What was gestapo and why was it so feared?

Answer 1

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The Geheime Staatspolizei (German for Secret State Police, abbreviated “Gestapo”) was formally organized after the Nazis seized power in 1933.

Hermann Göring, the Prussian minister of the interior, detached the espionage and political units of the Prussian police and staffed them with thousands of Nazis (members of the Hitler's National Socialist Party). Göring became the commander of this new force on April 26, 1933.

At the same time that Goring was organizing the Gestapo, Heinrich Himmler was directing the SS (Schutzstaffel, German for “Protective Echelon”), Hitler's elite paramilitary corps. In April 1936, he was given command of the Gestapo as well, integrating all of Germany's police units under Himmler.

Later in 1936, the Gestapo was merged with the Kriminalpolizei (or “Kripo,” German for Criminal Police). The newly integrated unit was the called the Sicherheitspolizei (or “Sipo,” German for Secret Police).

In 1939, during the reorganization of the German armies, the Sipo was joined with an intelligence branch of the military known as the Sicherheitsdienst (“SD,” meaning Security Service). After this merger, the Sipo became known as the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (“RSHA,” meaning Reich Security Central Office), and was headed by Reinhard Heydrich. Because of these frequent changes, the functions of the Gestapo became blurred, and often overlapped with those of the other branches of the German forces.

During World War II, the Einsatzgruppen (Task Force) was formed, and came to be an integral part of the Gestapo. It was the Task Force's job to round up all the Jews and other “undesirables” living within Germany's newly conquered territories, and to either send them to concentration camps or put them to death.

The army units within the Gestapo were taught many torture techniques, and were also taught many of the practices that German doctors in Dachau tested on the inmates of concentration camps. The Gestapo, during its tenure, operated without any restrictions by civil authority, meaning that its members could not be tried for any of their police practices. This unconditional authority added an elitist element to the Gestapo; its members knew that whatever actions they took, no consequences would arise.

EDIT: online at Jewish Virtual Library; in turn gathered from:
Gutman, Israel. Encyclopedia of the Holocaust. “Gestapo.” Volume 1: A-K. NY: Simon and Schuster. 1990.
Britannica.com. “Gestapo.”

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Source(s):

jewish virtual library: "gestapo"

Answer 2

german secret police

bad bad people

Answer 3

SECRET POLICE...

Gestapo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Gestapo (help·info) (contraction of Geheime Staatspolizei: "Secret State Police") was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestapo - 92k -

Answer 4

They were the German secret police and were ruthlessly loyal to Hitler and the Nazi agenda

Answer 5

Hilters Secret Police and they had little patience.

Answer 6

They were one of the highest ranks in the nazi police. Also called green police. Many jewish people feared them because they were sent by Hitler to capture jews and take them to concentration camps. They were told that they would work there. But most were killed by disease, murdur, and the gas chambers which sprayed a deadly gas causing death from lack of oxygen and just the poison in it.

Answer 7

Gestapo ---- They are similar to are Homeland Security people and all there ATF, FBI and other letter agency friends --- Dont believe me? Fail to pay your taxes or file and see what happens....

Answer 8

-German secret police.

-Because they killed people.