Heinrich Himmler commanded the Schutzstaffel.
Heinrich Himmler . In 1929 , he was appointed Reichsführer-SS by Hitler . Late in World War II , Hitler charged Himmler with the command of the Army Group Upper Rhine and the Army Group Vistula ; he failed to achieve his assigned objectives and Hitler replaced him in these posts . Reichsführer-SS ( [ ˈʁaɪçsˌfyːʁɐ ˈɛs ˈɛs ] ) was a special title and rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945 for the commander of the Schutzstaffel ( SS ) .