by Bill Yenne
“Everyone will know that if he goes into the SS, then there exists the possibility that he will be shot dead,” the Reichsführer said, in unambiguously graphic terms. He then ridiculed civilians and others who were not up to the standards of elite SS discipline, saying:
It is confirmed by a covenant that gambols … not in Berlin or celebrating the Munich carnival, but rather placed into an ice-cold winter against the eastern border…. [W]e will have a healthy selection [of recruits] for all the future. We will create thereby the conditions for the fact that the entire Germanic people, and that the entire of us, who rule and lead Europe can exist as Germanic people, leading in [future] generations its certain fate in fights erupting in Asia. We do not know when it will be. If, on the other side, the menschenmassen with 1 to 1.5 billion begin, then the Germanic people with, as I hope, 250 to 300 million, together with the other European peoples in a total number from 600 to 700 million … will fight the fight of our lives … against Asia, beyond the Urals.
The alternative, he proposed, was unacceptable. “If the Germanic people cease to exist, it would be the end of beauty and culture, of the creative strength of this earth.” To avoid such an alternative was the sacred duty of the SS to the German people: “For those, we are obligated to pass on the inheritance of our ancestors.”
Though he spoke only briefly about the Final Solution at Posen, Himmler’s words ring with more chilling candor that just about anything else he ever wrote or said:
I also want to mention before you in all openness here, a very grave subject. Among us it is to be completely openly expressed, but nevertheless we will never talk about it in public. We barely hesitated on 30 June 1934 [the Night of the Long Knives] to render our obligation as we were ordered, and put our comrades against the wall and shoot them, and we have never spoken and never will speak of this. We all understood clearly that we would do it again, if it is ordered and if it is necessary.
I mean now the Jew evacuation, the extermination of the Jewish people. It is one of the things, which one expresses easily. “The Jewish people are to be exterminated,” says each party comrade, “Perfectly clear it is within our program, elimination of the Jews, extermination.”
At this point, as he had earlier, Himmler complained that so many Germans had mentioned that there were good people among the Jews.
“And then they all arrive, the good 80 million Germans, and everyone has his decent Jew. It is clear, the others are pigs, but this one is a very good Jew,” Himmler said, mocking the Aryans who defended Jewish friends.
From all who talk in such a way, none watched, none have seen it through [as you have]. Most of you know what it means if 100 corpses lie together, if 500 lie there, or if 1,000 lie there. To have carried this out, and—apart from exceptions of human weakness—to have remained decent, has made us hard. This is a glorious page of our history that has never been written and which can never be written. Because we know how difficult things would be, if today in every city during the bomb attacks, amid the burdens of war and privations, if we still had Jews as clandestine saboteurs, agitators, and instigators. We would probably be at the same stage as in the years of 1916 and 1917, if the Jews still resided within the body of the German people.
The wealth, which [the Jews had], we have removed from them. I gave a strict instruction, which SS Obergruppenführer [Oswald] Pohl [who managed construction crews comprised of concentration-camp inmates] accomplished, that this wealth was disseminated completely into the Reich. We took nothing of it for ourselves. Those who ignore these orders are punished in accordance with my instructions as I gave at the beginning. He who takes for himself only one Mark of this [wealth] is a dead man. A number of SS men—there is not a great many—disobeyed my order, and for them a graceless death it is.
We had the moral right, we had the obligation to our people to kill the [Jews] who wanted to kill us. We do not have, however, the right to enrich ourselves with even one fur coat, with a clock, with a Mark, or with a cigarette, or with anything else. We do not want to become ill and die from a bacillus at the end, just because we exterminated a bacillus.
I will never see it happen, that even one small bit of rot develops or settles within us. Where it might try to take root, we will burn it out together. Altogether, however, we can say that we fulfilled this heaviest of tasks for the love of our people. And we have taken on no blemish within us, in our soul, or in our character.
With these words, Himmler absolved the SS men of blame in the murders that comprised the Final Solution—so long as nobody stole a fur coat. They were doing it, he assured them, for the good of the German people.
The Virtues of the SS Man
by Heinrich Himmler, October 1943
1. Die Treue (Loyalty)
We have had no case so far, in which a distinguished SS man in our ranks has become unfaithful. The one guideline is that if he should ever be unfaithful, even only in his thoughts about the Führer or the Reich, then you must ensure that this man [loses his] life…. Everything can be forgiven in this world, but [one quality] cannot be forgiven among us Teutons: that is the unfaithfulness. It would be inexcusable and is inexcusable.
2. Der Gehorsam (Obedience)
Military life demands that obedience be carried out in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. The small man also always, or mostly, obeys. If he does not obey, then he is locked up. More difficult is the question of the obedience with the higher dignitaries in state, the party, and the armed forces—also in the SS. I would like to express here clearly: The fact that the small man must obey is natural. It is still more natural that all [SS leadership be the] model of the unconditional obedience.
Instructions must be sacred. If the generals obey, then the armies obey automatically. This sacredness of the instruction is valid all the more, the more our territory becomes larger. An order that applies in our small Germany was not difficult. To push through instruction, [now that we have] garrisons at the Urals, is more difficult. Here, one will not always be able to control all instruction. Control may be with us, not and never—as in Russia—with the [Communist political] commissar. However, [you will be unable] to require obedience of your men, if you do not carry the same obedience for the authority over you, unconditionally and without restriction.
3. Tapferkeit (Bravery)
Of bravery, few of us need to be counseled, because our leaders and our men are courageous.
To express my thoughts to you, I would like to submit a counter example, an example of how it is with the Russians. I heard of the following event [from a captured Soviet officer]: A unit of the Red Army had been making an attack, which had been stopped by German lead. Thereupon the [Communist political] commissar of this unit ordered the officers to come to him for discussion. The officers had to [stand at attention] and announce themselves in the shelter with prescribed bearing. The commissar continued working calmly and let the officers stand still further. When one began to become jerky and agitated, the commissar looked up and asked: “You seem to be probably tired?”
Then the question came: “Does one of the gentlemen have something to say of the attack?” The answer of an officer came that the resistance of the Germans had been too strong and the attack was impossible [at this point in the line].
The commissar pulled the pistol, shot the officer down and then asked: “Has one of you gentlemen something to say about the attack?”
See, this is an example [of something] which we do not want to have, which we do not need. The commissar, who instructs us to attack, must be our own, possessing our own bravery, our own loyalty, our own obedience. In our ranks we live by our Germanic laws, from which [we say] honor is obligation enough.
Opposite us are the strange peoples who want to bring Asian laws into application. We want never to be mixed up with that. If we have [people of] our blood, a Norwegian or Dutchman, before us, then we can win his heart after ours (i.e., by his and our total Germanic laws). If we have a Russian or a Slav befo
re us, then we want to use the opposite with him—never our holy laws, but the established Russian commissar laws.
A part of bravery is also faith, and here, my gruppenführer, we want to be exceeded by nobody in the world. Faith wins the battles, and faith creates the victories. Men who are pessimistic, or who lose faith, we do not want to have in our ranks.
4. Die Wahrhaftigkeit (Truthfulness)
I come now to a fourth virtue, truthfulness, which is very rare in Germany. One of the largest evils, which spread in wars, is the Unwahrhaftigkeit [lack of truthfulness] within messages, reports, and data, which [are given by subordinates] in civilian life, in the state, in the party, and in the armed forces to superior ranks. The message, the report, is the basis for each decision.
It is true that one can in wars, as in many segments, accept that 95 of 100 messages [are] a lie or half truth. That begins with the [Wehrmacht personnel] strength report. I take an everyday example here…. [One might receive a report that says,] “I have only 200 men, sadly, only 200 men.” [To which one might reply] smartly, “Times your ration strength indicates the regiment concerned has 1,300 men.” I must say, “Strange conditions. Strangely, with your 200 men in combat, the other 1,100 men are thus the tail of a small head.”
With the topic of truthfulness, I come now to another chapter. It must be true in the war and in peacetime … that we no longer bind SS men to written contracts, but that with us, like that which was customary years ago, a given word and a handshake meant the same as a contract. The handshake of an SS man—if it must be—is security for one million or more. It must become that the handshake or the given word of an SS man is probably safer than another’s mortgage in the largest bank. So it must be!
If we conclude contracts, then we must hold to them. If I secure a contract with an agent, even with a bad subject, then I hold the contract. I unconditionally enter this view…. If we give our word, it must be held. If the Reichsführer SS assures someone of his protection—as in the Balkans [where the Germans intervened in 1941 to aid Mussolini’s misadventures], the case can be often made—so this promise must be upheld. We must make such a call, which gets contractual loyalty in the whole world …. We in the SS, and thereby Germany have acquired the highest values (i.e., faith by confidence)…. If we assure our protection … then it must be impossible that a member of the SS or the police … breaks his given word. This word must be holy.
5. Die Ehrlichkeit (Honesty)
I come to a fifth point: Sacredness of the property, honesty, probity…. If I may say—in the closed hall now, intended only for this small circle—we Germans have become a very corrupt people … [although] gradually the people are becoming honest due to [drastic] measures and education. My gentlemen, we must realize that we must always begin first with ourselves [the SS, so that] we would not bring this plague of corruption into our ranks.
Beyond this, however, ambiguity develops over these questions from the state of emergency in which we have lived since the years 1936 and 1937. Since that time we [have had shortages of] the commodities that the human heart demands … whether it is now silk, socks, chocolate, or coffee…. One can buy that, or perhaps one can not. Can one buy it in France, in Belgium or at an excess price otherwise?
Until we have normal conditions in Germany after the war, these things [will be measured by] sharpest yardstick available to the SS. In the future, if we then get through twenty years of peace, we will achieve a perfect view in all these questions.
6. Die Kameradschaft (Comradeship)
The word “comradeship” is very often expressed. It is generally very favorable with us [in the SS], particularly among the front-line troops. Since I speak of comradeship, however, I would like to tell each of you what to avoid. Controversy is unfruitful. Differences of opinion are fruitful …. Controversy and quarrelling … are unfruitful and immobilize the worker. They sap strength that we must use for other things (i.e., for the fulfillment of our obligation).
7. Die Verantwortungsfreudigkeit (Readiness for Responsibility)
In this war, situations will come, where we must be ready to take on tremendous responsibilities…. It must be clear that the individual person takes responsibility not in anonymity, but … in the joyfulness of taking responsibility.
The main thing is, it [some decision] is reached. [It matters not] when determining that an objective is to be taken by the 995th Division or whether the 998th Division is responsible. The main thing is that the decision is made … so that we do not have to conquer [the objective] again. [The SS] has to be ready to take responsibilities, up to the ultimate one.
8. Der Fleiss (Diligence)
Of diligence, I would like to speak yet another word. We all teach our men today in the war, and later in peacetime, dass Arbeit nicht schändet [that work that does not violate], that work [brings virtue].
To get through the war, to win it, we must make no errors…. At the end of the war we will not be impoverished, but Völkisch [German people], who create much, who work very hard, must see [prosperity]. I hope that then we are not so rich that we eat only meat until our teeth fail us, or that we commit similar foolishness.
9. Alkohol Vermeiden (Alcohol Avoidance)
On the topic of alcohol, we need to spare no word. With the hundred thousands of people whom we lose by the war, we cannot also morally lose still more people as a result of alcohol.
The largest and most merciless severity here is [the loss of] comradeship, which you can confirm [by looking at your own] subordinates. Criminal offenses, which occur under the influence of the consumption of alcohol, are twice as highly punished. I will punish leaders who permit alcohol abuse by the subordinates in their company. I ask that this will be carried out in the same way everywhere.
He then complimented his Black Knights and elucidated further burdens that must be borne, because of the special responsibilities of the SS men.
The attitude of our noble leaders and men was honorable in desperate situations at the front, where they exceeded in the dark hours, in the darkest hours … in grand heroic death. The attitude was good with our men in the fight, and in the rear areas. The attitude [toward the SS man] was also in the Fatherland…. The people see how the small man reacts to an emergency with fear in his heart…. How does he perceive how the SS man stands or the face he makes? Has he also a gloomy expression, leaving his lower jaw to hang? Or how does the SS battalion march to the front? Or how is the post of the Gendarmerie in the Balkans or in Russia? Or how is the SS man with the air raid? Does he remain there, or does he run away?
Is it that which prevents the panic and which encourages the people? Or in reverse, is there an SS leader or an SS man who takes for himself special rights, who aspires to a better life for his wife, over the requirements of others … and each Sunday freely takes a drive with his car when [driving of personal vehicles is forbidden], or who says distorted things in the bomb shelter?
On the whole, our attitude was good. Some are still to be improved in our ranks. This is with the sense of the appeal of the commanders and the gruppenfuher. I would like to overwrite this chapter with the heading, “wir selbst” [“we ourselves”]. I’d like to tell you today, in the moment in which the war ends, only then will we truly begin to forge our Order. Into this Order, which we developed ten long years before the war, we instilled the first important principles…. In twenty work-rich years after the end of war … in thirty, thirty-five, forty years, in a generation still ahead, this Order will march young and strong, in a revolutionary manner, and effectively into the future. In order to fulfill the task, the German people submit to the Oberschicht [higher class], which ties and holds the Germanic people together and thus Europe together. In addition this Oberschicht [who Himmler understood to be the SS itself] must be so strong and vital that each generation can unconditionally sacrifice two and three sons on the battleground from each family, and that the future of the blood line is nevertheless secured.
Part of the burden
of the SS, Himmler believed, was that Germany needed the Black Knights, as though they were something that Germany had been missing since the days of the Teutonic Knights.
This Germanic Reich needs the Order of the SS. It needs it at least for the next century. Then … for one thousand or two thousand years…. From this, something new will develop, exactly the same, as from the time of the Teutonic Knights, from which Prussian army took over the torch.
I put everything to all of you, to the heart, my hauptamtchefs, my higher SS and polizeiführers, and the whole gruppenführer corps. The highest stage of this hierarchy is the Order of the SS. Always see the whole, always see the total Order, never see only your section, never see only your upper section, but always see the SS. Over it, see the Germanic Reich, over it our Führer, who created this Reich and who still creates.
Having likened Adolf Hitler to a mystical, godlike creator, Himmler grew more somber, telling his Black Knights that they still had an uphill climb. He went on to predict the course of the war on the Eastern Front as 1943 melded into 1944. The German armies, both black and field gray, were, he warned, looking into the darkness before the dawn.
“The near future will, I believe, bring us heavy burdens,” the Reichsführer cautioned. “We will have a hard winter and have a hard spring before us. The attack in the east will be outrageously bitter. The guerrilla warfare will increase. As soon as the weather permits, landings and air strikes will increase likewise on the part of the Englishmen and Americans.”