Summary
Highlights
Days before their suicide, Hitler and Eva Braun destroyed their archives. Despite extensive historical research, new political and personal archives, discovered by Commandant Raymond Rose in 1945 and later acquired by a private collector, have emerged, shedding light on Hitler's final days, the bunker atmosphere, and key decisions.
After the destruction of Berlin, thousands, including Allied forces, visited the remains of Hitler's bunker. Commandant Raymond Rose, a French officer, explored the Chancellery's basement in November 1945, discovering documents detailing Hitler's resolve to remain in power. The bunker, built in two levels due to the increasing bomb threat, was a robust but dismal underground structure, perpetually cold and damp, intended to be Hitler's secure command center.
Hitler's health rapidly declined in the bunker, marked by severe Parkinson's and extreme exhaustion. He was constantly medicated and struggled to control his tremors. He was surrounded by a staff of around 30, including key figures like Goebbels and Bormann, who had moved into the bunker with their families.
Eva Braun, Hitler's secret companion, joined him in the bunker. Her newly revealed last letters, dated April 19th and April 22nd, 1945, express her unwavering loyalty and decision to die by his side, confirming the couple's plan for suicide. These letters also provide insights into the bunker's grim atmosphere and Hitler's fluctuating hopes.
April 20th marked Hitler's 56th birthday, a grotesque celebration amidst the Soviet invasion of Berlin. He made his last outdoor appearance, decorating Hitler Youth members and receiving wishes from his senior officials, most of whom were desperate to leave the doomed city. Eva Braun's gift, a signed photograph with the inscription "To my Führer, from your faithful, Eva," serves as unique physical evidence of her devotion.
Despite pleas from his staff to retreat to the perceived Alpine Fortress, Hitler chose to remain in Berlin, believing in a 'Wagnerian apocalyptic scene' for his death. This decision also influenced Allied strategy. The Battle for Berlin began on April 21st with Soviet artillery shelling, a scenario Hitler and Goebbels hoped could turn the tide, echoing Stalingrad. Hitler, deluded, continued to issue orders for non-existent armies, eventually suffering a public breakdown on April 22nd.
On April 22nd, Hitler’s declaration of giving up was reported to Göring, who, interpreting it as a transfer of power, sent telegrams asserting his leadership. These documents, discovered by Commandant Rose, reveal the intense final exchange. Bormann, Göring's rival, manipulated the situation, portraying Göring's actions as treason. Hitler, consumed by betrayal paranoia, stripped Göring of all power and had him arrested, appointing the shadowy Martin Bormann as his successor.
Heinrich Himmler's attempt to negotiate an unconditional surrender with the Allies, publicized on April 28th, further infuriated Hitler, who saw it as another betrayal. In a fit of rage, Hitler stripped Himmler of all offices and ordered the execution of Himmler's liaison officer, Hermann Fegelein, Eva Braun's brother-in-law. Amidst this, Hitler also ordered the destruction of all his personal archives, though some documents were miraculously forgotten in the chaos.
Hitler continued to cling to false hopes of military reversals, particularly the arrival of General Wenck's 12th Army, which never materialized. On April 29th, at 1 AM, Hitler married Eva Braun in a surreal ceremony in the bunker, a gesture he felt owed to her loyalty in his final hours. Immediately after, he dictated his political will and testament, maintaining his anti-Semitic obsessions and denying any wrongdoing.
On April 30th, after poisoning his dog, Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide. Their bodies were immediately cremated to prevent them from becoming symbols or trophies for the Soviets. The Second World War ended as it began, dictated by Hitler's will to have a grand finale. The Soviets found the bunker on May 2nd, but the mystery surrounding Hitler's body began with Stalin's decision to conceal the discovery, using it as a Cold War propaganda tool for decades.
The site of the bunker did not become a memorial. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, it was discovered to be a parking lot. Only 70 years later were signs installed explaining Hitler's last days. The historical documents rediscovered by Commandant Rose and Bruno Ledoux, now made public, help to complete the understanding of the political and personal story of the 20th century's greatest criminal.