The Wannsee Conference

The conference was one of middle level bureaucrats who were sorting out loose ends for a process that had begun and had thrown up middle level bureaucratic matters - relative priorities, consequences for existing committments, practical requirements like who was going to pay train fares(!) and for the participants to reassure themselves that they weren't going to be left holding the baby. Himmler was far beyond this matter of 'how?' having been involved in the 'what?'

Marlon the Cat 1991-17th October 2005

Actually, Himmler was by-passed by Goering. The Reichsmarshal selected Heydrich for the actual coordination of the Holocaust, only nominally under Himmler's direction. The Himmler/Heydrich dynamic is really quite interesting and the two formed a somewhat symbiotic relationship, though they were always jealous of each other's standing with Hitler. Dr. Charles Sydnor should be coming out soon with a new biography of Heydrich, until then I recommend Gunther Deschner's 1977 biography. Peter Padfield's biography of Himmler is also good, as is Heinze Hohne's wonderful but somewhat dated "SS: Order of the Death's Head."