Himmler

Heinrich Himmler was a military member, leading member of the Nazis, and Reichsfuhrer of the Schutzstaffell, or the leader of the SS Men, during Hitler's reign in Germany from 1933 to 1945. Heinrich was born in 1900 in Munich, to a family that was conservative, middle class, and devoutly Roman-Catholic. He was named after his grandfather and went to grammar school in Landshut, which is where his father worked as deputy principal. At age 15, he started training with the Cadet Corps, gaining acceptance through his connection to the royal family of Bavaria, courtesy of his father.

Himmler was still in training when Germany was defeated in the First World War in 1918, which denied him the chance to see combat or reach officer's rank. Once discharged, Himmler went home to finish his grammar-school education. In 1871, when Germany was unified, most of the discriminatory laws and regulations were done away with. Still, anti-Semitism ran rampant simply because taking away the laws didn't take away people's views. Heinrich Himmler was an avid anti-Semitist by the second year of university, and went on to join the Reichskriegsflagge, an anti-Semitic national group.

In 1923, Himmler joined the Nazi party and began a life of politics. After the coup failed to overtake the government, he lost his job and ended up living with his parents in Munich, which fueled his aggression, opinions, and need for political power. The Nazi party was appealing to Himmler because it was aligned with his own views. He wasn't instantly swept up by Adolf Hitler's charm and charisma, but as he learned about the man he saw how useful Hitler could be in the political realm. Himmler grew his ranks in the Nazi party and then joined the SS Men (Hitler's personal protection team) in 1925.

He rose to a position of leadership within the SS during Hitler's rise to power and became his right-hand man once Hitler was elected into office. He was responsible for the set up and control of concentration camps during the Holocaust, under Hitler's orders. His organizational skills and ability to pick competent men for the Nazi party is what made him such a useful force. Himmler built extermination camps and was responsible for directing the deaths of more than 11 to 14 million people throughout the entire Holocaust. He attempted to have peace talks behind Hitler's back with the Allies near the end of World War II, whereupon he was dismissed from his posts. He was forced into hiding by the ending of the war and eventually captured by British forces when they discovered who he was. Heinrich Himmler committed suicide in May 1945.