On January 6, 1929, Heinrich Himmler was appointed SS Reichsführer.

He is the third holder of this position. Before that : 

• Josef Berchtold (1926-27)
• Erhard Heyden (1927-1929) 
• The last SS Reichsführer Karl Hanke was appointed on April 29, 1945.

Over the next 16 years, he developed the SS from a mere 290-man battalion into a powerful group with its own military, and, following Hitler's orders, set up and controlled the Nazi concentration camps.

Himler's oraganisational talents

Members of SS:

• 1929. January - 280 members
• 1930. - 2727 members
• 1931. - 14 964 members
• 1932. - 30 000 members
• 1933. - 52 000 members
• 1938. - 238 159 members