I tend to doubt that jealousy was a motivating factor among the SS and I wouldn’t call them cowards. These were simply cruel and evil men with a value system utterly alien to Christianity. In the 50s my dad was stationed in Germany once again and he saw these old SS characters around the city. They weren’t the slightest bit regretful of their past actions, they were just sorry they weren’t still able to practice them.
I don’t doubt that at all. They must have completely seared away their conscience. I have dealt with psychopaths occasionally, and their lack of regret was astounding. I don’t know that these people had a value system beyond themselves. I believe such people are rare in normal times, but they multiply rapidly when evil reigns.