Figure 1.--The last photographs of Hitler (newsreel footage) was taken on the occasion of his his 56th birthday (April 20). That morning he played with Blondie (his German Sheperd). He took his cocaine eyedrops. Then he climbed the steps into the Reich Chancellery courtyard. There he received the NAZI salute from representatives of the cutoff Courland Army, the SS-Division "Berlin", and 20 HJ boys who had earned the Iron Cross. Hitler muttered a few words to them and patted a few of the younger boys on the cheek. The boy here recalls how Hitler's hand were shaking. He then disappeared back into the bunker leaving the boys to face Russian tanks. Click on the image to learn more about the boy.

Hitler's bomb-proff bunker was built under the Chancellry. Hitler's advisers pleaded with him to leave the Berlin and continue the War from an Alpine redoubt. He refused and decided to stay where he was still in control of the situation. He fantasized over a map table about armies long since destroyed. The ones that still existed were ignoring his orders. When President Roosevelt died (April 12), Goebbels fueled the fantasy that the British and Americans wold make a separate peace. The last photographs of Hitler (newsreel footage) was taken on the occasion of his 56th birthday (April 20). That morning he played with Bolndie (his German Shapard). He took his cocaine eyedrops. Then he climbed the steps into the Reich Chancellery courtyard. There he received the NAZI salute from representatives of the cutoff Courland Army, the SS-Division "Berlin", and 20 HJ boys who had erarned the Iron Cross. Hitler muttered a few words to them and patted a few of the younger boys on the cheek. He then disappeared back into the bunker leaving the boys to face Russian tanks. There in the bunker Martina Goebels played solitare after killing her children. He ordered Eva Braun's brother shot for trying to escape. When picked up by the SS, he had a pocket full of jewells. Italian partisans shot Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci and string up their bodies (April 28). Hitler was determined that he not be caught on the run like Mussolini. Hitler finally married his long-time mistress Eva Braun (April 29). On the same day he dictated his last will and testimony to his private secretary, Martin Bormann. He expelled Göring and Himmler from the Party for disloyalty. And he designated Admiral Karl Doenitz as his replacement. (Doenutz was not informed until the next day after Hitler was dead.) The next day with the Soviet sildiers in the nearby Reichstag, Hitler set about commiting suiside (April 30). After testing the cyninide pills on his dog Blondie, he and Braun took cyninide and he shot himself. Martin Borman and the remaining NAZIs gave a farewell salute as the bodies were burned. [Fest] That pitiful scene was a far cry from what Hitler wanted. He had told his associates, "We may go down, but we will take the world down with us."

The Bunker

Hitler's bomb-proof bunker was built deep under the massive Chancellry.

Decision to Stay

Hitler's advisers pleaded with him to leave the Berlin and continue the War from an Alpine redoubt. He refused and decided to stay where he was still in control of the situation. One of the most revealing accountts of Hitler's mindset comes from his personal pilot, Lieutenant-General Hans Baur. Hitler hated flying, but hd confidence with Baur. Over time an intimate relatinshop developd between the two men. Hitler relaxed in his presence knowing that Baur ould respect his confidences. He poke openly of his plans and frankly about his view of other important NAZIs. Baur was present with Hitler during many critical monents and was with him in the Bunker in case he wanted to fly out of Berlin. He describes their final meeting. "As soon as I entered, Hitler came up to me and took both my hands in his. 'Baur, I want to say good-bye to you.' {You don't meam ...' I began in dismay. 'Yes,' he answered. The time has come. Ny generals have betrayed me; ny soldiers don't want to go on; and I can't go on.' I tried to persuade himthat tgherecwere still planes available and that I could get him away to Japan or the Argentinem or to one the Sheiks, who were all veery friendly to himon account of his attitude to th\e Jews ... Hitler declaed once againthat he would under no circumstamces leave Germany. He could go into the mountains, of course, or he could go to Grand Admiral Dönitz in Flensburg. But what would be the good of that? In a couple of weeks at the outside he would be in the same situation as he was now. 'The War will end with the fall of Berlin,' he declared. 'And I stand or fall with Berlin. A man must summon up courage to face the conequences -- and therefore I am ending it now. I that tomorrow millions of people will curse me -- that's fate.'" [Baur]

Map Table

He fantasized over a map table about armies long since destroyed. The ones that still existed were ignoring his orders.

President Roosevelt Dies (April 12)

When President Roosevelt died (April 12), Goebbels fueled the fantasy that the British and Americans wold make a separate peace.

Hitler's Birthday (April 20)

The last photographs of Hitler (newsreel footage) was taken on the occasion of his 56th birthday (April 20). That morning he played with Bolndie (his German Shapard). He took his cocaine eyedrops. Then he climbed the steps into the Reich Chancellery courtyard. There he received the NAZI salute from representatives of the cutoff Courland Army, the SS-Division "Berlin", and 20 HJ boys who had erarned the Iron Cross. Hitler muttered a few words to them and patted a few of the younger boys on the cheek. He then disappeared back into the bunker leaving the boys to face Russian tanks.

Goebbels

Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels was the only top NAZI to remain with Hitler. There in the bunker Martina Goebels played solitare after killing her children.

Eva Braun' Brother-in-law Executed (April 28)

Hitler ordered Eva Braun's brother shot for trying to escape without permission. When picked up by the SS, he had a pocket full of jewells. SS-Gruppenführer Hans Georg Otto Hermann Fegelein (1906–45) was a Waffen-SS generally see was aparticularly despicable person. His father ran a ridibng school and as aesult Hans developed riding skills as a boy. Seeing the growth of the NAZI Party, he sebnsed opprtunity. He joined the Party an SA (939 and the SS (1933). After joining the SS he ingeratiated himself with Himmler who assidned him to head he SS equestrian unit. During World War II he served in Waffen SS units involved in anti-partisan activities which at least at first meant shooting Jews. He got in triouble for stealing the booty seixed by Jews in Poland. His most bloody action was shooting Jews in the the Pripyat swamps (Byelorussian SSR) during 1941. Sensing political advantage, he married Gretl Braun, Eva Braun's sister in Salzburg (1944). Hitler, Himmler, and Bormann acted as witnesses at the ceremony. Fegelein continued to have affairs after the marriage. He was a member of Adolf Hitler's entourage and because of the marriage. Himmler posted him to Hitler's headquarters as his personal representative. This would cost him his life. When he disappeard from the Buker, Hitler sent for him. The SS fond him druk with an unidntified woman and piles of jewels. He might have gotten away with this, bt this was the day that new came out tht Himmler was negotiating an end to the war. He was, as a result, smmarily shot.

Mussolini (April 28)

Italian partisans shot Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci and string up their bodies (April 28). Hitler was determined that he not be caught on the run like Mussolini.

Marriage (April 29)

Hitler finally married his long-time mistress Eva Braun (April 29). Eva Braun was connected with photoraphy from an early point. Hitler met her in a phptographic studio. She shot movie footage at Burchesarten. Thus she chronicled the social life of the Nazi regime. She not only captured Hitler's private life with her cine-camera, but visis grom the NZI elte and hangers on. This footahe is esoecially valuable because the tehnology now exiss to recreate some of the dilog spoken while Braunshot the footage. Hitler like her because she was not demanding and was willing to sty out of the splotlife. She did not, howeverm, bing her cmera into the bunker.

Last Will and Testimony (April 29)

On the same day he dictated his last will and testimony to his private secretary, Martin Bormann. He expelled Göring and Himmler from the Party for disloyalty. And he designated Admiral Karl Doenitz as his replacement. (Doenutz was not informed until the next day after Hitler was dead.)

Suiside (April 30)

The next day with the Soviet sildiers in the nearby Reichstag, Hitler set about commiting suiside (April 30). After testing the cyninide pills on his dog Blondie, he and Braun took cyninide and he shot himself. Martin Borman and the remaining NAZIs gave a farewell salute as the bodies were burned. [Fest] That pitiful scene was a far cry from what Hitler wanted. He had told his associates, "We may go down, but we will take the world down with us."

Goebbels Suicide

Sources

Baur, Hans. I was Hitler's Pilot: The Memoirs of Hans Baur 2013), 240p.

Fest, Joachim. Inside Hitler's Bunker: The Last Day of the Third Reich (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2004).

Created: 7:34 AM 10/8/2008
Last updated: 7:03 PM 4/13/2013