Julius Schreck (13 July 1898 – 16 May 1936) was an early senior Nazi official and close confidant of Adolf Hitler.

Born in Munich, Schreck served in World War I and shortly afterwards joined right-wing paramilitary units.

[1] Schreck was a founding member of the Sturmabteilung ("Storm Detachment"; SA), being involved in its growth and development.

[2] This was a paramilitary wing of the party designed to disrupt political opponents and provide muscle for security tasks.

Hitler, in early 1923, ordered the formation of a small separate bodyguard dedicated to his service and protection rather than an uncontrolled mass of the party, such as the SA.

Schreck resurrected the use of the Totenkopf ("death's head") as the unit's insignia, a symbol various elite forces had used in the past, including specialized assault troops of Imperial Germany in World War I who used Hutier infiltration tactics.

In the aftermath of the failed putsch both Hitler, Schreck, and other Nazi leaders were incarcerated for treason at Landsberg Prison.

In 1925, Hitler ordered Schreck to organise the formation of a new bodyguard unit, the Schutzkommando ("Protection Command").

[16] In 1930, after the SS had begun to expand under Heinrich Himmler, Schreck was appointed an SS-Standartenführer, but had little actual power.