76th SS-Standarte

The Hohensalzburg Castle, where the Austrian SS often met in secret during the mid-1930s

The 76th SS-Standarte was a significant regimental command of the Allgemeine-SS that was formed in the city of Salzburg, Austria under the authority of the SS-Oberabschnitt Donau. Along with the 11th SS-Standarte in Vienna, the 76th Standarte was one of the primary units of the Austrian SS.

The 76th Standarte was first established in April 1934 during a time period when Austrian Nazis were attempting to influence an Anschluss with Nazi Germany. The 76th SS-Standarte coordinated SS and Nazi Party activities in the city of Salzburg before being forced underground in 1936 when the Austrian government declared the SS an illegal organization. During this time frame, with the Austrian-SS a covert force under scrutiny from the Austrian government, the 76th Standarte cycled through numerous commanders and, for two months in 1934, was commanded by SS-non-commissioned officers in capacity as Acting Deputy to the Standarte commander.

In 1938, when Austria was annexed into the Greater German Reich, members of the 76th Standarte helped secure government buildings in Salzburg and helped establish Nazi government in the city. This included enforcing anti-Jewish measures as well as rounding up suspected enemies of the states for transport to the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp. In 1939, the Standarte was transferred to the jurisdiction of the newly established Oberabschnitt Alpenland also headquartered in Salzburg.

By 1940, many of the General-SS members in Austria had joined either the Waffen-SS, the Sicherheitspolizei or had been called up to serve in the regular German military for combat service in World War II. For the remainder of World War II, the 76th Standarte performed only ceremonial functions in Salzburg and had lost of its mustering membership by 1943. From 1944 to 1945, the unit was essentially inactive and was formally disbanded upon the surrender of Germany in May 1945.

Commanders

• SS-Führer Heinrich Weitmner Edler von Weitenturm (April 20, 1934 - July 1, 1934)
  • SS-Oberscharführer Hirscher [Acting Deputy] (May 5, 1934 - May 28, 1934)
  • SS-Hauptscharführer Ludwig Sperl [Acting Deputy] (May 28, 1934 - June 15, 1934)
• SS-Obersturmbannführer Johann von Feil (June 15, 1934 - November 21, 1934)
• SS-Untersturmführer Robert Schweiger (November 21, 1934 - May 1, 1935)
• SS-Sturmbannführer Ernst Wahl (May 1, 1935 - May 31, 1935)
• SS-Untersturmführer Paul Koppenwallner (May 31, 1935 - July 7, 1935)
• SS-Untersturmführer Robert Schweiger (July 7, 1935 - December 23, 1935)
• SS-Sturmbannführer Ernst Wahl (December 23, 1935 - January 1, 1936)
• SS-Sturmbannführer Georg Wall (January 1, 1936 - May 8, 1945)

References

• Yerger, Mark C. Allgemeine-SS: The Commands, Units, and Leaders of the General SS, Schiffer Publishing (1997). ISBN 0-7643-0145-4