Figure 1.--This is the newly minted officers from the Junkerschule Bad Tolz. Hartmann is in the foreground second from the left. All of the new officers were awarded a sword.

Himmler wanted to professionalize the SS, poart of his effort to make it very different than the SA. He wanted make it an elite force. To that end he set up the SS-Junkerschulen (Junker Schools). They were leadershipb training facilities for SS-Junkers, meaning SS officer candidates. The term Junkerschulen was introduced after the schools had been set up. The first two were established at Bad Tölz (1934) and Braunschweig (1935). Additional schools were founded during the War, for some reason rather late in theWar. They were opoened at Klagenfurt and Posen-Treskau (1943), and Prague (1944). By elite, Himmler meant character (defined differenbtly than we would tiday) and race, not education. The Wehrmacht's war schools required a secondary school diploma. The SS-Junker Schools did not. Training at these schools provided a entry inti the Sicherheitspolizei (SiPo--security police), the Sicherheitsdienst (SD--security service), and later for the Waffen-SS officer cadre. Hans-Jörg entered SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz as an officer candidate, about ayear befire Hitler anbd Stalin launched World War II (April 1938). Here is the SS-Junkerschule of Hartmann, "Hartmann has a solid, impeccable character. Physically mediocre, his services are sufficient and better. In recent times, he has suffered from bad family circumstances; this is also due to the lack of concentration. Lack of front service and short training time still allow him sufficient achievements in practical service. His level of performance at the front is still uncertain. Guidance in and out of service was very good. In relations, especially with superiors, he is calm and reserved., yet trusting. Hartmann is still capable of development in his life and will become a useful leader with the appropriate performance"

Created: 11:15 PM 9/17/2020
Last updated: 11:15 PM 9/17/2020