Operation Anthropoid: The Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich

Intro

‘Today we’re going to be talking about one of the only successful assassinations of a high-ranking Nazi during the Nazi era, codenamed “Operation Anthropoid”. The target of the assassination was a man called Reinhard Heydrich, one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany. Once dubbed “the man with the iron-heart” by none other than Adolf Hitler himself, Heydrich earned a reputation for his ruthlessness and key role in orchestrating the Holocaust as the chief architect of the Final Solution to the Jewish Question. Other nicknames for Heydrich were “the Blond Beast”, “Hangman Heydrich” and the “Butcher of Prague”. Through these nicknames it is easy to see why an attempt was made on his life.’

Background

‘Reinhard Heydrich was born on 7 March 1904, in Halle, Germany, to a cultured and musical family, and Heydrich became a highly skilled violinist. He faced bullying in school due to his high-pitched voice and rumoured Jewish ancestry. At 16, he joined the anti-Semitic Freikorps, and by 18, he pursued a naval career for education and prestige.’

‘Heydrich was kicked out of the Navy in 1931 because of “conduct unbecoming of a Naval Officer and Gentleman”. His fiancée, Lina von Osten, a committed Nazi Party member, advised him to join the party. In 1931, at 27, Heydrich heeded her advice, becoming a member of the Nazi Party and gaining entry into the SS, an exclusive group chosen solely based on race. Heinrich Himmler personally interviewed Heydrich and assigned him the task of creating an intelligence-gathering unit, leading to the establishment of the SD, or SS Security Service.

‘Heydrich’s ascent within the SS was rapid, propelled by his relentless work ethic and the immediate success of the SD. He attained the rank of SS Major in December 1931 and rose to SS Colonel with full command over the SD by July 1932. Remarkably, before turning thirty, he achieved the position of SS Brigadier General in March 1933. However, Heydrich faced challenges due to rumours suggesting Jewish ancestry stemming from his grandmother’s remarriage, which contributed to discussions between Hitler and Himmler about potentially removing him from the SS. Despite these rumours, Heydrich’s career continued its upward trajectory, setting the stage for his infamous role in the Nazi regime.’

Role in the Nazi Regime

‘In April 1934, just over a year after the Nazis had come to power in Germany, Heinrich Himmler assumed leadership of the newly established secret police – the Gestapo, appointing Reinhard Heydrich as his deputy amid Nazi power struggles. In June 1934, Heydrich orchestrated the Night of the Long Knives, compiling a list of individuals, including senior SA officials, targeted for assassination, solidifying the SS’s dominance over the SA.

‘With Heydrich’s rise, Germany experienced widespread terror as the SD and Gestapo, under his command, employed brutal tactics such as torture, murder, arrests, extortion, and blackmail to suppress perceived anti-Nazis. Heydrich’s intimidating presence, evident even at rare official events, left powerful Nazis uneasy in his presence.

‘In November 1937, Heydrich orchestrated the downfall of German Army generals Werner von Blomberg and Werner von Fritsch, who opposed Hitler’s long-term war plans. Heydrich used false attacks on their character to discredit and remove them, clearing the path for Hitler to assume the role of commander-in-chief of the German Army. This strategic move further solidified Heydrich’s influence within the Nazi hierarchy.’

Role in the Holocaust

‘Hitler’s expansionist agenda began with Austria and Czechoslovakia, where Himmler and Heydrich covertly supported pro-Nazi groups. After annexing Austria in March 1938, Heydrich’s SS rounded up anti-Nazis, harassed Jews, and established the Gestapo Office of Jewish Emigration, forcing Jews to surrender wealth for safe passage. Kristallnacht in November 1938 led to mass arrests and concentration camp internment. Heydrich destabilised Czechoslovakia, leading to German occupation in March 1939. He orchestrated a fake Polish attack to justify Germany’s invasion in September 1939, which set off the Second World War. Heydrich then organised SS Special Action Groups to capture and execute Polish leaders, planning enslavement of the population. In occupied Poland, he confined over 2 million Jews to ghettos, resulting in mass deaths from starvation and disease. 

‘On 31 July 1941, Hitler instructed Hermann Göring to direct Heydrich to formulate the “Final Solution” to the Jewish question. Subsequently, on 20 January 1942, Heydrich orchestrated the Wannsee Conference in Berlin with 15 top Nazi officials, coordinating the extermination of approximately 11 million Jews in Europe and the Soviet Union. When all targeted groups were included alongside Jews – such as Soviet prisoners of war, Slavs, Roma and Sinti, disabled people and others – the industrial scale genocide carried out by the Nazis would go on to kill an estimated 17 to 19 million people.’

Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia

‘On 27 September 1941, Reinhard Heydrich assumed the role of acting Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, initiating a month-long wave of terror. Lists of potential subversives were compiled, and mass disappearances occurred. Heydrich declared martial law, putting 142 people to death within five days and arresting between 4,000 and 5,000 others. By February 1942, around 400 to 500 had been executed. Heydrich’s reign of terror targeted the Czech intelligentsia, eliminating political leaders, educators, physicians, scientists, engineers, and lawyers, facilitating easier governance. Only 4% of Czech captives at Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp survived the war, illustrating the severity of Heydrich’s brutal rule.’

Preparing for Operation Anthropoid

‘František Moravec, head of the Czech intelligence services, initiated the plan to assassinate Heydrich, a mission approved by Edvard Beneš, head of the Czechoslovak government in exile in Britain. Moravec personally briefed Brigadier Colin Gubbins, Director of Operations in the British Special Operations Executive (SOE), who agreed to support the operation, limiting knowledge of its details to a select few within SOE. The operation, named Anthropoid, meaning “having the form of a human” in Greek and commonly used in zoology, was set in motion.

‘Preparation for a critical operation commenced on 20 October 1941, as exiled Czech soldiers in Britain were selected for a mission. Two dozen promising individuals, chosen by Moravec, underwent Special Operations Executive (SOE) commando training in Arisaig, Scotland. On 28 October 1941, Warrant Officer Jozef Gabčík and Staff Sergeant Karel Svoboda were initially selected, but Svoboda’s head injury during training led to his replacement by Jan Kubiš, causing delays. The soldiers, who had fled Czechoslovakia during the Nazi invasion, joined the Foreign Legion in France, fought bravely against the Germans, and later responded to President Beneš’s call to join the exiled Czechoslovak legion in England.

‘The paratroopers underwent specialised training in Scotland in October 1941, covering grenade and bomb-throwing, precise shooting, and proficiency with various weapons. Transferred to Station XVII at Brickendonbury Manor near London on 20 October 1941, they received diversionist training, learning to create explosive booby traps for trains, roadways, and homes. SOE Captain Pritchard guided them in handling special explosives with sensitive contact fuses, including modified anti-tank grenades. The training, spanning open and confined areas, prepared them for various circumstances they might encounter in the occupied region.’

Events leading up to 27 May 1942

‘Gabčík and Kubiš, alongside seven other soldiers from Czechoslovakia’s army in exile in the UK were flown to Czechoslovakia in two groups, Silver A and Silver B, each with a distinct mission. They departed RAF Tangmere on 28 December 1941, at 22:00, aboard a Halifax of No. 138 Squadron RAF. Facing navigation issues, they landed near Nehvizdy, east of Prague, deviating from the original plan to land near Pilsen.

‘The paratroopers initially considered murdering Heydrich aboard a train or in a forest on his route to Prague. However, logistical challenges led them to a third plan: ambushing Heydrich’s car at Kirchmayerova and V Holešovičkách streets, a location featuring a sharp right-hand turn below a school in Kobylisy. The decision was strategic, as they knew Heydrich’s car would pass through this curve daily on its way to Prague Castle, with his chauffeur, SS-Oberscharführer Johannes Klein, having to slow down significantly.

‘In April 1942, Heydrich’s relocation to a Château in Panenské Břežany provided additional options for his assassination. The paratroopers, including Jan Zelenka-Hajský, a teacher, former Krušnohorská Sokol Group leader, and Czechoslovak Intelligence Service member, decided to ambush Heydrich’s car at a curve, anticipating his daily route to Prague Castle. Zelenka-Hajský and his family played a crucial role in supporting the paratroopers, offering accommodation in their apartment at 1837/4 Biskupec Street in the Žižkov District, opposite František Moravec’s apartment. Their unwavering support contributed significantly to the success of the assassination plans.’

Assassination attempt

‘On the morning of 27 May 1942, a pivotal moment unfolded on Kirchmayer Street in Prague. SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich, Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, was returning from his summer residence in Panenské Břežany in a black Mercedes chauffeured by SS-Oberscharführer Johannes Klein. The vehicle displayed the red standard of the Reich Protector, and its licence plate SS-3 signalled Heydrich’s presence.

‘At 10:35 a.m., as the car braked in the sharp curve leading into V Holešovičkách Street, Josef Gabčík, one of the Czech paratroopers, attempted to shoot Heydrich with a Sten machine gun. However, the machine gun, concealed in Gabčík’s briefcase, jammed as he tried to fire. Heydrich retaliated by stopping the driver and firing back with his sidearm.

‘In a decisive moment reminiscent of their SOE training, Jan Kubiš, the other paratrooper, threw a modified anti-tank bomb. Although the bomb did not directly hit the car, it exploded, sending shrapnel through the door and injuring both Heydrich and Kubiš. Heydrich sent his driver to chase Gabčík on foot, and they exchanged fire, with Gabčík managing to hit Klein in the leg below the knee. Gabčík and Kubiš then managed to flee the scene.’

Heydrich’s death and initial reaction

‘Heydrich was taken to Bulovka Hospital, where his spleen was removed, and Heydrich underwent surgery to clean the wounds in his chest, left lung, and diaphragm. SS leader Heinrich Himmler instructed Doctor Karl Gebhardt to take over Heydrich’s care in Prague. Despite a fever, Heydrich seemed to be getting better. Hitler’s doctor, Theodor Morell, recommended a new antibacterial drug called sulfonamide, but Gebhardt was optimistic about Heydrich’s recovery and didn’t follow the suggestion. A week later on 4 June, Heydrich died from sepsis due to the injuries he sustained from the explosion. Hitler ordered a full state funeral for Heydrich which took place in Berlin on 9 June.

‘The assassins had escaped, and sought refuge first with the Moravec family and later finding sanctuary in the Orthodox Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Dr. Vladimír Petřek, a young priest at the church, took his sanctuary duties seriously and supported the fugitives, displaying courage and patriotism during this critical period.

‘Despite a 1 million Crown reward, not a single Czech citizen came forward with any information about the assassins. Nazis hinted at potential reprisals, and collaborationist Minister of Education Emanuel Moravec warned of dire consequences. Eventually, an amnesty offer led one parachutist, Karel Čurda, to betray his comrades to the Gestapo and led them to the location of the Moravec family flat. When the Gestapo came, Marie Moravec, the mother, chose suicide, taking cyanide to avoid betraying others under interrogation.

‘However, the 17-year-old son Ata, was captured alive and brutally tortured by the Gestapo, who beat him, gave him alcohol, and, in his daze, showed him his mother’s severed head in a fish tank. Having a total nervous breakdown, Ata disclosed that his mother had told him to seek help from the pastor of the Karel Boromejski church if he ever faced serious trouble—the name the cathedral had when under Catholic jurisdiction. The Nazis quickly surrounded the building.

‘Waffen-SS troops, led by SS-Gruppenführer Karl Fischer von Treuenfeld, besieged the church the following day but failed to capture the resistance fighters alive. Despite Čurda’s attempts to persuade surrender with assurances of safety, the paratroopers defiantly declared their Czech identity and refusal to surrender. In a two-hour gun battle, Adolf Opálka and Josef Bublík were killed, and Kubiš succumbed to injuries shortly after being found unconscious. Gabčík and three other paratroopers chose suicide in the crypt to evade relentless SS attacks. Armed with only pistols against the assailants’ superior firepower, the resistance fighters valiantly held their ground. Post-battle, Čurda confirmed the identities of the fallen Czech heroes, including Kubiš and Gabčík. The SS report noted five wounded soldiers among their ranks.

‘Father Vladimír Petřek, Father Václav Čikl, and theologian Jan Sonnevend from the church were arrested. Bishop Gorazd of Prague, the head of the Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia, wrote to Himmler, taking full responsibility, leading to his arrest and ‘trial’ for treason. All four men were executed in the Mauthausen concentration camp.

‘Among the 288 executed was young widow and mother Anna Malinová, who had hidden some of the seven parachutists before their final move. Following their legalistic policy, the Nazis spared anyone associated with Jozef Gabčík since Slovakia was not technically part of the Reich and was legally independent. The list of those to be murdered extended to the parents, wives, and children of those directly involved. Father Vladimír had his marriage and daughter’s birth records destroyed by a friend. Both his wife and daughter survived.’

Outro

‘That was Operation Anthropoid. It led to the death of Reinhard Heydrich, a high-ranking Nazi, but came at a heavy cost, with many reprisals in Prague. However, in response to the assassination, Adolf Hitler ordered one of history’s most notoriously horrific reprisals, where the entire Czech village of Lidice was annihilated, and its inhabitants either executed or sent to concentration camps. I will soon be releasing an entire episode on the Lidice massacre, but right now it is available as a bonus episode on The History Buff Patreon along with other exciting bonus content such as video recordings of episodes and other bonus episodes. The link is in the show notes. I would also like to thank my friend Valery Buresova for helping me with Czech pronunciation! 

‘Thanks very much for listening and see you next time. Goodbye.’