In 1934, the armed branch of the Schutzstaffel (SS) then known as the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT), started to recruit officers into its ranks. The German Army and its Prussian heritage looked for officers of good breeding, who had at least graduated from secondary school. By contrast the SS-VT offered men the chance to become an officer no matter what education they had received or their social standing.[2]