Beutel originally joined the 'Orgesch' (from 'Organisation Escherich), an anti-Semitic paramilitary group, and, later, the Nazi Party in June 1929. In May 1930 he joined the Schutzstaffel, the SS. From 1933 to 1938 he was in charge of the Sicherheitsdienst for south east Germany, based in Leipzig.