Himmler by Padfield

[Mike36]

The most interesting revelation for me was that Himmler had prior knowledge of Von Stauffenberg and most all of the other conspirators intent that resulted in the July 20th attempt to assasinate the Fuhrer.Tho he may or may not have known the precise when and where.

It is also interesting that Himmler failed to act immediatly after the explosion at the Wolfschanze to put down the putsch in Berlin.Tho directed by Hitler. Padfield says:

"The officers uprising had been wrecked by ineptitude and half-heartedness and turncoats like Fromm and von Kluge,and it had been put down in Berlin by Goebbels and Remer without the assistance of the SS or,it seems,any direction from Himmler or Kaltenbrunner."

Mike

[phylo_roadking]

Mike, if you search there's another thread somewhere on here dealing with this from a slightly different tangent, but with a lot of interesting ideas in it IIRC, mainly dealing with the issue of when exactly the SS would have become strong enough for Himmler to kill Hitler himself, thus assuring HIS succession...and what would happen next. Or WHO would stand a better chance, and what would the SS do then...

[Potsdamerplatz]

I've often wondered whether Himmler had some prior knowledge of what was going to happen that warm afternoon on 20th July 1944. He was at Rastenburg but didn't attend the conference (was this unusual) ?

Keitel's adjutant, von John was certainly suspicious of Stauffenberg's unusual behaviour when he met with the GFM before the conference began.

Himmler was also on the scene pretty quickly afterwards but took his time in organising the restoration of communication links between FHQ and Berlin.

A man sitting on the fence?

Kind regards.

[phylo_roadking]

Here we go...

http://www.feldgrau.net/phpBB2/viewtopi ... ht=himmler

[Mike36]

I agree Potsdamerplatz.There is obviously much more here then historians have been able to dig up.Donitz did not attend the conference either.Although Himmler's wife was having a child that day.Perhaps that was his reason.Perhaps not.

It does appear that Himmler was unable to make momentus decisions and perhaps wisely preferred to let others act and then pick up the pieces.Covering all his bases so to speak.

Was also amazed by so many of Himmler's contacts with the western allies the last year or two of the war.

All of this an interesting subject that many have speculated upon I am sure.

Mike

[TPMM]

It does appear that Himmler was unable to make momentus decisions and perhaps wisely preferred to let others act and then pick up the pieces.Covering all his bases so to speak.

If I remember correctly, that was the main conclusion of this book. He was able to wait&plot for quite a long time, and move in only if the job was done. And I think this quality was one of the crucial that allowed him to gain such a power.
I was rather shocked (maybe too strong word) with his strong belief, that Allies would want to negotiate the peace terms with him as a legitimate "ruler" of remains of III Reich after Hitler's death.

Pozdrawiam