Waffen-SS

English

Etymology

Borrowed from German Waffen-SS, from Waffe (“weapon”) + SS.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvɑfən.ɛsˌɛs/

Proper noun

Waffen-SS

1. A subdivision of the Schutzstaffel.

   Coordinate terms: Allgemeine SS, SS-Verfügungstruppe, SS-Totenkopfverbände

Usage notes

• Created in 1939, the Waffen-SS absorbed the SS-Verfügungstruppe (armed militias) as well as the SS-Totenkopfverbände (concentration camp guards) in 1940, whereas the Allgemeine SS (general SS) soon lost most of its importance. The Waffen-SS subsequently included elite combat units deployed at the front as well as units active in the occupied territories. In practice, the term is often used especially of the combat arm.

Translations

subdivision of the Schutzstaffel

• Bulgarian: Вафен-СС (Vafen-SS)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 武裝親衛隊 / 武装亲卫队 (Wǔzhuāng qīnwèiduì), 武裝黨衛隊 / 武装党卫队 (Wǔzhuāng dǎng wèiduì), 黨衛軍 / 党卫军 (dǎngwèijūn)

• Estonian: Relva-SS
• Galician: Arma SS f
• Georgian: ვაფენ-სს (vapen-ss)
• German: Waffen-SS (de) f
• Hebrew: ואפן אס אס (vafn es es)
• Japanese: 武装親衛隊 (Busō shin’eitai)
• Korean: 무장친위대(武裝親衛隊) (Mujangchinwidae)
• Persian: وافن اس‌اس (vâfen es es)
• Portuguese: Waffen-SS f
• Romanian: Waffen-SS, Arme-SS f pl
• Russian: Ваффен-СС (ru) f (Vaffen-SS)
• Serbo-Croatian: Вафен-СС
• Vietnamese: Lực lượng vũ trang SS (力量武裝SS)