Julius Schreck (13 July 1898 – 16 May 1936) was an early senior Nazi official and close confidant of Adolf Hitler. Born in Munich, Schreck served in World War I and shortly afterwards joined right-wing paramilitary units. He joined the Nazi Party in 1920 and developed a close friendship with Adolf Hitler. Schreck was a founding member of the Sturmabteilung ("Storm Detachment"; SA) and was active in its development. Later in 1925, he became the first leader of the Schutzstaffel ("Protection Squadron"; SS). He then served for a time as a chauffeur for Hitler. Schreck developed meningitis in 1936 and died on 16 May of that year. Hitler gave him a state funeral. Early life Julius Schreck was born on 13 July 1898 in Munich in Bavaria. He served in the German Army during World War I. After the war ended, Schreck became an early member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi Party; NSDAP), having joined in 1920 and documented as member #53. Schreck developed a friendship with the party's leader Adolf Hitler during its early years. Career in the SA Schreck was a founding member of the Sturmabteilung ("Storm Detachment"; SA), being involved in its growth and development. This was a paramilitary wing of the party designed to disrupt political opponents and provide muscle for security tasks. Hitler, in early 1923, ordered the formation of a small separate bodyguard dedicated to his service and protection rather than an uncontrolled mass of the party, such as the SA. Originally the unit was composed of only eight men, commanded by Schreck and Joseph Berchtold. It was designated the Stabswache ("Staff Guard"). The Stabswache were issued unique badges, but at this point the Stabswache was still under overall control of the SA, whose membership continued to increase. Schreck resurrected the use of the Totenkopf ("death's head") as the unit's insignia, a symbol various elite forces had used in the past, including specialized assault troops of Imperial Germany in World War I who used Hutier infiltration tactics. In May 1923, the unit was renamed Stoßtrupp-Hitler ("Shock Troop-Hitler"). The unit was solely responsible for Hitler's personal protection. On 9 November 1923 the Stoßtrupp, along with the SA and several other paramilitary units, took part in the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich. The plan was to seize control of the city in a coup d'état and then challenge the government in Berlin. The