Heinrich Himmler (7 Oct. 1900 - 23 May 1945)
Heinrich Himmler was commander of the SS and Chief of German Police when the war broke out. Following the war’s beginning, Himmler established the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA: Reich Main Security Office), merging the Gestapo, Kripo and security service under one office.
Himmler is most infamous for overseeing the concentration camps and extermination of Jews and other “undesirables”. Unlike Hitler, Himmler visited concentration camps, which resulted in the search for quicker ways of killing: the gas chambers. In addition to genocide, Himmler was a strong believer of the Aryanisation of Germany and believed that with eugenics he could create a master race within seventy-eighty years.
In 1943, Himmler became the Interior Minister, merging the interior ministry with the SS in all but name. In this role he found an enemy and rival in Martin Bormann who he argued with regularly. Himmler’s power further increased in July 1944 following the 20 July plot to kill Hitler. The leaders of the German Military Intelligence were deemed responsible and involved, so it was abolished and replaced with the security service, the Sicherheitsdienst. The plot investigation later revealed the involvement of SS troops, which helped Bormann’s cause, as well as a plot against Himmler himself.
By the end of 1944, Himmler was Commander in Chief of the Army Group Upper Rhine. In January 1945, Himmler’s group began an assault on American and French troops. Himmler was sent east to command the Army Group Vistula in late January. Despite his best efforts, the Red Army defeated every counterattack and Himmler retired and resigned.
In April Himmler worked to secure German surrender to the Western allies, hoping a war would break out between the Soviets and the west. It was the second “betrayal” to Hitler after Goering. Failing to surrender via Count Bernadotte, Himmler turned to Eisenhower, who refused to meet him. He was arrested in May after trying to evade capture and committed suicide on the 23rd.
For more information on Heinrich Himmler:
Breitman, Richard. Himmler and the Final Solution: The Architect of Genocide (London: Pimlico), 2004.
Longerich, Peter. Heinrich Himmler: A Life (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 2011.
Padfield, Peter. Himmler: Reichsführer-SS (London: Cassel), 2001.
Himmler is most infamous for overseeing the concentration camps and extermination of Jews and other “undesirables”. Unlike Hitler, Himmler visited concentration camps, which resulted in the search for quicker ways of killing: the gas chambers. In addition to genocide, Himmler was a strong believer of the Aryanisation of Germany and believed that with eugenics he could create a master race within seventy-eighty years.
In 1943, Himmler became the Interior Minister, merging the interior ministry with the SS in all but name. In this role he found an enemy and rival in Martin Bormann who he argued with regularly. Himmler’s power further increased in July 1944 following the 20 July plot to kill Hitler. The leaders of the German Military Intelligence were deemed responsible and involved, so it was abolished and replaced with the security service, the Sicherheitsdienst. The plot investigation later revealed the involvement of SS troops, which helped Bormann’s cause, as well as a plot against Himmler himself.
By the end of 1944, Himmler was Commander in Chief of the Army Group Upper Rhine. In January 1945, Himmler’s group began an assault on American and French troops. Himmler was sent east to command the Army Group Vistula in late January. Despite his best efforts, the Red Army defeated every counterattack and Himmler retired and resigned.
In April Himmler worked to secure German surrender to the Western allies, hoping a war would break out between the Soviets and the west. It was the second “betrayal” to Hitler after Goering. Failing to surrender via Count Bernadotte, Himmler turned to Eisenhower, who refused to meet him. He was arrested in May after trying to evade capture and committed suicide on the 23rd.
For more information on Heinrich Himmler:
Breitman, Richard. Himmler and the Final Solution: The Architect of Genocide (London: Pimlico), 2004.
Longerich, Peter. Heinrich Himmler: A Life (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 2011.
Padfield, Peter. Himmler: Reichsführer-SS (London: Cassel), 2001.