In his latest work, journalist and historian Matthias Blazek turns to the history of firefighting in Germany, specifically during the years of National Socialist rule from 1933 to 1945. With the rise to power of the National Socialists, the coordination of authorities and institutions began. A first step in integrating the fire departments was the Prussian Fire Extinguishing Law of 1933. The fire departments were no longer under municipal supervision but were instead subject to police oversight. In the following years, the law was extended to the entire Reich. Democratically minded leaders were gradually replaced with party loyalists. Uniform statutes formed the legal basis, which allowed for no exceptions. By the end of World War II, Germany's volunteer fire departments were placed under the SS penal code of Heinrich Himmler.