What does the 'Waffen' mean in the World War II German 'Waffen SS'?
Waffen-SS veterans in post-war Germany Waffen-SS veterans in post-war Germany "Waffen-SS" veterans in post-war Germany played a large role, through publications and political pressure, in the efforts to rehabilitate the reputation of the "Waffen-SS", which had committed many war crimes during World War II. High ranking German politicians courted former "Waffen-SS" members and their veteran organisation, HIAG. A small number of veterans, somewhat controversially, served in the new German armed forces, the "Bundeswehr". Apart from war-time leaders of the "Waffen-SS" like Paul Hausser or Kurt Meyer, who published a number of revisionist or uncritical books on the "Waffen-SS", former enlisted members also rose to prominence,
Waffen-SS veterans in post-war Germany success. According to historian George Stein, the "Waffen-SS" never obtained total "independence of command", nor was it ever a "serious rival" to the German Army. Even though it underwent rapid war-time expansion, even at its peak the "Waffen-SS" remained under 10% of the "Wehrmacht". Waffen-SS veterans in post-war Germany "Waffen-SS" veterans in post-war Germany played a large role, through publications and political pressure, in the efforts to rehabilitate the reputation of the "Waffen-SS", which had committed many war crimes during World War II. High ranking German politicians courted former "Waffen-SS" members and their veteran organisation, HIAG. A small number of