Although created by the NSDAP as early as 1931, control of SS personnel grew so rapidly that the office was by March 1933 taken over by Himmler and in January 1935 rebadged the office as the SS-Hauptamt under the control of Gottlob Berger..

Detailed records of all SS members and ancilliary staff (including females, and those assisting SS), were covered by this office on an index system.

Records also covered postings, where employed and on which tasks. Promotions, pay scales etc.,

By the outbreak of WW2, this office had eleven sub offices which allocated manpower, materiel and supplies, medical treatment in the field, training centres etc.,

Although many of the records were destroyed by bombimg during WW2, many remained in good order and helped bring many criminal to justice in the trials which followed WW2.

Thety are stored in the Bundesarchiv in Berlin.