Heinrich Himmler
Introduction
Today I will be talking to you about a significant figure in German history. This man was directly responsible for the final solution and was the second most powerful man during World War II. His name was Heinrich Himmler.
Background
Heinrich Himmler was born on the 7th of October in 1900 and was raised by a conservative, Catholic family in the town of Munich. Himmler desired to be a farmer and studied the degree of agriculture at the Technical University in Munich. There he joined a German- Nationalist student fraternity, where became obsessed with nationalism and political activists. As well as wanting to become a farmer, Himmler also aspired to be an officer during World War I, however with Germany signing the Armistice on November 11 1918 it ended the war.
Becoming involved in politics
Heinrich Himmler played a crucial role in the development of the Nazi Party and helped implement momentous mass murders. Himmler’s role in the Nazi movement had substantial impacts, enabling the party to grow increasingly. Himmler’s first move into politics was the National Socialist through Ernst Rohm, where he came in close contact with Hitler joining the Nazi party in August of 1923. Himmler took part and marched alongside the Nazi leaders as a standard bearer. This was a major turning point in the Nazi movement as it placed the Nazi party and Hitler on a national scale.
Role/ Significance
One of Himmler’s important roles was becoming head of the Reichsfurer SS in 1929.In this he was responsible for the internal security in Nazi Germany by serving as bodyguards for both Hitler and Nazi leaders. This role helped in reinforcing the power of the Nazi government, allowing them to take control. Building up men from 280 to 52,000 by 1933 using his political powers effectively helping the Nazi part to obtain power and grow.
The SS ensured that there was no interference from opposing groups and Himmler had created two key functions of the...