"Heinrich Himmler: A Life" by Peter Longerich
ebook version Resumed March 1, 2014 Finished: March 16, 2014
[I first started reading this book back in December 2013. Then Christmas came around and it got put aside. I recall thinking that young Heinrich sounded like a shy, devout, and more importantly, not-evil young man. His diaries show someone with social anxiety and I can totally relate to that. Not sure when he started to get boring, or if the book was making him seem boring. I did perk up when the author would quote his wife's diary or talk about his mistress, but then it go right back to his organizing and re-organizing offices and bureaucracies and speeches about "decency". This was a hard read for me, either due to the translation or my hypothyroidism brain-fog (or both). I might have to check this out at the library for a re-read, where the notations are more accessible.]
[Notes verbatim]
OK, I picked it back up and trying to skim up to where I left off. I'm pretty sure I got up to at least his marriage but it's written in that heavy, German way and I find things I have no recollection of...then something will look familiar.
--Chapter "Inspector to the Chief of Police": What's interesting to note is that Himmler doesn't seem to have that fanatical devotion to the Führer unlike Hess and Göbbels or even Göring.
"Himmler as Educator": Do I find Himmler so dull because I'm trying to find a reason to like him even though he is so very unlikable? Trying to find something -anything- to admire about this man. Although I was annoyed at the author speculating that HH's "homophobia" was to cover up his own homosexual tendencies. HH most likely simply found the subject abhorrent like most regular people do.
Why am I trying to find something about him to admire? Because he's not even evil or his evilness is so banal it's hard to hate him but still harder to like him.
Finished. Good riddance to the boringest Nazi. Just, I don't even know how to describe it. He was just "a guy" who justified killing women and children by saying it was necessary otherwise the children will grow up and seek vengeance. What an asshole. He can take his "decency" and shove it up his pedantic ass--if there's enough room in there because his head is so far up it. Fuck you, Himmler. Rot in hell.
