Reichssicherheitshauptamt

The Third Reich’s term Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA) translates to Imperial National or simply Homeland Security Main Office. It was established in 1939 and merged Germany’s police forces (Gestapo and ordinary police) and the SS intelligence-gathering service Sicherheitsdienst (Security Service) into one governmental body. This office was directly subordinate to the Chief of the German Police Heinrich Himmler. The head of this office was Reinhardt Heydrich until his assassination on 4 June 1942. The post remained unoccupied, hence headed directly by Himmler himself, until 30 January 1943, when Ernst Kaltenbrunner took over and kept this position until the end of the war.