after becoming a court official, schöngarth began involving himself more heavily in the nazi party. on 1 february 1933 he joined the ss (member no°. 67,174 and nazi n°. 2,848,857). because party membership was now crucial for getting a government job in germany, his involvement allowed him to become a postmaster in erfurt. in 1933 he became a member of the sd, the ss's own intelligence service. he eventually left his postmaster position on november 1, 1935, and joined the gestapo. during his time working with the gestapo, he worked in the main press office, the political-church council, and the arnsberg district office in dortmund, he also served as police chief in münster and was named a government counselor. though unknown why he found employment at the political church, a letter from reinhard heydrich to the reich ministry of the interior recommended eberhard become a part of the secret state police due to his broad and insightful law background. he was placed with the gestapo, and later with the ss. he also rose in ranks in the ss, becoming a first lieutenant, captain, major and lieutenant colonel in 1939, and from colonel to brigadier general in 1940.