The Panton papers contain the original typed wire messages he sent to London from Germany reporting Himmler’s death. The language used is “journalist telegraphese” – calculated to reduce the number of words charged for. We reproduce below a transcript of his handwritten notes, important for their immediacy and detail.

R Selkirk Panton Papers, National Library of Australia, MS 5808, folder 82.

Selkirk Panton’s handwritten notes [May 24-27, 1945]

Original images [Pdf file 600 KB]

Page 1

Page 2

Doenitz – seven pairs underpants

3 generals had poison phials

Himmler planned lie low several weeks until hue & cry died down

in first flush victory

Why did he decide kill himself

Firing squad

Nerve cracked

Remained cocky and refused submit detailed questioning

Demanded be transferred

[to] Supreme Command

Wd not talk underlings

Page 3

No hard facts

Himmler claimed if he had been in been

in Berlin when Hitler died

he “would have died with him”

Most prevalent theme +++ & talks was

comment menace in future

relations Russia with

England & America

Undecided what to do with

body burn it

guard inside none

outside

++++ crooks failure tell

completely consistent story

at several quest[ions]

led downfall

Page 4

++++ body on hands

wondering what to do with it

Dentist (double underlined)          [DOODLE at r.h. edge: square with two X’s inside it. A badge?]

Until later ++++ seeking set

instructions

But all day busy

fingerprints

looking

Heinrich Himmler shrouded in grey British army blanket

was buried secretly in —

Himmler’s dentist

Signature 48 pieces

SS stamps

Doenitz & underpants Reinicke

(line indicating break)

Halfeld(?)

Questionnaire

Page 5

2 aides flown 21st Army HQ

not knowing Himmler’s dead.

We don’t know whether they have vial concealed

With them went fingerprints

death mask all records cast of

teeth

examined there

Shaef will get into touch with

Himmler’s widow & brother

They are also looking for dentist

Allied command wants

incontrovertible evidence that

man secretly buried yest[erday] was

Himmler. So far fingerprints

an admission of identity

appearance correct replies to

trick questions comparison of

his features with photographs including minute inspection

of ear his signature – tallied

with two specimens in possess

intelligence staff

Page 6

German people (underlined) [drawing of British flag in upper right corner and an oval bisected by a vertical line, on right half of oval, three small circles]

Not sorry	teasing
Still pro-Hitler	helping us
	discipline
Obsequious	informers
	street
Happy faces in different places	learning speaking English

North better than South

Fear of Russians before contempt

Dressed better taste, hair better uniformity

gen. children well dressed well fed

Himmler gave last orders —

disband underground

organisations

No civilians injured

no warm water etc

Germans playing off one occupying

power against another.

Fraternisaiton

Postal services

Himmler’s plates

safer in fjord(?) typhus(?), 260 [cases?] 7 a day [dying?]

King George’s birthday

SS men Danish territory