The SICHERHEITSDIENST (SD, Security Service)

The SD was subordinated under Reichsführer SS and Chief of the German Police Heinrich Himmler and until 1942 led by Reinhard Heydrich, since January 1943 by Ernst Kaltenbrunner. The main task of the SD was the observation of political opponents and the providing of political news from in and out of the country. The foreign service of the SD was to participate in the preparation of uprisings and sabotage abroad. At home, the SD collected the impressions of the German people towards all political decisions. These reports were summarized twice or three times a week in all SD-departments in Germany and handed out to the most important state and party officials. Another task of Security Service was to judge the political reliability of high officers and party-leaders, which sometimes had effects on their further careers. On September 27, 1939, the SD and the Security Police were comprised to the "Reichssicherheitshauptamt" (RSHA, Department of Security) which thus became a very influential office under Reinhard Heydrich. The SD was subordinated under Reichsführer SS and Chief of the German Police Heinrich Himmler and until 1942 led by Reinhard Heydrich, since January 1943 by Ernst Kaltenbrunner. The main task of the SD was the observation of political opponents and the providing of political news from in and out of the country. The foreign service of the SD was to participate in the preparation of uprisings and sabotage abroad.

At home, the SD collected the impressions of the German people towards all political decisions. These reports were summarized twice or three times a week in all SD-departments in Germany and handed out to the most important state and party officials.

Another task of Security Service was to judge the political reliability of high officers and party-leaders, which sometimes had effects on their further careers. In order to observe the German people, the SD also used NSDAP-"Blockleiter" who had to have an eye on the inhabitants of their blocks. Besides, there was an army of volunteers belonging to the NS-party in all professions and paid agents as well as so-called "V-Leute" ("Vertrauensleute", reliable persons).