FREE ESSAY ON SOLDIERS OF DESTRUCTION BY CHARLES W. SYDNOR, JR: EICKE'S CULTIVATION OF ELITISM

SOLDIERS OF DESTRUCTION BY CHARLES W. SYDNOR, JR: EICKE'S CULTIVATION OF ELITISM

EICKE'S CULTIVATION OF ELITISM
A sign declaring "Barnard College ranks Number 1 in the Journal of Economic Education's,
Fall 1997 'Rankings of 40 ELITE Liberal Arts Colleges' Economics Departments'" adorns the
door of my dorm room. Although society emphasizes the attainment of elitism or status, it
may not be aware that the doctrine of elitism and those who are labeled "elite" have been
ingrained in society since childhood. Parents dedicate their energies and funds to
provide the best opportunities for their children. And the children's resulting future
success becomes the reward for their parents' determination. Similarly, in Soldiers of
Destruction by Charles W. Sydnor, Jr., Theodore Eicke, the creator and commander of the
Third SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, strives to instill upon his soldiers the elite
character of their division. With the goal of instilling elitism in his soldiers, Eicke's
combination of uncompromising demand for obedience, talent for organization, and a gift
for inspiring and leading men has given the Totenkopfdivision the reputation as one of
the most powerful formations in the German armed forces. 
As a result of its uncompromising leader, Theodore Eicke, the SS Totenkopfdivision
possessed a special character and demeanor even among the other SS divisions. First,
Eicke's doctrine of elitism was routed in the Nazi movement that he embraced with zeal
and ferocity. This elitist mentality can be traced back to Eicke's handling of the prewar
concentration camps. Eicke's conviction in the inferiority of the prisoners established
the basis for his development of the standard concentration camp system as a place of
forced labor, solitary confinement, and other established forms of abuse. In addition,
Eicke wholeheartedly believed that the concentration camps were the only available and
effective instrument for destroying these adversaries of the National Socials. These
concentration camps were organized, and guarded by the militarized SS formations that
Eicke himself had recruited. Since the fuhrer had given the SSTV-a racially select group
of individuals-sole responsibility for guarding and running the camps, the SSTV
constituted an elite within the elite structure of the SS. In other words, not only were
the SSTV elite, but they were superiors to others within the elite SS structure.
"Seventeen to twenty years old, at least five feet ten inches tall, in perfect health,
and of 'racially pure stock'" were the stipulations placed upon volunteers desiring
acceptance into the newly formed SS Totenkopfverbande (25). These core requirements
demonstrate what Eicke deemed fit for the division and what he envisioned as elite. And
this idea of elitism per versed the Totenkopfdivision through Eicke's orders, circulars
and adamant memoranda that constantly attempted to convince the men they served the most
important and finest formation in the SS. Therefore, Eicke sought to remove the stigma of
the SSTV as jailor or prison guards for fear that it would damage their performance on
the job.
Eicke's elitist belief marauded the Totenkopfdivision in all aspects of its operations.
Awarding the men a sense of spirit and status allowed them to go and fight with courage,
drive and perseverance. The men became very goal-orientated. The Totenkopfdivision faced
the war with a set purpose and the view that they were the only ones able to perform the
task fixed in their minds. Basically, they were conditioned to believe, by Eicke, if they
can not do it, then no one can. 
Eicke amazingly fused his political fanaticism, elitism and camaraderie in order to give
the soldiers a sense of their own uniqueness within the SS. First, Eicke set up several
criteria or rules of selection for admission into the Totenkopfdivision. In order that he
may set up his own elite formation, Eicke resisted Himmler's attempts to intervene in
matters concerning enrollment and recruitment of soldiers in the SSTK (70). Searching for
the perfect combination of administrative and military talents, Eicke gathered a reliable
staff to advise him in his new command of the SSTK (46). In addition, except for Bertling
and Montigny, all high officials had been hand-picked and trained by Eicke solely to help
him build the division into the kind of formation the prewar SS Totenkopfdivision had
been (53). Eicke also had problems with the composition of the men in SSTK. About 7,000
soldiers-less than half of the original 15,000 man SSTK force- were members of original
prewar Totenkopfverbande. According to Eicke, the remainder of the men were less
disciplined and less experienced than the men who had served under him in former SS
concentration camp divisions and thus were unwelcome (58). 
In order to ingrain the soldiers with his doctrine of elitism, Eicke now had to properly
train each soldier to be "elite." Eicke and his staff devoted almost every hour of
training to making the division combat ready, especially for the expected western
campaign. Eicke was very thorough about training. Every conceivable moment available for
training the soldiers was utilized. For example, Eicke managed to conduct several large
scale exercises during January and February 1940, despite all the difficulties resulting
from the winter weather and lack of supplies (66). Accordingly, as soon as warmer weather
arrived, Eicke began intensive combat training exercises (78). Soldiers endured "grueling
exercises continued seven days a week from dawn to dusk" (81). Eicke's foremost goal with
this harsh training was to teach the SS soldier how to handle himself and his weapons in
every possible battle situation, thereby providing the soldiers with the materials,
knowledge and skill to become an elite member of the SS. In addition, Eicke tried to
instill in them the reason and drive to fight until the enemy was annihilated. Thus,
Eicke weeded out undesirables or inferior soldiers from his desired elite
Totenkopfdivision.
To better accomplish its missions, Eicke incessantly asked for adequate supplies and arms
for his Totenkopfdivision. For example, in December of 1939, Eicke adamantly requested
heavy weapons such as mortars, antitank guns, howitzers, and artillery pieces for the
Totenkopfdivision (70). In addition, the soldiers were given a "daily menu of hearty
German fare" to ensure that the group was properly nourished (69). Eicke also was angered
when his men had to dress down and withdraw to a defensive position during the French
campaign because it called into question the elite doctrine he was trying to instill in
each of the soldiers (101). 
After setting down his agenda and vision for the SS Totenkopfdivision, Eicke had to
ensure that the soldiers adhered to his commands, adopted his beliefs and strove for
elitism. First, Eicke was very careful about disease outbreaks in the Totenkopfdivision.
Thus, "any member of the SSTK who wished to marry had to send his own personal complete
Anentafel (ancestral chart) and that of his prospective bride to Eicke, who, after
examining the materials, passed them on through Fuhrlande to the RuSHA for final
approval" (60). He also prohibited any further use of three day passes so that the
soldiers would not go out into the city , commit adultery and therefore catch venereal
diseases (61). Eicke utilized "sharp arrest" to discourage first time offenders of his
rules and prevent them from turning into persistent troublemakers (74). Also the threat
of the concentration camp, utilized by Eicke with great skill, had an immediate effect on
the division. Soldiers no longer requested transfers, attempted to resign and many
discipline problems subsided. Furthermore, Eicke was extremely worried about publicly
negative comments in reference to the division that caused a stigma on the elite
Totenkopfdivision. For instance, a young SS sergeant (SS unterscharfuhrer) was charged
with revealing secrets in letters written to several women that diminished the elite
image Eicke was arduously trying to build for the Totenkopfdivision. Also, two days after
receiving the memorandum concerning Montigny's unfavorable report on the status of the
Totenkopfdivision, Eicke announced plans for renewed intensive training even before the
onset of good weather (67). Although the report had been published, Eicke had to
denounced it and improve the image of the Totenkopfdivision quickly.
"The major factor contributing to the division's success in the face of such overwhelming
odds was undoubtedly the fighting quality of the individual Totenkopf soldier. The years
of constant political and racial indoctrination, the long periods of strenuous training
and physical conditioning, and the intensive cultivation of elitism had produced an SS
fighting man superbly suited for the unique rigors of the Russian War" (192). Thus, Eicke
devotion of time and energy succeeded in transforming the Totenkopfdivision into an elite
division that retained both its fighting spirit and combat effectiveness in defeats as
well as victory, and by its utterly ruthless behavior in the execution of political and
military task against enemy civilians and soldiers.