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[[Image:Himmler.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Heinrich Himmler]]

[[Image:Himmler.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Heinrich Himmler]]

'''Heinrich Himmler''' (1900-1945), was a [[German]] [[Nazi Party]] leader, head of the Schutzstaffel (Protective squadron; [[SS]]) and of the dreaded [[Gestapo]] (Secret state police). Starting from a junior position in the SS, by 1941 he was the second most powerful Nazi and designed many of the [[National Socialist]] programs. His loyalty to [[Adolf Hitler]] (until near the end), combined with his organizational skills, ambition, and his sadistic nature, made him one of the most notorious [[war criminal]]s of [[World War II]]. As chief of police for all of [[Germany]], Himmler was responsible for establishing [[concentration camp]]s and death camps. Himmler oversaw the [[Holocaust]], the mass murder of 6 million [[Jew]]s. During the war he built up the military strength of his SS, which became a de facto fourth branch of the German [[military]]. After Hitler dismissed him from all his offices in April 1945, Himmler was captured at war's end by the [[British]] Army. However, he committed suicide before the Allies could put him on trial for war crimes at the [[Nuremberg Trials]].

'''Heinrich Himmler''' (1900-1945), was a [[German]] [[Nazi Party]] leader, head of the Schutzstaffel (Protective squadron; [[SS]]) and of the dreaded [[Gestapo]] (Secret state police). Starting from a junior position in the SS, by 1942 he was the second most powerful Nazi and designed many of the [[National Socialist]] programs. His loyalty to [[Adolf Hitler]] (until near the end), combined with his organizational skills, ambition, and his sadistic nature, made him one of the most notorious [[war criminal]]s of [[World War II]]. As chief of police for all of [[Germany]], Himmler was responsible for establishing [[concentration camp]]s and death camps. Himmler oversaw the [[Holocaust]], the mass murder of 6 million [[Jew]]s. During the war he built up the military strength of his SS, which became a de facto fourth branch of the German [[military]]. After Hitler dismissed him from all his offices in April 1945, Himmler was captured at war's end by the [[British]] Army. However, he committed suicide before the Allies could put him on trial for war crimes at the [[Nuremberg Trials]].

==Background==

==Background==

===Chief of German police===

===Chief of German police===

When Hitler came to power in January 1933, Himmler controlled the "Schutzstaffel" ("Protection Squadron"; SS) which at the time was a 50,000-man sub-branch of the Nazi Party. In March Himmler became the Polizeipräsident in Munich. In April 1933 the political and intelligence sections of the Prussian police were combined into one unit and named the "Geheime Staatspolizei" (the [[Gestapo]]). It was under the control of then Prussian Ministry of Interior, [[Hermann Goering]]. During 1933-34, Himmler and Heydrich took over the political police departments in each German state until only Prussia was left. On April 20, 1934, Goering handed over the Gestapo to Himmler for use in the purge of the [[SA]]. Himmler appointed SD chief [[Reinhard Heydrich]], his second in command, the director of the Gestapo.  

When Hitler came to power in January 1933, Himmler controlled the "Schutzstaffel" ("Protection Squadron"; SS) which at the time was a 50,000-man sub-branch of the Nazi Party. In March Himmler became the Polizeipräsident in Munich. In April 1933 the political and intelligence sections of the Prussian police were combined into one unit and named the "Geheime Staatspolizei" (the [[Gestapo]]). It was under the control of then Prussian Ministry of Interior, [[Hermann Goering]]. During 1933-34, Himmler and his second in command, [[Reinhard Heydrich]] took over the political police departments in each German state until only Prussia was left. On April 20, 1934, Goering handed over the Gestapo to Himmler for use in the purge of the [[SA]]. Himmler appointed SD chief Heydrich, the director of the Gestapo.

At first Ernst Röhm's SA ("brownshirts"), with 2.9 million members, was a much larger and more powerful part of the Nazi Party than Himmler's SS ("blackshirts").  That suddenly changed in June 1934 as a result of a power struggle between the SA, which had a more radical vision than Hitler would tolerate, and a coalition of Himmler, Goering, the army and big business wanted eliminated from power. The army feared the SA would absorb it into its ranks or become a people's army. Himmler and Heydrich prepared the list of Röhm's SA associates who were executed or imprisoned in the "[[Night of the Long Knives]]" which took place between June 30 and July 2, 1934. Hitler had Röhm killed, as well. As a result, Himmler and his SS gained enormously; the SS was now its own separate branch and Himmler reported only to Hitler.<ref> The SA lost most of its members and all of its power. Evans (2005), pp. 31-41; Kershaw (1998) 1: pp. 499-522</ref><ref>Weale, (2010); Gerwarth (2011)</ref>

At first Ernst Röhm's SA ("brownshirts"), with 2.9 million members, was a much larger and more powerful part of the Nazi Party than Himmler's SS.  That suddenly changed in June 1934 as a result of a power struggle between the SA, which had a more radical vision than Hitler would tolerate, and a coalition of Himmler, Goering, the army and big business wanted the SA eliminated from power. The army feared the SA would absorb it into its ranks or become a people's army. Himmler and Heydrich prepared the list of Röhm's SA associates who were executed or imprisoned in the "[[Night of the Long Knives]]" which took place between June 30 and July 2, 1934. Hitler had Röhm killed, as well. As a result, Himmler and his SS gained enormously; the SS was now its own separate branch and Himmler reported only to Hitler.<ref> The SA lost most of its members and all of its power. Evans (2005), pp. 31-41; Kershaw (1998) 1: pp. 499-522</ref><ref>Weale, (2010); Gerwarth (2011)</ref>

On June 17, 1936, Hitler appointed Himmler chief of German police in the Ministry of Interior. With this appointment, Himmler consolidated his power over all police and security forces throughout Germany. That same year, he formed the (Sicherheitspolizei or SiPo) (Security police). The SiPo was made up of two sub-branches, the Kriminalpolizei (national criminal police) and the Gestapo, under Heydrich's overall command. The first official concentration camp was set up by Himmler in March 1933. By 1936 Himmler's SS opened 17 concentration camps for political prisoners (these were different from the death camps opened after 1941).<ref>Evans (2005), pp. 50-55, 84; Burleigh (2000), pp. 178-97</ref><ref>McNab (2009)</ref>

On June 17, 1936, Hitler appointed Himmler chief of German police in the Ministry of Interior. With this appointment, Himmler consolidated his power over all police and security forces throughout Germany. That same year, he formed the (Sicherheitspolizei or SiPo) (Security police). The SiPo was made up of two sub-branches, the Kriminalpolizei (national criminal police) and the Gestapo, under Heydrich's overall command. The first official concentration camp was set up by Himmler in March 1933. By 1936 Himmler's SS opened 17 concentration camps for political prisoners (these were different from the death camps opened after 1941).<ref>Evans (2005), pp. 50-55, 84; Burleigh (2000), pp. 178-97</ref><ref>McNab (2009)</ref>

===Holocaust===

===Holocaust===

On January 20, 1942, [[Reinhard Heydrich]], Himmler's second-in-command, chaired the [[Wannsee Conference]] to plan the systematic roundup and execution of all Jews the Nazis could reach. The Conference ensured inter-agency co-operation and set strategy and financing. Among Heydrich's directives, [[Adolf Eichmann]], chief of Gestapo sub-section IVB4, the SS's Jewish office, was charged with arranging deportation financing. Eichmann forced Jews into paying for their own deportation.  In February 1942 Himmler and another aide Oswald Pohl reorganized SS administrative and economic offices to form the SS Wirtschaft-und Verwaltungshauptamt (Economic and Administrative Head Office, or WVHA). The Inspectorate of Concentration Camp became part of the WVHA, and Himmler promoted Pohl to Obergruppenfuhrer und General der Waffen-SS, making him the third highest-ranking officer in the SS. Eighteen weeks after Wannsee, a Czechoslovak commando team with British support assassinated Heydrich, advancing Pohl to the second slot under Himmler. Meanwhile Himmler had special powers in Poland, where he feuded with the official supposedly in charge Hans Frank.<ref>Burleigh (2000), pp. 454, 646-51</ref>

On January 20, 1942, [[Reinhard Heydrich]], Himmler's second-in-command, chaired the [[Wannsee Conference]] to plan the systematic roundup and execution of all Jews the Nazis could reach. The Conference ensured inter-agency co-operation and set strategy and financing. Among Heydrich's directives, [[Adolf Eichmann]], chief of Gestapo sub-section IVB4, the SS's Jewish office, was charged with arranging deportation financing. Eichmann forced Jews into paying for their own deportation.  In February 1942 Himmler and another aide Oswald Pohl reorganized SS administrative and economic offices to form the SS Wirtschaft-und Verwaltungshauptamt (Economic and Administrative Head Office, or WVHA). The office of Inspectorate of Concentration Camp became part of the WVHA, and Himmler promoted Pohl to Obergruppenfuhrer und General der Waffen-SS, making him the third highest-ranking officer in the SS. Eighteen weeks after Wannsee, a Czechoslovak commando team with British support assassinated Heydrich, advancing Pohl to the second slot under Himmler. Meanwhile Himmler had special powers in Poland, where he feuded with the official supposedly in charge Hans Frank.<ref>Burleigh (2000), pp. 454, 646-51</ref>

===Waffen-SS in combat===

===Waffen-SS in combat===

==Finale==

==Finale==

As the Allied forces penetrated into Germany from east and west, Himmler opened negotiations for a separate peace with the U.S. and Britain. After this move failed, Himmler fled in disguise as Hitler disowned him. On May 21, 1945, Himmler, disguised as an German soldier, was captured by the British. Two days later, during a routine interrogation, Himmler removed his eyepatch, put on his spectacles and told the British officer who he was. He then committed suicide by biting down onto a concealed [[cyanide]] capsule<ref>Weale, (2010)</ref>; a sensible course of action, as he would certainly have been executed after the [[Nuremburg trials]] for his actions.

As the Allied forces penetrated into Germany from east and west, Himmler opened negotiations for a separate peace with the U.S. and Britain. After this move failed, Himmler fled in disguise as Hitler disowned him. On May 21, 1945, Himmler, disguised as an common German soldier, was captured by the British. Two days later, during a routine interrogation, Himmler removed his eyepatch, put on his spectacles and told the British officer who he was. He then committed suicide by biting down onto a concealed [[cyanide]] capsule<ref>Weale, (2010)</ref>; a sensible course of action, as he would certainly have been executed after the [[Nuremburg trials]] for his actions.

He was buried in an unmarked grave. There are no monuments, and indeed everything he built was systematically eradicated.

He was buried in an unmarked grave. There are no monuments, and indeed everything he built was systematically eradicated.

== Quotes from Heinrich Himmler ==

== Quotes from Heinrich Himmler ==

 

* "In the course of history periods of [[capitalism]] and [[socialism]] alternate with one another; capitalism is the unnatural, socialism the natural [[economic system]]...The [[National Socialists]] and the [[Communists|Red Front]] have the same aspirations. The [[Jew]]s falsified the Revolution in the form of [[Marxism]] and that failed to bring fulfillment." -- Speech in [[Potsdam]] (4 October 1943), quoted in Peter Longerich, Heinrich Himmler (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012), pp. 92-93.

* "In the course of history periods of [[capitalism]] and [[socialism]] alternate with one another; capitalism is the unnatural, socialism the natural [[economic system]]...The [[National Socialists]] and the [[Communists|Red Front]] have the same aspirations. The [[Jew]]s falsified the Revolution in the form of [[Marxism]] and that failed to bring fulfillment." -- Speech in [[Potsdam]] (4 October 1943), quoted in Peter Longerich, Heinrich Himmler (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012), pp. 92-93.

* "The best political weapon is the [[terrorism|weapon of terror]]. Cruelty commands respect. Men may hate us. But, we don't ask for their love; only for their fear." -- Quoted in "Visions of Reality - A Study of Abnormal Perception and Behavior" - by Alberto Rivas - Psychology - 2007 - Page 162

* "The best political weapon is the [[terrorism|weapon of terror]]. Cruelty commands respect. Men may hate us. But, we don't ask for their love; only for their fear." -- Quoted in "Visions of Reality - A Study of Abnormal Perception and Behavior" - by Alberto Rivas - Psychology - 2007, p. 162.

* "In the brief monthly reports of the Security Police, I only want figures on how many Jews have been shipped off and how many are currently left." -- To Ernst Kaltenbrunner. Quoted in "Hitler and the Final Solution" - by Gerald Fleming - History - 1987, p. 137.

* "In the brief monthly reports of the Security Police, I only want figures on how many Jews have been shipped off and how many are currently left." -- To Ernst Kaltenbrunner. Quoted in "Hitler and the Final Solution" - by Gerald Fleming - History - 1987, p. 137.