Nazi Leaders

Throughout the Nazi reign over Germany, there were many prominent figures that made a name for themselves. While most people automatically think of Adolf Hitler, he had a lot of leaders and men working for him that are also quite famous for their involvement in the Holocaust, World War II, and the Nazi party takeover of Germany. Here is a list of some of the most powerful and prominent figures from the Nazi party during Hitler's rule:
 
Karl Adolf Eichmann: A Gestapo leader for Jewish affairs and considered himself a specialist in the area of the Jews. He was responsible for the trains and their constant movement of prisoners to death camps all over Europe.
 
Reinhard Heydrich: This man was the second most important in the SS, with nicknames like "Hangman Heydrich" and "The Blond Beast". He was a leading planner in the Final Solution.
 
Rudolf Hess: A Deputy Fuhrer, ranked #3 after Goering. He is best known for a surprise flight to Scotland in 1941 that he made to attempt peace talks with the British. Instead, he was captured and imprisoned.
 
Heinrich Himmler: The Reichsfuhrer of the SS, Chief of German Police, and one of the most powerful leaders during the Nazi party's rule over Germany. He went into hiding near the end of the war but was captured and sentenced to death.
 
Hermann Goering: Hitler named this man as his successor, until he was expelled in 1945. He was the commander of the air force, Reichsmarschall, and founded the Gestapo. Goering was ousted by Hitler because the air force was blamed for Germany's fall in the war. Eventually, he was captured and sentenced to death at the Nuremburg Trials, but committed suicide the night before his scheduled execution.
 
Karl Otto Koch: Surprisingly outshined by his wife, Koch was an SS leader that was responsible for maintaining the camps and carrying out the extermination of many Jews.
 
Joseph Goebbels: The Reich Minister of Propaganda, it was this man's job to persuade the public to follow Nazi ideals and allow the extermination of the Jews. His speeches helped sway public opinion for many years. After the war had been lost, Goebbels killed his wife and six children and then committed suicide in Berlin.
 
Franz Stangl: A leader of two different extermination camps and the Euthanasia Institute, this man was tried for killing nearly 1 million people, for which he claimed he was 'simply doing my duty'.