german october protection squadron leading member nazi_germany nazi leader adolf_hitler briefly appointed military commander later commander replacement home army administration entire die powerful men nazi_germany people directly responsible holocaust member reserve battalion world war active service studied college joined appointed hitler years developed mere man battalion million strong paramilitary group following hitler orders set controlled nazi concentration camps known good skills selecting highly competent subordinates onwards chief german police minister interior overseeing internal external police security forces including secret state police lifelong interest interpreting beliefs promote racial policy nazi_germany incorporating symbolism rituals hitler behalf formed built camps concentration camps directed killing million jews people victims total number civilians killed regime estimated fourteen million people polish soviet citizens late world war hitler charged command failed achieve assigned objectives hitler replaced posts realising war lost attempted open peace talks western allies hitler knowledge shortly war ended hearing hitler dismissed posts april ordered arrest attempted hiding detained arrested british forces identity known british custody committed suicide early life born munich october conservative middle class roman catholic family father october teacher mother née january september devout roman catholic brothers july december godfather prince bavaria member royal family bavaria attended grammar school father deputy principal struggled athletics poor health suffering lifelong stomach complaints youth trained daily weights exercised stronger boys school later remembered awkward social situations diary kept intermittently age shows took keen interest current events discussion religion sex began training father connections royal family accepted officer candidate enlisted reserve battalion 11th regiment december brother served western saw combat receiving eventually promoted lieutenant november training war ended germany defeat denying opportunity officer combat discharge december returned war completed grammar school education studied following brief farm subsequent illness regulations non christians including jews minority groups eliminated unification germany continued exist thrive germany parts europe time went university exceptionally students school avoid jewish classmates remained devoted catholic student spent leisure time members fencing fraternity president jewish maintained demeanor jewish members fraternity spite growing second year university attempts pursue military career successful able extend involvement paramilitary scene munich time met early member founder storm battalion admired decorated combat soldier suggestion joined nationalist group interested jewish question diary entries containing increasing number remarks recording number discussions jews classmates reading lists recorded diary dominated pamphlets german myths tracts murder foreign minister june political views radical right took demonstrations treaty versailles raging parents longer afford educate sons disappointed failure career military parents inability finance doctoral studies forced low paying office job obtaining agricultural diploma remained position september nazi activist joined august party number member paramilitary unit involved beer hall unsuccessful attempt hitler seize power munich event set life politics questioned police role charged insufficient evidence lost job unable find employment parents munich frustrated failures aggressive friends family members searching world view came abandon catholicism focused mythology reinforced ideas religion found appealing political positions agreed views initially swept hitler charisma cult worship learned hitler reading began regard useful face party later admired consolidate advance position took advantage disarray party following hitler arrest wake beer hall worked party secretary propaganda assistant travelling bavaria party gave speeches distributed literature placed charge party office late responsible integrating area membership hitler party founded february year joined leader number initially larger formed hitler personal protection formed elite unit leadership position district leader appointed deputy propaganda chief january typical considerable freedom action post increased time began collect statistics number jews enemies party following strong need control developed elaborate bureaucracy september told hitler vision transform loyal powerful racially pure elite unit convinced man job hitler appointed deputy rank time joined youth group met later commandant concentration camp book life source race caught hitler attention leading later appointment firm believer superiority race philosophy major influence rise resignation commander january assumed position approval carried duties propaganda headquarters responsibilities organise participants rally september year grew force men persuaded hitler run separate organisation officially subordinate gain political power took advantage economic great depression coalition government unable improve economy voters turned political extreme included hitler populist rhetoric including blaming particularly jews economic hardships election nazis won percent vote seats hitler appointed chancellor germany president january heading short lived coalition nazis new cabinet initially included members hitler minister portfolio minister minister month later building set fire hitler took advantage event forcing von sign fire decree suspended basic rights allowed detention trial enabling act passed gave cabinet practice hitler legislative powers country facto dictatorship august hitler cabinet passed law stipulated von death office president abolished powers merged chancellor died morning hitler head state head government title und leader chancellor rise power provided opportunity thrive numbered members strict membership requirements ensured members hitler master race applicants qualities words like nursery trying reproduce good old strain started principles plant selection proceeded men think use build mention standards meet ideals organised intellect served began setting different departments appointed chief new service intelligence service renamed security service later officially appointed deputy men good working relationship mutual respect began remove control interior minister hoped create unified german police force march bavaria von appointed chief appointed commander political police year hitler promoted rank equal rank senior commanders took political police state state soon prussia controlled established und appointed chief rank department implemented racial policies monitored racial integrity membership men carefully racial background december introduced marriage order required men wishing marry produce family trees proving families descent non found family tree racial investigation person concerned excluded man issued record detailing genetic history expected marriage produce children creating pool genetically superior prospective members programme disappointing results cent men married produced child march months nazis seized power set official concentration camp hitler stated want prison detention camp appointed convicted ardent nazi run camp june devised system model future camps germany features included isolation victims outside world elaborate roll calls work details use force executions extract obedience strict disciplinary code guards uniforms issued prisoners guards alike guards uniforms special death head insignia end took control camps creating separate division initially camps housed political opponents time undesirable members german society criminals placed camps hitler decree issued december allowed deemed regime undesirable member society included jews communists persons cultural racial political religious affiliation deemed nazis sub human camps mechanism social racial engineering outbreak world war autumn camps housing inmates death tolls high consolidation power early hitler nazi leaders concerned planning coup état socialist populist views believed real revolution begun felt numbering million men far army sole arms bearing corps state army absorbed leadership lobbied hitler appoint minister defence position held conservative general created prussian secret police force appointed head concerned ruthless use effectively counteract power handed control april date hitler appointed chief german police outside prussia radical departure long standing german practice law enforcement state local matter named chief april continued head hitler decided june leadership eliminated sent berlin june meet plan action hitler took charge munich arrested gave choice commit suicide shot refused kill shot dead officers members leadership political adversaries including killed june july actions known night long knives independent organisation hitler july title highest formal rank equivalent field marshal army converted sports training organisation september hitler presented laws known laws laws banned marriage non jewish jewish germans forbade employment non jewish women age jewish households laws deprived called non benefits german citizenship laws race based measures instituted wanted extend power urged hitler form national police force overseen guard nazi_germany enemies time real imagined interior minister wanted national police force controlled police chief hitler left work arrangements greater power allied old enemy drew set proposals sent meet angry consulted hitler told agree proposals june hitler decreed unification police forces named chief german police role nominally subordinate practice police effectively division independent control gave operational control germany entire detective force gained authority germany law enforcement agencies amalgamated new order police branch shortly created criminal police umbrella organisation criminal investigation agencies germany merged security police command september following outbreak world war formed bring included umbrella placed command leadership developed military branch later evolved nominally authority developed fully structure command operations grew regiments divisions world war serving alongside army formally addition military ambitions established beginnings parallel economy umbrella end administrator set auspices holding company owned housing corporations factories publishing houses quickly exploited companies personal gain contrast honest matters money business preparations war hitler ended german alliance china entered agreement modern japan year austria unified nazi_germany munich agreement gave nazi_germany control czechoslovakia hitler primary motivations war included obtaining additional living space peoples considered racially superior according nazi ideology second goal elimination considered racially inferior particularly jews territories controlled hundreds thousands jews emigrated united_states palestine great_britain countries converted christianity anti church struggle saw main task acting vanguard overcoming christianity restoring way living preparations coming conflict humans biographer wrote nazi movement launched jews communists linking provided goal purpose opposed christian sexual morality principle christian mercy saw dangerous obstacles planned battle declared live era ultimate conflict christianity mission german people half century non christian ideological foundations lead shape lives task consist solely overcoming ideological opponent accompanied step positive impetus case means reconstruction german heritage widest comprehensive sense world war hitler army chiefs asked pretext invasion poland carried false flag project code named german soldiers dressed polish uniforms undertook border skirmishes suggested polish aggression germany incidents nazi propaganda justify invasion poland opening event world war beginning war poland hitler authorised killing polish civilians including jews ethnic poles task forces originally formed secure government papers offices areas taken germany world war authorised hitler direction units death squads followed army poland end murdered intellectuals civilians militias units took killings orders squads tasked rounding jews placement concentration camps germany subsequently invaded denmark norway netherlands france began bombing great_britain preparation invasion june day invasion soviet_union commissioned preparation general plan east plan finalised july called poland western ukraine conquered million german citizens current residents million people expelled east forced labour plan extended border germany thousand kilometres east miles expected thirty years complete plan cost billion stated openly question existence racial struggle severity course million jews military actions crises food supply declared war east pan european crusade defend traditional values old europe constantly struggling recruits solved problem creation units composed folk groups taken balkans eastern europe equally vital recruits considered peoples northern western europe netherlands norway belgium denmark finland spain italy provided men units western countries number volunteers varied high netherlands sweden switzerland east highest number men came lithuania lowest bulgaria men east performance eastern units sub standard late hitler named deputy newly established began racially classify concentration camps members swelling resistance shot earning nickname butcher prague appointment strengthened collaboration proud control state despite having direct access hitler loyalty remained firm hitler approval established lead planned invasion soviet_union march hitler addressed army leaders detailing intention smash destroy leadership special directive guidelines special spheres directive read operations area army given special tasks orders order prepare political administration tasks arise forthcoming final struggle opposing political systems framework tasks acts independently responsibility hitler intended prevent internal friction like occurring earlier poland german_army generals attempted bring leaders trial murders committed following army soviet_union rounded killed jews deemed undesirable nazi state hitler sent frequent reports addition million soviet prisoners war died starvation executions months soviet prisoners war died executed nazi concentration camps course war shot early following orders concentration camps constructed inmates subjected forced labour jews germany occupied territories deported camps confined germans pushed moscow december signalling invasion soviet_union failed hitler nazi officials realised mass east longer possible result instead jews europe destined death holocaust nazi racial policies including notion people racially inferior right live date earliest days party hitler discusses time german declaration war united_states december hitler finally resolved jews europe arranged meeting held january suburb berlin attended nazi officials outline plans final solution jewish question detailed jews able work worked death unable work killed outright calculated number jews killed million told attendees hitler placed charge plan june assassinated prague operation led members czechoslovakia army exile trained funeral services chief took charge young sons gave eulogy berlin june discussions hitler ordered brutal death people arrested village razed ground male inhabitants adults village murdered people executed firing squads took leadership stepped pace killing jews operation named honour ordered camps camps constructed initially victims killed gas firing squad methods proved operation scale august attended shooting jews shaken experience concerned impact actions mental health men decided alternate methods killing found orders early camp greatly expanded including addition gas chambers victims killed end war million jews killed nazi regime estimates range closer million visited camp early time people killed location witnessing gave people promotions ordered operation camp wound revolt october prisoners killed guards personnel prisoners escaped managed away joined partisan units operating area remainder killed camp dismantled december main architect holocaust deep belief racist nazi ideology justify murder millions victims nazis planned kill polish intellectuals restrict non germans conquered territories fourth grade education nazis wanted breed master race racially pure germany farmer acquainted principles selective breeding proposed apply humans believed engineer german populace example appearance decades end war speech october secret meeting officials city october speech party elite leaders referred explicitly german jewish people translated excerpt speech october reads want refer frankly difficult matter openly talk discuss publicly june perform duty ordered comrades failed wall execute spoke speak let thank god self evident discuss talked horrified clearly understood time order given necessary referring evacuation jews jewish people easily said jewish people says party member obvious program elimination jews small matter turn million germans decent jew particular splendid jew observed endured know means corpses lie endured time remained decent person exceptions human weaknesses tough glorious chapter spoken know difficult jews secret city bombings burden hardships war jews german nation likely arrive state hitler motivation speeches ensure party leaders aware plans actions impossible later deny knowledge killings allies indicated going pursue criminal charges german war crimes hitler tried gain loyalty silence subordinates making parties planned genocide commissioner consolidation german incorporated deeply involved program east particularly poland laid general plan east aim expel native population living space ethnic germans continued plans east germans reluctant relocate despite negative effects war effort racial began classification people deemed german blood included germans collaborated germany war considered german neutral partially germans polish ordered refused classified ethnic germans deported concentration camps children taken away assigned forced labour belief nature german blood resist led conclusion resisted racially superior ones declared drop german blood lost left alien race plan included kidnapping eastern european children nazi_germany urged obviously mixture peoples racially good types think duty children remove environment necessary stealing win good blood use place people destroy blood racially valuable children removed contact poles raised germans german names declared faith blood flowed foreign german history convinced philosophy ideals spirit children racially belong children adopted german families children passed muster later rejected taken eventually died january reported ethnic germans germans live envisioned small farms temporary camps quarters towns half million residents annexed polish territories deported sent germany slave labour instructed german nation view foreign workers brought germany danger german blood accordance german racial laws sexual relations germans foreigners forbidden race july plot july group german army officers led including highest ranked members german armed forces attempted assassinate hitler failed day formed special commission arrested suspected known opponents regime hitler ordered brutal resulted execution people embarrassed failure uncover plot led increase powers authority general commander chief reserve replacement army immediate superior implicated conspiracy hitler removed post named successor consisted million men hoped draw reserves fill posts appointed director deputy began fill posts men november merged army officer recruitment department successfully lobbied increase recruits time hitler appointed minister die august hitler authorised organisation administration army police services head responsible prisoners war charge system controlled development armaments january military commander june western allied armies landed northern france operation overlord response group formed engage advancing command general led general region west bank rhine late hitler appointed commander chief september hitler ordered create special army units people storm people army males aged sixteen eligible conscription militia protests armaments minister noted skilled workers removed armaments production hitler believed million men raised new units initiate people war hopes wildly optimistic october children young fourteen enlisted severe shortages weapons equipment lack training members poorly prepared combat lost lives final months war january hitler generals launched operation north wind goal break lines french 1st army support southern thrust offensive final major german offensive war limited initial gains germans americans halted offensive january operation north wind officially ended january spite lack military experience hitler appointed commander hastily formed halt offensive general considered appointment regarded officers chose organize defense uniformly incapable performing allotted tasks knowing need help appointed general experienced staff officer chief staff established command centre special train headquarters train telephone line inadequate maps signal detachment radios establish communication relay military orders seldom left train worked hours day insisted daily commencing work lengthy lunch attack northern flank launched february little responded soviet tank armies german forces days tanks reached baltic trapping german forces sought escape sea unable viable plans completion military objectives pressure hitler military situation anxious unable coherent reports hitler unwilling admit choice commander inadequate intense argument insisted change command hitler assigned headquarters command limited counter offensive hitler observed possible troops needed planned double attack neighbouring regions counter attack failed stop soviet advance hitler held personally liable accused following orders tenure military commander ended march hitler replaced general commander chief time care doctor february fled hitler sent forced medical leave absence reassigned post chief staff march failure hitler response marked deterioration relationship men time inner circle people hitler trusted rapidly peace negotiations early german war effort verge collapse relationship hitler deteriorated considered independently negotiating peace settlement moved sweden acted negotiations head letters exchanged men direct meetings arranged hitler met time april hitler birthday berlin swore total loyalty hitler military briefing day hitler stated leaving berlin spite soviet advances quickly left city briefing april met swedish representative discuss release jewish concentration camp inmates result negotiations people released operation negotiations falsely claimed built deal dead epidemic claimed high survival rates camps sites liberated obvious figures false days later met directly swedish representing provisional leader germany claimed hitler dead days hoping british americans fight soviets alongside remains asked inform general germany wished surrender west asked proposal writing obliged sent telegram hours earlier asking permission leadership act hitler interpreted demand step face coup april representative berlin caught civilian clothes preparing desert arrested brought evening april bbc broadcast news report attempted negotiations western allies hitler long believed second loyalty calling der loyal flew rage apparent betrayal hitler told bunker complex act worst known ordered arrest court shot time soviets advanced preparing storm report combined prompted hitler write testament testament completed april day prior suicide hitler declared stripped party state offices expelled hitler named grand admiral successor met offered second command maintained entitled position interim government believing good position restore maintain order war repeatedly rejected initiated peace negotiations allies wrote letter days formally dismissing posts capture suicide rejected comrades hunted allies attempted hiding extensive preparations equipped forged small band companions headed south final destination mind continued group split aides stopped detained set soviet following days moved camps brought british 31st near duty officer captain began routine interrogation admitted prisoner searched taken headquarters doctor wells conducted medical exam doctor attempted examine inside mouth prisoner reluctant open head away bit hidden collapsed floor dead minutes shortly afterward body buried unmarked grave near grave location remains unknown symbolism interested early age tied interest racist philosophy looking proof racial superiority ancient times promoted cult ancestor worship particularly members way race pure provide nation viewing order lines vienna began process replacing christianity new moral code rejected challenged christian concept marriage research society founded conducted research globe look proof superiority ancient origins race uniforms nazi_germany particularly symbolism design stylized lightning bolt logo chosen logo pair set created ancient originally sun renamed victory list modified variety existing customs emphasise central role naming ceremony replace baptism marriage ceremonies altered separate funeral ceremony held addition christian ceremonies centric celebrations summer winter instituted death head symbol german military units hundreds years chosen placed particular importance death head rings sold returned death owner interpreted deaths head symbol mean solidarity cause commitment unto death relationship hitler second command regular contact hitler arrange men involved policy making decisions years leading seizure power late 1930s independent control state agencies government departments reported hitler hitler leadership style contradictory orders subordinates place positions duties responsibilities overlapped way hitler fostered distrust competition subordinates consolidate power cabinet met discouraged ministers meeting independently hitler typically issue written orders gave meetings phone conversations convey orders position control flow information access hitler earning enemies including hitler promoted practised principle required absolute obedience subordinates superiors hitler viewed government structure pyramid leader apex accordingly placed position hitler like nazi officials aspirations day succeed hitler leader considered especially dangerous rival administration potential successor hitler refused accept offer high rank felt debt allow armaments production hitler called mystical interests nonsense member hitler inner circle men close rarely saw socially exclusively members loyalty efforts hitler earned nickname der faithful days war clear hitler planned die berlin left long time superior try save marriage family met future wife seven years senior nurse shared interest medicine owner small private clinic married july child born august couple foster parents boy named son officer died war sold share clinic proceeds buy plot land near munich erected house constantly away party business wife took charge efforts unsuccessful raise livestock sale owned dog nazis seized power family moved munich lake bought house later obtained large house berlin suburb free charge official residence couple saw little totally absorbed work relationship strained couple unite social functions frequent guests home saw duty invite wives senior leaders afternoon coffee tea wednesday young secretary starting mistress left job arranged accommodations later fathered children son born february daughter born july living daughter learned relationship separated decided tolerate relationship sake daughter working nurse war appointed supervisor military berlin close daughter nicknamed days visited diaries reveal leave berlin poor results age joined shortly went battle captured russians later returned germany lived remained loyal writing february said wonderful called great tasks equal germany looking expressed similar sentiments letter january left allied troops advanced area arrested american troops italy held camps italy france germany brought testify trials released november emerged experience alleged remained devoted father memory historical assessment said insignificant surface good decision maker talent selecting highly competent staff successfully inserted aspect daily life observes ability consolidate increasing powers responsibilities coherent system auspices led powerful men says dull emerged hitler second actual power strength lay combination unusual burning ambition loyalty hitler opined appeared powerful man hitler impossible practice meaningless ask prepared use power directly change course events historian john relates story subordinate showed picture said half teacher lower half comments followed hitler policies question ethical considerations accepted hitler nazi ideology saw order new germans adopted doctrine mission command orders given broad authority delegated downward appropriate level carry timely efficient manner states ideology gave men framework mission command tactics allowed junior officers act initiative obtain desired results according british war cabinet minutes released winston_churchill advocated assassination response attempts open peace allies churchill negotiate bump later entitled said churchill suggestion met support german news magazine described brutal mass murderers history architect holocaust explanatory notes printed
Heinrich Himmler