Himmler's diary, 1945 : a calendar of events leading to suicide

Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler was instigator of the largest program of racial mass murder in history. January 1945 saw Himmler at his peak in Nazi Germany, controlling the entire German police force (including the Gestapo), and all SS organizations. He was also Minister of the Interior. His powers extended into the German Army and he was Commander of the Replacement Army and two Army Groups-two field commands that revealed his limitations and failure. Between January and May 1945 Himmler vacillated, showing a lack of vision, action, decision and leadership. Even so, he was able to gain control of V-2 rocket production and their launch against Britain. He ordered all concentration camp inmates be shot, before rescinding the order. When his SS Generals asked for instructions, Himmler ordered them to show some backbone as their commands had few bounds. The Swedes and Swiss negotiated with Himmler who then allowed over ten thousand concentration camp prisoners taken to safety before Hitler intervened. Himmler conducted peace feelers via the Swedes before the German surrender in May 1945, whilst trying to make contact with British Field Marshal Montgomery-contacts that went unanswered. Himmler was captured on the 21st of May, and realizing all was lost, committed suicide two days later by biting on a phial of cyanide he had concealed in his mouth. This book chronicles Himmler's diary and his life, movements, communications and actions between 1 January and 23 May 1945 "Himmler's Diary 1945: A Calendar of Events Leading to Suicide is an exceptional work with unpublished diary entries made by Himmler that shows in detail how The Third Reich fell to ruin in its final bloody year. Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler was instigator of the largest programme of racial mass murder in history. 1 January 1945 saw Heinrich Himmler at his peak in Nazi Germany, controlling the entire German police force (including the Gestapo), all SS organisations and Nazi Minister of the Interior. His powers extended into the German Army and included Commander of the Replacement Army and two Army Groups. Two field commands revealed his limitations and failure as army commander. Between January and May 1945, Heinrich Himmler vacillated, showing a lack of vision, action and decision. At least he was able to gain control of V-2 rocket production and their launch against Britain. He ordered all concentration camp inmates be shot, before rescinding the order. When his SS generals asked for instructions, Himmler ordered them to show backbone as their commands had few bounds. The Swedes and Swiss negotiated with Himmler who allowed over 10,000 concentration camp prisoners taken to safety before Hitler intervened. Himmler conducted peace feelers via the Swedes before the German surrender in May 1945, while trying to make contact with British Field Marshal Montgomery. These contacts went unanswered. Himmler was captured by the British and then committed suicide on 23 May 1945"--Publisher's description Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler instigated the mass murder of European Jews. 1945 saw his fall from second-most powerful man in Germany after Hitler to his suicide in British captivity. Throughout 1945 Himmler showed little sign of his supreme power, moving between action and indecision: V-2 rockets, release of camp prisoners and peace feelers. Content: Methodology and sources -- A biographical introduction -- Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler: positions in 1945 -- Diary for January 1945 -- Diary for February 1945 -- Diary for March 1945 -- Diary for April 1945 -- Diary for May 1945.