The discovery did not come through a family revelation, but during an online search that began after Lenkeit watched a documentary about the Nazis. Wanting to learn more, he continued researching and came across a website featuring a photograph of his maternal grandmother, Hedwig Potthast. The caption beneath the image identified her as Himmler’s companion.

According to a report by Sky News, Lenkeit said that this was the moment he began to piece together information he had never known existed. Further research led him to conclude that Himmler was the biological father of his mother and, therefore, his own grandfather.

Speaking to Sky News, Lenkeit described Himmler without any attempt to soften his historical role. “A monster, a murderer, a Nazi,” he said, adding that such words only seem extreme until one considers who they describe. Asked how one processes being related to “one of the greatest criminals in history,” he replied simply: “You don’t.”

He said the revelation raised difficult questions about identity and family silence. “Who am I? Who was I? Why wasn’t I told the truth for 47 years?” he asked. Lenkeit believes his parents may have kept the truth from him in an effort to protect him.

His Grandmother’s Relationship With Himmler

Lenkeit shared photographs of Hedwig Potthast from the 1930s, describing her as a young woman who worked as Himmler’s private secretary at the headquarters of the secret police in Berlin. According to his account, their relationship began shortly after they met and by 1938 they had expressed mutual affection.

He described his grandmother as a friendly person in private life and said the realization that she had been involved with a mass murderer came as a shock. “I never imagined she could have been the partner of someone responsible for such crimes,” he said.

According to reporting cited by Sky News, Potthast was considered a committed Nazi. Lenkeit said he does not believe she was unaware of Himmler’s actions. “She knew,” he said. “I think she knew everything.”

Letters and Documentary Evidence

The story also includes references to letters exchanged between Himmler and Potthast, in which he used affectionate language. Although Himmler was married at the time Potthast became pregnant, he reportedly believed he was contributing to what he described as the “dominant race” and added his name to the birth certificate of Lenkeit’s mother.

For Lenkeit, this documentation confirms the family connection beyond speculation. “This isn’t a rumor,” he said. “It’s there in black and white.”

Coming to Terms With History

Himmler was one of the principal architects of the Nazi extermination camps and a key figure in the implementation of the so-called “Final Solution,” which led to the murder of millions of Jews and other victims across Europe.

Lenkeit said that today he views Himmler as “a mass murderer,” “a demon,” and “everything evil one can imagine.” Asked how he reconciles this with the fact that Himmler was also his grandfather, he said: “He was Hitler’s deputy — and my grandfather. I can’t change that.”

While he cannot alter his ancestry, Lenkeit said he wants to distance himself completely from that legacy and has expressed a desire to ask forgiveness from the victims of Himmler’s crimes.