after the war. This topic can be broad and very specific at the same time. I
need to make sure I cover all areas and get specific in the more important areas.
Why did Hitler create The SS, and how was it created?