Heinrich Himmler : A Life by Peter Longerich Read Free Book Online Page A

this generation was concerned above all to transfer an idealized version of the ‘front-line soldier’ to the domestic political situation. Herbert refers in particular to the book by Günther Gündel that was particularly influential at the time:
Sendung der Jungen Generation. Versuch einer umfassenden revolutionären Sinndeutung der Krise
(Munich, 1932). The other work referred to by him in this context, by Helmut Lethen,
Verhaltenslehren der Kälte. Lebensversuche zwischen den Kriegen
(Frankfurt a. M., 1994), focuses on authors of the ‘Neue Sachlichkeit’ and so is not relevant for the early history of right-wing radicalism in the Weimar Republic. Michael Wildt,
Generation des Unbedingten. Das Führungskorps des Reichssicherheitshauptamtes
(Hamburg, 2003), has provided supporting evidence for the picture sketched by Herbert by showing that, with a 60 per cent membership, the upper ranks of the Reich Security Main Office (
Reichssicherheitshauptamt
= RSHA) were dominated by the war youth generation. On the war youth generation see also Barbara Stambolis,
Der Mythos der jungen Generation. Ein Beitrag zur politischen Kultur der Weimarer Republik
(Bochum, 1982).
     
45 . On war games see TB, 1 September 1914, 1 and 18 February1915.
     
46 . KAM, OP 54540, report of the head of the Landshut Jugendwehr, 26 June 1917.
     
47 . TB, 25 September 1915. On the Jugendwehr see Smith,
Himmler
, 61.
     
48 . TB, 16 February and 31 July 1915.
     
49 . TB, 27 September 1914.
     
50 . BAK, NL 1126/3, Membership card; date of entry was 6 February 1917.
     
51 . Smith,
Himmler
, 69.
     
52 . Ibid. 68 f. and 72; Himmler,
Brüder Himmler
, 57.
     
53 . Smith,
Himmler
, 72.
     
54 . KAM, OP 54540, certificate of the district liaison officer for youth military training, 25 June 1917.
     
55 . Hofverwaltung, Frau Prinzessin Witwe Arnulf, Hofmarschall Pflaum, 4 and 11 June 1917; Smith,
Himmler
, 72 ff.
     
56 . BAK, NL 1126/1, questionnaire 1. Btl. 1. Inf.-Regiment, completed by Gebhard Himmler on 23 June 1917.
     
57 . KAM, OP 54540, school report of 15 July 1917. Himmler was rated ‘very good’ in the subjects Religious Studies and History, ‘good’ in German, Latin, French, Maths, and Gymnastics, and ‘satisfactory’ in Physics.
     
58 . BAK, NL 1126/1, Magistrat Landshut to Gebhard Himmler, 6 October 1917, as well as KAM, OP 54540, Certificate of the Magistrate of 24 December 1917. On this episode see also Smith,
Himmler
, 74 f.
     
59 . KAM, OP 54540, letter from Hofmarschall Pflaum to the commander of the 11th Bavarian Infantry Regiment, 17 August 1917.
     
60 . Ibid. Archiv des fr. Bay. III. A.K., letter to Major Ritter v. Braun re promotion to lieutenant, 18 March 1921; Smith,
Himmler
, 82 f.
     
61 . BAK, NL 1126/11, letter of 4 January 1918.
     
62 . Ibid. correspondence with his parents (January); Smith,
Himmler
, 76 ff.
     
63 . Details in BAK, NL 1126/11.
     
64 . Ibid. 29 January 1918.
     
65 . Ibid. correspondence with his parents (February); Smith,
Himmler
, 79.
     
66 . Himmler,
Brüder Himmler
, 60 f.
     
67 . BAK, NL 1126/11, 23 March 918.
     
68 . Ibid. 7 May 1918, also 6, 15, and 22 May 1918.
     
69 . Smith,
Himmler
, 82 f.
     
70 . BAK, NL 1126/11, 20 June and 17 September 1918.
     
71 . Thus, for example, in his letter of 5 August 1918, in which he wrote that he had reported sick and the doctor had prescribed rest.
     
72 . BAK, NL 1126/11, 23 June and 29 August 1918.
     
73 . Ibid. 29 August 1918.
     
74 . Ibid. 4 August 1918.
     
75 . KAM, OP 54540, assessment of 14 September 1918. In this assessment Himmler’s performance was rated good to very good, and he was considered suitable for a commission at a later date.
     
76 . BAK, NL 1126/11, 13 August 1918.
     
77 . Smith,
Himmler
, 85.
     
78 . BAK, NL 1126/11.
     
79 . Ibid. 23 October 1918; Smith,
Himmler
, 85.
     
80 . Smith,
Himmler
, 86f. Details are to be found in his letters to his parents of 30 November as well of 6, 10, 11, and 17 December 1918 (BAK, NL