Between Hitler’s death on April 30, 1945, and the final collapse of the Third Reich, a ten-day window of political intrigue unfolded that is often overlooked in standard histories. During this period, Heinrich Himmler, the former Reichsführer SS, was not idle. He was maneuvering, scheming, and attempting to secure a place for himself in the new German government, even as that government was disintegrating around him.
Himmler had expected to be named Hitler’s successor. When Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz was chosen instead, Himmler was shocked. Yet he remained a persistent and unwelcome presence at Dönitz’s headquarters. He met with Dönitz at Plön and asked to serve as his second-in-command, effectively prime minister. Dönitz refused, but he had to tread carefully. Himmler still commanded the loyalty of thousands of SS troops in Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark, the western Netherlands, and Norway.
Dönitz understood that Himmler had enough local military strength to remove him by force. But Himmler, again, shrank from violence. Instead, he tried to insert himself into the new government through legal means. Dönitz humored him. Himmler even forced the removal of Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, a personal enemy, and his replacement by Count von Krosigk.
Himmler believed that Dönitz did not understand his political efforts to negotiate a separate peace with the Western Allies. Himmler hoped to end the war with Germany intact and himself in a position of power under Western protection. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had been receiving intelligence about Himmler’s possible surrender overtures. On May 1, 1945, Churchill sent a top-secret telegram to Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander, stating that surrender on all fronts through Himmler might be only a day or two away.
That same day, Himmler continued issuing orders. He sent SS-Obergruppenführer Hans Adolf Prützmann to Dönitz’s headquarters as his personal representative. He also radioed SS-Obergruppenführer Gottlob Berger, who commanded remnants of the 13th SS Army Corps in Bavaria and Austria. Himmler ordered him to collect SS units and defend the entrances to the Alps. This order foreshadowed Himmler’s later decision to move south.
On May 2, Himmler contacted General August Ritter von Ringel, commanding Army Group Ostmark, with similar exhortations. He also dismissed the idea that he had betrayed Hitler, blaming Martin Bormann for intrigues against him.
Dönitz, meanwhile, was focused on a different goal. He wanted to continue the war long enough to evacuate German soldiers and civilians from the Baltic coast before the Soviets arrived. This was Operation Hannibal. He was also prepared to negotiate a surrender, but slowly. At a meeting on May 2, Dönitz stated that the military situation was hopeless and that the main objective was to save as many Germans as possible from the Bolsheviks.
Himmler attended several meetings that day. He and Dönitz agreed to allow Hamburg to be declared an open city. As British forces approached Plön, Dönitz moved his headquarters to the Naval Academy at Flensburg-Mürwik. Himmler also adjusted his own arrangements. His adjutant, Heinz Macher, was ordered to take command of a 15-man personal protection detail. Himmler’s larger guard battalion had been sent to Berlin and had surrendered.
Before leaving for Flensburg, Himmler discussed with Dönitz the possibility of an armistice with the Western Allies. He also asked whether he should remain a member of the government. Dönitz wanted Himmler gone but could not risk a coup. Himmler remained, effectively operating as a shadow government.
That night, Himmler drove to Flensburg, giving a lift to SS-Obergruppenführer Dr. Werner Best, the civil administrator of occupied Denmark. During the journey, Himmler spoke of Hitler’s changed behavior and blamed Bormann and the Armed Forces High Command for his own fall from favor. He said that if he could talk to Eisenhower for two hours, he could convince him that Germany and the West should fight together against the Russians.
Best observed that Himmler was nervous, absent-minded, moody, and despondent. He believed Himmler would have taken poison if they had been surprised by enemy troops that night.
Himmler set up his new headquarters at the Lorenzen farm, about ten kilometers southeast of Flensburg. He would remain there until around May 7. After Himmler’s death, the farm became the focus of a British search. One of his bodyguards, Wilhelm Walter, told interrogators that Himmler had buried files there. The farmer and his daughter were questioned intensively, but the files were never found. They may have been moved before the search began.
On May 3, Himmler met with senior SS officials. He discussed the situation in Schleswig-Holstein and admitted that defense of the region was futile. He also attended meetings at Dönitz’s headquarters, where he raised the possibility of moving the government to Bohemia. That evening, he gatecrashed a meeting between Dönitz and German leaders in Norway. His spy chief, Walter Schellenberg, suggested offering to surrender Norway to Sweden and allowing the German garrison to be interned there. Himmler claimed Sweden was willing. Dönitz was skeptical.
Later that night, Himmler met privately with Dönitz. Negotiations for the surrender of German forces in northwest Europe were underway. Himmler also sent orders to the remaining concentration camp inspectorate to report to him at Flensburg. He met Rudolf Höss, the former commandant of Auschwitz-Birkenau, for the last time. Himmler told the senior camp officers to disguise themselves as army NCOs and cross into Denmark as stragglers. He advised them to go into hiding for a few weeks, saying all grievances would soon be forgotten.
On May 4, Himmler visited Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch, commanding Army Group Northwest. During their discussion, Himmler asked Busch for an army paybook. Busch refused. Himmler was clearly preparing for flight.
That afternoon, Dönitz, Himmler, von Krosigk, and Arthur Seyss-Inquart discussed the ongoing surrender negotiations with Montgomery. Albert Speer, also present, noted that Himmler was considering flying to Prague, where he still had a power base. His Condor aircraft was being held at Neumünster Airfield.
At 6:30 p.m., General Admiral von Friedeburg signed the surrender of German forces in the north at Montgomery’s headquarters on Lüneburg Heath. The surrender took effect at 8:00 a.m. on May 5. Denmark was liberated. The British fleet sailed into Copenhagen.
On the morning of May 5, Himmler met with General Böhme, the military commander in Norway. He claimed he had retained all his offices of state, despite Hitler having stripped him of them on April 28. He said that as Reichsführer SS, he had taken responsibility for law and order.
That day, Himmler held his last conference with his Obergruppenführers. Thirteen were present. He told them he intended to establish a reformed government in Schleswig-Holstein and negotiate with the Western powers. Some of those present thought he was unduly optimistic. Himmler said he had no intention of ending his life. He wanted an interview with Montgomery. Several of his generals believed he intended to strike a bargain with the Allies to save himself.
Around this time, Himmler wrote a letter to Field Marshal Montgomery. According to his adjutants, the letter acknowledged defeat but suggested a meeting. Himmler wanted to place the Waffen SS at Montgomery’s disposal for a fight against the Soviet Union. The letter was given to Jodl for delivery. It was never delivered. Jodl later admitted he tore it up.
On May 6, Bletchley Park intercepted a message from Himmler ordering the release of the King of the Belgians, who had been held hostage. That afternoon, Dönitz formally dismissed Himmler. He was no longer recognized as Minister of the Interior, Chief of the Replacement Army, or Head of the Police. The surrender was near, and Dönitz no longer needed to flatter him.
Otto Ohlendorf later said that after this meeting, Himmler gave the impression he wanted to disappear underground. He still had a 150-man staff, four large fuel cars, a radio truck, and many armed guards.
Jodl arrived at Eisenhower’s headquarters at Reims on the afternoon of May 6 to sign the unconditional surrender. Before leaving, Himmler asked Jodl for advice. He asked whether he should fly to southern Germany, where SS troops remained under arms. Himmler had already given 24 members of his staff orders to go to Bavaria and Austria.
Himmler moved his headquarters to another farm near Satrup, closer to Busch’s headquarters. On May 7, at 2:21 a.m., Jodl signed the unconditional surrender. It became effective the following day.
On May 8, Dönitz announced the end of the war in a radio address. Himmler signed an order for all troops under his command on the western front to surrender. He retained an escort of about twelve officers and men under Standartenführer Josef Kiermaier, plus four large cars.
Himmler’s letter to Montgomery had been given to Jodl for delivery to General Eberhard Kinzel, the German liaison officer at Montgomery’s headquarters. Albert Speer later said the letter included a plea for safe conduct. Himmler expected to be treated as a high-ranking general, citing his command of Army Group Vistula. But the letter was destroyed.
Himmler waited for a reply that never came. On May 9 or 10, he ordered his adjutant Macher to prepare to move to the Harz Mountains. On May 10, Himmler’s party, consisting of the Reichsführer and just over a dozen heavily armed officers and men, drove south in four large fuel cars.
Grothmann later said that Himmler had decided to move in order to remain free and to be able to talk to Montgomery as a free man, not as a captive. He remained in contact with his men in the Flensburg area and checked daily for a reply from Montgomery.
The plan was to hide in the isolated Harz Mountains, where Himmler had a stash of gold coins and foreign currency in a local bank. If Montgomery did not respond, Himmler intended to move south to the Alps and stay out of Allied hands as long as possible.
Himmler was a master planner. He had prepared escape routes and hidden resources. His determination to survive was clear. But the reply from Montgomery never came. And the journey south would lead to his capture and death on May 23, 1945.