Reinhard Heydrich's Grave

Czech partisans attacked and mortally wounded Reinhard Heydrich, May 27, 1942, and he died of septicemia (blood poisoning) June 4, 1942. His funeral was held in the Mosaic Hall of the New Reich Chancellery, June 9, 1942. Both Hitler and Heinrich Himmler eulogized him. Heydrich's grave is in Section A of the Invalidenfriedhof, Scharnhorststraße, Berlin. Heydrich was buried with full military honors next to General of Infantry Count Tauentzien von Wittenberg, who fought against Napoleon in the wars of liberation (1813-1814). Heydrich was to have had a monumental tomb, designed by the architect Wilhelm Kreis and the sculptor Arno Breker. Because of the downhill course of the war, the tomb was never built. Heydrich’s wooden grave marker disappeared in 1945. His grave is now unmarked. His death mask survives on postage stamps the Nazis issued to commemorate him.

AUDIO: Hitler eulogizes the dead Heydrich, June 9, 1942, and bestows upon him the German Order. This was the highest award of the Third Reich, instituted February 11, 1942, and had no clear requirements. (Saying he was awarding Heydrich the uppermost level of the German Order, Hitler seems to be confusing the Order, which had only one level, with another decoration, perhaps the Iron Cross, which had multiple levels--second class, first class, Knights Cross of the Iron Cross, etc.) Note that Hitler employs the familiar form (dir = you) rather than the polite form (Ihnen = you) when addressing his "dear comrade Heydrich." He undoubtedly had used the polite form when speaking to the living Heydrich.

Ich habe diesem Toten nur noch wenige Worte zu widmen. Er war einer der besten Nationalsozialisten, einer der stärksten Verteidiger des deutschen Reichsgedankens, einer der größten Gegner aller Feinde dieses Reiches. Er ist als Blutzeuge gefallen für die Erhaltung und Sicherung des Reiches. Als Führer der Partei und als Führer des Deutschen Reiches gebe ich dir, mein lieber Kamerad Heydrich, nach dem Parteigenossen Todt, als zweitem Deutschen die höchste Auszeichnung, die ich zu verleihen habe: die oberste Stufe des Deutschen Ordens.

I have only a few words to dedicate to this dead man. He was one of the best National Socialists, one of the strongest defenders of German Reich thought, one of the biggest opponents of all the enemies of the Reich. He fell as a martyr for the preservation and safeguarding of the Reich. As leader of the party and as leader of the German Reich, I give you, my dear comrade Heydrich, the highest recognition I have to bestow: the uppermost level of the German Order. After party comrade [Fritz] Todt, you are the second person to receive this award.

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VIDEO: Reinhard Heydrich's funeral. "Thousands upon thousands" file past Heydrich's coffin in the honor court of the Prague Castle. Officials from all parts of the protectorate come to lay flowers and wreaths on the coffin. It is carried from the Castle over the Charles Bridge to the main railroad station. SS Obergruppenführer Kurt Daluege is present when the coffin is put on a train to Berlin. (Daluege was executed in 1946 in Prague; he was held accountable for the massacre of the men and boys of the Czech town of Lidice, the Nazi reprisal for Heydrich's assassination). In Berlin, Heydrich's funeral service is held in the Mosaic Hall of the New Reich Chancellery. The background music (Siegfried's Funeral March from Götterdämmerung) is by Richard Wagner, Hitler's favorite composer. Himmler and Hitler eulogize Heydrich. Hitler greets Heydrich's two young sons. The coffin is transported through the streets of Berlin to the Invalidenfriedhof. The British press called the obsequies "a gangster funeral in the pompous Chicago style."