Behind the Bastards Part Two: How Heinrich Himmler Went From Nerdy Boy To Master of the SS
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Sep 4, 2025 Delve into Heinrich Himmler's transformation from a troubled youth to a leading figure in the SS. Explore his disillusionment with military life, shaped by personal tragedies and societal pressures. Discover how the post-war climate and fringe beliefs radicalized him, and how his fascination with Volkish ideologies influenced his dark ambitions. The discussion intricately balances humor with the grim realities of Himmler's character, revealing the complexities of his psyche through his own diary reflections.
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Sick Leave Fueled Radical Reading
- Illness forced Himmler off farms and into a year of reading and convalescence.
- That enforced isolation led him to obsess over Volkish and occult literature that radicalized his views.
Volkish Mysticism Became A Political Path
- The Volkish movement combined mysticism, racialism, and counterculture rejection of modernity.
- That blend made esoteric ideas a gateway to racial exclusion and later Nazi ideology.
Pamphlets Pointed Him At Targets
- Himmler read anti-Masonic pamphlets claiming Freemasonry and Jews aimed for world revolution.
- He concluded these works 'shed light on everything' and told him who to fight first.
