Its role included personal security, investigation of assassination plots, surveillance of locations before the arrival of Nazi dignitaries and vetting buildings as well as guests.

The RSD had the power to request assistance from any other SS organisations and take command of all Ordnungspolizei (order police) in its role protecting the Nazi functionaries.

[3] An additional force of 76 FSK men protected other leading members of the party, including Hermann Göring, Rudolf Hess, Joseph Goebbels and Heinrich Himmler; along with performing other security related duties.

[8] The RSD and FBK worked together for security and personal protection during Hitler's trips and public events, but they operated as two groups and used separate vehicles.

[6] It was formally called the Reichssicherheitsdienst Gruppe Geheime Feldpolizei z. b. V (Reich Security Service Group Secret Field Police for special duties/zur besondere Verwendung).

[13] They were considered military police officers that were technically on the staff of Reichsfuhrer-SS Himmler with its personnel wearing the uniform of the SS with the Sicherheitsdienst (SD) diamond on the lower left sleeve.

Rattenhuber's deputy, Peter Högl was appointed Chief of RSD Department 1 (responsible for the personal protection of Hitler on a day-to-day basis during the war).

In January 1945, Rattenhuber accompanied Hitler and his entourage into the bunker complex under the Reich Chancellery garden in the central government sector of Berlin.

After descending the stairs into the lower section, RSD and FBK men were positioned in a guard room to check identity cards and search briefcases, before personnel were allowed to pass into the corridor of the Führerbunker proper.

[21] Fegelein was caught by Högl's RSD squad in his Berlin apartment, wearing civilian clothes and preparing to flee to Sweden or Switzerland.

[22] After Hitler committed suicide on 30 April, Rattenhuber and the remaining RSD officers were taken prisoner by the Soviet Red Army on 1 May 1945 during the attempted break-out from central Berlin to avoid capture.