Created, ordered and led by Hitler, the state apparatus of Nazi Germany rigorously controlled all aspects of life in the Third Reich from cradle to grave. To maintain his iron grip on the German people through the ministries of his dictatorial government, Hitler surrounded himself with a small clique of fanatical, devoted acolytes. Men such as Heinrich Himmler, the much-feared chief of the Waffen-SS and organiser of the Holocaust, and Hermann Goering, the bombastic head of the Luftwaffe, wielded enormous power and held the fate of millions in their corrupt hands. This book tells the inside story of the Third Reich, looking at the personalities, roles and rivalries of Hitler's closest associates. Written by the noted Dutch historians Dr Henk van Capelle and Dr Peter van de Bovenkamp, Hitler's Henchmen reveals the truth behind the facade of the Third Reich and is an important contribution to the literature of the Nazi era. Illustrated with 300 photographs, many in colour, this book is a must for any student of the rise and fall of the Third Reich and its leaders.