A deadly toxin and the attempted assassination of Heydrich
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- Опубліковано 14 жов 2024
- In this video, I am going to address the allegation that botulinum was used in the grenade thrown at Heydrich in the assassination attempt by the Czech resistance in May 1942.
Botulinum toxins block nerve functions and can lead to respiratory and muscular paralysis. Research was carried out into military applications during WW2 in the US and UK. Paul Fildes was a British bacteriologist who worked at Porton Down, the UK chemical warfare study facility. Fildes developed the world’s first anthrax bomb. He claimed in 1970, aged 88, that he had fixed botulinum toxin on the grenades that were used in the attack on Heydrich. Fildes claimed that he had personally supervised the grenades. It is true that the number 73 grenades used in the attack had been altered.
The number 73 grenade was an anti tank weapon hurredly developed following the fall of France in 1940 when there was a chronic shortage of anti tank weapons in the UK as almost the entire stock had been lost in the 1940 campaign in France and Belgium. The No. 73 grenade looked a bit like a Thermos flask, which is why it was often called the "Thermos bomb". It was nine centimetres in diameter and 28 cm long. It weighed two kilos and contained around 1.6 kg of polar ammonal gelatine dynamite or nitrogelatine. Both of these substances are highly flammable. Because of its weight, it could not be thrown very far and it lacked the explosive force to knock out all but lightly armoured vehicles but it could damage the tracks and thus immobilise a tank. However this short range meant that the user could also be hit in the explosion. It could of course destroy a car.
The grenade was developed in what might be called panic mode after the fall of france. Once the situation stabilised and anti tank weapons became available production was discontinued although it was used for demolition purposes, a role, without a fuze, which suited it much better.
However, it was suitable for the attack on Heydrich who was travelling in an open car at a location where a close attack could be made. It needs to be remembered that at the time the resistance fighters were parachuted into Czechoslovakia, the means of the assassination had not yet been decided. Training on this weapon was given as a matter of course.
Both Gabčík and Kubiš were trained on throwing the grenade. Neither were particularly good at it, the problem seems to have been that their British controller, Major Alfgar Hesketh-Prichard, could throw it with ease but he was excellent at playing cricket and his father had been a first class bowler. Not that I am suggesting cricket balls weigh two kilos!
The lower two thirds of the greanades used in the attack on Heydrich had been removed and the whole weapon was wrapped in adhesive paper. Fildes claimed that the botulinum toxin had been placed in vials fixed with adhesive. Today this allegation has been repeated by a number of people.
There is no evidence other than the word of Paul Fildes to support this hypothesis, except perhaps a mistranslation of the autopsy report. The German occupation police found a second grenade of the same type which had been abandoned near the site of the attempted assassination. It was carefully examined and no trace of any toxin was found. They might not have done toxin tests but they probably would have noticed vials inside the grenade! Heydrich suffered none of the effects of botulism nor did Jan Kubiš who threw the grenade nor a passer by, Marie Sochmanova, who suffered calf injuries in the explosion.
The grenades were not prepared in Porton Down as Fildes claimed, but by the secret services. The grenades had been cut to make them smaller and lighter for ease of transport and for attacking targets such as Heydrich’s car. I think their application in battle situations is limited but I can certainly see the application in resistance hit and run form. In my opinion, it is quite ridiculous to assume that these weapons, containing such a dangerous toxin and a highly flammable explosive, were first of all prepared by a person with no explosives training, then delivered by parachute from a ‘plane flying three kilometres in the air, kept outside during the Czech winter and then hidden on the persons of the Czech resistance fighters all whilst being held in place with a bit of glue or adhesive tape.
Such a weapon including botulinum toxin was developed, however work on it started in March 1942, three months after the partisans had been flown to occupied Czechoslovakia.
I never see anyone say it on your videos but dude you have a great sense of humor. You’re constantly cracking me up.
The car seats were stuffed with Horse Hair .....the explosion blew horse hair into his blood stream ...
I based this - and the next video on the subject of the death of Heydrich - on the post mortem.
It was an informative and wonderful historical coverage video about that beast (Hedrick ) assassination by Botulinum ( Clostredium botulism) biological warfare...in 1942 in occupied Czechoslovak by Nazism regime.....thanks an amazing ( history on UA-cam) channel .introduced by 🙏 Sir Alan ..
At 88 an ex Nazi can certainly be confused about the past.
Thank for another analytical and thoughtful presentation.
Sir. Paul Fildes was never a nazi, he was a British Naval officer and bio weapons researcher.
You are always polite! 🙏🇦🇺
Another very insightful video, Alan. I agree that there is no way a toxin could have been added to that explosive device as it could have been easily accidentially been activated during its chaotic transport to Heydrich's eventual assassination site.
My readings of old suggested then Heydrich's wounds were infused with cover. and stuffing material from the bench seat of the car. Along with other shrapnel from the explosion under the car. That would likely bring a lot of unsanitary materials into the deep wounds.
blood poisoning
Horse hair
In Paxman and Harris’ Higher form of Killing, there’s a quote by Fildes who says Heidrichs death was the “first notch on his pistol”. There’s also a picture of the modified No73. It appears shortened and covered in bandages steeped in Botulinum.
Thanks for your input! There is a photograph in the German investigation of one of the four or five grenades captured and we can see how they were wrapped up in that. However, if he claimed that the bandages were steeped in botulinum that is even more ridiculous than the claim he made about inserting vials into the grenade! I did another video on the death of Heydrich and I used the photograph from the German investigation in that.
Fascinating video, Alan! I find it so odd that they didn't do a complete autopsy on him, especially considering that he had other wounds, I think, that weren't operated on. Most likely it was septicemia that did it.
His condition after he was mortally injured is well described.
Autopsy was not really needed. They knew what happened. Germany had access to medical care, but killing ALL the people of the intelligence class, all that were left were not great medical care. No one considered what the large gaps would be by killing off the intelligence class. And I am NOT in any way, shape or form excusing the Holocaust.
Great!! Just finished it. Never heard this theory before.
Mi neither
It would be interesting to speculate what if Heydrich was not hit and lived to the end of the war. Would he commit suicide or attempt to flee? Rather difficult with his face.
That is a question to a psychologist Robert!
I don’t think he would have done either. I think he would have stayed put and stood trial. He believed he was doing right. Because of his previous military service, he did not believe in running or hiding. He stated as much and he stated “HIS” people would never hurt him. That and his wife was a rabid antisemite.
Today Heydrich would have survived the wounds that killed him
He would have survived then if he had been in the UK!
@@HistoryonUA-camWell that he was not there! 😅
@@robertomeneghetti6215 If only RyanAir had existed then!
Possibly. Germ/biologic warfare is a tricky business.
Siegrieds Funeral March from Gottedamarung at the funeral (actual)
Dressing up, Wagner, these guys never miss a beat.
Looking back I'm overwhelmed by the "boys will be boys" aspect of the whole thing.
Surprisingly, Hitler didn't blame the failure of the Doctors but rather Heydrich for risk taking.
This is an excellent video Alan, it's a theory scotched well presented. 🙏🇦🇺
Thanks Phil!
@@HistoryonUA-cam 👍🇦🇺
He was the devil
Oh, something is bothering me all these years if he was so hated by the public why was the ride around in an open top car with no guards
Good question Timothy and definitely worth a separate video!
He thought he was above being killed. He never thought he would be killed by the Czech people.
He was arrogant and thought he was untouchable. All the biographies I have read about him state that Himmler and others pleaded with him to ride in a hard top with guards and he adamantly refused.
I could appreciate newscasts accompanied by Wagner horns and doomy opera interludes. Definitely.
Bring it on.
Were the two boys in front at the funeral his sons?
Yes
@@MatthewThompson-v9b One boy would be killed within a year (after Heydrich's death) via a car/truck accident in front of their home (castle?) near Prague.
I wonder what happened to the driver of the truck ?
@@jettjones9889 I believe that the driver that killed the ten year old boy was a German officer who was, after an investigation, not given any disciplinary action.
Lena Hydrich wanted him out to death. There was no cause, it was an accident. And Lena was pregnant with a girl when he died. She gave birth to a healthy girl like 2 months later.
I am fed up with commentators constantly casting doubt on the credibility of ANYONE older than the age of the commentator
I don't have that problem as no-one is older than I am!
Interesting. 🙏🇦🇺
Botulinum Bull
@@damienocarroll2770 I showed the bloke in the chip shop your comment and he called you an 'arsulinum hole'. Want me to punch him for you?
I'm surprised that I didn't know about his two sons. Those two boys in the front WERE his, right? Anyway I've heard of his wife who survived the war but his kids?! Man. What life did THEY live after 1945??
One of the boys, Klaus, was killed on 24 October 1943. He was riding his bike when a vehicle hit him. Heide, Silke and Marthe are all still alive as far as I am aware.
Silke and Heide still reside in Germany and as far the research I have seen shows Marthe lives in Chicago. I watch a very interesting 3 part video about his wife, Lena and at the end it talks about the children and their families.
Rheinhard was not rein(clean)!
Il n'y avait rien de rein de Heydrich!
Case in point.The leaders of germany thought for a while that they were gods.Typical human being behavior that has been given power over others.Once GODs😊 vengeance came calling,the cowards hid in the ground trying to escape the hell they created.
Didn't someone tried to open his unmarked grave a few months ago? Trophy hunters?
That is correct Laura!
👏👍🙂🇸🇪
It is really not a sure thing that Heydrich died in 1942. There was no open casket, the grave was kept secret and was supposedly found in 21 century after being dug up as unmarked grave but based on it being unmarked grave then i dont understand that somebody can say that it really was Heydrich's grave haha.
But still i pay respect to people that did atentate on him. If he didn't die then he was severely wounded and then proceeded to hide until he died really. If he died in 1942 then great. But sadly we cannot really be sure based on how many germans faked their deaths in 1945 and before it and fled.
interesting that Heydrich has in autopsy written "gunshot wound" as one of the reasons of death when in reality the STEN machine gun jammed.
I have a copy of the autopsy report in front of me right now. Perhaps you could tell me where it says gunshot wound as I cannot find it?
@@HistoryonUA-cam In your video i think i saw it. Maybe i misread it.
Thing is, and it is shame because i really hope he died in 1942, that we can't prove that he really died. Heydrich was one of the main brains behind the holocoust if not the main brain of holocoust and he may have directed mass murders from the grave (officialy). For example Hitler survived 1945, which i personaly think is no big of a deal because majority does suspect it if they don't have a proof because there is no proof that he did commit suicide. Well i do have proof and it is from those that were on it, from CIA - there is declassified document on cia.gov from 1963 that is dated 1955 and there is photo from "double" agent Citroen where he poses with Hitler (visibly sick, maybe half vegetable at that point, he was shaking severely from parkinsons in 1945) in Chile. In the document Citroen writes that it was already 10 years from 1945 and therefore they cannot sue Hitler for war crimes anymore. In there he writes that Hitler was already in Argentina since the photo was taken. So chile and then died aroud 1960 - max 1962 or 1963.
That was just example so you get the point, you may find it by searching on google "Hitler photo 1955 agent Citroen CIA" it is on official cia.gov as declassified document, they declassify lot of incriminating material but majority of people don't read it or flat out refuse reality even if it is reality. There were many much more higher ranking germans than Hitler that got away to USA (operation paperclip), Switzerland, West Germany, Spain, Chile, Columbia and Israel (Mossad - ever wondered why agency made up to hunt down german war criminals caught only like 2 small fishes as a scapegoats and found for example Mengele 3 TIMES ((3 times, verify it if you want, as anything else i wrote in this comment becausr it is truth) and didn't do anything other than transferring that agent that found him to different position)).
I hope i taught you something new because you taught me by some of your videos about crimes done during ww2 and prior. I have decent knowledge of those but it is always nice to learn more. I have also more than decent knowledge of their crimes after world war 2.
@@HistoryonUA-cam @HistoryonUA-cam In your video i think i saw it. Maybe i misread it.
Thing is, and it is shame because i really hope he died in 1942, that we can't prove that he really died. Heydrich was one of the main brains behind the holocoust if not the main brain of holocoust and he may have directed mass murders from the grave (officialy). For example Hitler survived 1945, which i personaly think is no big of a deal because majority does suspect it if they don't have a proof because there is no proof that he did commit suicide. Well i do have proof and it is from those that were on it, from CIA - there is declassified document on cia.gov from 1963 that is dated 1955 and there is photo from "double" agent Citroen where he poses with Hitler (visibly sick, maybe half vegetable at that point, he was shaking severely from parkinsons in 1945) in Chile. In the document Citroen writes that it was already 10 years from 1945 and therefore they cannot sue Hitler for war crimes anymore. In there he writes that Hitler was already in Argentina since the photo was taken. So chile and then died aroud 1960 - max 1962 or 1963. That was just example so you get the point, you may find it by searching on google "Hitler photo 1955 agent Citroen CIA" it is on official cia.gov as declassified document, they declassify lot of incriminating material but majority of people don't read it or flat out refuse reality even if it is reality. There were many much more higher ranking germans than Hitler that got away to USA (operation paperclip), Switzerland, West Germany, Spain, Chile, Columbia and Israel (Mossad - ever wondered why agency made up to hunt down german war criminals caught only like 2 small fishes as a scapegoats and found for example Mengele 3 TIMES ((3 times, verify it if you want, as anything else i wrote in this comment becausr it is truth) and didn't do anything other than transferring that agent that found him to different position)).
I hope i taught you something new because you taught me by some of your videos about crimes done during ww2 and prior. I have decent knowledge of those but it is always nice to learn more. I have also more than decent knowledge of their crimes after world war 2.
Idk if this shows up, algorithm deleted this comment last time
@@HistoryonUA-cam @HistoryonUA-cam In your video i think i saw it. Maybe i misread it.
Thing is, and it is shame because i really hope he died in 1942, that we can't prove that he really died. Heydrich was one of the main brains behind the holocoust if not the mainy brain of holocoust and he may have directed mass murders from the grave (officialy). For example Hitler survived 1945, which i personaly think is no big of a deal because majority does suspect it if they don't have a proof because there is no proof that he did commit suicide. Well i do have proof and it is from those that were on it, from CIA - there is declassified document on cia.gov from 1963 that is dated 1955 and there is photo from "double" agent Citroen where he poses with Hitler (visibly sick, maybe half vegetable at that point, he was shaking severely from parkinsons in 1945) in Chile. In the document Citroen writes that it was already 10 years from 1945 and therefore they cannot sue Hitler for war crimes anymore. In there he writes that Hitler was already in Argentina since the photo was taken. So chile and then died aroud 1960 - max 1962 or 1963. That was just example so you get the point, you may find it by searching on google "Hitler photo 1955 agent Citroen CIA" it is on official cia.gov as declassified document, they declassify lot of incriminating material but majority of people don't read it or flat out refuse reality even if it is reality. There were many much more higher ranking germans than Hitler that got away to USA (operation paperclip), Switzerland, West Germany, Spain, Chile, Columbia and Israel (Mossad - ever wondered why agency made up to hunt down german war criminals caught only like 2 small fishes as a scapegoats and found for example Mengele 3 TIMES ((3 times, verify it if you want, as anything else i wrote in this comment becausr it is truth) and didn't do anything other than transferring that agent that found him to different position)).
I hope i taught you something new because you taught me by some of your videos about crimes done during ww2 and prior. I have decent knowledge of those but it is always nice to learn more. I have also more than decent knowledge of their crimes after world war 2.
This video clip is helpful but falls far short of the rigorous standards I expect. The relies far too much on believing his opinion far more the opinions of other researchers. I have in my computer records far more detailed findings on Operation Anthropoid. I will track down these findings in the next couple day
I did of course realise that it would never get to your rigourous standards when I wrote it although your rigorous standards fail to say where my opinion is different to that of others, or indeed, what you are claiming my opinions on this matter are.
Of course it's his opinions.
His video, his opinions.
Other researchers videos, other researchers opinions that's how it works.
Your comment would suggest that your rigorous standards only apply to certain opinions and if their content is more preferable to you, that in turn must surely hamper your knowledge to a degree where your rigorous standards could possibly be lower than others with a more open mind to variation on a theme?
And to be fair, you've got the same standards as all of us, you're here aren't you.
It would be interesting to speculate what if Heydrich was not hit and lived to the end of the war. Would he commit suicide or attempt to flee? Rather difficult with his face.
He has a J nose.