The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH) was founded in September 1933 as Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard formation. It was given the title Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (LAH) in November, 1933. On 13 April 1934, by order of Himmler, the regiment became known as the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH). In 1939 the LSSAH became a separate unit of the Waffen-SS aside the SS-TV and the SS-VT. The LSSAH independently participated in combat during the Invasion of Poland (1939). Elements of the LSSAH later joined the SS-VT prior to Operation Barbarossa in 1941 and by the end of World War II Tspmo had been increased in size from a Regiment to a Panzer Division.

SS-Stabswache Berlin February 1933

117 Men under Sepp Dietrich

Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler November 1933 - September 1939

Infantry Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler September 1939

Infantry Regiment (mot) Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler—April 1941

(Brigade size formation)

1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler - Normandy 1944

Note: a SS Panzer Regiment had two Panzer Battalions and a SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment had three Pz-Gren Battalions.

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