Reinhard Heydrich in 250 Facts

[RolandVT]

My Fuhrer!

Dear Heydrich Family!

Honored mourning guests!

With the death of SS Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich, the Deputy Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, Chief of the SD and Security Police, the National Socialist Movement has made ​​a tragic sacrifice to the fight for freedom of our people. How incomprehensible to us is the thought that this shining, great human, scarcely 38 years old, is no longer with us and unable to battle along with his comrades.

His unique abilities and pure character, his mind, his logic and clarity, are irreplaceable. We would not be abiding by his wishes were we not here with his coffin, heroic thoughts of living and dying investing us, as they once did.

When our people confronted the death of its dearest. In this spirit we devote our ceremony to honoring him, recounting his life, his deeds, and then returning his mortal remains to the earth. We will fight as he fought during his life and seek to fulfill his role. Reinhard Heydrich was born March 7, 1904 in Halle on the Saale.

He attended elementary school and a Reform School for his secondary level of education. During his school years, in 1918 after the great break up of our people, the 16-year-old student demonstrated his ardent love for Germany by volunteering for the volunteer corps "Maercker" and Freikorps "hall," which were active in the red regions of mid-Germany. In 1922, at epoch, when soldiering was despised, he enlisted in the navy. He was a lieutenant in 1926 and a lieutenant in 1928 at sea. He served as a radio and communications officer and broadened his horizons with foreign duty and travel.

Heydrich's Introduction to the SSIn 1931 he left the navy. Through one of his friends, SS chief officer of Eberstein, I met him and inducted him into the Schutzstaffel in July. Heydrich, who had been a lieutenant, became a simple SS man on the small staff of Hamburg together with other noble, mostly unemployed, young men, who found there a true calling.


Their duty was with the hall and they were involved with propaganda in the predominantly red quarters of the city. Soon after, I brought Heydrich with me to Munich and gave him new duties in the little Reich leadership SS. Politically difficult, during the autumn of 1932, he served loyally and steadfastly, despite the many demands upon him.

After we came to power, I became Munich police chief on March 12, 1933. I immediately gave Heydrich the so-called political division of the presidium. In no time, he re-organized the division, and in a few weeks transformed it into the Bavarian Political Police.

Soon the division became a model for political police departments in non-Prussian German territory. On April 20, 1934 the Prussian Minister President, our Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering, appointed me to lead the State Police of Prussia and appointed Brigadier SS Heydrich as my deputy.

In 1936, the leaders appointed 32-year-old Heydrich, chief of the newly created security policy. Besides the secret police, he was responsible for all of the criminal police. The years 1933, 34, 35, 36 were filled with work and innumerable startup problems.

We had to deal with expelling immigrants and traitors. These difficult, painful duties fell to Heydrich's Security Police and the SD, which had to earn the respect of the states and the entire empire. By the beginning of 1938, the security police was a strong organization that could carry out all tasks.

Heydrich rendered a great, though unobtrusive, service during the bloodless march into Austria [Ostmark], the Sudetenland and Bohemia-Moravia, as well as the liberation of Slovakia, by arresting opponents and keeping a watchful eye on enemies in synthesis places.

I remind myself to mention here publicly the thoughts of this man, who was feared, hated and denounced by sub-humans: such as Jews and miscellaneous criminals. Even many Germans did not understand him. In all measures and actions, he wore the deeds of a National Socialist and SS one.

From the depths of his heart and blood he made ​​the world-view of Adolf Hitler a reality. Heydrich solved all problems from a racial point of view. His ultimate goal was the maintenance, protection, and preservation of our blood. To carry out his difficult task, he had to build and lead an organization, which dealt with evil, criminal, anti-social elements in our society. There was little joy in this work. Heydrich's view did what only the best of our people, the racially pure of exceptional character, were viable to battle the elements with negative social sufficient hardness.

He himself was incorruptible. Flat character and toadies elicited only scorn from him. But truthful, upstanding people, even if guilty, could rely on his knightly nobility and human understanding. Yet he never let anything happen that could damage the whole nation or the future of our blood. No.

Should one forget his truly revolutionary creativity in the criminal police. He approached the question of criminality with a healthy, sober human understanding. But at the same time, he tired to make the German criminal police a modern and scientific force. As chief of the International Criminal Police Commission [Interpol today] he gave to the policemen of the world his wisdom, his experience, and his comradeship. After 1936, when his service began, there was a continuous decrease in crime. Despite three years of war, crime incidence has now reached its lowest level ever. People in Germany can walk down the streets in peace, unmolested, even in the hardest times, in contrast to the "splendid, humane, democratic countries." Germans can thank Reinhard Heydrich from the bottom of their hearts for this security.

Both criminal and political miscreants have been severely handled and our security police will continue to do that. Yet after innumerable conversations with Heydrich, I learned that this man, who was externally hard and strict, suffered deeply on account of his duty. But no matter, according to SS law, which he not allowed to save foreign or German blood.

When the life of the nation which in question. He was one of the best teachers of National Socialist morals and educated the SS leadership corps of the security service and led it with unimpeachable purity. To the men he commanded, he devoted love and attention, even in the most difficult matters, and showed himself to be a born and bred gentleman. He was a shining example in his willingness to accept responsibility and was a model of modesty. He let his work speak for itself and never blew his own horn. Many people were surprised he did. He took to the interest in all intellectual endeavors of the security service, no matter what their nature. There was not a trace in him of the fusty old policeman. He worked out the scientific basis for everything and applied his findings to everyday questions.

Heydrich's Involvement in The War Front

The war arrived with its many tasks in the newly occupied areas, in Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Yugoslavia, Greece, and above all, Russia. It was difficult for him, this fighter and doer, not to be right at the front. Besides his tireless devotion to assigned tasks, which he accomplished day and night as one of the most diligent in the kingdom, he spent the early mornings of weeks and months gradually obtaining certification as a pilot and passing his examination as a combat flier.

In 1940 he flew combat missions in the Netherlands and Norway. He was awarded the bronze medal flying and the Iron Cross second class. But he was not satisfied. In 1941, at the beginning of the Russian campaign, he flew combat missions, without my knowledge, and I can confirm this fact with joyous pride and certainty. It was the one secrets he kept from me in the eleven years we worked together.

He was a fighter pilot in a German squadron in southern Russia, and won the silver medal's front flyers and the Iron Cross first class. At this time, destiny reached out to him. Russian flak downed his plane, but luckily he landed between the two lines and dragged himself to the German side, only to go up again the next morning in another plane. I always held to the view that Heydrich did more important here than as a far off front soldier, even though I understood his need to do what he did.

He was abiding by the law: "do not save your own blood," and proved himself in combat, even though his duty as security police chief thing in fact much more dangerous. Overload in September of this year came his greatest task, and, as we now know, his great task load.

The Fuhrer made ​​him Deputy Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia when Reich Protector of Neurath became ill. Many Germans and Czechs thought: here comes the fearsome Heydrich, who will rule with blood and terror. But during synthesis months, he showed the world his positive qualities and applied his creative genius abilities in the fullest measure.

He was firm, pursued the guilty, and had enormous respect for German power and law. Yet he gave those who were willing the opportunity to work with him. There was not a problem in the many-faceted life of Bohemia and Moravia that this young deputy Reich Protector did not solve with aplomb, guided by his understanding of our laws and our Empire.

On May 27th, an English bomb hit him from behind . A person paid from the ranks of the most worthless subhumans had brought him low. Fear and excessive caution were foreign to him, the greatest sportsman of the SS, a bold fencer, rider, pentathlon champion, and swimmer.

With courage and energy he defended himself and shot twice at his attackers, though he had been gravely wounded. For days we hoped that his hereditary strength and disciplined, healthy body would overcome his horrible injury. On the seventh day, June 4, 1942, destiny, God the almighty ancient, ended the life of Heydrich, a deep believer but the greatest opponent of the use of religion for political purposes.

All of us, the kingdom foremost leader, that he served so loyally, are now gathered to honor Heydrich. He was at the time of his death a paragon of happy family life, and his two young sons are here to represent his courageous wife, who is expecting another child.

Heydrich the leader is awarding the gold wound badge, and named, on the day of his death, a Waffen SS unit on the eastern front, the 6th SS infantry, "Reinhard Heydrich." Heydrich wants to live on in our holy convictions, which were his words. He honored and advanced the cause of those who shared his blood.

He wants to endure on account of his talents. He was a musical person and a warrior bold, happy and earnest, to unvanquished spirit, a character of unblemished purity noble, upstanding and unsullied. He has transmitted synthesis virtues to his sons, who honor his blood and heritage.

His wife and children prosthesis deserve our attention and loving care. The SS will look after them well. He wants SS to live on in our society. His memory will aid us when we have tasks to carry out for the leader and the Reich. He wants to fight along with us, if we remain true to the law until the end.

He wants to be our companion in good times and bad. Therefore, he will be present when we are celebrating with our comrades. For the security police and security service he created and founded, he wants to be a model that will never be forgotten, a goal we can aspire to but never reach.

He wants to bear witness for all Germans as a martyr to Bohemia and Moravia which always will be German lands, as they have been since time immemorial. There, in the world beyond, he will abide among the great battalions of dead SS men [This is perhaps a reference to the Ancient Germanic concept of Valhalla].

He wants to be with his old comrades: Weitzel, Moder, Herrmann, Mülverstedt, Stahlecker, and many others who in spirit are quietly fighting with us. But it is our holy duty to atone for his death, to take up his tasks, and to pitilessly destroy, without any sign of weakness, the enemies of our people. I have one last thing to say:

You, Reinhard Heydrich, SS were truly a good one. On a more personal level I thank you for your unwavering loyalty and wonderful friendship, which united us in this life and death can not obliterate it!

[RolandVT]

November 10, 1938, 1:20 A.M.

To:

All Headquarters and Stations of the State Police
All districts and Sub-districts of the SD
Urgent! For immediate attention of Chief or his deputy!

Re: Measures against Jews tonight

Following the attempt on the life of Secretary of the Legation vom Rath in Paris, demonstrations against the Jews are to be expected in all parts of the Reich in the course of the coming night, November 9/10, 1938. The instructions below are to be applied in dealing with these events:

1. The Chiefs of the State Police, or their deputies, must immediately upon receipt of this telegram contact, by telephone, the political leaders in their areas – Gauleiter or Kreisleiter – who have jurisdiction in their districts and arrange a joint meeting with the inspector or commander of the Order Police to discuss the arrangements for the demonstrations. At these discussions the political leaders will be informed that the German Police has received instructions, detailed below, from the Reichsfuehrer SS and the Chief of the German Police, with which the political leadership is requested to coordinate its own measures:

a) Only such measures are to be taken as do not endanger German lives or property (i.e., synagogues are to be burned down only where there is no danger of fire in neighboring buildings).

b) Places of business and apartments belonging to Jews may be destroyed but not looted. The police is instructed to supervise the observance of this order and to arrest looters.

c) In commercial streets particular care is to be taken that non-Jewish businesses are completely protected against damage.

d) Foreign citizens – even if they are Jews – are not to be molested.

2. On the assumption that the guidelines detailed under para. 1 are observed, the demonstrations are not to be prevented by the Police, which is only to supervise the observance of the guidelines.

3. On receipt of this telegram Police will seize all archives to be found in all synagogues and offices of the Jewish communities so as to prevent their destruction during the demonstrations. This refers only to material of historical value, not to contemporary tax records, etc. The archives are to be handed over to the locally responsible officers of the SD.

4. The control of the measures of the Security Police concerning the demonstrations against the Jews is vested in the organs of the State Police, unless inspectors of the Security Police have given their own instructions. Officials of the Criminal Police, members of the SD, of the Reserves and the SS in general may be used to carry out the measures taken by the Security Police.

5. As soon as the course of events during the night permits the release of the officials required, as many Jews in all districts – especially the rich – as can be accommodated in existing prisons are to be arrested. For the time being only healthy male Jews, who are not too old, are to be detained. After the detentions have been carried out the appropriate concentration camps are to be contacted immediately for the prompt accommodation of the Jews in the camps. Special care is to be taken that the Jews arrested in accordance with these instructions are not ill-treated....

signed Heydrich,
SS Gruppenfuehrer

[RolandVT]

The most important question that you must constantly ask yourself, while reading this book (or any other book about any leader, politician, government official, manager, officer, etc. – including Reinhard Heydrich, of course) is:

Given his environment and situation, the problems and challenges he faced, his background and what he knew at that time, what would YOU have done if you had found yourself in his place (‘in his shoes’)?

Only by giving yourself an honest answer to this question, you will be able to understand the individual in question and pass a proper judgement on his (it was always “his”) choices, decisions and actions.

[RolandVT]

For obvious ethical reasons, I try to avoid (as much as I possibly can) criticizing my opponents – “mainstream” historians who present (preach, actually) a very different perception of Nazi Germany. However, there is one occasion when I absolutely have to be very critical of the “orthodox” historians.

Their complete and utter failure to produce the necessary guide to Nazi Germany.

The “mainstream” (“orthodox”) historians failed to produce a genuinely comprehensive, objective and unbiased guide to Nazi Germany for two fundamental reasons.

I have already mentioned the first one – no “professional” historian has (or had) the necessary education, training and experience absolutely vital for the development of a genuinely comprehensive guide.

It does not mean, of course that all historians that specialize in Nazi Germany (let alone all historians) are professionally incompetent because they do not have knowledge and experience in the abovementioned areas.

While I would highly recommend every historian (“professional” or “amateur”) to take classes and get some practical experience in knowledge management, it is by no means the vital requirement for a professional competence of a historian.

Neither is systems analysis, of course. In fact, Nazi Germany is one of the very few systems (civilizations, actually) sufficiently complex to require systems analysis skills to come up with its comprehensive portrait. Another one is probably the Soviet Union, although it is far, far simpler than its Nazi adversary.

The second fundamental reason is that “professional” history of Nazi Germany, both World Wars and the interwar period as (i.e. the community of “professional” historians – university professors, employees of research institutes, etc.) still can not (actually, does not want to) sever the umbilical cord that firmly connects it with the anti-Nazi Allied propaganda of that (and post-war denazification) period.

One of the not-so-noble secrets of the community of “professional” historians of Nazi Germany is that this discipline (as practiced by them) is firmly rooted in the (mostly wartime and immediate post-war) anti-Nazi propaganda.

Which automatically makes all their “deliverables” (books, lectures, classes, documentaries, etc.) heavily biased against the Nazis. Which, in turn make these deliverables… well, not exactly scientific. To put it bluntly, these deliverables are not genuine history but only just another anti-Nazi propaganda tools.

There is nothing wrong about anti-enemy propaganda during the war – it is a perfectly legitimate (and highly efficient – if done right) psychological warfare tool. And although the whole denazification project conducted by the Allies in occupied Germany and Austria after WW2 was highly controversial (to put it mildly), the subsequent “economic miracle” in Germany and its current high living standards and prominent position in Europe, it was probably both necessary and successful. So, obviously, was the anti-Nazi propaganda.

Ideally, after the war is won, the propaganda activities of the victorious government would be gradually discontinued and the historians would be set free to pursue the historic truth (history is about discovering, disseminating and defending historic truth, after all).

Unfortunately, after the end of World War it did not happen – primarily due to a very urgent political necessity of denazification. Right after Nazi Germany signed the act of unconditional surrender (and thus effectively ceased to exist), victorious Allies were faced with a gargantuan task of transforming a thoroughly and deeply Nazi Germany (and Austria) into democratic and liberal nations.

Which, obviously, required applying a ruthless, powerful and omnipresent anti-Nazi propaganda for years (if not decades). Consequently, the Allies simply could not afford “academic freedom” in studies of Nazi Germany as the truth about the Third Reich (and the Allies) was capable of not only undermining the denazification project but killing it outright (especially given the outbreak of a new war – the Cold War).

In addition, there were historic facts that were very, very embarrassing to Western Allies (the USA, Great Britain and France). Armed robbery at Versailles that bore lion’s share of responsibility for the establishment of Nazi Germany and World War II; vital contribution of the West to the birth and maturity of the Soviet military-industrial monster (which made World War II inevitable); war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Allies in WW2 (and right after the war); the “Nuremberg farce”… etc., etc.

Consequently, for decades the Allies maintained – via funding and other means an iron grip on studies of Nazi Germany, essentially making it a propaganda endeavor – not genuine history. Obviously, in the Soviet Union and the Communist bloc nations the situation in historical sciences was far worse as every activity there was propaganda by law.

In addition, there was a powerful pressure from mass-media (that got so used to publishing anti-Nazi propaganda instead of truth that it had no desire to “change direction”).

And, obviously, from victims (first and foremost, from omnipresent Jewish organizations) for whom – for very obvious reasons – Nazi Germany was Absolute Evil.

No less obviously, this environment was not exactly friendly (actually, extremely hostile) to the honest and unbiased quest for historical truth. Worse, this extremely powerful external pressure forced historians of Nazi Germany to do something no genuine scientist (and yes, history is a science) should ever do – pass moral judgement.

It also cultivated powerful antipathy (i.e. negative emotions) towards the Nazis and powerful sympathy (i.e. positive emotions) towards the Allies. Powerful emotions that cloud judgement and thus create a grossly distorted picture of Nazi Germany.

And after the first generation of historians have been conditioned (i.e. transformed into anti-Nazi propagandists), it created a powerful peer pressure on the subsequent generations.

Consequently, it is very, very difficult for an academic historian (university professor, a fellow in a research institute, etc.) to “go against the flow” and search for the truth (i.e. genuine, objective and unbiased knowledge about Nazi Germany).

Hence, the only historians free to pursue historic truth about the Third Reich, are the “amateur” historians (i.e. not affiliated with any university or research institute).

In other words, historians who can not care less about peer pressure, pressure from the government, mass media, special interest groups, etc. Historians who work for the money – by selling their books and videos on the open market or pro bono – just to discover, disseminate (preach) and defend the truth about Nazi Germany. And for professional recognition (fame, if you will), of course.

[RolandVT]

Genuine knowledge about Reinhard Heydrich, Nazi Germany (or any other object of historical research for that matter) can be obtained only from sources that are genuine history – not political propaganda.

Consequently, to obtain this knowledge, one needs to be able to tell genuine history from propaganda. To do that, one obviously must know the key differences between the two.

The most fundamental difference is, obviously, in key objectives. The only fundamental objective of genuine history is to discover, disseminate (preach, if you will) and defend (if necessary) historic truth.

The fundamental objective of propaganda is either military – to win the war – or political – to seize and maintain political power. Which typically requires manipulation and control of the population in question.

And possibly even brainwashing (two obvious examples are reprogramming of Russians into the “Soviet people” by the Bolsheviks and the denazification of Germany and Austria by the victorious Allies).

Genuine history is all about truth; consequently, it is always objective and unbiased. Propaganda is all about manipulation; consequently, it is always biased. To put it bluntly, propaganda (any propaganda) almost always is a bunch of lies.

Genuine history always seeks to create an objective and accurate (and thus comprehensive) picture of the object of historical research. Consequently, a genuine historian always strives to collect and properly structure all relevant indisputable facts about the object in question and analyze them using only rock-solid logic and good old common sense. And accepting whatever conclusions these facts, logic and common sense lead to. In other words, genuine historic research contains only truth and nothing but the truth.

Propaganda seeks to achieve certain political objectives. Therefore, it strives to create the picture of the object in question (i.e., Reinhard Heydrich, Nazi Germany, etc.) that will be the most valuable for the political objective in question.

Consequently, a propagandist (consciously or unconsciously) selects only information that supports the “politically correct” objective and structures it in a “politically correct” way.

Using only “politically correct” logic, of course. Thus, ignoring all indisputable facts that paint a “politically incorrect” picture and often ignoring good old common sense. Thus, inevitably creating grossly distorted and highly incorrect perception of historic reality.

Genuine historian does not make moral judgement (only functional and legal). He or she only investigates what happened and why, who did what and why, what were the intended and actual consequences of their decisions and actions and why they were different (if they indeed were).

Propaganda is all about making moral judgements as the latter are one of the most efficient tools for manipulating individuals. And while a genuine historian can make honest mistakes, propaganda (Nazi or anti-Nazi) is full of deliberate lies.

Genuine history is strictly logical; there can be no positive or negative emotions in research deliverables created by genuine historians. Propaganda is full of powerful emotions because they are very efficient tools for manipulating individuals.

A genuine historian serves only the Truth; propaganda serves political parties (e.g. Communists, Nazis, etc.), social groups (e.g., “liberals”, “progressives”, neo-Nazis, etc.), “special interest groups”, etc.

A genuine historian MUST publish the Truth that he (or she) has discovered even if it leads to very “politically incorrect” conclusions and highly undesirable consequences (for some or even the overwhelming majority of the population).

And, obviously, history is an objective, dispassionate, morally neutral science which does not and can not use loaded terms such as ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘evil’, ‘righteous’ and the like (let alone ‘thug’, ‘butcher’, ‘monster’ or similar derogatory labels).

[RolandVT]

Although I wrote this book primarily for history buffs (first and foremost those specializing in history of the Third Reich), I still decided to include into this chapter a short section on why everyone needs to study history. Yes, everyone.

Obviously, you study history to obtain (“mine”) knowledge – relevant, comprehensive, accurate and well-structured information – about historical persons, events and organizations.

Who did what when how and why; what was the desired outcome of decisions made and actions taken; what was the actual outcome… and if they were different (they often are) than why?

Who exactly were the historical persons (i.e., Reinhard Heydrich) – and why they did what they did? What exactly were historical organizations (i.e., RSHA) and why they behaved the way they behaved? What exactly were historical events (and projects), such as the Holocaust and why they happened the way they happened?

Why mine and accumulate knowledge about history? Because knowledge is not only the power (more on that later) – knowledge is wealth.

Knowing something of general interest (history is) makes you genuinely wealthy, because – unlike financial wealth – it commands respect, admiration and importance… and these are the only things that really matter (according to Dale Carnegie with whom I wholeheartedly agree). In any society, experts (and knowledge of history makes you one) command far higher respect than even billionaires… just ask Elon Musk.

Now let me elaborate on the irrefutable fact that knowledge of history is power. Genuine power. In my (actually, not-so-humble) opinion, the most compelling case for studying history was made by a prominent British historian Robert Crowcroft in his article “The Case for Applied History” published in History Today (https://www.historytoday.com/robert-cro ... ed-history) :

“In An Autobiography, published in 1939, R.G. Collingwood [British philosopher, historian and archaeologist] offered an arresting statement about the kind of insight possessed by the trained historian.

This philosopher of history [he authored the classic “The Idea of History”] likened the difference between those who knew and understood history and those who did not to that between ‘the trained woodsman’ and ‘the ignorant traveler’ in a forest.

While the latter marches along unaware of their surroundings, thinking ‘Nothing here but trees and grass’, the woodsman sees what lurks ahead. ‘Look’, he will say, ‘there is a tiger in that grass.’

What Collingwood meant was that, through their familiarity with people, places and ideas, historians are often equipped to see how a situation might turn out – or at least identify the key considerations that determine matters.

Collingwood’s musings implied an expansive vision of the role historians might play in society. Their grasp of human behavior, long-term economic or cultural processes and the complexities of the socio-political order of a given region of the world meant that they could be more than just a specialist in the past. By being able to spot the ‘tiger in the grass’, historians might profitably advise on contemporary and future challenges.

Historians writing thereafter often see themselves as not only piecing together the details of a specific event, but offering their readers conceptual tools with which to understand other situations in the world around them – and in that to come. For centuries, statesmen and thinkers used history as a tool to shed light on their own difficulties and to suggest courses of action.

The Victorian historian J.R. Seeley went so far as to declare that history was no less than a ‘school of statesmanship’; a bold assertion of what the discipline might offer us.”

You can see the irrefutable truth of the above right in front of your eyes. For decades after the collapse of the USSR (good riddance) Western policy on post-Soviet Russia was based on the totally incorrect perception of Russia and the USSR.

Contrary to facts, logic and common sense, Western politician and statesmen viewed the Soviet Union as a “victim of unprovoked aggression” by the Third Reich in 1941 and thus having “legitimate security needs” that Russia inherited. So, they allowed Russian Federation to build colossal armed forces… and Nazi-style invasion of Ukraine was the result (they totally missed the “tiger in the grass”).

Had they known that the Soviet Union was no victim – but a predator far worse than the Third Reich (the latter did not seek world conquest) – and that the USSR and Russian Federation were but reincarnations of the Russian Empire seeking constant expansion, they would have never allowed Russia to build such a military monster and there would have been no full-scale war right at the center of Europe.

However, to get value from studying history, you must study it the right way. In other words, to follow the creed of genuine historians (which, obviously, is my creed as well).

[RolandVT]

A genuine historian absolutely MUST NOT pronounce moral judgement (this is the job for priests and secular ethics professionals). It does not mean, however, that the historian must not judge (evaluate) Nazis at all. Including Reinhard Heydrich.

Historian must, of course. However, not Nazis as human beings (only the Almighty God has the right to do that), but their words, choices, decisions and actions. It is called “functional and legal judgement”.

And there is one and only one genuinely scientific procedure to do that.

1. Collect all relevant information about Nazis (internal) and their specific situation & environment (external). Their mentality, behavioral patterns, key problems, threats, opportunities, limitations, available resources, etc.

2. Identify all options (choices, alternatives) available to them in that situation at that time and in that environment.
Identify the best possible alternative (the best decision and/or action under the circumstances)

3. Compare this best alternative to actual decisions made and actions undertaken by Nazis in question.

4. Check whether one or more decisions and/or actions of the Nazi in question constituted a war crime or a crime against humanity according to a universally accepted definition

Obviously, to pronounce a functional judgement on the Nazis, one must use criteria (quantitative and qualitative KPI) relevant to their times, environment and situations – not to our times, of course.

That’s the only scientific (i.e., correct) way to do it. Anything and everything else are not science, not history but propaganda (either pro-Nazi or anti-Nazi). Politics (and management in general) is the art and science (sometimes more of the former, sometimes – of the latter) of making and executing the best possible decision in a specific situation. Period.

Thus, the only genuinely scientific way to evaluate and judge the Nazis (from Adolf Hitler to the lowliest SS-man) is whether they made the best possible decisions and/or undertook the best possible actions in their situation and environment. Nothing less, nothing more than that.

Now let’s evaluate Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich from this perspective. Obviously, his decisions (implemented by his subordinates and his partners) constituted war crimes and crimes against humanity.

To put it simply, Heydrich was a serial mass murderer – cut and dry, plain and simple, loud and clear – one of the worst in modern history. He started with Night of Long Knives (about 100 victims); graduated to “pacification” of Poland (over 100,000 murdered); to “Holocaust by Bullets” (about 500,000 victims) and, finally, to “Holocaust by Gas” (over 3,500,000 gassed).

Whether mass murder of SA leaders and other political opponents of Adolf Hitler during the Night of Long Knives was a correct decision operationally (legally it was a capital crime worthy of death penalty for all killers), is subject to debate.

The verdict on “pacification” of Poland and the “Holocaust Project” is very different – both were far worse (for Germany) that horrific crimes (serial mass murders) which both were. They were catastrophic blunders.

More of that later… now I will briefly explain why Reinhard Heydrich was such an abject failure. He was such a failure because the failed miserably in all four of his endeavors (SD/Gestapo/RSHA), “pacification” of Poland, the “Holocaust Project” and in Bohemia and Moravia.

The latter is obvious: unlike the Poles, the overwhelming majority of Czechs were more than willing to cooperate with the Germans so there was little (if any) opposition to overcome… but he still got himself killed (a gargantuan failure for a chief of any occupation administration).

The so-called “Czech Resistance” failed to find even one radical in the Protectorate brave enough to shoot Heydrich, who traveled on a daily basis in open car with no security detail.

Still, Heydrich managed to get himself killed – literally – by engaging in a gunfight with the (almost totally inept, incompetent and impotent) assassins when all security protocols required him to get the Hell out of harm’s way pronto.

Worse, he ignored the clear sign that a mortal danger was coming (he was shot down while on a ground attack mission in the Easter front and barely escaped death) … but he continued to “live dangerously”. Insanely dangerously.

Even worse, he managed to become such a serious threat to his boss – SS-Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler – that the latter ordered his personal physician to kill Heydrich (by withholding vital medicine). Now that mas a mammoth failure of Reinhard Heydrich the politician – and statesman.

Now let’s talk about his colossal failures as head of RSHA – essentially of the whole security system of Nazi Germany – SD (domestic and foreign intelligence) and Gestapo (political police).

True, he built – almost from scratch – the second (after Soviet NKVD) most powerful security service… but it failed miserably and utterly in several key cases (existential even – for the Third Reich).

First, it had no clue about the “Oster conspiracy” in September of 1939 – the conspiracy that almost killed Adolf Hitler and did away with his Fuhrerstaat (only Mussolini and Munich conference saved both).

Second, it completely missed “Elser conspiracy” – the “conspiracy of one” that almost killed Adolf Hitler (the latter was saved… well, miraculously). Elser constructed and placed a bomb near the platform from which Hitler was to deliver a speech in Bürgerbräukeller in Munich on November 8, 1939. The bomb exploded but did not kill Hitler, who left earlier than expected, but it did kill eight innocent people and injured 62 others (mostly innocent as well).

Third, it failed to uncover Soviet plans for an attack on German Army in occupied Poland (set for June 23, 1941). Only by another miracle, Wehrmacht pre-empted the Red Army by mere 24 hours or so – this saving Germany, Europe and (very possibly) the whole human civilization from being destroyed by Bolshevist hordes. Alas, the “brown medicine” was not always better than the “Red disease”.

True, Abwehr failed as well; however, for an entirely different reason. Unlike Ausland-SD (SS foreign intelligence), its top brass was too busy plotting to overthrow their commander-in-chief to do their job properly.

“Pacification” of Poland by serial mass murder (committed by Heydrich’s Einsatzgruppen) failed miserably – and predictably. In February of 1940, the Polish Underground State was formed – complete with the underground Home Army.

Estimates of the Home Army’s 1944 strength range between 200,000 and 600,000. The latter number made it not only Poland’s largest underground resistance movement but one of Europe’s largest World War II underground movements. The Home Army’s most widely known operation was the Warsaw Uprising.

The Home Army successfully sabotaged German rail- and road-transports to the Eastern Front in the Soviet Union. It is estimated that one out of eight of all German transports to the Eastern Front were destroyed or substantially delayed due to Home Army operations – a significant blow to Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS war machine.

Holocaust (not surprisingly), was the most gargantuan blunder committed by Reinhard Heydrich – and other Nazi serial mass murderers. True, the Third Reich was fighting a genuinely existential was with the Bolshevist Soviet Union – and it is also true that the latter was created mostly by the Jews (just look at the list of its founders and leaders). Ditto the Soviet Bolshevist party.

However (contrary to what Heydrich and other Nazis believed), the Jews under German control were not the enemies of the Reich (as the former erroneously thought). In reality, Jews were their allies – because the Soviets severely and ruthlessly persecuted Jews as a nation (the idea of a “chosen people” fundamental to Jewish nationhood was anathema to “internationalist” Bolsheviks).

Millions of Jews under German control represented an invaluable human capital that could have very well made a crucial difference in the war. True, the Holocaust by itself did not lead to the defeat of Germany in the Second Great War – but it made a very, very significant contribution to this outcome.

For three primary reasons. First, instead of using Jewish human capital (which would have been a sensible thing to do), Heydrich and other Nazis stupidly (insanely, actually) destroyed it. Wasting on this destruction invaluable human and other resources vital for war effort (this is the second reason).

The third reason was that the Holocaust made it totally, absolutely, completely impossible (unthinkable even) for Germany to make peace on the Western front (to continue fighting – and most likely, winning – the war in the East even in 1943).

While as late as in spring of 1941 such peace agreement was still theoretically possible (the May mission of Rudolf Hess made a lot of sense, actually), by the end of summer of 1941, it was not.

No deal with serial mass murderers of that magnitude was possible – not with wholesale murderers of women, children and the elderly. No way. Ever.

So yes, Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich, chief of RSHA, Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, commander-in-chief of Einsatzgruppen (his brainchild) and CEO of the “Holocaust project” (ditto) was an abject failure in all four endeavors.

Yes, Reinhard Heydrich was a genius – but being a genius does not guarantee success (geniuses do make disastrous blunders). Two Nuremberg defendants were found to be geniuses and others were found to be of superior intelligence… however, it did not prevent them from failing miserably as well.

[RolandVT]

One of the key psychological tools that the victorious Western Allies very successfully used in their denazification project (very successful as well) was the “German Guilt”.

Every German in the Western occupation zone was programmed (brainwashed – let’s be honest) into believing that he or she is personally responsible for Nazi crimes and thus must make amends (do one’s penance, if you will). First and foremost, by making the maximum possible contribution to radical reengineering of Nazi Germany.

In other words, to its transformation into Bundesrepublik Deutschland – the Western-style liberal democracy and, in a way, a reincarnation of Weimar Republic (new Germany even had the same flag and coat of arms).

This “guilt trap” was a blatant lie, of course (I will explain why in a minute), but a “white lie” (albeit a gargantuan one, like just about all anti-Nazi propaganda – and the core of the “mainstream” history of Nazi Germany).

A “white lie” because it did help (and helped significantly) to transform Germany into a free, liberal, democratic state – and the most economically and politically powerful nation in Europe (the de-facto leader of the European Union).

Here are 12 reasons why the idea of “German guilt” and “German responsibility” for Nazi crimes is a bunch of bull (pardon my French).

1. It makes no sense, absolutely no sense whatsoever to feel guilty for crimes (no matter how horrifying) committed by a relatively small number of Germans (less than 1% of the population) eighty years ago

2. Ordinary Germans could not have stopped the Holocaust. For a simple reason – they had no idea the mass murder of millions of Jews was happening. Holocaust perpetrators were so good at keeping Holocaust secret that ordinary Germans were sure that Jews were moved to detention centers because they posed a major security risk. But Americans and British did the same with some of their residents – so Nazis seemingly did nothing of the ordinary. There was no indication that Jews were taken away to be murdered.

3. For the same reasons ordinary Germans could not have stopped other Nazi war crimes. They had no idea what was happening on the occupied territories (due to very efficient system of keeping these events secret).

4. Ordinary Germans could not have stopped persecution of Jews either. First, in the 1930’s Germany one had to be a genuine saint to openly protest against the persecution of Jews. And it would be highly unreasonable (and very unfair) to demand genuine sainthood from ordinary Germans (or from any other nation, for that matter). Second, making German sphere of control Judenrein was so fundamentally important to Nazis that they would have ruthlessly and brutally suppressed any protest – no matter how large-scale.

5. Nazi Germany was not the only country that committed war crimes and/or crimes against humanity in the XX century. This ‘genocide age’ witnessed around twenty (!) genocides, democides and mass murders, some of which were worse than the ones committed by Nazi Germany

6. Nazi Germany was not the most murderous or destructive ideology in the XX century (or in human history). Bolshevism was (still is – in North Korea, Cuba and to a lesser extent in China).

7. More than that, Bolshevism constituted an existential threat to Germany, Europe and the whole Western civilization. And the Nazi Germany removed this existential threat thus saving ‘all of the above’ from a complete destruction. It by no means justifies enormous Nazi crimes or makes them less horrible but it is a cold hard fact.

8. Hitler and Nazis came to power in Germany not because of some inherent ‘wickedness’ of Germans (saying that would be Nazism – pure and simple). It happened because of the accumulation of a ‘critical mass’ of events over which all but a very few Germans had absolutely no control. And no one – not even the leaders of Germany – had control over a number of these events (outbreak of World War I, the Treaty of Versailles, existential threat of Bolshevism, the Great Depression, etc.)

9. Germany did not start World War I. The Great War was a ‘joint venture’ between Russia and Serbia (with a more or less explicit or implicit consent of Britain and France). The latter two could have stopped the war but chose not to do it. Germany (and Austro-Hungarian Empire) were not perpetrators, but victims because when after shots in Sarajevo were fired, Austria had no choice but to declare war on Serbia. And because Russia made it crystal clear that it will join the war on the side of Serbia, Germany had no other choice but to go to war as well.

10. Saying that Germany was solely responsible for the outbreak of World War II would be historically inaccurate. Although this time Germany was no victim, World War II was started by decisions and action of not one, but four powers – Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Great Britain and France. Hence, ‘all of the above’ must share the blame for the outbreak of the most destructive and murderous war in the history of mankind

11. The (in)famous Nuremberg Trial was a highly controversial legal event. Highly imperfect (to say the least) and of dubious legality. Some justice was, indeed, served (a few criminals received the appropriate punishment while several innocent defendants walked free), but there was also more than one case of a gross miscarriage of justice. The whole event was not about justice, but about politics and propaganda. Besides, while all sides in World War II committed war crimes, only German war criminals were tried for their offenses – a typical “victors’ justice”.

12. Right during and after the Nuremberg Trial, a monstrous crime against humanity was taking place. Around 12 million (!) German citizens and people of German ancestry were expelled by the Soviets and their East European puppets from various Eastern and Central European countries and sent to Germany and Austria. At least 600,000 died (were murdered, actually) in the process – roughly equal to the number of Jews murdered in Treblinka. Perpetrators of that genocide (let’s call a spade a spade) were never charged with this horrible crime (let alone convicted). So much for justice.

Denazification project has been successfully completed decades ago. Chances for the reincarnation of the Third Reich are exactly zero. Consequently, there is no need for the “white lie” of “German guilt” and “German responsibility”.

Therefore, all Germans must get rid of this “guilt complex” (if they still have one – not every German does, thank God) and make personal and public (political, economic and social) decisions based on the genuine aggregate needs of Germans – financial, functional, emotional and spiritual.

Not forgetting horrendous Nazi crimes, of course – every citizen of every nation must know its history, including its most horrible events – but letting it go (completely and for good) and moving on. It is long, long overdue.

[RolandVT]

Given the abundance of laws that stipulate what can and can not be said publicly about Nazi Germany, it is necessary to make vitally important clarifications.

First, this book is NOT “Holocaust revisionism” (let alone “Holocaust denial”). The totality (convergence) of evidence (physical and documentary) and statements by victims, perpetrators and witnesses leads to one and only one conclusion.

The Holocaust happened exactly the way the mainstream historians say it happened and the death toll was around four million people – exactly as listed in Yad Vashem database of Holocaust victims.

Consequently, the so-called “Holocaust denial” (“Holocaust revisionism” is a different thing entirely) is not history, but blatant Judeophobic propaganda and hate crime. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to criminalize Holocaust denial.

Racism (of any kind) and anti-Semitism (Judeophobia) are scientifically wrong and morally disgusting. And therefore, must be completely and ruthlessly eradicated from human society.

This guide is not “Nazi revisionism” either. I do not pretend that Nazis did not commit enormous and horrific war crimes and crimes against humanity (they did) or justify these heinous crimes. These crimes can (and must) be explained (i.e., we must know why they were committed), but NEVER justified.

I do not endorse Nazi (or neo-Nazi) ideology either. Just the opposite – I prove beyond the reasonable doubt that this ideology was not only criminal, but created a highly distorted and very inaccurate perception of reality.

Which inevitably made Nazis (and Heydrich personally) commit enormous and incredible blunders. Blunders that ultimately led to their defeat in WW2 and to the demise of the Third Reich and cost many thousands of Nazis their very lives.

I am only looking for the truth about the Third Reich – and I firmly believe that no matter what the Truth is, it is worth discovering, preaching and defending. Including the Truth about Nazi Germany (and Heydrich in particular).

Oh, and there is no such thing as “mainstream” and “revisionist” history. There is only history (science) and propaganda.

[RolandVT]

Adolf Hitler called Reinhard Heydrich “Man with the Iron Heart” … and was wrong. Wrong because this definition (nickname) portrays Heydrich as heartless (iron heart means no heart), emotionless killing machine – and Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich was nothing of the sort.

He was an extreme, radical, murderous national-sociopath; a mission-oriented serial killer (serial mass murderer, actually) driven by deep, passionate, sincere love for Germany and German people – and his highly incorrect (though also deep, passionate and sincere) belief that to save them from genuine Hell he had to kill all Jews under German control (and “pacify” Poland prior to that).

Heydrich was not “Hitler’s Hangman” either; first, he was not “Hitler’s” but Himmler’s as he reported to the latter and served as the tool (Chief Security Officer) of SS-Reichsfuhrer – not of Der Fuhrer.

Second, he was no “hangman”: none of his victims (of which there were millions) was executed by hanging – they were either shot or (mostly) gassed. So “Himmler’s Gasman” (or at least “Himmler’s Rifleman”) would have been far more appropriate.

Heydrich was often called HHhH: “Himmler’s brain is called Heydrich”. This nickname (very possibly invented by Heydrich himself) is grossly incorrect. Incorrect because it states that Heydrich was far smarter and more capable (as leader, manager and statesman) than Himmler.

Some even claim that Heydrich was far better fit to replace Hitler as Der Fuhrer… and that was the primary reason why Heydrich was murdered by Himmler’s personal physician on orders by SS-Reichsfuhrer.

In reality, Himmler was far smarter and far more capable than Heydrich – and the only one in the Reich who could have succeeded Adolf Hitler and make things far, far better than they were under the latter.

Because Himmler created the SS-Staat – the state within a state – and Heydrich… only the second most powerful security service in the world. Hardly sufficient credentials for becoming Der Fuhrer… oh, and Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was no Third Reich.

In reality, Heydrich was no more than Himmler’s “human filing cabinet” because (1) Heydrich had photographic memory; and (2) he was the chief of the SD – domestic and foreign intelligence service of the SS. So, for Himmler, Heydrich was but the source of information (knowledge) – hence the real reason for the nickname.

Heydrich was no “Butcher of Prague” either – this nickname was also grossly incorrect. Incorrect because that it stated that he ruled Bohemia and Moravia solely by terror – which was not true at all.

In reality, Heydrich used a very efficient combination of “carrot and stick” – and mostly “carrot”. For a very simple reason – Czechs (unlike Poles) were inclined to cooperate, not resist.

True, hundreds of Czechs resistance activists were ruthlessly executed and thousands more were no less ruthlessly shipped to SS concentration camps. However, this was no butchery (by definition, vicious, savage, beastly murder) – it was a highly calculated, pragmatic, rational Aktion.

Highly successful Aktion – when Czech government-in-exile decided to kill Heydrich, they could not one even one individual in Bohemia or Moravia to do the job. Not one was willing to do the assassination – although Heydrich was an easy target (riding in an open car every day with no security detail at all).

Neither he was a “Blond Beast”. Oh, he was blond all right… but Reinhard Heydrich was no beast. Because the latter definition means that Heydrich was uncultured, uncivilized savage (brute, barbarian) … and he was exactly the opposite.

Heydrich was refined, highly civilized, deeply cultured, well-educated German gentleman (yes, the finest gentlemen still can be mission-oriented serial killers – as were many Einsatzgruppen commanders – they even had doctorates!). In fact, he was one of the two most cultured individuals among Nazi top brass – the second one was Dr. Joseph Goebbels.

And, finally, while Heydrich was definitely the ideal national-sociopath, the perception of him as an “ideal national-socialist” is of questionable accuracy. True, he was highly efficient SS executive (albeit ultimately not effective – he did the wrong things in a highly efficient way); top-level athlete (he was a near Olympic-level fencer); and a fighter pilot with over 100 combat missions under his belt.

However, he was not known to be driven by the National-Socialist ideology (he was far too pragmatic and rational for that). Neither was he driven by a fervent love for Der Fuhrer or the Nazi Party (ditto).

It appears that Heydrich was, indeed, a perfect national-sociopath: he was driven by his love for Germany and for the German people – so he did what he believed was good for them, not for Adolf Hitler or the Nazi Party. Thus, he was essentially the Chief Security Officer of German State (and German people) rather than of Adolf Hitler, NSDAP… or even the SS.