Customer Reviews

Cassell Military Classics: The Last Days of Hitler: Legend, Evidence and Truth

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If you were so inclined to get a complete and accurate (as much as possible) telling of the last few weeks in the bunker with Hitler then I would suggest this book and The Bunker. Both tell the story but The Bunker came out about 25 years ago and this book is somewhat new. They, therefore, has some different takes on this information that was available at the time of the writing. For the true World War 2 die-hard this presents an interesting opportunity to read through the two books and find the differences.

Overall the book is primarily a retelling of The Bunker with a few new items tossed in. The writing is not bad and the author has been able to spice it up with some suspense and action here and there. The book is dark as there is nor way to make this subject matter anything but, so do not expect the feel good hit of the year. This is an interesting book and if you are interested in the topic or want to know more this is not a bad buy.

It is a more objective book (compilation) then the others on the subject of Hitler's last days in the Bunker. This book offers a careful re-examination of the evidence; it seeks and corrects many of the numerous myths and inaccuracies. It includes testimony given by bunker eyewitnesses in the West German Federal Court proceeding as to Hitler's death that lasted from 1952 to 1956. Further, the highlights of the Bavarian Criminal Investigation Office report is included along with much discussion of the different versions of Hitler's gunshot wound.

The book is highly footnoted and has a lengthy bibliography. However, the last chapter (8) should be noted as it discusses Eva Braun and SS General Fegelein's friendship. Most authors and witnesses agree a friendship was present between the two but the author here adds speculation and surmise that it may have been more. The chapter is not convincing as to that hypothesis and is a weak spot in an otherwise good book. I should add as a footnote here, that Hitler's secretary Christa Schröder stated in her memoirs, "HE WAS MY CHIEF: The Memoirs of Adolf Hitler's Secretary", that there was a platonic love affair between Eva Braun and Hermann Fegelein but it did not go any further.

The author (because of when the book was written) did not know all the pieces of the puzzle as to what happened to Hitler's remains after the Soviets found them and in April 1970 finally disposed of them. For readers who want to know all the details of what happened to the remains of Hitler, Braun, and the Goebbels' (and how they were disposed of) then I would recommend the following books: "The Death of Hitler" by Petrova and Watson; "Hitler's Death: Russia's Last Great Secret from the Files of the KGB" by V.K. Vinogradov (even though that book is only made up of the incomplete early SMERSH investigation) and the Editors' Afterword chapter of "The Hitler Book" Edited by Henrik Eberle and Matthias Uhl.

Lastly, it should be noted, Sir Ian Kershaw (the acclaimed historian) relied on Joachimsthaler's work in both his 2000 book, "Hitler 1936-1945 - Nemesis" and his 2008 book, "Hitler: A Biography". In the detailed footnotes of his former work, Kershaw, for example, states on page 1038, "This and what follows is based on Joachimsthaler, chs.5-7, the most reliable and detailed examination...of Hitler and Eva Braun..."

Initially published in Munich under the title Hitler's Ende, this book's main concern is what took place around Hitler while he was in his air-raid bunker in Berlin, and the manner of Hitler's death. Chapter titles show the arrangement of the book.

(1) Legends, Lies and Half-Truths
(2) The Bunker
(3) The Final Months, Days and Hours
(4) The Suicides
(5) The Disposal of the Bodies
(6) Odontological Identification
(7) Confusing the Issue
(8) Eva Braun and Hermann Fegelein

The Endnotes contain biographical summaries of each individual as he or she is first mentioned in the main text.

Chapter (1) discusses the conflicting reports and speculations about Hitler's disappearance or death.

Chapter (2) is a detailed discussion of the construction and layout of the various air-raid shelters in the Chancellery, especially the one Hitler occupied during the battle for Berlin.

Chapter (3) summarizes, with extensive quotation from German sources, Hitler's attitudes towards his impending defeat, his physical and mental condition, and the situation and conditions for those around him in the bunker during the German army's attempts to defend against the Russian advance into Germany.

Quoting Hitler's secretary Christine Schroeder on Hitler's change: "He, who formerly had talked on any and all subjects with such fervor, now only talked about dogs, the training of dogs, questions of diet and the stupidity and meanness of the world at large". (83) Hitler liked to repeat a remark by Frederick the Great: "Since I have learned to know man, I love dogs." Often Hitler would remark: "Animals are more loyal than people." Albert Speer claimed: "The German shepherd dog probably played the most important role in Hitler's life: it was more important than even his closest associates." (132)

Chapter (4) gives accounts of the events around the suicides of the newly wed Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun in the bunker as the Russians closed in. Other suicides and deaths are not covered. According to Otto Günsche, Hitler's personal adjutant, and whom Hitler made personally responsible for burning his and Eva Braun's corpses after their death: "Hitler's suicide took place at 1530 on 30 April 1945." (153) Günsche, born in 1917, was still living in 1995, when this book was published. (281) After a discussion of conflicting reports on where Hitler placed the muzzle of his Walther 7.65mm PP (or PPK - which model isn't clear) handgun, the author concludes that Hitler did not shoot himself through the mouth but placed the muzzle to his right temple. Eva Braun died by prussic acid poisoning, in which death is immediate. Hitler did not use prussic acid to aid in his suicide by gunshot to the temple.

"The assumption of a shot to the temple is also supported by psychological considerations. Hitler always saw himself as being a soldier. A soldier does not shoot himself in the mouth but in the temple. Anyone who knew Hitler well or has taken the trouble to study him will appreciate that he would only shoot himself in the temple. With this he wished to demonstrate, as already mentioned, that he was a soldier, and perhaps he also wanted to get his Generals and officers an example of the proper conduct of a German soldier." (166-67) Although Hitler had a unmistakable tremor in his left hand, his right hand was unaffected.

Chapter (5) is an examination of the witness testimony on the removal and burning of Hitler's and Braun's bodies, who was involved, where the corpses were taken, how much fuel was used, how long they burned, how complete was the cremation, and what happened to the remains. As in the rest of the book, this chapter contains extensive quotation from those who were there.

Chapter (6) covers what is known of Hitler's and Braun's dental condition and what was found related to that after their death. Russian claims are discussed.

Chapter (7) continues the claims of the Russians concerning the death of Hitler and Braun and the recovery of their remains. Stalin asserted that Hitler had escaped. Several persons who had been in the bunker and lived were captured by the Russians and imprisoned with frequent interrogation for years. This chapter, near the end, includes some accounts of that.

Chapter (8) discusses Eva Braun, and reports that Hitler had no sexual relations with her or any other woman, nor with any man. Hermann Fegelein, "one of the most evil and disgusting careerists" within the SS, and Himmler's liaison officer to Hitler, met Eva Braun in March 1944. (267, 270) Fegelein married Eva's sister Gretl in April 1944. Eva was deeply attracted to Fegelein and she saw this marriage to her sister as giving her reason to associate with Fegelein, as well as heightening her social rank (her relationship with Hitler was not public). Fegelein knew of Eva's connection with Hitler and saw the marriage as placing him within Hitler's inner circle. Heinrich Himmler had made attempts to negotiate peace without Hitler's knowledge and it was discovered that Fegelein had known of this. Hitler sentenced Fegelein to be shot, and he was executed April 28, 1945. Shortly after this, Hitler and Eva Braun were married. The author speculates that Fegelein's execution contributed to Eva's willing suicide.

I liked this well enough. It's a lot easier to read than Hugh Trevor-Roper's book of the same title though not as scholarly, in my opinion.