Why was there a need to form SS panzer divisions (from Hitler's perspective)?

Question

And since these were elite units, why didn't Hitler assign Guderian, Manstein, Rommel etc to lead this units?

Answer 1

Hi, Jason...
The SS was "run" by Himmler, who was determined to have his own private empire. He set up the SS Panzer Divisions.
The Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions, Rommel, Guderian, et al were regular Army. (...and superior tank commanders.)
I wonder if anyone has an opinion as to whether or not certain outcomes would have been different had, for example, Rommel led the SS Panzers? (Michael?)
If Rommel had had free rein on the Western Front prior to D-Day - or even shortly thereafter - our victory would most certainly have been in jeopardy. Had he had control of the SS Panzers as well as the Wehrmacht's - we'd have been in serious trouble.
The situation is as old as the Caesars... Every guy wanted all the credit for himself. Look at how many men were killed needlessly due to the egos of Patton and Montgomery - that sort of thing.

Answer 2

Hitler, and through his henchman Himmler, had all along wanted to eventually replace the regular army with their own private army to form a Praetorian Guard sort-of-outfit whose obedience to the Fuhrer was absolute.

They started small, with Hitler's personal guard, becoming the 1st SS Regimental unit gradually increasing to battalion then division size as a motorised grenadier division. As the war went on, they attained panzer division status....which was the ultimate in the german formations.

The need was all political, although the result was the development of elite units that held the line in places where other units would've retreated, as seen on the Russian front. The SS panzer units became the 'fire brigade' for the germans as they were transferred to the places in the line that needed it the most. It was the II SS Panzer Corps that defeated the Red Army at the 3rd Battle of Kharkov that stabilized the front after the debacle at Stalingrad.