German Leadership

Die Schwartze Corps - with first leader.

Very early 'photo of the Stosstrupp Adolf Hitler. The first leader of the formation - Julius Schrek - is the man at centre, with the "Hitler moustache". Schreck was an "Old Fighter" who, like Sepp Dietrich, was one of the few people who could be described as a friend (rather than political associate or subordinate) of Adolf Hitler. Schreck, who was Hitler's chauffeur at the time, agreed to head up the new formation on the request of Emil Maurice (SS No. 2), probably on the understanding that it would remain a small squad dedicated to Hitler's personal defence. Schreck was enrolled as SS No. 5. He soon relinquished command when the first expansion of the SS - to take up headquarter guard functions for the NSDAP - got under way. Schreck's health was not the best. He continued to hold senior SS rank (SS-Oberfuhrer, I think) and continued as Hitler's favourite chauffeur, into the mid-1930s, when he developed the meningitis that caused his death. A side-point - Julius Schreck had a strong physical resemblance to Hitler, allowing him to function as a body-double with the Fuhrer, in the early days in particular. Best regards, JR.