Love these "endgame" stories. You can feel the pressure and emotional intensity of the moment when people are struggling with dilemmas as the chain of command collapses
“Himmler didn’t have his personal plane standing by to fly him to Sweden, Spain, Antarctica or the moon” the fact you delivered this just as factually as the rest of the vid is hilarious. Love your humor style
I've come to believe that Mark Felton is a time traveller for I can think of no other explanation for the intensity and depth of his narrative. He simply must have been an immediate eye-witness to these events.
When Patton and his men turned up, and with Zhukov in the other direction, and Mussolini became a piece of performance art, Himmler's thoughts turned to peace.
Sounds like an outro to a fallout game. “And so, when Patton and his men Turned up, with Zhukov in the other direction, and Mussolini turned into proformance art, Himmler’s thoughts, turned to peace. And the European Wasteland was changed, forever. Because War. War never changes.”
'll Duce became a piece of performance art!' 🤭, hey he died the way he wanted to, as a p*ss artist..... It has the vibe of a Clockwork Orange, as the partizans artistically beat him up to the sound of classical music!!
Oh good. I'm not the only one who ran something similar in my head. I think I've just pissed off the largest county in the country though. Donitz did look like Wallace from Wallace and Gromit though. So I gave Himmler that accent instead. You have to laugh at these things. If you allow yourself a moment to contemplate what was really happening through all this. You'd break down every time 👍
You know I spoke to Mr Stevens the farmer in Eaglesham .He told me he saw the crashed remains of his plane being taken away on a low loader truck when he was a kid .I'm still friends with his son Robert .I know the exact spot where Hess "dropped" in .Just south of the roundabout at the sign for Bonnyton golf course .Best laugh is the golf course is owned by Jewish people from Newton Mearns .Scoff scoff.
Dr Felton.....In Just this one 19 minute video alone contains more in depth history facts than the ENTIRE HISTORY Channel has put out in the last 20 years combined. I had to keep reversing the video to understand what I had missed it was so deep.
There are a couple of tidbits here that I'd be eager to see made into full-length Mark Felton Productions videos: The prisoner exchange of 1943 involving Australian prisoners, and the "White Buses" business.
What I remember from the book about the white buses the allies (americans) were informered of their movements but couldn't promise free passage during these late stages of the war. All movements of vehicles in Germany was free game to the fighter pilots and they were shot at several times. In one attack a driver was actually killed. They saved many hundreds from different concentration camps. Mostly women and scandinavians but also french and polish.
I saw a great comment from the film Downfall. "Scary day when Himmler is the voice of reason." Edit* I got up mixed with another comment. It says alot about Himmlers mental state. That he thought the SS could play a part in post war Germany. After overseeing one of the most horrific genocides in history.
@@karlthorsten9118 I doubt he'd have been around for long: even if he'd gotten some kind of immunity from the Allies, he'd probably be assassinated within five years of gaining power by one of the dozens of post-war factions that had unfinished business with the SS.
Well, that's a perfectly rational decision....if you KNOW for certain that the war is lost. (Some, though, might prefer to die with honor, as was quite common among Japanese officers and soldiers, and some of the Germans too.) Himmler wasn't the type to seek a "glorious death". He was a man driven mainly by personal ambition.
Himmler, Goering, and several other officers all wanted to be the one to broker a peace with the Western Allies. By that time, though, nobody in the Third Reich was in any position to negotiate anything.
Not really, thousands of Nazis lived happily ever after the war. So they had plenty of supporters still. Hell even in the US until today kkk and white supremacy is very much alive. Even Trump mocked minorities during his presidential term which tells you supremacy still very much alive.
@@kbanghart *Trump endorses a democratic party candidate unexpectedly and without relation, said candidate is immediately turned on by their own party.* Oh here's another example.... *The right makes meme turning Biden into a stereotypical villain with a evil mustache, eye patch and fiery nazi eagle behind him. The opposition "embraces" the meme with the eagle still in the image. The nazi eagle.*
I recently found this channel. I really respect your delivery of basic facts before getting into the new content. So much WW2 content teases something new but spends 70% rehashing stuff I already know before delivering three sentences about the new thing they’ve barely researched then wrapping it up with a conclusion on the stuff I already knew. I really appreciate how much you respect your audience.
Himmler was truly only loyal to himself. Perhaps his fealty toward Hitler was strong at first, but he used Hitler to build his own empire and carry out his own aims. It isn't any wonder that he undermined Hitler at the end. Thank you, Dr. Mark Felton!
It's refreshing to watch videos where the history is actually studied and understood by the narrator. You sure do fantastic work sir. Thank you so much
I love these great history stories of Mark Felton and they should be part of history around all schools around the world 🌍 Thanks Mark for your research
What I've been watching this for the past 5 minutes and 30 seconds thinking it was only a minute and 20 seconds long lol I guess that's how you know its good
The narration in these videos is excellent. Your dedication to finding information on these topics is truly admirable and very interesting to say the least.
Mark, I've heard of this absurd meeting between Himmler and Heinrici, who took over the Vistula command, after Himmler bungled it. He proceeded to talk about adam/eve etc, if you can do a video about this transition that would be amazing.
This would make a great companion/sequel to “Downfall”. With dr. Felton as script writer of course. The last days of Himmler. Thank you doc for another outstanding video. And will I ever get tired of that epic music at the beginning of these videos? Probably not.
@@taunteratwill1787 I doubt it, I’m sure he only asks people to help him because of his obvious expenses. After all Mr Felton is providing a service, which isn’t cost free.
Thank God that of all the resources that everyone seemed to be short of, film stock was not one of them! It is almost ludicrous how many pictures and films were being produced by everyone even as the war reached its climax. You'd think making film would be unimportant, but everyone seems to have had plenty of it. A real treasure for future generations.
Its amazing how much there is. From leaders having a dinner to the streets of Stalingrad to ships in the pacific. Those film crews deserve so much more recognition
It was the first major war where portable, fairly rugged film cameras were available in large quantities, in private hands as well as used for generating news reports and propaganda. Moreover, the end-game happened in the heart of a highly-developed country, close to its capital city, where greater stocks of equipment and film were likely to be found.
I mean, look at todays society. People are selfish enough to film anything that moves in order to be popular on social media, even if that means not helping the subjects in need that are being filmed..... The media has always been ruthless and not cared. It was no different back then either. Anything to get ahead, or to create controversy, that will make money. Nothing jas changed, but we all know that.
Well look at this in this way : Every living human at that moment of time was aware how historically significant this true global war was for the course of humanity. And because of this besides film crews, journalists and photographers , everyone involved made great efforts to document everything minutely.
Color slide and motion picture film was first available in 1939 thanks to breakthrough research done by Kodak. I'm not sure if Agfa acquired a license from Kodak although it seems likely that it did. Black-and-white photography, however, seemed to predominate throughout the war.
I've said it before, I truly love your programs. Your dedication to research and history is fantastic. These were the worst people on earth. How do you figure out who was worse? Himmler? Borman? Who was it? Hard to figure out. Thank you again.
"...for they shall be called the children of God." Well, since that ain't happening, maybe will just have to put him in the "faux peacemaker" column...
I love how you always bring a really interesting story from the past, Dr. Felton. I would like to hear stories about the Finnish Winter War. Thank you Mark!
don't get me wrong, of course himmler and the nazis were bad guys, but i think for the case the axis would won ww2, churchill, stalin, truman etc. would try everything to save their own asses too, they would ran like scalded dogs or committing suicide like hitler and goebbels, so they wouldn't be punished for their war crimes.
No, he believed that a final reckoning of the "East vs. West" was at hand and that his mission was to stop the Asiatic hordes from the Steppe from submerging the world in darkness and wiping out the "Aryan" race. Himmler thought himself to be the reincarnation of the East Francian king Heinrich der Vogler, who fended off the Hungarians from the East and finally defeated them, restoring Germany from shambles in the process. He thought the British would listen to him because they were just as much against the USSR. He was mistaken there, of course, as the only figures sympathetic to him (such as Churchill with his planned, but never implemented, "Operation Unthinkable") wanted the leadership out of the picture just to use the German armed forces in cooperation with their own for an invasion of the Soviets to push them out of Eastern Europe.
The most thorough and precisely detailed information available anywhere, delivered in a soothing and entertaining manner by Dr. Felton, as he always does.
Fantastic story including deceit, back stabbing, disloyalty, etc. As usual it's well researched, narrated with awesome archival pictures n films. Kudos. Looking forward to ur next one.
What did he expect, that the Allies would say "sure, all is forgiven"? Crazy. Anyway, Hitler relieved him of all his commands and he was once again a chicken farmer and appropriately choose a requisitioned farm house as his new HQ. Anyway, a great episode. Himmler's last days were always a bit of a mystery to me. Can't wait for the rest of the story.
Glad to see you touch on Felix Kersten. Perhaps one day we could have a full video on the man and his various exploits? There's not much online about him in English, but I think he lived an extraordinary life even if some of his actions have been exaggerated by himself in his memoirs after the war.
A German general could have taken a private moment in the loo and we would know about it thanks to the studious work if Dr. Mark Felton. The lengths this man goes through for his research is amazing.
Thank you. This was incredibly informative and interesting. You dispelled the notion that Himmler had become completely irrelevant by Hitler’s death. I didn’t know he continued to weird influence.
Goring also thought that he could surrender to Eisenhower and be treated as an equal or with dignity. Eisenhower did all but spit on him as he ordered him arrested and taken away.
Another great video, Mark. Have you done a video specifically focusing on the relationships between Hitler’s inner circle? I.e struggle between Himmler, Goering, Bormann, Keitel, Speer, Ribbentrop, other field marshals and other key figures.
It amazes me that Himmler and Goebbels really thought there was something to negotiate about in the last days of the Third Reich after all that happened. You can't make that stuff up.
It’s when complexities aren’t complex that things start getting really confusing 😂 I wonder how many viewers appreciate the aeronautical joke in your moniker, Hamilton?
I am in awe of the many secrets of WW2. Europe May 1945 and Japan August 1945. What caused Japan to finally surrender? How involved in WW2 was the Showa emperor? Thank God, Dr Felton examines these mysterious topics. 🙏
On this Armistice Day, spare a moment's thought and prayer, for those Allies who fought and died, to free Europe and the Far East from such vicious regimes. Lest we forget. God bless.
And those that fought and lived, on both sides. Sometimes dying is the easy part. Living with the scars of war is not. Both my father and my uncle served. One with the SS and the other with Third Armored. Because they lived I was born. Everyone who served is a veteran. I cannot forget. May they all rest in peace.
Steven Keery, Agreed, and I did, but peoples' of different nations are not minded to just go to war against each other, well not in fairly modern times, imho. Let's not forget 'all wars are bankers' wars' and although I avoid putting a link about that here, a search under that phrase will hightlight what I mean. I don't want to get too controversial here, but as this great channel covers war and its horrors, I have to say that I had to switch off this morning at about 11.10 am after seeing one ex-PM (him of the M.E. WMD lies) stood there with wreath. It was more than I could stomach. My anger about ALL lives lost in wars over the past 2 or3 centuaries does not abait.
@@stefanschleps8758 : That's an unusual situation, that you had a family member fighting on opposite sides. It must have made for interesting conversation around the dinner table after the war, if they still spoke to each other that is. I've only encountered that situation once before in these comment sections. One was in his teens when he joined the SS and eventually emigrated to the US. Any time I walk around military cemeteries in Europe, I am struck with sadness at the ages displayed on the headstones. In a few instances it has been only seventeen and I think of all the experiences in Life that they will have missed out on. I do not forget those who have survived the war, only to return to the bosom of their families, broken in body or spirit only to have the families try to put the pieces of their lives back together for some semblance of normality. Families themselves, suffer in their own way, not knowing if their loved one will be coming home alive, or in a coffin. Servicemen and women don't have any choice in where they are sent by politicians. A lesson perhaps in choosing our politicians wisely. A doctrine based upon hatred of certain groups of people and invasion of surrounding countries cannot fail to bring about war. Since countries are usually locked into treaties and alliances with other allies, conflict is certain to be costly in terms of men and materials. Best wishes to you and your family. I hope you stay well and enjoy a very Merry Christmas with your family.
@@EnlightenedPatriot1 : I honour the veterans, their service and sacrifice, not the politicians that sent them to war. I am not party to whatever intelligence dossier he received but I am not a fan of Tony Blair either. However the country fell for his glib manner and slogans and he gained office. Those to the left of him in his Party would have been even worse, if they had been elected, in my opinion. I hope you are well and taking care of yourself. Have a very Merry Christmas with your family and enjoy the time together. God bless.
Himmler should have remembered what happened to Karl I in 1918 - his letters on a separate peace were published by the Allies, leading to a crisis between the Germans and the Austrians, and the Austrians losing their last remaining autonomy.
I find your exhaustive approach to eplaining such historical events very intruiging and very very informative. I've learned more about Himmler's final days in your video than I had ever hoped to in my research in the past. Keep pressing onward. Amazingly informative with a touch of sarcasm. One should desire nothing less
I had the impression that the photo that presented Himmler shaking hands with Kersten is, actually, a photo of Himmler shaking hands with Heinrich Hoffmann, Hitler's oficial photographer.
Count Lewenhaupt told me (I’m his grandson) that the meeting with Himmler was carried out in his bedroom at the Swedish Consulate with only candle light. During the meeting there was a bomb raid and everyone had to go into the building’s bunker. The few staff left had no idea that it was Himmler that was right next to them in the bunker. He was an unassuming figure in his black SS uniform according to my grandad. After the meeting Himmler decided to drive himself (only he and his driver were there). Himmler proceeded to get stuck in the mud and the staff had to come out and push his car free. Folke said it was a good metaphor for where Germany were heading.
Who would think that greatest gathering of sociopaths ever would attempt to double cross each other. I’m shocked and appalled. Thank you Doctor. Have a great Thanksgiving.
Amazing mark, thankyou for all these videos on the history of world war two Ive always been interested in world war two and I have learnt so much through you're channel Thanks agin grant
That makes for interesting nuance. Himmler was negligent in his plans for escape because he had imagined a role for himself in the post WW2 govt. Talk about not correctly reading the room.
Mark I love your work u are one of the reasons I love history and love when u make new videos listen to your stuff at work and you are awesome not too many people no history like u thank u mark for your history
1.5 Million subscribers - Well Done Old Boy! It's been a while since I have heard your intro music, apologies for the neglect, but now I have a lot to watch! Congratulations
One of your most exceptional videos. Also makes me embrace even more strongly that Himmler was not a suicide but was beaten to death by an outraged British Soldier. As was right.
This is absolutely fascinating to learn these juicy details involving one of the worst humans in all of history. “Hitler went berserk.” I thought the lunatic was always berserk, so I can only imagine what it would be to witness him as truly “ berserk”. Great videos!
Seriously appreciate your pronunciations. No way I could pronounce all this on my own. 😆 Your reading of names and locations really brings the story to life.
Kersten’s choice does seem odd but given that he had dismantled the Abwher, and the Gelhen network was totally compromised by GRU/NKVD, Himmler was maybe not so stupid. If not done already, Schellenberg, (and Bormann), would be worth a video each. Raul Wallenberg and Count Bernadotte had careers Indiana Jones would envy.
This channel has the best original content for learning about WW2. I've learned things I didn't know as well as learning new details about what I thought I knew about WW2 history. History specifically wars, and times when either a far left or far right group comes to power in a country. These things need to be studied in depth to this day so we never repeat history or let an extremist group come to power in our own countries.
Himmler: "The Nazi state and my SS are needed to maintain order. One hour with Eisenhower and he'll feel the same way. The first contact has been made." Fegelein: "Careful, that's high treason." Himmler: "Fegelein, I have other concerns. Should I give Eisenhower the Nazi salute, or shake his hand?"
