Heinrich Himmler’s death in May 1945 ended the life of one of the highest-ranking figures in the Nazi regime. Captured by troops from Britain, he poisoned himself and died in their custody; the account connects his end to his position at the center of the regime’s police and racial apparatus.

Position in the Nazi regime

Himmler commanded the Schutzstaffel, which controlled the concentration camps, and served as chief of the Gestapo. He was also responsible for programs of racial “purification” and ranked second in power only to Adolf Hitler. These roles made him a central figure in the regime’s systems of repression and racial persecution.

Capture and death

In May 1945, British troops captured Himmler. He poisoned himself after his capture and died. The concise account gives no further details of the circumstances, marking the event through the contrast between his immense authority within the Nazi state and his death as a prisoner.