Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (Munich, 7 October 1900 – Lüneburg, 23 May 1945) was a German politician and military official, and one of the most powerful leaders of the National Socialist Party. Appointed Reichsführer-SS in 1929, he transformed the Schutzstaffel (SS) from a small bodyguard unit for Hitler into a vast paramilitary organization that eventually controlled the entire German police apparatus, including the Gestapo. He was the main architect of the Holocaust, directly overseeing the creation and management of the network of concentration and extermination camps. Through the SS apparatus, Himmler implemented the "Final Solution," the systematic genocide of approximately six million Jews and millions of other victims. During the war, his powers were greatly expanded, culminating in his appointment as Reich Minister of the Interior in 1943 and Commander of the Replacement Army. Captured by the Allies at the end of the conflict, he committed suicide in May 1945 before he could be brought to trial.