He was called ‘The Man with the Iron Heart’ because he had an iron heart: Reinhard Heydrich was cold, uncaring, the machine. He didn’t hate those he was ordered or tasked to destroy, no, he simply lacked any feeling about them. Heydrich was a man who could put a million men in a line, kill each with his bare hands, and think more about his bloodied uniform than the act he had just committed.
In 1931, his life took a significant turn when he met Heinrich Himmler, who was recruiting for the Schutzstaffel or SS, where he quickly showcased his organisational skills and strategic mindset. Heydrich's rapid rise in the ranks resulted in the formation of the Sicherheitsdienst (SD) in 1932, an intelligence agency which became the feared secret police under his leadership.
Heydrich’s malevolence became all too apparent with the infamous Kristallnacht in 1938, where he orchestrated a pogrom of violence against Jews across Germany and Austria. This night marked the beginning of the dreadful onslaught on Jewish lives and communities throughout Europe.
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