World War II 1939 Invasion of Poland thumb|Members of the Einsatzgruppen murdering Polish civilians in Kórnik shortly after the outbreak of World War II in Europe Himmler's military formations at the outbreak of the war comprised several subgroups that would become the basis of the Waffen-SS: The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH), under then SS-Obergruppenführer Josef "Sepp" Dietrich The Inspectorate of Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT), under then SS-Gruppenführer Paul Hausser, which commanded the Deutschland, Germania and Der Führer regiments. The latter was recruited in Austria after the Anschluss and was not yet combat-ready. The Inspectorate of Concentration Camps, under SS-Gruppenführer Theodor Eicke, which fielded four infantry and one cavalry Death's Head Standarten, comprising camp guards of the SS-Totenkopfverbände (SS-TV). These troops wore the SS-TV skull and crossbones rather than the SS-VT "SS" runes. Police units of Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei Kurt Daluege's Ordnungspolizei, which reported to Himmler in his capacity as Chief of German Police. These troops used police ranks and insignia rather than those of the SS.
World War II 1939 Invasion of Poland thumb|Members of the Einsatzgruppen murdering Polish civilians in Kórnik shortly after the outbreak of World War II in Europe Himmler's military formations at the outbreak of the war comprised several subgroups that would become the basis of the Waffen-SS: The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH), under then SS-Obergruppenführer Josef "Sepp" Dietrich The Ins,pectorate of Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT) under then SS-Gruppenführer Paul Hausser, which commanded the Deutschland, Germania and Der Führer regiments. The latter was recruited in Austria after the Anschluss and was not yet combat-ready. The Inspectorate of Concentration Camps, under SS-Gruppenführer Theodor Eicke, which fielded four infantry and one cavalry Death's Head Standarten, comprising camp guards of the SS-Totenkopfverbände (SS-TV). These troops wore the SS-TV skull and crossbones rather than the SS-VT "SS" runes. Police units of Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei Kurt Daluege's Ordnungspolizei, which reported to Himmler in his capacity as Chief of German Police. These troops used police ranks and insignia rather than those of the SS.