Hitler and Himmler switch places?

Inspired by a mis-reading of Hitler (as Himmler), I was curious: is it possible to have a Germany run by Heinrich Himmler, with Adolf Hitler as the head of his secret police?
 

maverick

Banned
Well, Germany being run by a chicken farmer is perhaps less odd than having it run by an Austrian born corporal/failed paintor...

Of course, Himmler was not a good public speaker nor a charismatic man, nor an intelligent man...he was a crazy fanatical follower, dumb as a bag of hammers and crazy as a bag filled with rabid badgers...not exactly leadership material...
 
Well, Germany being run by a chicken farmer is perhaps less odd than having it run by an Austrian born corporal/failed paintor...

Of course, Himmler was not a good public speaker nor a charismatic man, nor an intelligent man...he was a crazy fanatical follower, dumb as a bag of hammers and crazy as a bag filled with rabid badgers...not exactly leadership material...

I seem to recall reading that Himmler was actually rather intelligent although perhaps I'm mixing people up.
 
If Himmler were head of the NSDAP and Hitler head of the SS then the Nazis wouldn't come to power. Himmler didn't have a fraction of Hitler's charisma.

My guess is that without much hope of taking power by legal means, Rohm and the SA try to launch a coup, the Reichswehr would put it down and we might see a right-wing military dictatorship imposed to " preserve order."
 
If Himmler were head of the NSDAP and Hitler head of the SS then the Nazis wouldn't come to power. Himmler didn't have a fraction of Hitler's charisma.

My guess is that without much hope of taking power by legal means, Rohm and the SA try to launch a coup, the Reichswehr would put it down and we might see a right-wing military dictatorship imposed to " preserve order."
Depends on how far the Nazis got, and if others joined in in the chaos. If it's just a somewhat larger beerhall putsch with only one group involved, it wouldn't be much of a justification.
 
What I had in mind was the SA tries to take over Berlin and other major cities(at least Berlin for sure), and faced with this threat the Reichswehr imposes martial law.
 
hard to see

The main reason Hitler was in charge was he was a good speaker and great at getting people motivated. As a figurehead and politician he was exactly what people wanted, at first. Himmler was often criticized for his work ethic, lack of people skills, and alleged drug abuse.

Germany would likely be a lot slower to get on their feet if ever. It would be unlikely that they would focus on conquering and retaking territory. I can see a strange spiritual renaissance for Germany, and the creation of a Fascist policed state focusing on race issues. A lot of deportations and claims to the world of aryan supremacy. The success rate of course would be in question as he had some strange ideas. I recall him sending archaeologists around the world in order to prove that the Aryans were behind major architectural works. Even Hitler thought this was a bad idea.
 
If Himmler were head of the NSDAP and Hitler head of the SS then the Nazis wouldn't come to power. Himmler didn't have a fraction of Hitler's charisma.

My guess is that without much hope of taking power by legal means, Rohm and the SA try to launch a coup, the Reichswehr would put it down and we might see a right-wing military dictatorship imposed to " preserve order."


so pretty much nazi Germany just without the holocaust?
 
I think he was referring to my scenario of the Reichswehr imposing a military dictatorship, not to a Germany ruled by Himmler.
 
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