Heinrich Himmler German Nazi leader, commander of the elite SS units from 1929, chief of police and secret police of the Gestapo from 1936, responsible for the extermination of Jews in Eastern Europe. Date of Birth: 07.10.1900 Country: Germany

Biography of Heinrich Himmler

Heinrich Himmler (1900-1945) was a German Nazi leader, commanding the elite units of the SS since 1929 and serving as the chief of police and secret police (Gestapo) from 1936. He was responsible for the extermination of Jews in Eastern Europe. Himmler was born on October 7, 1900 in Munich to a Bavarian teacher's family. He aspired to become a professional officer, but the First World War had already ended by the time he completed his military training. Himmler joined one of the numerous divisions of the "Volunteer Corps." He then studied at the agricultural faculty of the Technical Institute in Munich, where he became close with nationalist veterans of the First World War. During the "Beer Hall Putsch" of 1923, Himmler served as a standard-bearer, carrying the so-called "battle flag of the Reich." He served as the secretary of Gregor Strasser, the leader of the socialist wing of the Nazi Party for a period of time. In August 1925, Himmler joined the reestablished Nazi Party led by Hitler and was appointed the Gauleiter of Bavaria. In 1928, Himmler married the daughter of a Prussian landowner, Margaret Boden, who was seven years older than him.
On January 6, 1929, by order of Hitler, Himmler became the Reichsführer of the SS. Creating his "Black Order," Himmler aimed to make it a continuation of the medieval knightly traditions and give it corresponding attributes such as silver rings with skull symbols, honorary swords, runic symbolism, etc. He developed a mystical ritual for joining the SS, promoting to higher ranks, and even recommended that SS members marry "model wives." According to the instructions, these wives should have Nordic facial features, have good knowledge of history, be fluent in foreign languages, know how to ride a horse, swim, drive a car, and shoot a pistol. Additionally, they were required to maintain exemplary households and be skilled in cooking. After passing the appropriate exam, the candidates for SS wives received a diploma. Himmler believed that the leaders of the Nazi Party and SS should have the ability to leave their wives and choose new ones according to the mentioned criteria. Both Hitler and Himmler agreed that after the war, polygamy should be legalized to stimulate population growth. Himmler said, "If the good blood that forms the basis of our people is not multiplied, then we will not be able to establish dominance over the world... A nation that, on average, has four sons per family, can dare to go to war, because if two die, the remaining two will continue their lineage. However, leaders who have one or two sons will hesitate when making any decisions. We cannot allow that." From 1931, Himmler focused on creating his own secret service, the SD, headed by Reinhard Heydrich. In 1933, Himmler was appointed the head of the Munich police, and upon Hitler's order, he established the first concentration camp in Dachau. On April 20, 1934, Göring appointed Himmler as the chief of the Prussian Gestapo. On June 17, 1936, Hitler signed a decree appointing Himmler as the supreme leader of all German police services. All police forces, both military and civilian, came under his control. Under Himmler's leadership, SS troops were also being formed.
From 1943, Himmler replaced Frick as the Imperial Minister of the Interior, and after the failure of the July Plot in 1944, he became the commander of the Reserve Army. Starting in the summer of 1943, due to Germany's imminent defeat, Himmler began contacts with representatives of Western intelligence agencies through his trusted individuals, aiming to negotiate a separate peace. When Hitler learned of this and on the eve of the collapse of the Third Reich, he expelled Himmler from the Nazi Party as a traitor and stripped him of all ranks and positions. Himmler left the Reich Chancellery and headed towards the Danish border, intending to disappear into the crowd of refugees, but on May 21, 1945, he was arrested by British authorities and committed suicide by taking poison. "He gave the impression of an intelligent elementary school teacher... Under a low forehead, light blue-gray eyes looked through sparkling glasses. Trimmed mustache under a straight, well-shaped nose stood out as a dark line on a pale face. The lips were bloodless and very thin... The skin on the neck was saggy and wrinkled. An almost imperceptible ironic and contemptuous smile appeared in the corners of his mouth, revealing dazzling white teeth, which briefly animated his motionless face. His hands were thin, white, almost girlish, with clearly visible blue veins."