From its creation in 1933 until Hitler's death in May 1945, anyone living in Nazi- controlled territory lived in fear of a visit from the Gestapo — Geheime Staatspolizei — or Secret State Police. Young or old, rich or poor, nobody was beyond the attentions of a brutally efficient organization that spread its influence into every corner of occupied Europe. The Gestapo is a detailed history of Heinrich Himmler's organization, whose 20,000 members were responsible for the internal security of the Reich. Under its auspices, hundreds of thousands of civilians, resistance fighters and spies were tortured and murdered, and many more were deported to concentration camps. Drawing on evidence from the Gestapo's own archives as well as eye-witness accounts, the author charts the development of the organization, its key figures, such as Reinhard Heydrich and Heinrich Himmler, its methods, and how the Gestapo dealt with internal security, including the various attempts to assassinate Hitler. Illustrated with 120 black-and-white photographs, The Gestapo is a lively, expert account of this notorious, but little understood, secret police force.
