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The Gestapo as a structure within the RSHA.
The Gestapo operated from 1933 to 1945, the end of the Third Reich, in which time it assumed many changes in both leaders and structure. In 1933, the Gestapo started out as the Secrete State Police, it was established as an independent branch of the Administration of the Interior, responsible directly to Goering as Prussian Prime Minister. In 1934, Goring appointed Himmler as the deputy chief of the Prussian Gestapo in place of Diels. Consequently, Himmler as well as controlling the SS, acquired unified control of all police forces within the Reich. It was at this stage, when Heinrich Himmler became head of the Gestapo, that the Gestapo started to unify and consolidate with other organizations within the Reich Central Security Main Office or "RSHA-. In 1936 the Gestapo merged with the Kriminalpolizei (Criminal Police) or "Kripo-. This merged unit was now called the Sicherheitspolizei (Secrete Police) or "Sipo-. Later in 1939 the Sipo was unified with an intelligence branch of the German Army known as the Sicherheitsdienst (Security Service) or "SD-. After the consolidation of the Sipo and the SD the organization was known as or run by the name of Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Security Central Office) or "RSHA-.
The Reich Security Central Office was formed on 27 September 1939 and was one of the most feared and menacing counterintelligence offices in the Reichsfuhrer-SS. During WWII the "RSHA- consisted of .
Personnel.
Administration .
Home SD.
Foreign SD.
Gestapo .
Kripo.
Ideological Research.
Leaders And Participants Of The Gestapo.
Their existed many potent, callous and brutal leaders which exemplified the headstrong nature of the Gestapo. These leaders, such as Goring, Himmler, Hydrich and Muller were responsible for the brutal and sinister actions of this ruthless organization between the years 1933-1945. The major leaders and participants of the Gestapo include:.