 Complete the following phrase:  From August 1934, Bittrich was a commander of the Politische Bereitschaft Political Readiness Detachment in Hamburg. This unit later became part of the SS-Standarte Germania in the SS-Verfügungstruppe SS-VT. By January 1938, Bittrich was promoted to Obersturmbannführer. He was given command of a battalion in the SS-Regiment Deutschland. With this unit he participated in the 