Heinrich Himmler

Heinrich Himmler (1900-1945): Heinrich Himmler joined the Nazi party in August 1923 and in January 1929 was appointed Reichsführer SS. Under his leadership the SS grew significantly and became an independent organization from the SA in 1934. In 1934 Himmler was appointed the Chief of Police, giving him control over a centralized police force, the Gestapo. From 1943-1945 Himmler served as Minister of the Interior and committed suicide by biting a cyanide capsule on May 23, 1945. Himmler was responsible for the implementation of Nazi racial ideology into the SS as well as for founding the Lebensborn project.