Reinhard Heydrich in 250 Facts

[RolandVT]

Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich was a genius. Period. Dark, evil, diabolical genius, sure – but a genius nevertheless. Because only an evil genius could have conceived, structured, planned and executes such a gargantuan diabolical project as Shoah.

Unlike Eichmann, Göring (and possibly even Himmler), Heydrich was a true believer. He deeply, passionately, sincerely (and erroneously) believed that it was absolutely necessary to kill all Jews under German control. And he utilized all his talents, all his capabilities, all his resources and all his genius to making it happen… and was very close to success.

Reinhard Heydrich was highly driven, very determined, inhumanly disciplined, incredibly daring and totally committed to both of his highly patriotic (in his mind) fundamental objectives.

His first objective was to build a highly efficient – the best in the world – security service capable of protecting his beloved Germany from all domestic enemies. This objective was achieved on September 27, 1939 when RSHA was born.

It merged domestic and foreign intelligence (SD), political police (Gestapo), criminal police (Kripo) and paramilitary death squads (Einsatzgruppen) into a highly efficient security system. Heydrich achieved this almost impossible objective when he was just 35 years old…

Another – incomparably more challenging and grandiose – objective of his was the “Holocaust Project”. The “final solution to the Jewish question”. Physical extermination of all Jews under German control (in this, thanks God, he was not completely successful).

In addition, he was a highly successful Reich Protector (ruler) of Bohemia and Moravia… so successful, in fact that it became one of the reasons for his assassination by British commandos.

Young Heydrich trained seriously as a violinist, developing expert skill and a lifelong passion for the violin. He was a gifted musician – some of those who heard him playing, were sure that, had he chosen music as his occupation, he would have become one of the best violin players in the world. Too bad he didn’t.

Heydrich was a very accomplished all-round fencer. A talented athlete, he became an expert swimmer as well. He was very good at running and horse-riding… oh, and he was an accomplished fighter pilot with over 100 combat missions.

In short, the evil genius par excellence… and a serial mass-murderer.

[RolandVT]

Serial mass murderer, to be more precise… but a serial killer nevertheless. Hence, his biography is essentially how he became one – and how he killed. Not personally – he “just” created a murderous “Holocaust machine” … but he was as guilty of murder as those who pulled the trigger and operated gas chambers and gas vans.

All of them – and the top Nazi leaders – were serial killers as well; however, Heydrich was the primary serial mass murderer, because he made all the decisions on “Holocaust by Bullets” and “Holocaust by Gas”. Others either approved them (Hitler, Göring, Himmler) or executed them (everyone else).

However, they were all serial killers – and the Holocaust was still a serial homicide (serial mass homicide – but still a serial homicide). Consequently, the Holocaust must be investigated (like just any other serial homicide), not studied.

When you realize that Holocaust perpetrators were (psychologically) serial killers – just like Ted Bundy and his “colleagues” – you will immediately understand why the Holocaust happened the way it happened.

You will understand it because practically all serial killers share the same dynamics: they escalate (“graduate” from torturing animals to petty crimes to more serious crimes to very serious crimes such as rape); then snap (and start killing); then escalate (“graduate”) again to more and more vicious murders.

And that’s exactly what happened to the Nazis leaders: Hitler, Göring, Himmler, and Heydrich (first and foremost, to the latter). First, they escalated both in strategy (from forced emigration to deportation to inhospitable places) and in tactics (to a more and more severe persecution of Jews).

Then – sometime in early April of 1941 – they snapped and decided to commence mass murder of the Jews (initially, just men of military age in the USSR). Heydrich was the first to snap (and to subsequently escalate) – and subsequently caused all others to do the same. This snap was triggered when Hitler announced the existential war of annihilation against the “Judeo-Bolshevist” USSR on March 30.

Then they escalated again: from shooting all male Jews they graduated to murdering all Jews in the Soviet Union… and then escalated to murdering all Jews in all territories controlled by Germany and its allies.

Actually, there were two other “snaps” – Night of the Long Knives and the “pacification” of Poland (although Aktion T4 influenced the dynamics as well).

[RolandVT]

Serial mass murderer, to be more precise… but still a serial killer.

From their motives for carrying out their crimes, there are four main types (archetypes even) of serial killers: Visionary, Mission-oriented, Hedonistic and Power/Control. Reinhard Heydrich (obviously) fit into the second category.

A mission-orientated serial killer is someone who kills in order to “rid” society of a specific group of people (in extreme cases – to save society or even the whole mankind of an existential threat from the group in question). Prostitutes (often); homeless (sometimes); homosexuals (ditto); petty criminals (happens)… and yes, a certain race or ethnic group (Blacks, Asians – or Jews).

These serial killers believe that they are doing society a huge favor. It is their Mission to kill these people. As a result, they won’t stop until they have been killed or caught by law enforcement… or are incapacitated in some way.

Reinhard Heydrich fit this definition to a “T” because he sincerely, passionately, deeply (and incorrectly) believed that to save Germany, Europe and the whole human civilization from genuine Hell on Earth, the SS absolutely had to kill all Jews – men, women, children and elderly. Via serial mass murder.

Mission-oriented serial killers are not psychotic (neither was Heydrich). Unlike the Visionary killer, for example, the Mission-orientated killer is not out of touch with reality. Neither are they demonically possessed – they exhibit no signs of the latter.

He (they are almost always male) does not suffer from hallucinations or delusions. God or some other entity is not commanding him to commit these murders. His decision to kill was a decision that he made all by himself (as did Heydrich).

Usually, this type of serial killer tends to be organized (ditto). They plan their crimes and can live a perfectly normal life (that’s exactly what Heydrich did). They tend to kill their victims quickly (ditto) -and often in a “humane” way.

For example, they might use a gun because it is quick and efficient. There will be no attempts to “prolong” the kill or get further enjoyment out of it. As a result, the crime scene will contain no signs of sadism or torture. That’s precisely what modus operandi of Holocaust perpetrators was – all the time.

Mission-orientated serial killers can be meticulous and obsessive (Heydrich very much so). Feelings of revenge and hatred are often a driving factor behind their crimes (for him, it obviously was) … hence, Heydrich, indeed, was a textbook mission-oriented serial killer (serial mass murderer).

[RolandVT]

Contrary to a popular misconception, demonic possession (i.e., possession of an individual by “evil spirits”) is not a myth. It does happen. Even prominent psychiatrists confirm that there are mental disorders that can only be explained by a demonic possession.

Nazis committed enormous and horrible crimes against humanity, murdering millions of people. Including four million or so Jews – God’s chosen people. Which (especially the latter) was obviously very pleasing to the Devil.

Consequently, it is no surprise that many believe that Reinhard Heydrich (and possibly all Nazis involved in these horrendous crimes) were, indeed, possessed by the Prince of Darkness – or at least by some horrible demons.

They were not – the Nazi Evil (though unspeakable) was of purely human nature, caused by genuinely deadly human sins of wrath (mostly), fear and pride. This is the official expert opinion of Holy Roman Catholic Church.

The truth is that the Church has very strict rules for determining whether the individual in question is, indeed, possessed by an evil spirit. The first rule is that the individual must demonstrate one or more clear signs of demonic possession.

Supernatural strength, supernatural knowledge (that he had no way of acquiring via natural means), ability to fluently speak languages that he never learned, an aversion to the sacred objects (crucifix, holy water, Christian temples, Holy Bible, etc.), and speaking in an unnatural – and deeply frightening – “demonic” voice.

Heydrich (or any other prominent Nazi) never demonstrated any of these signs. Consequently, no competent and responsible exorcist would have ever stated that any of the above was possessed by evil spirits.

Oh, and Joseph Stalin has never demonstrated any signs of demonic possession either. Consequently, although his objective of destroying the human civilization as we know it and replacing it with the alternative civilization (global Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) was clearly demonic, he was definitely NOT possessed by the Devil. Or any other evil spirit, for that matter.

True, Stalin developed a strange obsession with Tamerlane (Timur) – a great conqueror (one of the greatest military leaders in history) … or his spirit, he still was not possessed. This obsession is explained by pure psychology – Timur founded a great empire, was never defeated in battle and was one of the most brutal and deadly rulers in history.

[RolandVT]

Serial mass murderer, sure – but still a serial killer. Textbook mission-oriented serial killer. Now the existential (for four million Jews and millions of other Nazi victims) question is:

How on bloody (literally) earth did smart, talented (genius even), cultured, well-integrated into German society, with normal loving family become serial mass murderer??? What the hell (literally) happened?

Actually, the key objective of this book is to provide a comprehensive (and thus inevitably quite long) answer to this genuinely existential question. However, it is already possible to provide a short one.

To provide this answer, we must turn to the studies performed on such well-known serial killers as Ted Bundy, Westley Allen Dodd, Arthur Gary Bishop, Keith Jesperson, and Ted Kaczynski (the Unabomber).

It turned out that these individuals acquired at some point in their lives a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In other words, they received either one colossal emotional trauma – or s series of such traumas over weeks, months or even years.

One of the consequences of PTSD is “fight-or-flight response”; another is the development of various phobias. In religious terms, it means that victims of PTSD often develop a lethal combination of rage and fear – two in this case literally deadly sins. In extreme cases, PTSD can make its victims deadly aggressive.

It appears that this is exactly what happened to Heydrich, Hitler, Himmler, other Nazi leaders, other Nazis… and lots of other Germans (the latter could be rightfully called the “PTSD nation”).

Hardships of war (first and foremost, hunger caused by Blockade of Germany), humiliating defeat in First Great War; grossly unfair terms of a criminal Treaty of Versailles, hyperinflation, Great Depression; constant fear of being invaded from the West (by France) and from the East (by the USSR) … no wonder they got PTSD.

As all these highly emotionally traumatic events were directly or indirectly associated with Jews, it is no surprise that Nazi leaders (as well as other Nazis and ordinary Germans) developed acute Judeophobia: fear of and hatred for the Jews.

Heydrich got additional traumas from a “local civil war” in Halle in 1919 – and from being unfairly thrown of the Navy in 1931. No wonder, he escalated, snapped and then escalated again… ultimately becoming a serial mass murderer. Obviously, it does not absolve him of his crimes – it only explains them.

[RolandVT]

Contrary to a popular misconception, Reinhard Heydrich and other the Nazis (even Adolf Hitler) were not monsters (evil or otherwise). They were human beings. Homo Sapiens. However, they were quite specific human beings.

They were National-Socialist, sure – but they were also national-sociopaths. And thus, were driven by two very different kinds of emotions – genuine patriotic love for Germany and German people and by virulent fear of, and hatred for some other nations (first and foremost, the Jews). And for their political opponents in Germany (and elsewhere) as well.

A classic sociopath (by definition) is an individual who loves only himself (or herself for that matter) and cares only about himself/herself. He/she considers all other individuals as tools that he/she uses to satisfy one’s needs, wants and desires. Often with devastating consequences for the tool in question.

The ‘morals’ and ‘ethics’ of a sociopath are short and simple: What is good for me is good; what is not good for me is bad. What is good for me is Good; what is not good for me is Evil. Thus, a sociopath does not give a rat’s ass about needs, wants, desires, well-being and happiness of other individuals.

A national-sociopath, again by definition, is the one who is a genuine patriot of his/her nation, loves it dearly, has an irresistible desire to serve it to make his nation happy – and even is consent to die for his/her Fatherland, if necessary.

And he or she sees (Heydrich’s wife Lina was a perfect example of the latter) all other nations only as tools (servants or even slaves) that he/she uses to satisfy needs, wants and desires of his/her nation.

Thus, a national-sociopath does not give a rat’s ass about needs, wants, desires, well-being and happiness of other nations. He/she views some nations as junior partners (to be used and exploited nevertheless), others as servants or even slaves (ditto) and some others as mortal enemies (to be ruthlessly exterminated).

For Adolf Hitler and other Nazis, Japan, Italy, Romania, Finland, Slovakia, Croatia and Bulgaria were partners; Poles, Russians, Ukrainians, etc. were servants (or even slaves) and Jews were mortal enemies.

And that’s exactly who Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich and other Nazis really were and that’s exactly why they did what they did. Including (but not limited to) the Holocaust and other monstrous war crimes and crimes against humanity.

[RolandVT]

Berlin: July 31, 1941

To: Chief of the Security Police and the SD, SS Major General Heydrich

As a supplement to the task which was entrusted to you in the decree dated January 24, 1939, to solve the Jewish question by emigration and evacuation in the most favorable way possible, given present conditions, I herewith commission you to carry out all necessary preparations with regard to organizational, substantive, and financial viewpoints for a total solution of the Jewish question in the German sphere of influence in Europe.

Insofar as other competencies of other central organizations are affected, these are to be involved. I further commission you to submit to me promptly an overall plan showing the preliminary organizational, substantive, and financial measures for the execution of the intended final solution of the Jewish question.

————————————————————————————————

This letter officially appointed Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich the CEO of the “Final Solution” project (in a few weeks it became the “Holocaust Project”). Contrary to some misconception, Göring knew perfectly well that the “Final Solution” would result in total annihilation of Jews under German control.

Knew perfectly well, because prior to that time, Heydrich had been tasked with similar solutions three times – and in all cases the answer was the same: “kill them all”. Hence, there was no doubt that the answer would be the same.

Heydrich became the expert in serial mass murder after his Einsatzgruppen killed over 100,000 “potential Resistance activists” in occupied Poland. In early April of 1941, Heydrich was tasked by Hitler (most likely, via Hermann Göring) to come up with answer to the existential question: what to do with Jews in occupied Soviet territories after the invasion of the USSR.

Heydrich’s solution was simple and brutal – all male Jews of military age were to be ruthlessly shot. Himmler, Göring and Hitler (in that order) agreed – and the first stage in the “Holocaust by Bullets” was the result.

After the invasion of the Soviet Union another existential question was asked by Der Fuhrer: what to do with ALL Soviet Jews: men, women, children and the elderly. Heydrich (predictably) gave the same answer: shoot them all.

Himmler, Göring and Hitler (in that order) agreed – and Himmler (who had the authority over all security matters in the occupied territories of the USSR) tacitly approved mass murder of all Jews. In August of 1941, Himmler made it official. This appointment gave Heydrich enormous power in the Reich – which ultimately led to his murder (no, he was killed not by British assassins – but by his brethren).

[RolandVT]

Reinhard Heydrich was a highly complex individual – hence, it is no surprise that his motivation was highly complex as well.

First and foremost, Heydrich was a genius – and he was well aware that he was a genius. And genius wants, first and foremost, fame. Eternal fame. And he got one – most likely, not the one he wanted… but still, he will not go into oblivion. He will be remembered for eternity (who knows – maybe, it is the only thing he really cared about).

Second, Heydrich was a national-sociopath – and thus a patriot of Germany… according to his definition of patriotism, of course. Hence, he was driven by a burning desire to do something great for his Fatherland. And he did… however, it turned out to be criminally, diabolically great.

Which did not help Germany in any way – on the contrary, it caused his Fatherland a colossal, gigantic, mammoth, gargantuan, enormous, grandiose, catastrophic harm. The harm which will be felt for eternity.

Third, since his days in Maercker’s Volunteer Rifles (a paramilitary Freikorps unit) he was driven by a desire to “serve and protect”. In other words, to serve his beloved Germany by protecting it from all enemies – foreign and domestic.

Initially, he was protecting his Fatherland from foreign enemies – by serving faithfully in Reichsmarine – and when he was unceremoniously (and quite unfairly) thrown out of German Navy, he switched to protecting Germany from internal enemies (according to Nazi definition, of course).

First, in Ic; then in SD; then in Gestapo, SiPo – and, finally, in RSHA (the latter included setting up and running SS death squads). The latter ultimately led to him becoming the CEO of the “Holocaust Project” that killed four million Jews.

It is hard to pinpoint exactly when Reinhard Heydrich subscribed to the objective of making Germany Judenrein (“cleansed of Jews”) – which became a powerful drive for gim. Most likely, it was even before Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor in January of 1933.

Whatever the exact date, Heydrich exhibited classic traits of a serial killer: he escalated (from emigration to internment); then snapped (in April of 1941); then began to kill (in June of 1941, using Einsatzgruppen), then escalated again – ultimately to the “Final Solution” and “Holocaust by Gas”.

[RolandVT]

On May 27, 1942, Heydrich planned to meet Hitler in Berlin for reasons yet unknown (transfer to France seems unlikely). To get from his home to the air field, Heydrich would have to pass a section which was well suited for the attack because motorists have to slow for a hairpin bend.

As Heydrich’s convertible car slowed (the top was lowered due to warm weather), one of the British assassins took aim with a Sten submachine gun, but it jammed and failed to fire. Heydrich ordered his driver, Klein, to halt and attempted to confront the killer rather than speed away.

The second assassin, who had not been spotted by Heydrich or Klein, threw a converted anti-tank mine at the car as it stopped. It landed against the rear wheel. The explosion ripped through the rear fender and wounded Heydrich causing serious damage to his left side: he suffered major injuries to his diaphragm, spleen, and one lung, as well as a broken rib.

A Czech woman went to Heydrich’s aid and flagged down a delivery van. He was placed on his stomach in the back of the van and taken to the emergency room at Bulovka Hospital.

A splenectomy was performed and the chest wound, left lung, and diaphragm were all debrided. Himmler ordered his physician Karl Gebhardt to fly to Prague to assume care. Despite a fever, Heydrich’s recovery appeared to progress well.

Hitler’s personal doctor Theodor Morell suggested the use of the new antibacterial drug sulfonamide, but Gebhardt thought that Heydrich would recover and declined the suggestion. It was a deadly mistake. On June 3, Heydrich fell into a coma; he died the following day. An autopsy concluded that he died of sepsis. He was just 38.

Gebhardt served as Chief Surgeon of the Staff of the Reich during World War II; consequently, it is highly unlikely that this decision was a “honest mistake” due to incompetence (besides, every doctor always chooses the “side of caution”).

Hence, it is practically certain that Gebhardt murdered Heydrich on Himmler’s orders. The existential question is: what was Himmler’s motive? It appears that Himmler wanted to do away with Hitler (using German Resistance as pawns), take over Germany and transform it into SS-Staat… and Heydrich stood in the way.

This theory is supported by the fact that Gebhardt was not punished for his deadly error: he continued to serve in all his positions and was even promoted to SS- Gruppenführer. He was executed for war crimes by the Allies on August 20, 1947.

[RolandVT]

The most characteristic trait was that he was a man of few words. He never talked about something or discussed something [just] for the love of talk. Every word had to have a concrete meaning, or purpose, had to hit the point. Therefore he never said even one word more than necessary.

He did not read much. Never did he read novels or philosophical books, eventually he read themes on scientific topics.

He never wasted a minute of his time. Every minute had to have is aim and purpose. Therefore he simply hated to go for a walk. Gymnastic exercise was not meant for a past-time or leisure, but for discipline, a training to reach the highest possible record in it. Therefore he always chose such sports to which he did not take naturally, but which required a hard training, self discipline. For instance, he was not at all gifted for fencing, but the end of its hard and enduring training was that he became German champion.

The only exception in this respect was perhaps hunting. But even that was not only and simply pleasure and past-time. He knew he had to get away from his office, his work, once [in] a while, that he had to relax; and going hunting meant recreation and activity at the same time.

In the morning, while being shaved, he worked at the new reports that had come in during the night (we call that "Akten," I don't know whether the correct English expression wants perhaps be "file"). After breakfast during the 30 minutes ride to the office this reading was continued. He never let his staff had even a minute's rest, it was very hard and strenuous for them.

During lunch … conferences. Lunch was taken in a small dining room in the office. Very often people who had to report on something were ordered to take part in this luncheons. But woe betide him who tried to begin a "speech." His own way of expression was the condensed and abbreviated style of telegrams (wires) and in this language he expected the reports, bare of every unnecessary word. If some one did not know that, he was sure to be interrupted after a few minutes by the words, "der langen Rede kurzer Sinn ist --" i.e., "that's what you wanted to say, was it not?" (I think the first words of this has been translated into 'the final analysis is..') [i.e., cutting to the bottom line].

My husband never had time. He had lost the human measure. He always hurried his subordinates. He did not know any private or family life, and he did not estimate that of his fellow-workers. His life was the conditionless [unconditional] devotion to his task and that was what he expected from everyone. Once a newly engaged assistant asked quite harmless[ly] what his wages would be. "Wages," my husband asked him. "You ought to ask what your work is going to be. Until now nobody is starved in my ressort."

Money did not mean a thing to my husband. He only knew that you could not live without it. Some one in the office was in charge of his money. He had to meet al the expenses and he talked with me about them eventually. My husband said, "An old stocking is of more value than 10 Reichsmarks, for I cannot put on and wear a stocking, ten marks don't keep me warm." At the time when I heard him say that I laughed, but now I understand him quite well.

My husband was vain. He hated nothing more than to be dressed inadequately. That did not apply to his wife. She might have worn the most impossible dresses, he thought them all right.

He also was ambitious, ambition meant work and efficiency, it meant "don't seem to be more than you are." [Website comment: Mehr Sein als Scheinen: Generalstabsdoktrin]. The fact that he spoke so little made him seem a ruffian [philistine, boorish?], but his refined and exquisite manners charmed every one.

He could deliver speeches or orations, but he could take part in discussions and then his logic was forceful. Once when he explained to Himmler the nonsense of one of H.'s speeches, H. said to him: "You, with your damned logic!"

His memory was astounding. He never needed a telephone directory. He knew by heart all the numbers he needed, he never forgot a single report that he had read. In this respect the most surprising stories are told about him.

Neither in his youth nor later on had he any personal friends. He also tried to avoid every social contact with neighbors or fellow workers. That was very hard on me. When I once asked him for the reason, he answered: "How can I be friends with any one, as I never can tell whether there might not perhaps arise the possibility of having him arrested one day!"

He distrusted every one and he was hardly ever mistaken in his judgment of persons. How often did he not say to me, "I don't know, there is something about this person that I don't like, if I would only know what's wrong with him." So my husband who seemed to be guided only by his logic and intelligence was in the end led by intuition. There was an immense danger in his development, that of human isolation.

He was easily irritated and got excited about the smallest matters such as wrongly filed reports, incorrectness in the behavior of adjutants, belated beginnings of public assemblies, and so on. But difficult problems in his work he solved without any signs of excitement. He was the man who passed the most dangerous cliff without difficulty, but whom a straw caused to stumble.

He required absolute obedience as he himself obeyed without questioning. Order was order, and a soldier had to have no personal meaning [Meinung, opinion] as to an order.

His way of living (standard of life?) was modest. He did not like pomp, nor to be the centre of a society. He loved good food, but he did not like splendid dinners. Receptions, state funerals, public affairs of every kind he just hated, and he tried to get away from them wherever he could. He smoked little and hardly ever took alcohol. When he did go out, he preferred to go incognito. His daily life was scheduled to the minute. He kept absolute silence as to office matters.

He never gave in before he had reached the aim he wanted to reach. If he did once mistrust a person, it was exceedingly difficult to convince him or to prove to him that this person did not earn [deserve] this judgment.

He was not at all conciliate [sic. conciliatory?] nor did he flatter. Therefore he thought it convenient to have a superior like Himmler, who took over all that he himself did not like. He saw quite well that H[immler] cut a rather poor figure in social affairs, but as long as he himself did not need appear in public he did not mind.

As to all the funny ideas of Himmler, his tendency to mysticism, his pride [pretensions? Airs?] of being a soldier, my husband just had a well-meaning smile for them. But when there were differences of opinion concerning official matters my husband stood his ground unshakably.

Orders from Hitler were obeyed absolutely. My husband saw in him the one great man. I sometimes ask myself what his thoughts would have been if he had seen the bitter end. He thought him to be the one and only being who could lead the German nation to greatness and glory. Therefore it is good that my husband died in 1942. He has kept his faith and ideal.