Page 47 - All About History - Issue 180-19

Hitler In Love

did end up with a house in Munich as well as “eva had made it clear that she’d follow
apartments at the Berghof and the Old Reich
Chancellery. We also know that she wasn’t a her lover to the ends of the earth”
member of the Nazi Party, although she must
have agreed with their ideas as she had been
photographed at least one rally.
But the relationship did cause one problem Eva’s near-unwavering loyalty, and as she signed
– Hitler had a very specific image that he had the marriage document, she wrote ‘Eva B’ before
cultivated, and that was one of a lonesome and crossing it out and writing ‘Eva Hitler, born Braun’.
god-like man who had sacrificed his personal life The intent had always been that the newlyweds
for the good of his country. He was married to the would die in a double suicide after the wedding;
Fatherland, not a 20-something-year-old Bavarian. Hitler wrote in his will that “at her [Eva’s] own
As such, they were never seen together in public. desire she goes as my wife with me into death”.
Hardly any pictures were taken of the two of them They had one day together as man and wife before
together, unless they were away from the public they made their way to their private room. There,
eye in places like the Berghof. they took cyanide, and the Fuhrer shot himself in
The Eva we remember today was a happy, the head with a 7.65mm Walther pistol.
blonde-haired girl who enjoyed the frivolous Eva had made it clear that she would follow
things in life, but her diary spins another story. her lover to the ends of the Earth, and she did so.
The only part that survives covers 6 February Hitler had a pull on her that she couldn’t deny, no
to 28 May 1935, but it tells the tale of a woman matter how toxic their relationship may have been
who had given everything to the man she loved, in the beginning, or indeed at all. What mattered
only to receive nothing in return. It tore her apart, to them was that they left the world together,
and she spiralled deeper and deeper into despair. believing in the dream of the Third Reich. But
Leaving Hitler wasn’t an option – as far as we it does make one wonder – if Geli had still been
know, it didn’t really occur to her – but she saw alive, would it have been her lying next to the
another way out. Fuhrer? Hitler’s hold over these two women was
It wasn’t the first time that Eva had attempted extraordinary, even if it was for the worse.
suicide – there had been an attempt in 1932,
although the event had been covered up – but the The Allies looked for
seriousness of the situation cannot be understated. evidence of Braun
Eva was clearly reaching the end of her patience and Hitler’s suicide
with Germany’s chancellor, and it seemed as once they captured
his bunker
though the overdose of sleeping pills provided a
On 31 December 1945, the
wake up call for him. They became closer, even Daily Express ran a main story
though Hitler disapproved of her smoking and use on Hitler’s marriage to Eva
of make-up.
Eva stayed away from politics, which suited
Hitler just fine – he had never wanted a woman
to interfere with his work. However, since the end
of World War II there has been some discussion
about just how much the Fuhrer’s mistress knew
about the policies and atrocities that took place
under the Nazi government. Did she know about
the Holocaust? Did she realise what was going on
in Germany and beyond? Regardless, her loyalty
to her lover was absolute, even when their final
test came.
As Berlin crumbled around him, Hitler and his
inner circle took refuge in the Fuhrerbunker under
the Reich Chancellery. There they commanded
the final weeks and days of the war effort as the
Soviets closed in on the city. Hitler had ordered
Eva to leave Berlin, make a break for freedom,
but she refused. Instead, she joined the Fuhrer in
his underground hideout, unwilling to leave him,
even at the cost of her own life.
In the early hours of 29 April 1945, Eva’s dream
was finally realised – she married the man she
loved as they sheltered from the enemy. The
ceremony was conducted by Walther Wagner,
a minor official from the Propaganda Ministry,
with the marriage certificate signed by Joseph 2x © Getty Images
Goebbels and Martin Bormann. It was a reward for

47