Summary
Highlights
Days before their suicide on April 30, 1945, Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun destroyed all their archives. However, 70 years later, new political and personal archives, discovered by French officer Commandant Raymond Rose and later acquired by a private collector, have shed new light on Hitler's final days. These unique documents clarify crucial moments, such as the atmosphere in the bunker, Hitler's hopes, and his relationship with Eva Braun.
Amidst the relentless Allied bombing of Berlin, Hitler moved into his bunker for good. Located under the Chancellery gardens, the Führer bunker was a two-level structure built for durability rather than comfort. It was a gloomy, cold, and constantly damp environment with persistent mechanical ventilation. Hitler, visibly deteriorated by Parkinson's disease, issued contradictory orders and relied on daily injections and drugs. The bunker housed his personal guards, technicians, communication personnel, and key figures like Goebbels and Bormann. Despite the dire situation, Hitler remained in Berlin, fearing being away from the central power.
Eva Braun, Hitler's secret companion, joined him in the bunker against his will. Newly revealed letters from Eva Braun, including her last two, dating April 19 and April 22, 1945, illustrate her unwavering devotion. She expressed her joy at being close to him and her intent to remain by his side until the end. Her first letter also hints at a lingering hope within the bunker, despite the ongoing bombings and the approaching Red Army. On Hitler's 56th birthday, April 20, 1945, Eva Braun gave him a dedicated photograph, a unique physical proof of her love, as most of their personal correspondence was destroyed.
On April 20, Hitler made his last outdoor appearance, receiving birthday wishes from an SS delegation and Hitler Youth members, sending them to their deaths. He also met with senior officials like Himmler, Ribbentrop, and Göring, who urged him to leave Berlin. Hitler refused all advice to retreat to the 'Alpine Fortress' in Bavaria, deciding to stay and fight in Berlin, believing it would be a dramatic, Wagnerian end. This decision led to the 'Battle for Berlin', with Soviet artillery shelling the city for the first time on April 21.
As Soviet forces encircled Berlin, Hitler continued to issue unrealistic military orders from the bunker, believing his remaining three army corps could launch a counter-offensive. His plans failed, and for the first time, he lost his composure, declaring everything lost. Eva Braun's last letter on April 22 confirms their joint decision to commit suicide and details her wishes for her jewelry and will.
On the evening of April 22, Hitler indicated to his staff that Göring could take over. Interpreting this as a transfer of power, Göring, who was in Bavaria, sent a telegram on April 23 asking Hitler for confirmation to assume leadership. Göring's enemy, Bormann, presented this to Hitler as treason. In a furious response, Hitler forbade Göring from taking any action and had him arrested. On April 25, Hitler formally expelled Göring from the party for 'unfaithful attitude' and ordered the destruction of all his personal archives, though vital documents were miraculously saved.
As Soviet shells constantly rained down on the Chancellery gardens, Hitler held onto the faint hope of a military victory in Berlin. Discussions with Goebbels, recorded in newly published notes, reveal his belief that a moral victory in Berlin could save face and gain time. Amidst the chaos, German ace Hanna Reitsch landed her aircraft at the bunker on April 27, attempting to persuade Hitler to leave, but he refused. He provided her with a cyanide capsule as a mark of honor. Concurrently, Heinrich Himmler, who had left Berlin, attempted to negotiate an unconditional surrender with the Allies, which Hitler viewed as the ultimate betrayal, leading to Himmler's removal from all offices and the execution of his liaison officer, Hermann Fegelein.
On April 29, 1945, at 1:00 AM, Adolf Hitler married Eva Braun in the bunker, a surreal event highlighting his decision to reward her loyalty in his final hours. Immediately after, he dictated his political will and testament, maintaining his anti-Semitic obsessions and blaming betrayal for his downfall. On April 30, after poisoning his dog, Blondi, Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide. Their bodies were burned outside the bunker, reflecting Hitler's fear of his corpse being used as a symbol by the Soviets. The next day, Magda and Joseph Goebbels also committed suicide after poisoning their six children.
Soviet agents found the burned bodies of Hitler and Eva Braun, identifying them through dental records. However, Stalin deliberately withheld this information, even from Marshal Zhukov, perpetuating the myth that Hitler might have escaped. This omission fueled conspiracy theories and served as a propaganda tool during the Cold War, allowing Stalin to portray the Soviet Union as the sole antifascist power. The bunker itself was not made a memorial but was eventually covered by a parking lot, with signs installed 70 years later to inform visitors of its historical significance. The exact fate of the remains remains officially undisclosed by Russian authorities.