There is no shortage of books dealing with the SS, but the Sturmabteilung (SA) is often ignored and rarely studied, this book however focuses entirely on the Sturmabteilung, the 178 men who held the three highest ranks of the SA (not honorary rank) to be exact, a topic even more ignored than the history of the SA in general.

The men are divided into five categories based on when they joined the SA and each category is discussed in one chapter with the careers one or a few individuals detailed and used as an example highlighting the the experiences that had a large influence on why they joined the SA and on how they worked within that organization.

He also discusses the similarities and differences between these groups of men and how they affected the SA.
The Pioneers, 1925-1926
The Defectors, 1927-1930
The Specialists, 1931-1932
The Latecomers, 1933-1934

In this conclusion chapter, the author among other things criticises the way the Freikorps alone are given the “blame” as the vanguard of Nazism and instead he argues that it was an important but not necessary step in the evolution of the Nazi organizations, pointing instead to things such as the many other fringe organizations (both political and paramilitary, though especially the latter) on the far right that was active in Germany after the First World War.

It also includes a glossary, the SA organization at different dates and 50 pages of notes, the latter something so often ignored even in scholarly books these days.

This is not a history of the SA as such, though its development of course is covered where it affects these 178 men. The writing can be a bit dry at times, but personally I found to be both interesting and enlightening, I recommend this book to anyone with a serious interest in the SA though some knowledge of the topic before you start on this book is recommended.


(Reviewed by Marcus Wendel)