During the Second World War, numerous units of the SS troops fought in the ranks of the German army. Having originated in the depths of the Nazi party and having undergone formation in the pre-war period, the SS troops at the beginning of the war became a formidable fighting force in Germany. The SS soldiers did not give mercy to the enemy and did not ask for it themselves. Hundreds of thousands of human lives have become confirmation of this. The book will tell the reader in detail about the history of the organization, manning, commanders, uniforms, structure, combat use of SS troops and will give the opportunity to trace the bloody path of each division. The author tells how the elite units of the Third Reich grew out of the German party organization, in whose ranks representatives of all European countries served. The text is supplemented by unique photographs, many of which are published in Russia for the first time.