It's a quotation of general Patton. It makes a little more sense when one reads the quote in its context: "...SS means no more in Germany than being a Democrat in America -- that is not to be quoted. I mean by that that initially the SS people were special sons of bitches, but as the war progressed they ran out of sons of bitches and then they put anybody in there. Some of the top SS men will be treated as criminals, but there is no reason for trying someone who was drafted into this outfit . . ."
Mental note to self to add "that is not too be quoted" to things I say that could be taken out of context.
Still, I don't agree with the general. The SS were torturers, rapists and murderers the whole time and there's no excuse for that.
but why do you think General Patton was saying is that, like with the Wermacht, not every member of the SS was pure human scum. Most of them, absolutely, and they deserve what they got, but few, very few more or less put into the position and didn’t have much choice about being there, and didn’t participate in such crimes. that is not to be quoted! :)
Still, I don't agree with the general. The SS were torturers, rapists and murderers the whole time and there's no excuse for that.