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- "The trouble with you SS is that you don't realize that punishment becomes ineffective after a certain point. Men become... insensitive."
- - Eneg (TOS: "Patterns of Force")
The SS was a paramilitary organization which existed in Nazi Germany from the late 1920s until the collapse of Nazi Germany in 1945. The SS was formed at first to be a special guard for Adolf Hitler and was known in the 1930s for its distinct black uniforms. (TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever")
The German SS
The SS at a 1930s rally
The SS was based on a racial ideology which stated that the German people were destined to be masters of Europe. Germany was superior to all other nations, so believed the SS, and it was the duty of the SS to purge the German lands of inferior peoples and "cleanse the German blood". To this end, the SS became the primary organization in persecuting the Jewish people which were seen as inferior and mortal enemies of Germany. (VOY: "The Killing Game")
A soldier of the Ekosian SS
An SS officer and a German soldier during World War II
During the Second World War, the SS became an elite unit, with field SS units wearing gray uniforms instead of black. Like their '30s counterparts however, the World War II SS was easily identified by "SS bolts" on the collars of their uniforms.
- The military branch of the SS, known as the "Waffen-SS" participated in several campaigns in Poland, France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Russia, and in the defense of Germany in the last days of World War II.
The Ekosian SS
A resurgence of the SS began on the planet Ekos in the 2260s under the guidance of Federation historian John Gill. In a bizarre social experiment, Gill created an equivalent of the Nazi party which soon became the governing body of Ekos. Gill also formed an SS whose officers employed similar procedures and policies as the original organization. Gill's original intention was to have both the Nazi Party and the SS function as passive organizations, for the good of Ekos, but a plot by Gill's subordinate Melakon derailed this plan and the SS soon turned into a brutal organization which persecuted the Zeon minority on Ekos.
The Ekosian SS used torture and execution and openly engaged in genocide after Nazi policies turned towards purging Ekos of all Zeons. The SS shot down Zeons in the streets of Ekosian cities, spitting on the wounded and dying, and typically executed prisoners suspected of crimes. (TOS: "Patterns of Force")
- All of the Ekos-SS appear to wear cuff bands which read "Adolf Hitler", which is odd given that Gill is the Fuhrer of Ekos and not Hitler. The real reason for this is that the episode wardrobe was taken from stock German uniforms used in World War II films.
Alternate timelines
Two Na'kuhl in SS uniforms
The SS has existed in at least two alternate timelines, the first being a world where Nazi Germany won the Second World War and conquered the entire planet Earth. This was the result of Leonard McCoy traveling back in time and stopping the death of Edith Keeler. With Keeler still living, the United States of America became a pacifist nation and did not enter World War II. The result was Germany developing atomic weapons and "capturing the world". (TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever")
- Although not directly stated in the episode, it can be assumed that the SS thrived and expanded in this world where Germany had triumphed during World War II.
In another timeline, Germany was assisted by the Na'kuhl and invaded the east coast of the United States. The Na'kuhl, led by Vosk, were granted membership in the SS complete with the right to wear SS uniforms and several Nazi military decorations. In this version of history, the SS was tasked with maintaining security in occupied America with SS security squads patrolling the streets of such major cities as Washington, DC and New York City. (ENT: "Storm Front", "Storm Front, Part II")
Other versions of the SS
When the Hirogen captured the USS Voyager, and programmed the holodeck with a World War II scenario, several holodeck characters were portrayed as members of the SS during the years of the French occupation. The Hirogen interacted with the SS and the Hirogen leaders posed as senior SS officers. (VOY: "The Killing Game", "The Killing Game, Part II")
The concept of German racial superiority was seen as a falsehood by the Hirogen with Karr questioning one of the holodeck SS characters on the subject and determining that, without their weapons to back them up, the SS were just the same as their victims. The German arguments of racial superiority upset Karr, and he exclaimed to an SS-Kapitän: "You are superior to NO ONE!"
SS uniforms and insignia
The SS used various uniforms, including a black uniform for parade functions and a field grey jacket for wartime service. SS members were also entitled to the same medals of Nazi Germany as the rest of the German military.
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