Reinhard Heydrich
Deputy Reichsführer Reinhard Heydrich was the man responsible for the running of both the Schutzstaffel (SS) and the Gestapo in Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. Some called him "the Blond Beast". (PROSE: Illegal Alien)
Biography
In 1934, (PROSE: Timewyrm: Exodus) both Heydrich and Heinrich Himmler accompanied the Fifth Doctor as he chased the Master through Berlin during the Night of the Long Knives. (PROSE: The King of Terror)
In 1940 during the early stages of World War II, Heydrich received a phone call from Captain Hartmann in Jersey, where the occupying German forces were studying a Cyberman sleeper force they had discovered there in the Le Mur Engineering compound. Hartmann expressed his concern for the behaviour of both Colonel Schott and George Limb and how it was affecting progress. Heydrich thus allowed Hartmann to act as he saw fit, provided he still acted on Heydrich's authority. (PROSE: Illegal Alien)
Personality
The Fifth Doctor found Heydrich, and Himmler, delightful company but from time to time, he thought back to the incident and wished he had asked one of them for a gun so he could have shot them both in the head. (PROSE: The King of Terror)
Heydrich had a reputation for his intelligence and eye for detail. Rumour had it that he kept files on everyone of importance in the Third Reich, while other people believed his memory was strong enough to keep all of that information in his head. His calm demeanour was "legendary" and he always spoke as if he was seducing a woman. He also demonstrated signs of efficiency, hanging up as soon as he had said everything he needed to say, cutting off Hartmann as he was saying "Heil Hitler" in farewell. (PROSE: Illegal Alien)
Behind the scenes
- Heydrich does not appear in person in Illegal Alien but he does receive dialogue during his phone call to Captain Hartmann. His dialogue is written in italics since the scene focuses on Hartmann's perspective.
- He was played by Anton Diffring in Operation Daybreak, Peter Egan in To Catch a King and David Warner in Holocaust and Hitler's S.S.: Portrait in Evil.
