Mohammad Amin al-Husayni, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, had a close and collaborative relationship with Heinrich Himmler, the head of the SS and one of the main architects of the Holocaust.
Key Points of Their Relationship:
- Meetings: Al-Husayni met with Himmler on July 3, 1943, following an introduction by SS officials. This meeting was part of broader efforts to recruit Muslim volunteers for the Waffen-SS, particularly in Bosnia, and to coordinate anti-British and anti-Jewish propaganda in the Arab world.
- Correspondence: Himmler wrote a letter to al-Husayni in autumn 1943, praising his anti-Jewish efforts and expressing solidarity with the "battle of freedom-seeking Arabs—especially in Palestine—against the Jewish invaders." Himmler emphasized the shared goal of combating "world Jewry" and offered his support for al-Husayni’s cause.
Letter from Himmler to Al-Husayni
“The National-Socialist movement of Greater Germany has made its fight against world Jewry a guiding principle since its very beginning. For that reason, it has been closely following the battle of freedom-seeking Arabs—and especially in Palestine—against the Jewish invaders.”
- Propaganda and Recruitment: Al-Husayni worked with the SS to recruit Bosnian Muslims for the 13th Waffen-SS Mountain Division (Handschar) and to broadcast pro-Nazi, anti-Jewish, and anti-British propaganda across the Middle East.
- Shared Ideology: Both men were united by their extreme anti-Semitism and opposition to British influence in the Middle East. Al-Husayni’s collaboration with Himmler and other Nazi leaders was part of his broader strategy to gain German support for Arab independence and to prevent Jewish immigration to Palestine.
This photo shows al-Husayni with Himmler during one of their meetings in 1943.
Broader Context of Al-Husayni’s Activities in Nazi Germany
- Meetings with Hitler: Al-Husayni also met with Adolf Hitler in November 1941, where he sought German support for Arab independence and the prevention of a Jewish national home in Palestine. Hitler assured him that Germany would support Arab aspirations once the Axis powers won the war.
- Role in the Holocaust: Some historians argue that al-Husayni’s influence helped shape Nazi policies toward Jews in the Middle East and North Africa. He is also accused of encouraging the extermination of Jews in Europe and opposing their emigration to Palestine.