From PRO file WO.208/4139. These are brief extracts from several much longer CSDIC reports, selected for the light they throw on Heinrich Himmler.

IF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT IS REQUIRED FOR FURTHER DISTRIBUTION. IT SHOULD BE PARAPHRASED SO THAT NO MENTION IS MADE OF THE PRISONERS' NAMES, NOR OF THE METHODS BY WHICH THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED

S.R.M. 840

The following conversation took place between:

Fahnenjunker Feldwebel von Helldorf (2. Kp, Panzer Regt 130) Captured La Haye 11 Jul 44

Leutnant [Freiwald] (AR 352). Captured Le Mesnil Herman, 10 Aug 44

Hauptmann [Hartdegen] - (Divisionsstab: Pz.Lehr.Div.) Captured Normandy, 12 Aug 44

Information received 25 Aug 44

TRANSLATION

HELLDORF: My father knew who had set fire to the Reichstag all right, but he had nothing to do with it. The people concerned were probably all liquidated on the 30th June [1934]. The 30th June was actually nothing other than the prelude to Himmler's assumption of power. The conspiracy which took place within the SA at that time -- the SS was subordinate to the SA and Himmler was at that time police president of Munich (sic), in other words, quite an inferior position. Himmler, of course, was let into the secret and declared himself in complete agreement, but at the very last minute, just as the affair was coming to a head, he went to the Führer and told him everything. As a result, the whole balloon went up.

GERMAN TEXT

HELLDORF: Mein Vater wußte zwar, wen den Reichstag angesteckt hat, aber hatte gar nichts damit zu tun, die Leute werden wahrscheinlich alle am 30. Juni umgebracht worden sein. Der 20. Juni ist eigentlich nichts anders als der Auftakt der Himmler'schen Macht. Die Verschwörung, die damals innerhalb der SA stattfand -- die SS war der SA ja unterstellt und Himmler war Polizeipräsident von München (sic) zu der Zeit, also eine ganz untergeordenete Stelle -- Himmler war natürlich eingeweiht und erklärte sich mit allem einverstanden und wie die Sache zum Platzen kam, da ging er in letzter Minute zum Führer und erzählte ihm das alles. Darum ist die ganze Sache dann hochgeflogen.

BY C.S.D.I.C. (U.K.)

M.I.19.a      War Office   (56 copies)
N.I.D.        Admiralty    ( 9 copies)
A.D.I.(K)     Air Ministry (15 copies)

(29111) Wtr51755/3515 37,000 2/45
   A. & E.W.Ltd GP.692 J.7303

Website note: The prisoner Helldorff's father was Graf von Helldorff, former Police President of Berlin, who had joined the anti-Hitler plotters; at the time of this conversation he had just confessed to his role in the Putsch, and he was hanged soon after.