Himmler
-The Reich Leader of the dreaded SS of the Nazi party from 1929 until 1945. Himmler ruled over a big ideological and bureaucratic empire that described him to many as the second most powerful man in Germany during World War II. Given overall responsibility for the security of the Nazi empire, Himmler was the key and senior Nazi official responsible for conceiving and overseeing implementation of the so-called Final Solution, the Nazi plan to murder the Jews of Europe.
-Himmler expanded his authority during the war. On October 7, 1939, shortly after Germany conquered Poland with the Soviet Union, Hitler appointed Himmler Reich Commissar for the Strengthening of German Ethnic Stock , a position that authorized Himmler and the SS to plan, initiate, and control the pace of German resettlement projects in occupied Poland, and, later, the Soviet Union.
"Heinrich Himmler." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United
States Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 14 May 2014. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?
ModuleId=10007407.
-Himmler expanded his authority during the war. On October 7, 1939, shortly after Germany conquered Poland with the Soviet Union, Hitler appointed Himmler Reich Commissar for the Strengthening of German Ethnic Stock , a position that authorized Himmler and the SS to plan, initiate, and control the pace of German resettlement projects in occupied Poland, and, later, the Soviet Union.
"Heinrich Himmler." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United
States Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 14 May 2014. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?
ModuleId=10007407.
Goering
-Hermann Goering (1893-1946) was the highest-ranking Nazi official tried at Nuremberg. A decorated fighter pilot during World War I, Goering joined the Nazi party in 1923 after hearing a speech by Adolf Hitler. He eventually found his way into the inner circles of Nazi power.
-He was convicted and sentenced to death. On the eve of his scheduled execution, he committed suicide in his prison cell.
"Hermann Goering." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States
Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 13 May 2014.
<http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007112>.
-He was convicted and sentenced to death. On the eve of his scheduled execution, he committed suicide in his prison cell.
"Hermann Goering." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States
Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 13 May 2014.
<http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007112>.
Goebbels
-Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's trusted friend and colleague, was appointed to the key post of minister for public enlightenment and propaganda. In this capacity, Goebbels was charged with presenting Hitler to the public in the most favorable light, regulating the content of all German media and fomenting anti-Semitism. Goebbels forced Jewish artists, musicians, actors, directors and newspaper and magazine editors into unemployment, and staged a public burning of books that were considered ”un-German.” He also spearheaded the production of Nazi propaganda films and other projects. Goebbels remained in this post and was loyal to Hitler until the end of World War II (1939-45). On May 1, 1945, the day after Hitler committed suicide, Goebbels and his wife poisoned their six children and then killed themselves.
"Joseph Goebbels." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 12
May 2014. <http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/joseph-goebbels>.
"Joseph Goebbels." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 12
May 2014. <http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/joseph-goebbels>.
hess
-Rudolf Hess was born in 1894 and died in Spandau Prison in 19. Rudolf Hess was Hitler's deputy leader in the Nazi Party. Hess had been involved with the Nazi Party from its earliest days and was on the march to the Beer Hall that lead to his and Hitler's imprisonment at Landsberg Prison from 1923 to 1924. It was in prison that Hitler dictated "Mein Kampf" to Hess who acted as Hitler's personal secretary while in prison. In fact, Hess was seen by many to be Hitler's most loyal follower.
"Rudolf Hess." Rudolf Hess. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014.
<http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/rudolf_hess.htm>.
"Rudolf Hess." Rudolf Hess. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014.
<http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/rudolf_hess.htm>.
eichmann
-Eichmann led the Central Office beginning in October 1939. Here he met with less "success," particularly as deportation of Jews began to replace emigration as a strategy for a "Jew-free" Germany. In this area, Eichmann was to play a pivotal role. In the summer of 1939, Eichmann became responsible for promoting the expulsion of Czech Jews from the newly annexed Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, and created a further Central Office for Jewish Emigration in Prague, after the pattern of its Viennese counterpart. Shortly after the outbreak of World War II, he organized the first actual attempt at mass deportation from the so-called Greater German Reich.
-Eichmann coordinated the deportation of some 3,500 Jews from Moravia and Vienna to Nisko on the San River, in that part of German-occupied Poland to be designated as the Generalgouvernement. Although problems with the deportation effort and a change in German policy put an end to these deportations, Eichmann's superiors were sufficiently satisfied
with his initiative to ensure that he would play a role in future deportation proceedings.
"Adolf Eichmann." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States
Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 13 May 2014.
<http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007412>.
-Eichmann coordinated the deportation of some 3,500 Jews from Moravia and Vienna to Nisko on the San River, in that part of German-occupied Poland to be designated as the Generalgouvernement. Although problems with the deportation effort and a change in German policy put an end to these deportations, Eichmann's superiors were sufficiently satisfied
with his initiative to ensure that he would play a role in future deportation proceedings.
"Adolf Eichmann." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States
Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 13 May 2014.
<http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007412>.