Macher was also charged with the task of burying the castle's treasures, including over 9,000 Death's Head rings held in a shrine to commemorate SS men killed in action.

Dönitz repeatedly rejected Himmler's overtures and initiated peace negotiations with the Allies.

[2][3] Dismissed from his posts and unwanted by his former colleagues, Himmler attempted to go into hiding in order to avoid capture.

Himmler equipped himself with a forged paybook under the name of Sergeant Heinrich Hitzinger of the Geheime Feldpolizei (Secret Field Police), which was a mistake since members of this organization were sought after by the liberation forces.

[4] Macher, Himmler and Grothmann were stopped at a checkpoint, which had been set up by former Soviet POWs, on 21 May and detained.