Hitler's Death: Russia's Last Great Secret from the Files of the KGB (Hardcover)

by V.K. Vinogradov et al (Author), Andrew Roberts (Foreword)
Key Phrases: Reich Chancellery, Eva Braun, Assault Army (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Shows through translated KGB files how the Russians found out about Hitler's suicide and what they did with the remains -- Wall Street Journal

Product Description
At last one of the greatest mysteries of the Second World War has been solved. Since historian Hugh Trevor-Roper made his name with the publication of Hitler’s Last Days, it has been accepted that the Nazi leader killed himself as Allied troops closed in. Many have suspected that the story was incomplete; now, with the help of previously unpublished documents from the KGB archives, one of the last great secrets of World War II can be revealed. With testimony from Germans and Russians who participated in the battle for the Reichstag and evidence from those sent to arrest the Führer, Hitler’s Death pieces together the astonishing truth of the final days of Nazism.

Surrounded by secrecy, this book also includes a detailed examination of the complete diaries of Martin Bormann and graphic new evidence from Hitler’s inner circle. This revelatory work provides a unique insight into the death throes of the Third Reich and is guaranteed to cause controversy.

‘... at that moment, Linge came in and confirmed that Hitler was dead, saying that he had had to carry out the hardest order the Fuhrer had ever given him ... Obviously Hitler, doubting the effectiveness of the poison after all the injections he had been given for such a long time, ordered Linge to shoot him after he had taken the poison. Linge had shot Hitler.’ -- Hitler’s personal security chief SS Gruppenführer H. Rattenhuber, page 195

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Chaucer Press (November 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1904449131
• ISBN-13: 978-1904449133
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #81,282 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #9 in	Books > Nonfiction > Foreign Language Nonfiction > Russian
  #31 in	Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Political Science > Political Doctrines > Fascism
  #32 in	Books > History > Europe > Germany > Third Reich

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As Close as You'll Get to the Original Source Material, June 20, 2006

By	John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have only two problems with this otherwise excellent book:

First is the sub-title, 'Last Great Secret.' It's really hard to say convincingly that this is the last secret. It seems that all the time more secrets are being found. And I can think of some other things that should be in the KGB files that haven't been reported yet. For instance, what were the Russian code breaking efforts.

The second problem is admitted on page 11 of this book. Much of the information contained in the book comes from the Soviet interrogation of captured Germans who had been close to Hitler in the bunker. It was in their interest to tell their captors what they wanted to hear. And under questioning by the KGB who knows what was done to them. 'The Hitler Book' covers much of this same subject and the diligent reader will want to read both as they present a different slant.

The Russian forces captured Berlin, and immediately began an investigation as to Hitler's last days. They compiled a great deal of forensic evidence, reports of which are included here. In fact, most of the book is in the form of reports of one kind and another. This book appears to be about as close to the original source material as can be found without the ability to read Russian.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Scholarly WW II history, March 18, 2006

By	D. Donovan, Editor/Sr. Reviewer "California B... (California, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

V.K. Vinogradov, et.al.'s HITLER'S DEATH: RUSSIA'S LAST GREAT SECRET FROM THE FILES OF THE KGB is a 'must' for any scholarly collection specializing in World War II history. It solves one of the greatest mysteries of the war, using previously unpublished top secret documents and images from KGB archives to present new evidence from Hitler's inner circle, testimony from Germans and Russians who participated in the final battle, and evidence from those sent to arrest Hitler. Verbatim records of the interrogation of survivors blend with internal reports to Stalin and more to penetrate the cloak of secrecy and recreate Hitler's last days.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So finally, that's what really happened!, March 30, 2006

By	Ned Middleton (British professional underwater photo-journalist & author) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Recent history is always the most fresh in any person's mind and the events which led to the rise and fall of Nazi Germany remain as fresh today as they ever were for many people - even for those who were born after the war was finally over and simply grew up in it's aftermath. No other person from that time was ever more hated than Adolph Hitler and, for far too long, specific details and facts about his death have always seemed to raise more questions than answers. Not any more.

Now that the former Soviet Union is gone, the new Russia is slowly opening her doors - and her archives!, to reveal what was formerly the country's most guarded secrets. With Russian troops being the first the storm the Reichstag, it was to Stalin that all papers and diaries recovered from that building were delivered and, until recently, the world's historians had been denied access.

Now, those historians and writers have been allowed sight of the most telling documents about the final days of Nazism. In this book, we are treated to a compilation of evidence about Hitler's death unlike anything which has gone before. Evidence such as that from Hitler's own closest inner circle, reports made by the Russians and Germans who took part in that final battle, detailed accounts from those who were sent to arrest the Fuhrer, records of the interrogation of those who survived Hitler's Bunker, Martin Bormann's entire diary of the time and more besides.

Many people dismiss Adolph Hitler as a madman. Perhaps he was - but maybe that answer is just too simple. One thing is for certain, to read this book is to answer almost every single nagging question that was there before it was published.

An excellent job of research.

NM