Himmler's personal office

Discussions on all aspects of the SS and Polizei. Hosted by Andrey.
Post Reply
M.Foster
Member
Posts: 70
Joined: 30 Mar 2004, 15:55
Location: UK

Himmler's personal office

#1

Post by M.Foster » 24 Apr 2004, 15:19

Can anyone tell me where Himmler's office was during 1945? Had he moved to the Ministry of the Interior, or did use an office elsewhere? I know that for some of that year he was living on his personal train. Photos would be fascinating!
Top
Max Williams
Member
Posts: 11158
Joined: 04 Feb 2003, 17:57
Location: South UK

#2

Post by Max Williams » 24 Apr 2004, 15:36

Himmler maintained his office at Prinz-Albrecht Strasse in Berlin. This building was seriously damaged by bombing on 3 February 1945 and was further destroyed by artillery and tank fire during the last days of April/beginning of May.
His field HQ location varied with the shifting front line in Eastern Prussia towards the capital. Sonderzug "Heinrich" served as his main HQ during these weeks.
Himmler stayed at the Hohenlychen SS clinic in April 1945 from where he tried to negotiate with the Western Allies. His HQ moved to Plön and thence to Flensburg from where he fled to the south and captivity.
Max
Top
Top
M.Foster
Member
Posts: 70
Joined: 30 Mar 2004, 15:55
Location: UK

#3

Post by M.Foster » 24 Apr 2004, 15:47

Thanks, Max.

I've always been somewhat confused as to what the P-A Strasse building was called: SS Haus?
Top
Max Williams
Member
Posts: 11158
Joined: 04 Feb 2003, 17:57
Location: South UK

#4

Post by Max Williams » 24 Apr 2004, 17:40

The SS administration at Prinz-Albrecht Strasse consisted of 2 buildings:
The former School of Industrial Arts & Crafts at no. 8 and the former Hotel Prinz Albrecht at no.9. The SS HQ was situated in no.8 and was known by it's formal address. Himmler's official office was within this building. Just around the corner at Wilhelmstrasse 102 was the Prinz-Albrecht Palais, the HQ of the SD and Heydrich's official office was situated here.
Max
Top
JoeW
Financial supporter
Posts: 1556
Joined: 04 Jan 2004, 06:14
Location: Midwest, USA

#5

Post by JoeW » 02 Sep 2004, 21:22

Max, can you give me a proximate location of Hohenlychen? Was it near a town called Falkenburg? Does anyone know the location of the Ordensburg Crößinsee or a town called Birkenwald? Perhaps Birkenwald is more a geographic description like the Schwarzwald? Thanks.
Top
Max Williams
Member
Posts: 11158
Joined: 04 Feb 2003, 17:57
Location: South UK

#6

Post by Max Williams » 04 Sep 2004, 23:03

JoeW wrote:Max, can you give me a proximate location of Hohenlychen? Was it near a town called Falkenburg? Does anyone know the location of the Ordensburg Crößinsee or a town called Birkenwald? Perhaps Birkenwald is more a geographic description like the Schwarzwald? Thanks.
Joe,
Hohenlychen was the SS clinic situated near the village Lychen. I visited it two years ago and was pleased to see all the buildings survived. They were all empty. It was a rather large complex over several acres, but unfortunately the whole facility was fenced off with guard dog patrols as it was in the process of being redeveloped into residential apartments.
Max
Top
JoeW
Financial supporter
Posts: 1556
Joined: 04 Jan 2004, 06:14
Location: Midwest, USA

#7

Post by JoeW » 04 Sep 2004, 23:38

Did you have any before and after shots? Like "After the Battle"? What about the other locations? Any ideas?
Top
Petterson
Member
Posts: 386
Joined: 18 Feb 2004, 17:43
Location: Finland

#8

Post by Petterson » 06 Sep 2004, 10:12

There is staged SS HQ in this movie "Hitler's S.S.: Portrait in Evil" (1985)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089279/

Seems to be that SS HQ was a bulding with widespread facade.
Top
Max Williams
Member
Posts: 11158
Joined: 04 Feb 2003, 17:57
Location: South UK

#9

Post by Max Williams » 07 Sep 2004, 10:33

JoeW wrote:Did you have any before and after shots? Like "After the Battle"? What about the other locations? Any ideas?
Joe,
I have some photos, but I'll have to try and find them. Give me some time.
Without any books at hand, wasn't Birkenwald the name of Himmler's HQ near Rastenburg?
Max
Top
Petterson
Member
Posts: 386
Joined: 18 Feb 2004, 17:43
Location: Finland

#10

Post by Petterson » 07 Sep 2004, 13:08

How about "Hochwald"! I mean the Himmler's HQ near Rastenburg.
Top
Max Williams
Member
Posts: 11158
Joined: 04 Feb 2003, 17:57
Location: South UK

#11

Post by Max Williams » 07 Sep 2004, 14:46

Petterson wrote:How about "Hochwald"! I mean the Himmler's HQ near Rastenburg.
That's the one! In that case, I don't know of Birkenwald.
Max
Top
JoeW
Financial supporter
Posts: 1556
Joined: 04 Jan 2004, 06:14
Location: Midwest, USA

#12

Post by JoeW » 07 Sep 2004, 20:20

According to the Himmler book by Manvell and Fraenkel that I mentioned in another thread, Himmler's combat HQ in late Dec/early Jan was at Deutsche Krone, just NW of Schneidemühl. This location did not last for long and he had to relocate to west of the Oder. The Lazarette at Hohenlychen is metioned as it was near the Crössinsee location mentioned earlier.
Top
JoeW
Financial supporter
Posts: 1556
Joined: 04 Jan 2004, 06:14
Location: Midwest, USA

#13

Post by JoeW » 07 Sep 2004, 20:47

After Deutsche Krone, Himmler also had HQ at Prenzlau for a short time.
To help locate Birkenwald, I find correlating info that it was 1 hour from Hohenlychen and 2 hours from Berlin. It was also about 2 1/2 hours from Fürstenwalde, HQ of 9 Armee.
Top
JoeW
Financial supporter
Posts: 1556
Joined: 04 Jan 2004, 06:14
Location: Midwest, USA

#14

Post by JoeW » 08 Sep 2004, 00:55

Max, was not Himmler's Sonderzug named "Steiermark" instead of
"Heinrich". At least that is the name that I am reading.
Last edited by JoeW on 08 Sep 2004, 15:41, edited 1 time in total.
Top
Max Williams
Member
Posts: 11158
Joined: 04 Feb 2003, 17:57
Location: South UK

#15

Post by Max Williams » 08 Sep 2004, 12:40

Joe,
A few years ago I saw an album created by a member of staff on Himmler's special train. There were numerous pages of photos and handwritten entries by SS officers who visited the train, something like a guestbook. The cover page was titled Sonderzug "Heinrich".
Max
Top
Post Reply

Return to “The Phil Nix SS & Polizei section”