The Schutzstaffel (German: [ˈʃʊtsˌʃtafl̩] ; lit. 'Protection Squadron'; SS; also stylised with Armanen runes as ᛋᛋ) was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II. It began with a small guard unit known as the Saal-Schutz ("Hall Security") made up of party volunteers to provide security for party meetings in Munich. In 1925, Heinrich Himmler joined the unit, which had by then been reformed and given its final name.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schutzstaffel