Reinhard Heydrich was a man of many names and reputations. To some, he was the “Blond Beast,” while to others, he was the “Hangman” or the “Butcher of Prague.” To Adolf Hitler, he was the “Man with the Iron Heart.” Heydrich is perhaps best known as the target of Operation Anthropoid, a daring assassination mission during World War II. Despite his talent as a classical musician, Heydrich chose a path that led him to become one of the most feared figures in Nazi Germany. Under his command, the Einsatzgruppen were formed, and the Holocaust was orchestrated. Assassinated by the Czechoslovak resistance in 1942, Heydrich remains a complex figure—a cultured individual who became one of history’s most notorious villains.
Reinhard Eugen Tristan Heydrich was born on March 7, 1904, into a life of middle-class comfort. His father, Bruno, was an opera enthusiast who ran a music conservatory, and his mother, Elisabeth, came from a wealthy family and was a skilled pianist. Music was a central part of Heydrich’s upbringing, with his parents ensuring he received rigorous training in violin and cello. Despite this cultural richness, the family faced rumors about Bruno’s alleged Jewish heritage, which he believed hindered his opera career. This belief fueled a deep-seated animosity toward Judaism, which he passed on to his son.
As World War I unfolded, the Heydrich family’s fortunes changed. The war brought economic hardship, and young Heydrich witnessed the political unrest that gripped Germany. The collapse of the German Empire in 1918 and the subsequent revolution left a lasting impression on him. At nearly 16, Heydrich joined a local Freikorps unit, an anti-Communist militia, where he found camaraderie among those who shared his growing anti-Semitic views.
The early years of the Weimar Republic were marked by political instability. Heydrich, however, chose a different path by joining the German Navy in 1922, seeking a stable career amidst the chaos. Despite his ambitions to become an admiral, he maintained ties with far-right groups. His naval career progressed, and by 1928, he was a first lieutenant in Navy Intelligence. During this time, he met Lina von Osten, a fervent National Socialist, and their relationship eventually led him to join the Nazi Party in 1931.
Heydrich’s ascent within the Nazi ranks was swift, aided by family connections. His grandmother facilitated a meeting with Heinrich Himmler, the SS leader, who was impressed by Heydrich’s intelligence. Heydrich quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Chief of the Gestapo after the Night of the Long Knives in 1934. By 1939, he was in charge of the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA), wielding significant power.
Heydrich played a pivotal role in orchestrating Kristallnacht in 1938 and the false flag attack on Gleiwitz, which justified the invasion of Poland. He commanded the Einsatzgruppen, responsible for mass murders in occupied territories, and targeted various groups within Germany.
Heydrich’s involvement in the Holocaust was profound. In 1938, he declared that imprisoning Jews was insufficient and that they needed to be eliminated. Initially, this involved forced emigration, but as the war progressed, Heydrich and Adolf Eichmann orchestrated the deportation of Jews and the establishment of ghettos in Poland. By 1941, Heydrich was preparing for a “final solution,” culminating in the Wannsee Conference in 1942, where the systematic extermination of Jews was formalized.
Unbeknownst to Heydrich, two Czechoslovak operatives, Jan Kubiš and Jozef Gabčík, were plotting his assassination as part of Operation Anthropoid. On May 27, 1942, they ambushed Heydrich in Prague, leading to his death from injuries eight days later. In retaliation, the Nazis executed mass killings, including the destruction of the village of Lidice. Heydrich’s assassination galvanized the Allies, strengthening their resolve against Nazi Germany and contributing to the post-war preservation of Czechoslovakia.
Reinhard Heydrich remains a figure of intrigue and horror. As the only high-ranking Nazi assassinated during the war, he left a legacy of brutality and inhumanity. His transformation from a sensitive, musically gifted youth to a ruthless architect of genocide serves as a chilling reminder of the darkest aspects of human nature.
Research the life of Reinhard Heydrich, focusing on his early years, rise within the Nazi Party, and his role in the Holocaust. Prepare a 10-minute presentation to share your findings with the class, highlighting key events and their impact on history.
Engage in a debate on the ethical implications of Operation Anthropoid, the mission to assassinate Heydrich. Consider the moral justifications and consequences of political assassinations during wartime. Formulate arguments for both sides and participate in a class discussion.
Watch a documentary about Operation Anthropoid and analyze its portrayal of the events leading to Heydrich’s assassination. Write a critical review discussing the documentary’s accuracy, perspective, and its impact on your understanding of the historical context.
Write a fictional diary entry from the perspective of Reinhard Heydrich on a significant day in his life. Use historical facts to inform your writing, but explore his possible thoughts and emotions to gain a deeper understanding of his character.
Participate in a group discussion about the legacy of Reinhard Heydrich. Consider how his actions influenced post-war Europe and the lessons that can be learned from his life. Reflect on how history remembers controversial figures and the importance of historical memory.
To his friends, he was known as the Blond Beast. To his enemies, he was the Hangman or the Butcher of Prague. To the man he devoted his life to, he was the Man with the Iron Heart. Reinhard Heydrich was known by many names, but you probably associate him with one in particular: he was the Nazi target of Operation Anthropoid. A talented classical musician who abandoned his passion to become a military man, Heydrich embodied the Nazi ideal. He was tall, blond, cultured, and a lover of Wagner. However, he was also brutal. Under Heydrich’s watch, the infamous Einsatzgruppen were formed, Nazi enemies were killed, and the Holocaust was perpetrated. Assassinated by the Czechoslovak resistance in Prague in 1942, Heydrich remains a mystery: a sensitive, cultured boy who grew up to become one of history’s worst figures.
**A Young Lad of Promise**
If you were shown the conditions Heydrich was born into and asked to guess what he’d grow up to be, “genocidal maniac” would probably be far down your list. Born Reinhard Eugen Tristan Heydrich on March 7, 1904, he came into a world of middle-class luxury. His father, Bruno, was an opera aficionado who ran a music conservatory in Halle, near Leipzig, while his mother, Elisabeth, was a pianist from a wealthy family. For young Heydrich, this meant a life filled with culture, money, and – most importantly – music. Music was the air the family breathed. Bruno wrote his own operas and sang on stage, while Elisabeth had little Heydrich trained to exacting classical standards on the violin and cello.
However, there was a cloud hovering over the family’s charmed life. Everyone in Halle thought Bruno was Jewish. Bruno believed that his supposed Jewish background was why his opera career never took off, leading him to loathe the religion he blamed for his own failings. He made sure young Heydrich loathed it too. Despite this unpleasantness, their family life was relatively normal. Elisabeth was a strict mother, determined her son should succeed, and soon Heydrich was not just an accomplished musician but also a powerful sportsman.
This normal family appearance began to crack in 1914. Like many Germans, the Heydrichs were initially excited by the outbreak of World War I, thinking it would be an easy win for their country. However, as the war dragged on, that optimism faded. In the winter of 1916-17, fuel and food shortages led to starvation and misery across the nation. In Halle, work at Bruno’s conservatory dried up as the economy faltered. As 1917 rolled on, the German population grew angry at the war’s management, leading to strikes and protests. Heydrich watched left and right extremists battle for control of his city’s streets. Unlike his terrified parents, Heydrich found the clashes intoxicating.
In October 1918, German dreams of winning the war collapsed. Germany removed the Kaiser from power and established a civilian government tasked with negotiating peace. In the aftermath, segments of the military went into rebellion. Before the war had even ended on November 11, the country was in revolution. As a Communist uprising seized control of Berlin, Heydrich decided he had to make a stand. In Halle, the nearly 16-year-old boy joined a local Freikorps unit, an anti-Communist militia that soon targeted Jews and revolutionaries alike. For the teenage Heydrich, this experience was eye-opening, as he was surrounded by people who shared his anti-Semitic beliefs and his desire to use violence.
By August 11, the country was back under control, and the Weimar Republic was founded. However, the revolution had unleashed the forces of far-right nationalism, and Heydrich wasn’t the only one to heed their call.
**A Sick Republic**
The early days of the Weimar Republic were marked by political turmoil. On March 13, 1920, an ultranationalist putsch captured Berlin for a few days before the government regained control. Three years later, another right-wing putsch in Munich resulted in 20 deaths, led by none other than Adolf Hitler. You might expect that Heydrich was in the thick of this, but you’d be wrong. After the Freikorps disbanded, Heydrich got his high school diploma in 1922 and left Halle quickly, joining the German Navy.
By 1922, Weimar Germany was in the grip of hyperinflation, and anyone wanting a stable life joined the military. Heydrich, now 18, was ambitious and wanted to become an admiral. He still flirted with the far right, maintaining membership in the anti-Semitic Deutscher Schutz- und Trutzbund. However, unlike many future high-ranking Nazis, Heydrich wanted a respectable career with responsibility. When Hitler published *Mein Kampf* in 1925, Heydrich didn’t even bother to read it.
By 1928, Heydrich’s hard work paid off, and he was promoted to first lieutenant in Navy Intelligence. Although he faced bullying for his supposed Jewish roots, his sensitive qualities became an asset. Throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s, Heydrich sowed his wild oats and met Lina von Osten, a charming and intelligent woman who was also a fervent National Socialist. By 1930, the Nazis were gaining notoriety in Germany, but they weren’t yet in power. When Heydrich first met Lina, he mocked her for being a Nazi. However, in early 1931, he proposed to her and eventually joined the Nazi Party, marking the beginning of his rise toward infamy.
**Making a Monster**
You might wonder how Heydrich transformed from a sailor to a Nazi. The answer lies with his grandmother. By the time Heydrich joined the Nazis, his mother and grandmother were enthusiastic members and had connections that benefited him. Within a month of joining, his grandmother arranged a meeting between him and SS leader Heinrich Himmler. Although Himmler was initially skeptical, he was impressed by Heydrich’s knowledge and offered him a job in the SD, the SS intelligence branch.
Heydrich quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Chief of the Gestapo after the Night of the Long Knives in 1934, where he and Himmler worked together to eliminate rivals. Himmler promoted Heydrich repeatedly, merging various police units under his command. By September 1939, Heydrich was in charge of the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA), which held immense power.
Heydrich organized the looting and burning of Jewish property during Kristallnacht in November 1938 and masterminded the false flag attack on Gleiwitz that provided a pretext for invading Poland. The Einsatzgruppen, death squads that followed invading German armies, were put under his command, leading to the murder of tens of thousands. Heydrich also focused on internal enemies, targeting various groups within Germany.
**The Eternal Subhuman**
On November 12, 1938, Heydrich reported on the Jewish question to a gathering of Nazis, declaring that imprisoning Jews wouldn’t suffice and that the Reich would have to eliminate them. In early 1939, Hermann Goering tasked Heydrich with “solving the Jewish problem,” which initially involved forced emigration. However, as the war progressed, Heydrich and Adolf Eichmann worked to round up and deport Jews from Austria and opened ghettos in Poland, ensuring conditions that led to widespread suffering.
By May 1941, Heydrich issued an order forbidding Jews from leaving the Reich, claiming a “final solution” was being prepared. On January 20, 1942, he convened a conference in Wannsee to discuss plans for the extermination of Europe’s Jews. The Holocaust was now official Nazi policy, with Heydrich as a chief architect.
**The “Vermin”**
Unbeknownst to Heydrich, two men were plotting his assassination: Jan Kubiš and Jozef Gabčík, former Czechoslovak citizens trained by British Intelligence. The plan, Operation Anthropoid, aimed to eliminate Heydrich, who had been appointed as the Protector of Bohemia and Moravia. Upon his arrival in Prague, he executed civilians and instilled fear, but also attempted to pacify the population through increased rations and wages.
On May 27, 1942, Kubiš and Gabčík waited for Heydrich on his morning drive to work. As Heydrich’s car approached a corner, Gabčík attempted to open fire, but his gun jammed. Kubiš then threw a grenade, which exploded behind the car, injuring Heydrich. He succumbed to his injuries eight days later.
In retaliation for Heydrich’s assassination, Hitler ordered mass killings of Czechs, resulting in the destruction of the village of Lidice and the deaths of thousands. The assassination spurred the Allies to take a firmer stance against Nazi Germany, ultimately contributing to the preservation of Czechoslovakia as a nation after WWII.
Heydrich remains a figure of fascination, being the only high-ranking Nazi assassinated during the war. He outlined the blueprint for the Holocaust and controlled the Einsatzgruppen, committing numerous atrocities. Unlike many leading Nazis, Heydrich was not a true believer; he was an opportunist who embraced his role with chilling enthusiasm. In the end, the shy, sensitive boy from Halle became a symbol of inhumanity, embodying the darkest aspects of humanity without ever feeling the faintest flicker of compassion.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – Historians often debate the causes and consequences of major events in history, such as the fall of the Roman Empire.
Sociology – The study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society. – Sociology provides insights into how social institutions like family and education influence individual behavior.
Genocide – The deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group. – The Holocaust is one of the most studied genocides in history, highlighting the extreme consequences of unchecked hatred and prejudice.
Anti-Semitism – Hostility to, prejudice, or discrimination against Jews. – Anti-Semitism has been a persistent issue throughout history, leading to significant social and political challenges.
Totalitarianism – A system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state. – The rise of totalitarianism in the 20th century, exemplified by regimes like Nazi Germany, had profound impacts on global politics.
Nationalism – Identification with one’s own nation and support for its interests, especially to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations. – Nationalism played a crucial role in the unification of Germany in the 19th century, as well as in the outbreak of World War I.
Resistance – The refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument. – During World War II, various resistance movements across Europe actively opposed Nazi occupation.
Oppression – Prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control. – The civil rights movement in the United States sought to end the oppression of African Americans and achieve equality.
War – A state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country. – The causes and effects of the Vietnam War continue to be a major topic of study in contemporary history courses.
Culture – The social behavior and norms found in human societies. – Anthropologists study culture to understand how traditions and beliefs shape societies and influence historical developments.
