18th SS-Standarte

The 18th SS-Standarte was a regimental formation of the Allgemeine-SS located in the city of Köningsberg. The Standarte was one of the earlier General-SS formations and had been founded in 1932, a year before Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power in Germany.

Throughout the 1930s, the 18th Standarte performed mustering drills of General-SS members and also participated in Nazi functions and parades in and around Köningsberg. During this time period, the Standarte was given the honorary regimental title of "Ostpreußen". Hans-Adolf Prützmann, who later became involved in the Holocaust while serving as an SS and Police Leader in Latvia, was an early commander of the Standarate.

In 1939, with the outbreak of World War II, the 18th Standarte began losing most of its membership to either the general draft or to transfer into the Waffen-SS. By 1943, the regiment had ceased to exist except on paper, yet had a posted commander until the collapse of Nazi Germany in May 1945.

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