forced by torture. Schwadron (plural: Schwadrone) – "squadron"; used in the cavalry, a squadron was basically company-sized. Schwadronführer – company commander in the cavalry Schwadrontruppführer – company HQ section leader Schwarm – Flight (military unit) Schwarze Kapelle – "Black Orchestra"; a group of conspirators within the German Army who plotted to overthrow Hitler and came near to successfully assassinating him on 20 July 1944. Schweinereien – "scandalous acts" (lit.: "acts of a pig"); (in a military context) crimes against civilians. schwer – (1) adjective meaning "heavy", the word "gross" (large) can mean the same; (2) hard/difficult. Schwerer Kreuzer – heavy cruiser. Schwerpunkt – main axis of attack Schwert – sword. Schwimmpanzer – amphibious or "swimming" tank. SD – see Sicherheitsdienst. Sd.Kfz. – Sonderkraftfahrzeug Seekriegsleitung (SKL) – directorate of the Naval War. Sehrohr – periscope; literally "looking tube". Sehrohrtiefe – periscope depth. Seitengewehr – bayonet. Selbstfahrlafette – self-propelled gun carriage. Selbstschutz – lit. "self protection"; ethnic German civilian militia. Sicherheitsdienst (SD) – "security service"; the SS and Nazi Party security service. Later, the main intelligence-gathering, and counter-espionage sections of the RSHA; originally headed by Reinhard Heydrich. Sicherheitspolizei (SiPo) – "security police", the combined forces of the Gestapo and KriPo, made up of the Reich's criminal investigators and secret state police. "sichern und laden" – "lock and load". Sicherungsflottillen – (1) escort ships, (2) paramilitary organization of unemployed ex-soldiers, who were recruited to protect Nazi speakers, and because of their clothing were called "Brown Shirts". Sieg – victory. Sigrunen – the name of the double "S" runes used by the SS. SiPo – see Sicherheitspolizei. Sippenhaftung – the practice of arresting members of a person's family for political crimes or treason committed by that person. SMS – abbreviation for Seiner Majestät Schiff, the German Empire's equivalent of the British Royal Navy's "HMS" (His/Her Majesty's Ship) naval vessel naming prefix before 1918. Soldat – soldier/enlisted man. Soldbuch – pay book carried by every member of the German armed forces. Unit information, a record of all equipment issued, and other details were entered into this book. Sollstärke – authorized strength Sonderbehandlung – "special treatment"; a Nazi euphemism meaning torture or killing of people in detention. Sonderfahndungslisten – wanted-persons list. Sonderkommando – "special unit"; during WWII, an official term that applied to certain German and foreign SS units that operated in German-occupied areas, who were responsible for the liquidation of persons not desirable to the