Himmler's Double [Hardcover]

and replace with ...'over 300 published works'.

'In his 'faction' D.H. Isherwood has produced a fascinating account of what supposedly really happened to Hitler's 'loyal Heinrich', the man who would never betray him.

Gripping, fast moving, based on excellent research, this is a taut tale that should be on the bookshelf of everyone interested in the events of that dreadful summer of 1945. Highly recommended.

I imagine that you are interested in the History of the Second World War. Even now some sixty years after the War ended in Europe, new facts are still being discovered, which may change a previously held view of certain events.

The question to be answered is as follows:

Was the man who committed suicide in British custody in May 1945 really Heinrich Himmler? He said he was Himmler and he appeared to be the same person?

Let me list some facts about HEINRICH HIMMLER:

1. In 1943, Himmler's SS General Schellenberg opened three secret numbered bank accounts in Switzerland. One was for Schellenberg himself, one was for Martin Bormann the Nazi Party Secretary and one was for 'H'. This last account was for Himmler, but the Swiss assumed it was for Adolf Hitler.

Do you think that Himmler was perhaps planning a Swiss winter sports holiday at that stage of the War, which is why he needed money in Switzerland? Alternatively was this one of several of Himmler's foreign bank accounts, intended for a time when Germany would be defeated and he would need to live elsewhere?

Whatever we think of Heinrich Himmler - he was evidently someone clever and cunning enough to get to the top of the SS and stay there for years as the Reichsführer. He was ruthless and was responsible for the deaths of millions of people – the majority of them Jews. Is such a man likely to voluntarily reveal his true identity to his British captors, when they only knew their disguised prisoner to be a Sergeant Heinrich Hitzinger and one person amongst thousands of prisoners?

If Himmler had decided to reveal his identity to the British, why should he then take poison and commit suicide within 24 hours?

However if Himmler is officially dead – then the effect would be that no one would continue to look for him.

Remember that since 1945, people searched for over 25 years for Martin Bormann. Despite numerous 'sightings' over the years, in 1972 his skeleton was found and identified in Berlin, close to where survivors had described seeing his dead body in 1945.

4. Finally- the question must be asked – if Himmler did not die in Luneberg in 1945, why should anyone commit suicide in his place? In fact, this could be arranged relatively easily – one only has to consider the varied reasons that cause people to commit suicide. The more difficult task was discovering a similar looking body double.

If you consider the evidence above – do you believe that with all Himmler's power and connections – after the foreseeable inevitable defeat of Nazi Germany that this ruthless, cunning man would allow himself to be arrested with others at a British Army checkpoint? He could have been lynched, thrown to survivors of the concentration camps, or handed to the Russians. Would Himmler risk that? Would others know of his escape plan and give him away? He might only have given his subordinates 'jig-saw' size tasks –so that no one could 'see' the entire undertaking of his survival plan.

There are many successful conjurers worldwide. In every case, you know the illusion you have seen was a trick of the conjurer. However it is possible to perform illusions that are entirely believable, if the persons involved are not aware that it is trick is being played upon them.

There was no DNA in 1945 and it is unthinkable that Himmler's fingerprints were recorded on file somewhere. Himmler's body was buried in secret by a few men of the British Army and has officially no known grave. To the best of my knowledge, it can neither be proved, nor disproved that the man who died as Himmler in 1945 was the genuine person. However I ask you – having considered the evidence above, to be open-minded enough to accept that it may not have been the real Himmler who died then.

.. My book Himmler's Double describes how he may have planned it and carried it out. Remember – truth is often stranger than fiction. I wish you an interesting read.

David Isherwood 26/5/04