Adolf Hitler neither finished school
nor had any vocational training. He occasionally lived
in homeless shelters or on the street. He refused to pursue a regular job. To this day, it seems inexplicable
that he could come to power. Out of nowhere, Hitler became the Führer,
leader of the German Reich. One of the most powerful men
of the 20th century who brought the world
to the brink of disaster, and death to millions of people. The nation worshiped him
and followed him blindly into the abyss. During his lifetime,
he kept his origins and his life secret. No one should know how or who he was. Hitler's contemporaries
from his birth to his death flesh out the picture. Who was Hitler? On June 30th, 1903,
the 72-year-old Kaiser Franz Joseph I visits Braunau am Inn
to celebrate its 700th birthday. In a historical coincidence, this border town to Bavaria,
of all places, is the origin of the oldest film footage
shot by an Austrian cinematographer. In the late '80s of the last century, my parents lived
in this small town in the Inn, which is Bavarian by blood
and Austrian by nationality. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. The Customs Inspector Alois Hitler,
and his family, occupy a small apartment on the top floor
of the Pommer Hotel in Braunau. At Easter time on April 20th, 1889,
at about 6:30 in the evening, Adolf Hitler is born. Parish register, Braunau. Adolfus Hitler, born on April 20th,1889,
at 6:30 in the evening. Baptized on April 22nd
at 3:15 by Ignaz Probst. To begin with,
there is this picture of little Adolf from the year 1889,
a few months after his birth. One thing worthy of note
in this first picture of Hitler is the close resemblance
of Adolf to his mother. August Kubizek,
a childhood friend of Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler is the third
of the couple's six children. He and his younger sister, Paula, are the only ones
to survive beyond childhood. The mother is 28 years old
at the time of birth. The father is 51. Klara Hitler is related to Alois Hitler. She's her husband's second cousin. When Hitler is three years old,
his father is transferred to a new post and decides to move
into an apartment in Passau on the German side of the border. Adolf Hitler lives with his family
in Bavaria for three years until 1895. Actually, Hitler didn't speak
a typical Austrian dialect. August Kubizek. In my youth, German was the dialect
spoken in Lower Bavaria. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. The oldest film recording
made in Austria-Hungary was shot by foreigners,
the Lumière brothers. It shows Vienna,
the capital of a multinational empire, in the year 1896. In old Austria,
you could travel without a passport from the Mediterranean, over the Alps,
way into the East, the West and the North. Oskar Kokoschka, painter and writer. Hitler's ancestry from lower Austria, as well as a total of 21 years
spent in upper Austria and Vienna, do not suffice to make him an Austrian
in the sense of a citizen of that nation. Kurt Schuschnigg,
an Austrian Chancellor from 1934 to 1938. Austrians who spoke
about the nation before 1938 meant the national culture
that extended beyond their borders, which is what Austrian man
is also identified with. This cultural nation is Germany. Transporting a locomotive
through the streets of Chemnitz, sixteen workhorses pull the locomotive
as the factory has no rail connection. The majority of German-speaking Austrians feel close links to the Germans
in Prussia, Saxony, Bavaria and the smaller federal states already united
in a partly industrialized Reich. He was a grumpy, reticent old man, and like a lot of political free spirits
at the time, a stern German nationalist. Josef Mayrhofer,
farmer in the village of Leonding by Linz. A visit to his parent's grave. His school friends say his mother
was loving and kind-hearted. The father cold, silent and strict. Joseph Goebbels, diary, July 22nd, 1938. I never loved my father, but feared him all the more. Adolf Hitler, table talk, recorded by his secretary,
Christa Schroeder. My brother Adolf
provoked my father to such extremes that he was beaten every day. Paula Hitler, later Paula Wolf. In June 1939, Eva Braun films the small farm
in the village of Hafeld, Upper Austria, that Hitler's father leases
after retiring early in 1895. On May 1st, 1895, Hitler starts school
in a one-room schoolhouse in the neighboring village of Fischlham. In the year 1897,
Hitler's father sells the farm in Hafeld. The family lives temporarily
in the small town of Lambach. In 1898, the Hitler family moves
to the village of Leonding, near Linz. Here, Hitler's father
buys property number 61, including 1,900 square meters of land. After five years at elementary school,
in 1900, Adolf Hitler, aged 11, begins secondary school
in the city of Linz. Adolf Hitler has to repeat his first year
at secondary school due to poor grades. I remember the scrawny, pale boy, who commuted every day
between Linz and Leonding fairly well. He was definitely talented
on the one hand, but was not in control of himself. He was considered rebellious and he didn't work hard. Dr. Eduard Humer, Hitler's French teacher. The quiet life
enjoyed by the Hitler family on this little patch of land
only lasted a few years. The head of the family died unexpectedly
of a heart attack in January 1903. Max Zilzer, Leonding,
the Führer's hometown. Alois Hitler leaves his modest savings
to his four surviving children, Alois and Angela,
from the second of his three marriages, and Adolf and Paula. This inheritance is to be paid out
when they come of age. The quiet cemetery of Leonding
was his final resting place. His widow moved to the nearby city of Linz for better educational opportunities
for her children. Max Zilzer. In 1904, Klara Hitler
has to send her son Adolf, who, due to bad grades, is again in danger
of not moving up a class to the state secondary school
in Steyr, 40 kilometers away. Look at my school grades. I had bad marks in German. That idiot of a professor
spoiled the German language for me. I would never be able
to write a proper letter. Adolf Hitler,
in the Führer's headquarters,1943. Last grades at secondary school in Steyr. Diligence: inconsistent. German: insufficient. Geography and History: sufficient. Mathematics: insufficient. Physics: satisfactory. Freehand drawing: commendable. Sport: excellent. I don't have a photograph of Adolf Hitler
during the years of our friendship. There probably aren't any photos
of Hitler during this period. Everything that could be said
about images of Hitler as a young man has already been said
were it not for the drawing by a classmate from the fourth grade
of junior high school in Steyr. By chance, this drawing,
done in 1905, was preserved. The boy could only draw profiles. Nevertheless, there was something peculiarly fascinating
about this pencil sketch. August Kubizek. After nine years, Adolf Hitler
finishes school without graduating. For the following three years,
he lives in Linz on his mother's pension, not really doing anything. All of his relatives
considered him worthless. A person who shied away
from any gainful employment from the start. August Kubizek. Adolf Hitler talks to his mother
into allowing him to travel to Vienna. He wants to apply for an admission
to the general painting class at the Academy of Fine Arts. From early in the morning
to late at night, I ran from one sightseeing attraction
to the next. The buildings were the only things
that fascinated me. All of Ring Street affected me
like a spell from the Arabian Nights. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. From 1904 to 1908, I was Adolf Hitler's only friend in Linz
and thereafter in Vienna. August Kubizek. Hitler, who later,
in the opinion of a few art experts, was not entirely untalented,
manages to pass the first selection, but is turned down after the second. Adolf Hitler, born in Braunau,
Upper Austria on April 20th, 1889. German, Catholic, few faces,
test drawing: unsatisfactory. Classification list
of the general painting class. When Adolf Hitler,
disappointed by the rejection, returns to his family
in Linz after eight weeks, Klara Hitler
is struck down by a serious illness. She's suffering from a swelling. Nowadays, it would be diagnosed as cancer. For several months, Adolf Hitler devotedly
takes care of his mother at home. Dr. Bloch, well-loved by all,
was the Hitler family physician. August Kubizek. To a great degree,
the boy lived in his own world. I have no idea what dreams he dreamt. Dr. Eduard Bloch,
a Jewish physician of the Hitler family. Klara Hitler dies
on the night of December 21st, 1907, surrounded by her family. The death of our mother
had a great effect on me and Adolf. We were very attached to our mother. When she died, Adolf stopped coming home. Paula Hitler, Adolf Hitler's sister. In contrast to what
Hitler's sister Paula claims later, Adolf Hitler remains in Linz several weeks
after the death of his mother. He never tells his family,
or his friend Kubizek that he failed the admissions test
the previous year. Apparently,
he was having some really bad days. He was easily irritated and gave me short shrift
when I started to talk about my studies. August Kubizek. In the spring of 1908, Adolf Hitler begins living
the life of a wastrel in the Metropolis. Vienna was the most thorough education
in my life. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. The small inheritance that was diligently
managed by his guardian had to cover both the cost of living
and his studies. He may have been able
to supplement his income through the sale of drawings
and paintings. August Kubizek. For the next months, there is no trace
of Hitler's activities in Vienna. He has broken off contact with his family, and he fails the second entrance test
at the Art Academy. He begins to copy
street views of Vienna from books, and then sells them as postcards. I was a young, inexperienced man
without any means of support. Forced to get by on my own, the few kronen, often only cents
from the proceeds of my work, were barely enough
to pay for my bed and board. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. Hitler's share of his father's inheritance
is paid out on April 20th,1913, his 24th birthday. Hitler met Rudolf Häusler
in a men's hostel. With him, he wants to move
to the German city of Munich. He was just full of praise for this city. At the same time,
he didn't forget the large beer gardens and radishes, et cetera. Housemate of Hitler's in 1912. I had arrived in this town as a boy
and departed as a quiet and serious man. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. The main reason for leaving Austria is probably that the later
commander-in-chief, Adolf Hitler, wants to get out
of doing military service. On Saturday, May 24th, 1913, Hitler and Häusler
gave notice of departure to the police but don't state
where they planned to live. In Munich, Adolf Hitler has found the city
that is to become the center of his life. He does, however, remain an outsider. His inheritance helps him build
an uncertain yet adequate existence on the fringe of society. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon
in spring. Someone knocked on the door
and I answered it. It was a young man
wanting to see the room we were renting. I showed it to him
and we reached to an agreement. Frau Anna Popp, landlady,
Schleißheimer Straße, 34. Adolf Hitler and Rudolf Häusler
rent a room together from the tailor, Popp at 34 Schleißheimer Straße
near the district of Schwabing. The younger generation that we belong to
didn't know anything about war, but were intoxicated by foreign wars. We had no real idea what war was. Adolf's father had never been a soldier. Now and again, old men would talk
about Königgrätz and Custoza. August Kubizek. Diary, Monday, June 29th, 1914. Archduke Franz Ferdinand,
the heir apparent to the Austrian throne, has been killed along with his wife. The scum of moral turpitude. Henrietta Schneider, born in 1872,
housekeeper, East Prussia. The incident triggers a war in the Balkans
that grows to become a world war. For me, those hours were release
from the annoying emotions of the youth. I'm not ashamed to say today
that I was overwhelmed with enthusiasm, fell to my knees
and thanked the heavens with all my heart that they had given me
the good fortune to live in this era. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. On August 2nd, 1914, the day after Germany
declares war on Russia, there was a big patriotic rally
in Odeonsplatz in front of the Feldherrnhalle. Heinrich Hoffmann
photographs the ceremony. Years later, in an enlargement,
he discovers a face among the masses, which is presumably Hitler's. On August 5th, 1914, I enlisted in the Army
on a request to His Majesty and entered
the First Bavarian Infantry Regiment. I was deferred for several days, then transferred
to the Second Infantry Regiment and finally assigned
to the Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment, number 16 on August 16th. Adolf Hitler, outline of my person. For the first time in his life,
Adolf Hitler wears uniform. In the early morning hours
of October 21st, 1914, Hitler's regiment sets out
from Munich station in a westerly direction. Shortly after the first combat mission
of the List Regiment, Hitler is promoted to lance corporal. He would reject further promotions
during the course of the war. This would have involved
an attachment to other Army units, and Hitler would have lost the camaraderie
and security of the regimental family. For the first time, Hitler
was part of a bigger community. With that came the order and structure that spared him
the daily struggle to survive. Fritz Wiedemann, Lieutenant. As of November 9th,
Hitler is deployed as a dispatch runner and assigned to the regimental staff. In the eyes of many soldiers
in the trenches, the staff orderlies
behind the immediate front are privileged cowards. Whenever death was on the prowl,
a certain something attempted to rebel and appeared to the weak body
in the guise of reason and was in fact only cowardice
that was behind this disguise, trying to seduce the individual. By the winter of 1915, '16,
this battle was already decided for me. The will itself had finally become
my complete master. Now fate could put me to the test
without me losing my nerves. A young war volunteer
had become an old soldier. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. Hitler is respected by his comrades
at regimental headquarters, but he remains an outsider. In five of six photos
showing Hitler with his comrades, he's either standing
or sitting to one side. Hitler is wounded
by British artillery shrapnel on October 5th, 1916, and is taken to the Red Cross Hospital
in Beelitz, south of Berlin. By March 1st, 1917, he's back running despatches
in the regimental staff. In the following months,
he participates in combat activities. On August 4th, 1918, Hitler is awarded
the Iron Cross First Class, the highest military honor that soldiers of his rank
in the Imperial German Army can receive. The nomination was submitted
by a Jewish officer, Lieutenant Hugo Gutmann. I never got out of Hitler, the reason
for his fanatical hatred of Jews. The experience with Jewish officers
during the World War couldn't have contributed to this. Fritz Wiedemann, Lieutenant. On the night of October 13th, Hitler's war service ends
in a heavy British barrage. Mustard gas was used
on a hill south of the city of Werwick. On October 13th, we came under several hours
of artillery fire with gas shells. Already around midnight,
some of us dropped out, including some comrades permanently. In the morning, I too experienced pain
that grew stronger every 15 minutes. At 7:00 o'clock, I staggered
and stumbled back with burning eyes, taking my last message of the war with me. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. After treatment in a mobile Army hospital,
Adolf Hitler is transported to the Prussian Reserve Hospital
in Pasewalk, Western Pomerania. He's been on the front
for 42 of the 51 months of the war. Hitler remains in Pasewalk for 28 days,
during which the world changes. In the military hospital in Pasewalk, Adolf Hitler and the other patients
learn that a revolution has taken place, the monarchy abdicated,
and the ceasefire being concluded. I hadn't cried since the day I stood
by my mother's grave. Now I couldn't stop myself. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. Like everything else in Mein Kampf,
this portrayal is a stylization and must be doubted. We don't know whether it was Hitler's will
or merely a coincidence that influenced his future course
from then on. On November 21st, 1918,
Adolf Hitler returns to Munich. He tries to evade demobilization
and remain a soldier. There are clashes between supporters
of the workers' councils and parliamentary democracy
in the state capital. The social democratic majority
allows right-wing volunteer groups, the so-called Freikorps, to break the power
of the workers' councils. Letter to Clara and Fritz Hesse. The volunteer corps
made an excellent impression. Without them,
we would have been finished in Bavaria. Rudolf Hoess,
a student and member of the Freikorps. Adolf Hitler keeps his distance
from the revolutionary forces, but also from their right-wing opponents. During this period,
Hitler grows more radical. He is under the influence
of Army officers like Karl Mayr, the head of the Intelligence Battalion. When I met him for the first time, he came across as a tired stray dog
looking for an owner. Karl Mayr, captain of the Reichswehr. Karl Mayr also finances patriotic parties
like the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, the German Workers' Party, which is founded in Munich
on January 5th, 1919, mainly by a group of railwaymen. On September 12th, 1919, Hitler, who has, in the meantime,
been demobbed, is sent to spy
on the German Workers Party by Mayr, who also provides financial support. During the discussion,
a professor spoke about separatist views. A second speaker then took the floor and in short, powerful words,
demolished the professor. It was Adolf Hitler. Michael Lotter,
Secretary of the German Workers' Party. One day I had the opportunity
to talk to a large audience and what I had always instinctively felt
without knowing it turned out to be true. I could speak in public. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. In the second half of September 1919,
Hitler joins the German Workers' Party and participates regularly
in its meetings. Among the various right-wing
radical organizations, the NSDAP was by no means the strongest, but it was the most active
and cohesive group. Its significance is solely the result
of the effect of Hitler as a speaker. Ernst Hanfstaengl, son of a publisher,
acquaintance of Adolf Hitler from 1920. On February 24th, 1920, Hitler speaks for the first time
in front of more than a thousand people at the Hofbräuhaus. He also announces
the 25-point Party Program, which is formally valid
for a quarter of a century until the demise of the NSDAP. First, we demand the unification
of all Germans in a greater Germany based on the right
of self-determination of the people. Second, we demand equal rights
for the German people in respect to other nations
and the abrogation of the peace treaties of Versailles
and Saint-Germain. Third, we demand land and territory
for the sustenance of our people and settlement of our surplus population. Fourth, only a national comrade
can be a citizen. Only those of German blood
can be national comrades, regardless of creed. Consequently, no Jew
can be a national comrade. A few days later, they changed their name
from the German Workers' Party to the National Socialist
German Workers' Party or NSDAP. Hitler was the party
and the party was Hitler. Ernst Hanfstaengl. Because right now, here in Munich, a movement is starting so strong that all young, powerful,
and healthy forces are attracted to it. It is the National Socialist
German Workers' Party. To make it absolutely clear,
we are anti-Semites. Elise Pogh, Elise Hess from 1921,
a member of the NSDAP. A letter to her former college teacher. When the first party congress is held,
the Augsburg SA is well represented. At this first public presentation, I get the impression
that this has a substance. We are not alone. The idea of the fatherland is growing. Tarl Walle, Augsburg, former SA member. The German economy collapses. On August 1923, hyperinflation sets in. Everything is getting worse. Famine, a loaf of bread is 140 billion. Then reduced again to 80 billion. Famine, famine everywhere. Käthe Kollwitz, painter and sculptress. The national associations
overestimate their own strength and believe that parliamentary democracy
is at an end. Interview with the Daily Mail newspaper
October 2nd, 1923. If a Mussolini were to appear in Germany, then the people
would fall on their knees and worship him more than Mussolini
has ever been worshipped. Adolf Hitler. A large revolt from the right in Bavaria
with Ludendorff at its head. Henrietta Schneider,
District L, East Prussia. Report of the regional government
of Upper Bavaria. Munich, November 9th, 1923. The day before yesterday, Hitler promised General Von Lossow
and Colonel von Seisser personally that he would not undertake anything. The answer to this word of honor
was given last night when, with pistol in hand. Hitler extorted a declaration
in favor of a national dictatorship from General State Commissioner Von Kahr. General Von Lossow
and Colonel Von Seisser. At the same time, the ministers present were taken into custody
by Hitler's people. Hitler presents his suggestions
for new governments in Berlin and Munich and mentions Erich Ludendorff
as Führer and chief with dictatorial power over the German National Army. He asks the already drunken audience, ''Do you accept this solution
for the German question'' ''of a greater German state?'' Then as the crowd shouts its agreement,
Hitler proclaims, ''Morning will either find us
with a national government in Germany'' ''or find us dead.'' The revolt is intended
to put Munich and Bavaria in the hands of the revolutionaries, and then, with a march on Berlin
to topple the democratic system. The Putschists are counting on defections
from the army in Bavaria and the Bavarian police. This, however, failed to materialize. On the morning of November 10th,
2,000 revolutionaries, some armed, marched from the Bürgerbräukeller
beer hall through the center of town to Ludwigstraße at at Odeonsplatz. Ten years later, Munich, November 9th, 1933. Amateur film of a tradition that actually dates
from the year of the seizure of power, the annual march of the old fighters
of the NSDAP to the Feldherrnhalle. Leading the column, as in 1923,
are Adolf Hitler and Hermann Goering. We retreated to Café Stefani. People soon came in saying there had been
a skirmish on the Odeonsplatz and the enormous crowd of Hitler men
turned and ran away from the state police. Oskar Maria Graf, writer, From My life. On November 12th, 1923, Adolf Hitler is sent
to the fortress prison in Landsberg. He is given cell number seven. The leaders of the Putsch
are put on trial for high treason in the main lecture theater
of the Central War School on February 26th, 1924. Report of the Württemberg emissary,
March 13th, 1924. I attended one of the hearings myself
and I was upset to see how the observers, who you could clearly see,
were mostly from circles close to Hitler, used every opportunity
to show their support for the accused. Karl Moser von Filseck. Hitler delivering his defense plea. Letter to Clara and Fritz Hess. Hitler's final statement enclosed. It is one of the best,
most powerful speeches he has ever given. Even those in the courtroom
who weren't friendly to Hitler were deeply moved. Rudolf Hess, a student. The verdict is handed down
on April 1st, 1924. All of the accused,
with the exception of Ludendorff, are found guilty. In his 13 months in Landsberg prison, Adolf Hitler begins the transcript
of a manifesto that portrays
his alleged journey through life and his development as a politician, and sets out his worldview. I decided not only to clarify the goals
of our movement, but also to draw a picture
of its development. With that, I also had the chance to give a representation
of my own development. Adolf Hitler, foreword to Mein Kampf. The biographical parts of his book are, to a great extent,
exaggerated and unverified. However, his political goals
are deadly serious. His view of the world is voluntaristic. He sees it as he wants to see it. Hitler's political gospel is derived
from a primitive Darwinian idea of a struggle for existence. It reflects the permanent fight
for survival of all against all transferred from nature to human society. This struggle is, in his view,
a selection process in which so-called high quality races
have a better chance of survival. At its head is supposedly a white person
of the Nordic race of Aryans, the founders of culture. Like most anti-Semites before him,
Hitler believes in a Jewish race disguised as a religious community. He sees Jews in history as being parasites
in the bodies of other nations, and as contaminates
of the blood of the Aryan race. For hours, the black-haired Jew boy
waits to ambush the unsuspecting girl whom he pollutes with his blood,
and thus steals her from her people. With the same hidden agenda,
destroying the hated White race with the inevitable
resulting bastardization. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. In another chapter, Hitler drafts plans
for territorial living space for his Aryan-German people. We are stopping
the endless German movement southwards and turning our gaze
towards the land in the East. If today we speak of new land in Europe, we can primarily only have in mind Russia
and her vassal border states. Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf. Diary, January 14th, 1925. At the end of the month, Hitler wants to call
for the re-establishment of the National Socialist
German Workers' Party. The only thing to do. Joseph Goebbels. Hitler's remaining sentence of three years, 333 days,
21 hours and 50 minutes is waived, according to the pedantically
exact court records. On February 27th, 1925,
Hitler re-establishes the party. In the first round of elections
for German president on March 29th, 1925, Erich Ludendorff
is the candidate of the NSDAP and other nationalistic groups. He only receives 1.1 percent of the votes. When Paul von Hindenburg enters the race
in the second round of voting, Hitler orders his party to support
the aging 77-year-old army General. Hitler and Ludendorff
go their separate ways. Hitler is now the sole leader
of the National Camp. Diary, April 26th, 1925, Hindenburg is elected. Is he the man
that Germany needs at this time? Is he not too old, too easy to influence? Bella Fromm, German-Jewish journalist. From 1924 onwards,
the German economy recovers. This leads to the five golden years
of the Weimar Republic. Looking back on it now, I see the mad whirl
of this Berlin of 1928 and '29 as a kind of Pompeii reveal
on the eve of the Vesuvian eruption. Sefton Delmer, correspondent
of the Daily Express in Berlin. The Nazis hated culture itself because it is essentially international
and therefore subversive of nationalism. Christopher Isherwood,
a British-American writer. In the 1920s, Berlin was ahead of everything
that was known as new in our field. It had everything. Reinhardt's Great Theater,
great film studios, great films, the most beautiful bars
and restaurants, including gay bars. Berlin was productive
and rich with ideas, rich in ideals, and at the same time practical,
a combination never achieved before. Marlene Dietrich,
an actress and singer, memoirs. Art was no longer a mere ornament of life,
but rather its immediate expression. Cubism, futurism, expressionism, whatever you want to call it, this is how we were. This was our world. So shaken and shocked
that everything was upside down. Surrealism? Of course, what else? Vicki Baum, writer and journalist. Despite the lack of political success,
the party stages spectacular rallies. First in Munich and Weimar, then from 1927 onwards,
exclusively in Nuremberg. Diary, Nuremberg, August 4th, 1929. A stampede of people
that exceeds our wildest hopes. Outside, the drums are already booming. Torchlight processions are endlessly long. Joseph Goebbels, NSDAP leader of Berlin. The party conventions are without question
Hitler's personal work. Just as he was involved in building the SA
from the smallest details of the uniforms to the color of the collar patches, he concerned himself with the planning
of the party conventions, right down to the decorations
in the Congress Hall. Albert Krebs, NSDAP leader, Hamburg. Through the city, a triumphant procession. Everyone cheering and throwing flowers. March past almost four hours. A sea of joy and flowers. Joseph Goebbels, diary. The continuing fragmentation
of the party landscape is advantageous for the rise of the NSDAP. In elections,
they win more and more support from the splinter and protest parties. After imprisonment in Landsberg, Hitler becomes the sole leader
of the Nationalist Movement. He feels chosen by destiny to show Germany
the way to national salvation. Although the party
remains unsuccessful at the polls, and membership increases only slowly, the personality cult
around Hitler is growing. This Führer cult holds
the National Socialist Movement together across ideological divisions
and personal differences. Between 1925 and 1929,
Hitler's small political movement is marked by activism, dynamism,
enthusiasm, youthfulness and strength. Nearly 60% of new party members
are under 30 years old. Street processions, press promotions
and propaganda tours into the provinces created an atmosphere
of activism and tension. There were countless clashes
and wounded people, even dead people left in the square. Horst Wessel, autobiography. On February 1930, one of the casualties
would be the Berlin student, Horst Wessel. For the last time,
the call to arms is sounded! For the fight, we all stand prepared. Soon, Hitler's banners will fly over all streets. The time of bondage will last
but a little while. With diligence, through learning,
and I must say by starvation, slowly, the specter of Asian Bolshevism systematically implemented
by the Versailles Treaty. I once made the decision,
better knowledge now to override. On November 16th, 1928, for the first time after the ban on public speaking
in Prussia has been lifted, Hitler speaks
in the Sportpalast in Berlin, allegedly in front of 18,000 supporters. For the first time,
he uses an electroacoustic sound system, speaking into a microphone. For the first time,
his words are clearly understood in every corner of a large space. Thirteen years regime, and as a result, just a pile of ruin,
wherever we look in Germany. We confess to install just one party
instead of all the parties, that party knows only Germany. Hail! Hail! National comrades, victory or defeat, the middle class is in destitute, the finances, so it is typically German
to posses 30 parties. Adolf Hitler neither finished school
nor had any vocational training. He occasionally lived
in homeless shelters or on the street. He refused to pursue a regular job. To this day, it seems inexplicable
that he could come to power. Out of nowhere, Hitler became the Führer,
leader of the German Reich. One of the most powerful men
of the 20th century, who brought the world
to the brink of disaster, and death to millions of people. The nation worshiped him
and followed him blindly into the abyss. During his lifetime,
he kept his origins and his life secret. No one should know how or who he was. Hitler's contemporaries,
from his birth to his death, flesh out the picture. Who was Hitler? October 1929, angry autumn after a beautiful summer, rain and calm weather
and something suffocating in the air, and it wasn't the weather. For the first time on the street,
manure-brown uniforms. Sebastian Haffner, journalist, memoirs. The SPD
had won the German elections of 1928 and since then, led a coalition government
with the middle-class people's parties. This falls apart one year after the death
of the liberal foreign minister over domestic policy differences. In 1930, Chancellor Brüning
convinced his President Von Hindenburg to dissolve parliament
and call for new elections 24 months early. Brüning is determined to govern
with the help of the president, if necessary, without a majority. Nationalist Socialists
were now sitting in Parliament. The rise of the party
could no longer be overlooked. Ernst Niekisch,
National Bolshevist and Hitler's opponent. Following the example of Italy
at the end of the 1920s, movements which are called fascist
are gaining strength all over Europe. In some Eastern European states, dictatorial governments
rely on the support of such factions. A union of fascists
is also established in the UK. A party demonstration
in Manchester in 1934. Sir Oswald Mosley,
founder of the British Union of Fascists. In 1930,
unemployment had increased to 3,076,000, and the National Socialists
then increased their MPs to 108, with a vote of 18%. Less than three years later, the National Socialist Party
came to power. Unemployment had risen to 6,014,000. New Year's order, December 31st, 1931: The Army of Brownshirts
has multiplied numerous times. The movement has suffered
a great deal of blood sacrifice. Comrades, at the beginning of this year, I thank you for everything
you accomplished over the past year through dedicated work
and self-sacrificing battles. You can enter the New Year
with joyful confidence, proud of what you achieved
in the year 1931. Adolf Hitler. After an internal party discussion
in Munich on February 2nd, Adolf Hitler decides to run
in the first round of voting in the German presidential elections
of March 1932. Diary: Berlin, February 16th, 1932. What a strange country
in which the presidency must be decided between Thalmann,
Hitler or Hindenburg. Thea Sternheim, art collector and author. Again, it was the politics of toleration
when the SPD asked its voters to vote for Hindenburg
and how faithfully they followed. Golo Mann, son of Thomas and Katia Mann. Diary: Monday, February 29th, 1932. Who will win? Henrietta Schneider, housekeeper. Election campaign flight April 1932. Soon Hitler had sunk into morose apathy. He just sat there,
staring gloomily out of the window, wads of cotton in his ears. A complete contrast to the glad-hand
extrovert manner, Tempelhof. As the aircraft door was flung open, Hitler ducked out and immediately
threw himself into his Führer pose. There he stood,
bare-headed, upright, and unsmiling, his hand raised in greeting. Sefton Delmer, British correspondent
of the Daily Express in Berlin. Diary: Weimar, April 10th, 1932. Sunday… A second round of voting
in German presidential election. Hindenburg
was finally elected over Hitler. Harry Graf Kessler,
publicist and diplomat. In June 1932, Franz von Papen, on behalf
of Reich President Von Hindenburg, forms a right-wing conservative cabinet
which is without a majority in parliament. The new chancellor
hopes for the support of Hitler and, according to Hitler's demands, asked the Reich president
to call new parliamentary elections on July 31st. Diary: May 31st, 1932. Lotte is coming on Sunday. She's planning a trip
with Carl to Westerland. Yesterday, Brüning resigned. Now what? Henrietta Schneider. The hero of Tannenberg,
the hero of the German Republic, had a dull spirit, a grumpy field marshal
with his robust conscience. With truly Germanic blind loyalty, he betrayed the pious chancellor
to whom he owed his power. Brüning was fired. His successor, the comparatively
liberal General Von Schleicher, was soon the target of wild intrigue. Klaus Mann, son of Katia and Thomas Mann. For far too long, we had been content
with laughing and joking about the house painter Hitler. Carl Zuckmayer, German-Austrian dramatist. Diary: Sunday, July 31st, 1932. The hatred of the parties is awful. At ten o'clock,
the elections begin without Wilhelm. He is plagued with neuralgia. Henrietta Schneider. The Triumph of the National Socialists
in the July elections of 1932 is a Pyrrhic victory. Diary: August 1st, 1932 election results. We have gained a little ground,
Marxism has gained a great deal. Now we have to seize power
and wipe out Marxism. Either way,
Hitler is also of this opinion. We won't get
an absolute majority this way. Joseph Goebbels. As almost all the major parties
in the Reichstag want to bring down Von Papen's government. Reich President Von Hindenburg dissolves
the newly elected parliament in September and calls new elections
for November 6th, 1932. In the German elections of November 1932,
the NSDAP won 11.75 million votes, the SPD had 7.25 million,
and the KPD some 6 million. Together, both Workers' Parties
were a lot stronger than the Nazis. Manes Sperber, Austrian writer
and KPD member at the time. Many leftists believed that Hitler
would never recover from this setback and had ceased to be a menace. Christopher Isherwood,
British American writer. January 1st, 1933. Hitler was in a good mood that evening
and talkative like in the old days. Before he left
he added to his entry in the guest book: On the first day of the New Year… Then he looked at me and said,
with suppressed excitement. This year belongs to us. Ernst Hanfstaengl,
head of the NSDAP Foreign Press Bureau. After Hindenburg had decided
against Chancellor Brüning, the president turned his attention to the forces of the great
agrarian-heavy industry coalition, that operated with Hitler against Brüning,
his natural allies. He took their view of Hitler. The reconstruction and further expansion of the great agrarian
and heavy industry positions of power, was to be taken forward. But the power was not to be transferred
to National Socialism. Ernst Niekisch,
journalist and National Bolshevist. Diary: Monday, January 30th, 1933. Elsa came back from school
with the cry, "Heil Hitler." Then we knew Hitler
had become German chancellor at last. Henrietta Schneider. A fragment of film produced
using an early Agfacolor film process. It shows thousands of extras
recreating the torchlight procession through the Brandenburg Gate. It is supposed to remind viewers
of January 30th, 1933. That the Nazis are enemies. Enemies for me and everything dear to me. I was not for a moment
mistaken about that. Where I was mistaken was how terrible
an enemy they would become. Sebastian Haffner. The majority of his ministers were members
of the German National People's Party. He utterly despised the party and was convinced that he would one day
be able to rid himself of them. To be able to carry this out, he set one condition
to which the German president also agreed. He wanted the power
to order new elections. Ernst Niekisch. Speech in the Berlin Sportpalast,
February 10th, 1933. I cannot divest myself
of my faith in my people, and stand firmly by the conviction
that the hour will come at last when the millions
who curse us today will stand by us, and with us will hail the new hard-won
and painfully acquired German nation that we have created together. The new German Reich
of greatness and power, glory and justice. Amen. [German spoken audio] Adolf Hitler, Reich Chancellor. The Reichstag elections of March 5th, are the last more or less free elections
in the German Reich. On the streets,
dissidents are terrorized by the SA. The terror that was felt everywhere
interfered with free elections, but it influenced
the results only slightly. Manès Sperber. In the elections, the NSDAP profits
from the high turnout of 88.8%, gaining 43.9%. It has to form a coalition
with the German National People's Party. The majority of Germans don't want
a parliamentary democracy, either. The Democratic parties
remain clearly in the minority because 12.3% of the voters
cast their votes for the Communists. March 12th, 1933, press dispatch. The Office of the Reichstag sent the newly elected members
an invitation to the opening session. According to a directive, the Communist members of the Assembly
were not sent an invitation. Vossische Zeitung Newspaper. The Reich government does not intend
the states by means of this Enabling Act. But… Two days later, I was sitting
in the Kroll Opera House, not as a Reichstag deputy, I was an observer. On March the 23rd, 1933,
I witnessed the Reichstag session in which the Enabling Act
was passed by 441 votes to 94. Artur Axmann, member of the leadership
of the Hitler Youth. This does not change the face of communism
and the organizations allied to it. With the so-called Enabling Act, Hitler demands extraordinary powers
for himself and his government, thus paving the way for a dictatorship. The Social Democrats were the only members
to vote against the Enabling Act. [German spoken audio]. But vulnerable does not mean dishonorable. Despite my conviction,
that the Social Democrats had failed… [German spoken audio]. I was not unimpressed by Veld's speech. Artur Axmann. Our freedom and our lives
can be taken but not our honor. Article One of the Act
describes the transfer of legislative powers
from Parliament to the Cabinet. The legislative
and executive branches become one. Parliament has virtually abolished itself. Gentlemen… Since January 30th, a revolution has taken place in Germany, which in our history will one day be rightly called
the National Revolution. It is obvious that a historical process
such as this should, as with every battle, be accompanied here and there
by regrettable phenomena. He overrode the Constitution
with the Constitution, and thus won the fight for unlimited power
in the first and decisive round. Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk,
Finance Minister. Anyone who did not fight
against the Hitler State effectively served it. Esther, Countess of Schwerin,
East Prussian landowner. I, as a natural coward,
endowed with an excruciating imagination, kept my mouth shut. Marie Luise Kaschnitz, writer, notes. People cling to life. You could go along with it, but you could also keep a low profile
and become invisible. Alder Schaefer, writer. Letter from prison June 7th, 1933. You know that imprisonment
doesn't depress me at all. What could I really do outside
at the moment? Shrug off the sad looks of the workers with a humiliated heart
and sagging shoulders, and tell them
that I cannot change it either. It's better to be outwardly unfree and inwardly face the future
with a proud soul. Julius Leber, SPD member of the Reichstag. The first improvised concentration camps
are run by the SA, and are then taken over by Himmler's SS,
thus creating the SS State. At the Nuremberg victory rally
in early September 1933, SA Chief of Staff, Ernst Röhm is the most prominent
party leader after Hitler, and clearly his right-hand man. Rohm shows his loyalty
to Hitler in public. Privately, however, he criticizes Hitler severely
for his policy on the German Army. Thanks to his instinct for power,
Hitler is willing to believe the rumours spread by opponents
of the powerful head of the SA that the leaders of the SA,
with its 4 million members, are planning a coup. Diary: Berlin, June 24th, 1934. Politically, it stinks. Nobody knows why exactly. A power struggle is impending
between the SA and the SS. Erich Ebermayer, writer. The differences of opinion
between Röhm and Hitler, especially concerning
the issue of the German Army escalate. Before the SA leadership, Röhm finally calls for the German Army
to be included in his command. Diary: Sunday, July 1st, 1934. Mutiny of the SA leaders in Munich
with Röhm at its head, Hitler himself helped arrest the gang
and had them shot. Henrietta Schneider. On July 2nd, Hitler announces
the official end of the purge, in which
between 150 and 200 people were shot. Röhm was one of the last victims. He was shot on July 2nd, 1934. Hans Frank, Bavarian Minister of Justice,
and Reich legal director. To crush the alleged revolt by Röhm,
Adolf Hitler uses the services of the SS, whose leaders have brought the police,
almost entirely under their command. The SS, which was formerly
still affiliated with the SA, is rewarded for its murderous service. On July 20th, 1934, Hitler decrees: In view of the great services of the SS, particularly in connection
with the occurrences of June 30th, 1934, I hereby promote them
to a self-contained organization within the NSDAP. Adolf Hitler. With that, Hitler has forged
the decisive weapon of his state. The SA becomes a folklore club
for the NSDAP. Hitler swore that only 77 people
had been executed. It had been unavoidable
that some were shot by accident, like Willi Schmid in Munich, for example. The SS were in a hurry to shoot
the first Willi Schmid they could find without court proceedings. You have to consider how many
Willi Schmid's there were in Munich. Friedelind Wagner,
granddaughter of Richard Wagner. Diary: Berlin, August 1st, 1934. At lunchtime,
we drove to the Halensee baths. People are friendly and peaceful. Even the young people
seem well-behaved here. The Berliner Zeitung newspaper
published a bulletin at 8.30 this morning. Condition deteriorating, pulse weaker, so the end is near. This death does not come at a good time. Erich Ebermayer. The newspaper reports the following
about the death of Hindenburg. The government has enacted
the following law that is hereby announced. The office will be merged
with that of the Chancellor, which means all authority of the president goes to the Führer
and Chancellor Adolf Hitler. Calvin Schild, retired pastor, Ballenstedt diary. Diary: Wednesday, October 17th, 1934. A law has been made. Hitler will remain the leader
of the German people for life. Henrietta Schneider. The magic formula the Führer has ordered. The Führer wishes. The Führer accepts. The Führer forbids,
or the Führer authorizes, became the completely new,
legitimized method of authority to issue directives
that nullified all existing forms of state life in Germany. Hans Frank. Arrived in Munich around 8:00
and went to the Hofbräuhaus, which was very interesting. Hitler seems popular here,
as Mussolini was in Italy. John F Kennedy,
student traveling in Europe: diary. At first, what surprised me
was that most Germans, as far as I could see, didn't seem to mind
that their freedoms had been taken away, that so much of their splendid culture
was being destroyed, or soon became aware to be sure
that in the background there lurked the terror of the Gestapo
and the fear of the concentration camps. The vast majority
did not seem unduly concerned with what had happened
to a few communists, socialists, pacifists,
defiant priests and pastors, and to the Jews. William Shirer, correspondent
to the Universal News Service in Berlin. Departure for Cologne via Frankfurt. All towns are very attractive showing that the Nordic races
certainly seem superior to the Latins. The Germans really are too good. John F Kennedy: diary. I had to think a lot about the comments
of an ordinary, middle-aged Berlin woman. She said she went to all the ceremonies
and stood near where the Führer walked by, but she was never able to see him
because whenever he came near, her eyes filled with tears. Eric Korte,
Department Head, Foreign Ministry. Hitler seemed modest, middle-class, rather dull and self-conscious, yet with a strange tenderness
and appealing helplessness. Martha Dodd,
daughter of US Ambassador William Dodd. In private,
and we, as personal bodyguards, belong to his private life, he was uncomplicated. Rochus Misch, SS bodyguard regiment. Simple lower middle-class life
was not hard for him. It attracted a lot of empathy. It gave him a lot of credit
for other unpopular decisions. Otherwise, his simple manner
also had clear political intentions. He often emphasized: If I'm simple and unpretentious,
then my surroundings have to be pompous. That way, my simplicity
appears even stronger. Albert Speer, the Kransberg-Protokolle. Goering had become fat and out of shape,
seemed ridiculous in his fantasy uniforms and his love of medals and decorations. His greed for earthly goods
turned him into a crook. Robert Coulondre, who served as an ambassador to Berlin
in the autumn of 1938, wrote that
of all Hitler's sinister buddies, he was still the best. Paul Stehlin, Air Force Attache
and the French Embassy in Berlin. It has been suggested many times that Hitler had unwavering faith
in his old comrades. As far as the Reichsmarschall
was concerned, this assumption is true, unfortunately. Heinz Guderian,
commander of the 2nd Tank Division. For the rest of the evening,
he told jokes about Goebbels and Goering. Do you know the difference
between Goebbels and Goering? He asked, and when nobody could answer,
he solved the riddle himself. Goebbels is the maximum amount of nonsense
a man can utter in one hour. Goering is the maximum amount
of sheet metal a man can hang on his chest. Friedelind Wagner. Berlin, November 1937. In November, the hunting exhibition
was opened by Reich Master Hunter Goering. Strong foreign participation
contributed to its success, causing a sensation in Berlin and impressing visiting guests
from all over the world. Our French countrymen came in droves. Paul Stehlin. He condemned the elegant passions
of his lofty colleagues, like hunting or horse racing. These were the last remnants
of the feudal rule of the princes. He made fun of them a lot. Albert Speer. Hitler's evil spirit was Goebbels. Ernst Hanfstaengl. On the same evening,
I saw Goebbels for the first time. A small man
with an overly big head on a child's body. He was surprisingly ugly. His defect, a clubfoot, barely lessened
the antipathy that he aroused. He was, however, very intelligent, and after Hitler,
the best public speaker in the party. Paul Stehlin. I couldn't care less what people think,
and I'll say this openly, Goebbels was an interesting man,
I never disliked him. He was only dangerous towards the end. Zarah Leander, Swedish singer and actress. He was capable of recognizing
the faults and weaknesses of the National Socialist system. He wasn't courageous enough
to point these out to Hitler. In front of Hitler,
he was like Goering and Himmler, a little man. Heinz Guderian, Major General. Speech in Munich, March 14th, 1936. With the confidence of a sleepwalker, I am following the path
marked out by destiny for me. Adolf Hitler. Diary: Sunday, March 16th, 1935. In the evening, we heard a proclamation
to the German people by Dr. Goebbels. In answer to the adoption
of two-year military service in France, Hitler introduced
compulsory military service in Germany. Jubilation in Berlin. Henrietta Schneider. Interview with Ward Price,
a correspondent for the Daily Mail, January 17th, 1935. I know the horrors of war. No gains can compensate
for the losses it brings. I have seen that war
is not the highest form of bliss, but the contrary. I have witnessed
only the deepest suffering. Hence, I can, quite frankly, state, Germany will never break
the peace of its own accord. Adolf Hitler. I saw a sign on the shop door, "Dogs and Jews are not allowed." Edgar Feuchtwanger. Diary: Sunday, September 15th, 1935. On the radio tonight,
they're announcing the outcome of today's resolutions in the Reichstag. That is to say, the laws
that the NSDAP deputies have agreed on, the anti-Jewish laws. Marriage between Aryans
and non-Aryans is forbidden. Karl Vincelette, retired. I now propose to the Reichstag
the adoption of the laws, which will be read out to you
by comrade Reichstag President Goering. Behind all three laws stands the party
and behind it the German nation. Marriages between Jews and nationals
of German or kindred blood is prohibited. Our Furhrer, our savior and creator. Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Sieg Hail! Diary: Berlin, December 10th, 1935. The Genetic Health Act,
or sterilization law has been passed, and envisages
extensive examinations and tests for engaged couples
before they get married. If things continue like this,
we'll soon have a race of supermen. So far,
there is no sign of this happening. Erich Ebermayer. Before the end of Culture Week,
I was once again in an aeroplane. Even from the air, I could see the mass of people
inside party buildings on Zeppelinfeld. On the way back from the airport, the boiling heat
of this uniformed public festival suddenly enveloped me. Marching music,
columns of men, swirling dust, swastika flags
in all possible and impossible places, and the pavements brown with people. Paul-Otto Schmidt,
chief interpreter at the Foreign Ministry, experiences. The march past took four hours. He held his right arm out
in the Nazi salute, for literally the entire time. Afterwards, I asked him
how he was able to do that. His answer: willpower. Nevile Henderson,
British ambassador to Germany. Each time I noticed
how enchanted people looked, their faces full of near-biblical devotion
when they saw Hitler. As if delirious,
they stretched out their arms and greeted him
with screams and shouts of heil. Paul-Otto Schmidt. Over the years, the procedures
at the Nuremberg rallies are canonized. The form,
as Hitler expresses to Albert Speer in a debriefing
of the party convention in 1938, must be an irreversible ritual. For as long as he lives, canonization would provide
his potential successor, with Hitler's borrowed charisma
and become a liturgy of the Third Reich. On Friday 11th of March 1938, Austrian radio broadcast
a light music program. It was 7:45 in the evening
when the announcer suddenly interrupted. The chancellor was going to speak. Kurt Schuschnigg said
that to avoid bloodshed, he would capitulate to Hitler's wishes. He ended his speech with the words, "God protect Austria." Dr. Eduard Bloch, Hitler's family doctor, written in US exile on March 15th, 1941. Apart from his resolve
to bring all Teutonic races into the Reich as so plainly described in Mein Kampf, Hitler had two reasons for wishing
to absorb the Austrian Republic. It opened the door of Czechoslovakia and the more spacious portals
of southeastern Europe to Germany. Winston Churchill, the Second World War. If it is still claimed today
that Hitler occupied Austria against the will of the Austrians, that doesn't coincide
with my observations. Fritz Wiedemann, adjutant to Adolf Hitler. Hitler's speech from a balcony
of the Habsburg Palace: As Führer and chancellor
of the German nation and Reich, I report before history, the entry of my homeland
into the German Reich. On March 25th, 1938, Hitler begins
the last election campaign of his life. Hitler wants to confirm the annexation
of Austria in a referendum. He estimates 80%
will vote in favor of it in Austria. He's more than surprised
when on the evening of April 10th, the referendum results are announced. 99.75% have voted for Anschluss,
more than in the Old Reich. He's really very lonely,
doesn't have any luck with women. He's too soft with them,
and women don't like that. They need a man to lord it over them. Joseph Goebbels: diary. In October 1938, Willi Forst shoots Bellamy
in the UFA Studios in Berlin. Speech to the Nazi Women's League
in Nuremberg. There was a time when liberalism
fought for women's equal rights, but the faces of German women
and girls lacked hope. They were gloomy and sad than today. Today we see countless beaming,
laughing faces. Adolf Hitler. He knew that he could have
any number of women. He refused because he didn't know,
as he said jokingly, whether they favored him
as Reich chancellor or as Adolf Hitler. Albert Speer. As for Eva Braun,
no one outside the party's inner circles and the SS knew of her
until the last year of the war. Charles Bewley,
Irish Envoy Extraordinary to Berlin, 1933 to 1939. Privately, Hitler was very nice. Eva Braun loved him very much
and he loved her. Herta Schneider, friend of Eva Braun. Diary: November 18th, 1934. I don't want it to be my fault
if he doesn't like me anymore. Eva Braun. For several months
in the years 1934 and 1935, Eva Braun keeps a diary. The diary includes the period
when she attempts suicide, probably to get Hitler to commit to her. Diary: March 11th, 1935. If only I'd never met him. I'm in despair,
I'm buying sleeping powders again. He only needs me for certain purposes,
nothing else is possible. When he says he loves me,
he means it only at that moment. Eva Braun. That was when Eva Braun
attempted her first suicide. This act of desperation
moved Hitler deeply. Christa Schroeder,
Hitler's private secretary. Politically, she had no idea. You often heard Eva Braun complaining, "I don't know anything,
everything's kept secret from me." Hitler had got used
to his girlfriend's character, but he didn't give in
to everything she wanted. She was subject to a lot of strict rules. When she danced, she did so secretly
because Hitler disliked dancing. Christa Schroeder. The efforts my wife and I made
to encourage Hitler to take private dancing lessons
weren't crowned with success. "No," he said categorically. For a statesman,
dancing is an undignified activity. All of these balls
are purely a waste of time. Besides,
the Waltz is far too effeminate for a man. It's exactly this Waltz mania
that made me hate Vienna so much, and how it contributed
to the downfall of the Habsburg Empire. Ernst Hanfstaengl from 1937 in exile. Hitler maintains
his publicly Spartan lifestyle in surroundings
of not inconsiderable luxury. In addition
to his private apartment in Munich, he also has a residence
in the Alps on Obersalzberg. Unnoticed by the public,
he builds up a fortune worth millions. I don't have any stocks. I don't own shares in any company. I don't earn dividends. Adolf Hitler in the Krupp works,
Essen March 27th, 1936. The Reich Finance Ministry declares that Hitler
is no longer obliged to pay taxes due to his constitutional position. As of 1934, Hitler no longer does so. When he had to make big decisions,
he went up to Obersalzberg. Here life was geared
to his personal needs. Stalls around Obersalzberg, stopping in small guesthouses,
gave him, as he said, the inner peace and confidence
to make the decisions that surprised the world. Albert Speer. He didn't drink a drop of alcohol
and never ate meat. He didn't smoke. His asceticism was real
and not artificial. Hans Frank. One of those present asked his physician
whether the health of the Reich chancellor forced him to keep such a strict diet, and he answered that his Spartan habits
were mainly for psychological reasons. Gustaf Mannerheim, Finnish field marshal. Incidentally, the Führer tried to spoil
the meat eaters' enjoyment of their meal. Although he didn't want
to convert anyone to vegetarianism, he suddenly began talking about how awful
it was walking through an abattoir. Gertraud Traudl Junge,
Hitler's private secretary. He said that enjoying meat
triggered a desire for alcohol. Then again, alcohol stimulated smoking. This was how one vice led to another. Nicotine was, in his opinion,
even worse than alcohol. `He toyed with the idea
of totally banning smoking throughout Germany. The campaign would start
with a skull and crossbones printed on the cigarette packet. Christa Schroeder. Hitler is driven by the notion
that he will only be granted a short life. My personal last will and testament. Berlin, May 2nd, 1938. In the case of my death,
I disposed that my remains be buried in the right-hand temple
of the eternal God house. My coffin should resemble the others. My entire estate
will be left to the party. To Fraulein Eva Braun, Munich, a lifelong allowance
of 1,000 marks per month. To my sister Angela, Dresden, a lifelong allowance
of 1,000 marks per month. To my sister Paula, Vienna, a lifelong allowance
of 1,000 marks per month. To my stepbrother Alois Hitler,
a lump sum of 60,000 marks. To my trusted Julius Schulte,
a lump sum of 10,000 marks and a lifelong monthly pension
of 500 marks. I appoint the master of the Treasury
as executor of this testament. In the case of his death, Martin Bormann. Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler neither finished school
nor had any vocational training. He occasionally lived
in homeless shelters or on the street. He refused to pursue a regular job. To this day, it seems inexplicable
that he could come to power. Out of nowhere, Hitler became the Führer,
leader of the German Reich. One of the most powerful men
of the 20th century who brought the world
to the brink of disaster and death to millions of people. The nation worshiped him
and followed him blindly into the abyss. During his lifetime,
he kept his origins and his life secret. No one should know how or who he was. Hitler's contemporaries,
from his birth to his death, flesh out the picture. Who was Hitler? He has managed to captivate
his people using a mystical band that's not even dependent
on the National Socialist Party that helped him into power. I often have
the opportunity to experience this, indeed, in all social circles. Robert Coulondre,
French ambassador to Berlin, 1938 and 1939. VEHICLES STOP! BORDER CUSTOMS Grabów lies near the German border. Whenever we came up to the border,
several in the group broke away, ran across the borderline,
and kissed the German Earth. Later, I learned that
these children were ethnic Germans who were raised to love Germany. GERMAN AND FREE - WE WANT TO BE! Ruth Elias, Czech Jew. Diary, Monday, September 12th, 1938. In the evening, we heard the close
of the party convention in Nuremberg. Adolf Hitler called on President Beneš. If the Sudeten Germans are not protected,
we know what we have to do. God preserve the existing peace. Diary, Tuesday, September 27th, 1938. Hitler spoke
to the German people last night. If Beneš doesn't accept his offer,
we'll move in on October 1st. That means war. Diary, Wednesday, September 28th, 1938. Tomorrow, a meeting
in Munich between Hitler, Daladier, Chamberlain, and Mussolini. Henriette Schneider,
housekeeper, East Prussia. In spite of the harshness and ruthlessness
I thought I saw in his face, I got the impression that here
was a man who could be relied upon when he had given his word. Neville Chamberlain,
British Prime Minister, letter to his sister. Diary, Friday, September 30th, 1938. The negotiations in Munich
have had a happy ending. The Czechs have to pull out
of the Sudetenland tomorrow. Hitler, our prince of peace. Henriette Schneider. The genius of the Führer
and his determination not to shrink, even in the face of war,
have again achieved victory without the use of force. Alfred Jodl, Major General. In Munich, the failed putsch of 1923
was celebrated with great pomp. The SS marched through all over the city. The radio announced
the death of the diplomat. Edgar Feuchtwanger. [German spoken audio] [German spoken audio] [German spoken audio] Heil SS men! Heil Hitler! I swear to you, I swear to you, Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler loyalty and bravery. On Monday, November 7th, 1938, the stateless 17-year-old
Jewish boy Grynszpan goes to the German embassy, demands to speak
with one of the counselors, is taken to the duty counselor vom Rath, and shoots him. Grynszpan describes the motive
for the act as wanting to take revenge for his fellow believers,
for the Polish Jews forced out of Germany. Walter Tausk, German Jew, Breslau, diary. Following a traditional march
to the Feldherrnhalle, at a social evening
of NS party leaders and old comrades, Joseph Goebbels announces
the death of Ernst vom Rath. I go to the party reception
in the old town hall. Very busy. I report the matter to the Führer. He orders: "Withdraw the police." "The Jews should for once feel
the people's anger." Joseph Goebbels, diary. Diary, November 1938. In the night
that brings the news of the death, a pogrom breaks out all over Germany. All the synagogues are on fire. Windows are smashed
in all the Jewish shops, the wares destroyed,
and apartments are broken into. Thousands of Jewish men are arrested
and locked up in concentration camps. Käthe Kollwitz, painter and sculptress. When that segment
of the population that had not taken part either as police
or SA awoke after the fatal night and saw the destruction
that had taken place, a sequence unfolded
that its instigators had not expected. An unmistakable, deep sense of depression
and shame seized the public. People said, I'm ashamed to be a German. Rudolf Bing,
German Jewish businessman, Nuremberg. Diary, December 6th, 1938. A boycott has been issued
against Jews throughout the Reich. The ban against Jews
in Berlin applies to all theaters, cinemas, cabarets,
concert and lecture halls, museums, fairs, the radio tower,
the Deutschlandhalle, and the Sportpalast. In addition, all outdoor
and indoor swimming pools, as well as
from Wilhelmstraße and Fössestraße to the Reich Monument and the Zeughaus. Erich Ebermayer, writer. Harassed by the Nazi authorities,
around 120,000 German and Austrian Jews succeed in leaving their homeland
by the beginning of the Second World War. Diary, January 1st, 1939. A new year. May it be a year of peace. Thea Sternheim, art collector and author. On the 13th of February 1939,
Hitler tells a few confidents that he intends to take action
against the Czechs in mid-March. German propaganda is adjusted accordingly. Diary, Berlin,
March 14th, 1939, nighttime. Foreign broadcasters are reporting
that the Czechoslovak President Hácha arrived in Berlin today
and was received by Hitler. Does this mean war after all? Erich Ebermayer. In the meantime,
I dealt with the transcription of the statement
of just a few lines, reading: The Czechoslovak president has declared
that he has trustingly placed the fate of the Czech people and country in the hands
of the Führer of the German Reich. The Führer accepted this declaration and expressed his intention
of taking the Czech people under the protection of the German Reich and guaranteeing them
autonomous development of their ethnic life
suited to their character. Paul-Otto Schmidt,
interpreter for Adolf Hitler. For three hours, Hitler conducted a discussion
with the president of Czechoslovakia. We all knew that
it was about war or peace. Suddenly, the door opened. Hitler rushed out and proclaimed, "People, good news!" "Hácha has signed the agreement." "I will go down
as the greatest German in history." Christa Schroeder,
Hitler's private secretary. Letter to Elizabeth Wagner,
March 15th, 1939, evening. The Führer drove to Prague
at four o'clock this afternoon. He's staying in Prague Castle. In the morning, there will be a parade. His dream is thus fulfilled. Eduard Wagner, artillery general. Secret report
to Ambassador Józef Lipski in Berlin. Everyone is awaiting
further steps from Hitler. It's generally assumed
that after the annexation of Memel, he has to move on
to the settlement demands with Poland. Primarily the takeover of Danzig
and the corridor. These questions' solutions will be met with understanding
and recognition by the German people. Felix Dechevsky, Polish general consul. Letter to his wife,
Vita Sackville-West, April 20th, 1939. There is a break in the crisis,
which makes me uneasy. That is one
of the worst things with this tension. If Hitler doesn't do anything,
we all become uneasy, and if he does do something,
we all get frightened. Harold Nicholson, Member of Parliament,
National Labor Party. The summer was winding down. The weather was warm and sultry,
and Danzig's numerous cafés, beer and wine gardens
were filled with Germans enjoying themselves
despite all the talk of imminent war. It was difficult to conceive
of such folks going to war or causing war to break out over them. William Shirer, correspondent for the Columbia
Broadcast System in Berlin. August 13th, 1939, Obersalzberg, Paul-Otto Schmidt,
interpreter of Adolf Hitler. Hitler was completely set on war. "The British are guilty of everything." "The Poles
have a serious lesson to learn." "The democracies are inferior to Germany
and will never fight." Was the recurring keynote
of the German dictator's speeches. The next day,
the Italian Foreign Minister Ciano was received at the Berghof. Hitler spoke
the following sentence at this event: "I'm firmly convinced
that neither England nor France will enter into a general war." On August 19th,
Käthe and Erich Hueser from Leipzig begin their honeymoon
with a canoe trip on the Oder River in upper Silesian Racibórz. They take Erich's camera. For 12 days, the newlywed Leipzigers
paddle down the Oder. During this time, Adolf Hitler
propels the continent into a world war. Diary, Paris, August 19th, 1939. Announcement of a German-Russian
non-aggression pact. Thea Sternheim. At the end of July, on Hitler's approval, Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop
and State Secretary von Weizsäcker set the foundations
for an agreement with the Soviet Union, which also includes the partitioning
of Poland and the Baltic States. Hitler is in a hurry
because he believes autumn rains will prevent a motorized war
in backward Poland. On August 19th,
Stalin accepted Hitler's offer with both hands after Hitler had suggested splitting the Baltic
into spheres of influence. I noted that
if Ribbentrop travels to Moscow, it means Russia
is inviting Hitler to invade Poland. Ernst von Weizsacker, Secretary of State
at the Foreign Office, memoirs. Telegram to the German Chancellor,
Herr A. Hitler, August 21st, 1939. I thank you for your letter. I hope that the German-Soviet
non-aggression pact will be a turning point
and a serious improvement in political relations
between our countries. J. Stalin. Addressed to the Commanders in Chief
of the Military, August 22nd, 1939. It was becoming clear to me
that a dispute with Poland might take place at an unfavorable time. Here is the basis for this finding. It depends essentially on me,
on my existence, on my political ability, for it is a fact that probably
no one will ever have the trust of the entire German people as I do. In the future,
there will probably never be a man who has more authority than I. My presence, therefore, is of great value, but I can be eliminated
at any time by a criminal or by an idiot. Adolf Hitler. Suffocatingly humid days
full of fear and expectations. Very calm. Now only a few cars, but trains. Trains almost without a break. Whistling shrilly. You can't do anything. Can't think or feel anything other than no war. Marie Luise Kaschnitz, author, notes. On August 30th,
Käthe and Erich Hueser reached the delta of the Oder River and Stettin, the harbor. Government cruise liners
are anchored here, placed under the protection
of the Red Cross as hospital ships. Two days after the honeymooners
arrive in Stettin, the Second World War begins. Erich Hueser becomes a soldier
on September 1st. Diary, Wednesday, August 30th, 1939. In the afternoon,
troops equipped for war passed for hours, heading for the border. Poland has declared mobilization. Henriette Schneider, East Prussia. Private war diary, General Franz Halder. Demands of the Führer
on the military leadership. Destruction of Poland
equals elimination of its living power. It is not about achieving
a specific line or a new border, but about destroying the enemy. The means are of little concern. It is disturbing to see
the amount of responsibility that he bears and accepts. Eduard Wagner. Message from Commander of Westerplatte
Peninsula to Polish Navy headquarters in Gdynia, September 1st, 1939, 04:50. At 04:45,
the armored cruiser Schleswig-Holstein opened fire
on the Westerplatte with all its guns. The barrage continues. Henryk Sucharski,
Major of the Polish Army. Morning, 10 a.m., Reichstag session. Hitler appears deadly serious. For the first time in field-gray uniform,
members of Parliament rise silently. Then Hitler speaks without notes,
describing the events of the last days. Then comes the sentence. "Since 5:45 a.m.,
we have been returning fire." Rudolf Jordan, Provincial NSDAP Leader. Address before the Reichstag,
September 1st, 1939. "I've once more put on that coat
that was most sacred and dear to me." "I will not take it off again
until victory is secured, or I will not survive the outcome." In the early hours,
4 a.m. of September 3rd, I was accordingly instructed
by His Majesty's government to arrange for a meeting with the Minister
for Foreign Affairs at 9 a.m. I accordingly handed the final ultimatum from His Majesty's government
to Dr. Schmidt at precisely 9 a.m., pointing out that
unless satisfactory assurances were received by His Majesty's government
before 11 a.m. British summer time of the suspension
of all the German forces from Poland, a state of war would exist
between our two countries as of that hour. Nevile Henderson,
British ambassador to Germany. Paul-Otto Schmidt, Chief Interpreter
at the Foreign Ministry, experiences. Then I took
the ultimatum to the chancellery. Hitler's most prominent people were gathered
in the room in front of his office. "What news?" Asked anxious voices. I answered with a shrug:
"School is canceled," and entered the next room,
where Hitler was sitting at his desk while Ribbentrop stood at the window. I remained
some distance from Hitler's desk and slowly translated
the British government's ultimatum. When I finished, there was total silence. Hitler sat as though turned to stone,
just looking straight ahead. After a while, he turned to Ribbentrop. "What now?" Ribbentrop replied with a quiet voice: "I suppose the French will issue
an identical ultimatum within the hour." As my job was now finished, I left and told those waiting
outside that in two hours, a state of war will exist
between England and Germany. Göring turned to me and said: "If we lose this war,
then may heaven have mercy on us." War diary, September 13th, 1939. The Führer's motorcade roared by. We saw our Führer. He was going to the front. Gerhard M., soldier, Flensburg. Some 16,000 members
of the German armed forces die and 30,000 are wounded
in the Polish campaign of 1939. Sources report 68,000 dead
and 130,000 wounded on the Polish side. Tens of thousands of Polish civilians are killed in the course
of the five-week conflict. Diary, September 28th, 1939. Warsaw has finally fallen. Mountains of corpses have to be removed. The Russians are marching into Poland and are moving up
to an agreed demarcation line. Scattered Polish divisions
are leading a heroic, desperate struggle. Udo von Alvensleben,
captain, 16th Tank Division. The next day in Warsaw,
troops paraded in front of Hitler. The Lantschner brothers filmed him. I was standing near Hitler
and saw how the troops looked at him. Mesmerized. Without exception, they appeared ready
to do anything for him. If he were to give the order,
they would die for him. Leni Riefenstahl, director and actress. Führer spoke at length and in detail
about the ongoing incorporation of the former provinces
of Posen and West Prussia. The social strata,
thought to be racially valuable, could be germanized. In principle,
they would have to look racially pure and have the right hereditary disposition. A special cultural heritage group
would be created. Here, language would be
the most important factor. He said he wasn't interested
in the Polish intelligentsia, as they were supporters
of Polish nationalism. Gerhard Engel, Army Adjutant to Hitler,
memoirs in diary form. At lunchtime on May 9th,
we left Berlin in great secrecy and traveled
at first light towards Hamburg. Turned the train around
and arrived in Aachen at 3 a.m. Under a beautiful starry sky,
we went by car to the command post of the Führer's headquarters,
the Felsennest, or Rocky Eerie. Wilhelm Keitel, Supreme High Commander
of the Armed Forces, memoirs. In the first Armed Forces report at noon on May 10th,
I had recorded the sentence: The Führer has personally taken over supreme command
of the German army operating in the West. I wrestled with him for half an hour
over the approval of this publication. He declared he wanted to remain anonymous and not diminish
the glory for the generals. I did not let up,
and in the end, he gave in. Wilhelm Keitel. Hitler took the credit
for the success of the Western campaign. Albert Speer, memoirs. Diary, Friday, May 10th, 1940. Now the war has really begun. Chamberlain has stepped down,
and Churchill replaced him. One bad person has left,
and a much worse one has come. Henriette Schneider. Thus, on the night of the 10th of May,
at the outset of this mighty battle, I acquired the chief power in the state. I cannot conceal that I was conscious
of a profound sense of relief. I felt as if I were walking with destiny
and that all my past life had been but a preparation
for this hour and for this trial. Winston Churchill, The Second World War. May 23rd, 1940. We've done it. The Air Force
is destroying the English on the beach. I was able
to persuade Hitler to stop the army. The Führer wants
this to be a lesson for them. Hans Jeschonnek, Chief
of the General Staff of the Air Force to Erhard Milch,
State Secretary of the Aviation Ministry. Diary, Friday, June 14th, 1940. News at one o'clock at night. Paris is occupied
by our troops without a fight. Flag raised for three days. Henriette Schneider. France offered a ceasefire on June 17th. I've never seen Hitler
as happy as that day. Heinz Linge, valet to Adolf Hitler. France's peace offer was submitted to him
while he stood surrounded by his officers. He slapped his thigh in a lively gesture. We were to one side and observed the scene
that Walter Frentz also filmed. Christa Schroeder, He Was My Chief. Heinrich Hoffmann, photographer. Keitel, who was carried away
by an outburst of emotion, coined the fatal phrase: "My Führer, you are the greatest
military commander of all time." Franz Halder, Chief of the General Staff. Part of Hitler's growing self-deification
after the first military successes involved believing it himself. Hitler was at the height of his power. He was the master of Europe. Gustaf Mannerheim,
Field Marshal of Finland. Germany had air supremacy over Europe. An invasion of Great Britain
seemed to be in the offing. Ernst von Weizsäcker. A few days in the English capital
was all that was needed to recognize the difference
between London and Paris. Here, no one was considering capitulation. Julius Deutsch, Austrian socialist
of Jewish descent in exile, memoirs. It was only after France
had been flattened out that Britain, thanks to her island advantage, developed, out of the pangs of defeat
and the menace of annihilation, a national resolve
equal to that of Germany. Winston Churchill. Diary, Saturday, July 20th, 1940. Hitler spoke in the Reichstag. Made an offer of peace to England. Henriette Schneider. Memoirs in diary form,
November 4th, 1940, Reich Chancellery. An unpleasant meeting
at headquarters attended by Göring, von Brauchitsch, and Keitel. Due to English and other press reports, the Führer, for the first time,
doubts the successes of the Luftwaffe and the strike figures. The Führer is visibly depressed. Had the impression
that he doesn't know how to proceed. Gerhard Engel. The Führer and the Supreme Commander
of the German Army, the Führer Headquarters,
absolutely top secret for officers only. Nine copies. Second copy. Order number 21, Operation Barbarossa. Even before the end
of the war against England, the German army has to be prepared
to overthrow Soviet Russia in a quick campaign, Operation Barbarossa. The bulk of the Russian army
in western Russia should be destroyed in bold operations via tank pincer movements
in order to prevent the withdrawal of strong combat units
into the expanses of the Russian interior. Adolf Hitler. Memoirs in diary form,
December 18th, 1940. The order for Barbarossa has been issued. The Army Supreme Commander
has ordered us to find out whether the Führer wants
armed engagement or is just bluffing. In my opinion, the Führer himself
still doesn't know how to proceed. He hopes the English will capitulate and doesn't believe
the USA will enter the war. Gerhard Engel. Diary, Monday, June 9th, 1941. There's a big operation here. The streets are full of military
of every kind on their way to the border. Henriette Schneider, East Prussia. When he decided on the Eastern Campaign
in the summer of 1941, he told Eva Braun
he had to travel to Berlin for a few days. Christa Schroeder. When Adolph heard the music of Wagner, he was transformed,
then he lost his fierceness. He became quiet, flexible, manageable. The unease disappeared from his face. What had moved him
during the day vanished. August Kubizek, a childhood friend. Wagner's music
became second nature to him. Ernst Hanfstaengl, until 1937,
Head of the NSDAP Foreign Press Bureau. He loved the Wagner Opera the most. Other than that, symphonies by Beethoven
and Bruckner or Songs by Richard Strauss. Of the light entertainment pieces, he appreciated The Bat
and The Merry Widow. Bormann proved his musical knowledge
just by changing the records. Heinrich Hoffmann. It was almost always the same repertoire
that Hitler had them play. The only popular song Hitler allowed
was the Donkey Serenade, which often concluded the concert. Gertraud "Traudl" Junge,
Hitler's private secretary. You'll be hearing that
a lot in the near future. It'll be the victory fanfare
for our Russian campaign. How do you like it? Adolf Hitler
to Albert Speer after listening to the first bars
of Les Préludes by Franz Liszt, the Russian Fanfare, June 21st, 1941. Diary, Saturday, June 21st, 1941. Wild rumors are coming from the border. Henriette Schneider. War diary of the Army Group North,
June 22nd, 1941. Beginning of the invasion, 3:05 a.m. The entire front
of the army group crossed the border. Hubert Freiherr von Grießenbeck, major. Is he mad, this Hitler? He could've allied
with England's Chamberlain against Communist Russia or with Communist Russia
against the Anglo-Saxon capitalist world, but he invaded both. Yes, he is mad. Thank God! Klaus Mann, a life's report. Christa Schroeder. It all began so promisingly. In the first two days in the Wolfsschanze,
we experienced the bar standing in front of a large map of Europe
and pointing to Moscow, saying, "In a few weeks, we'll be in Moscow." "There's no doubt about that." "Then I'll raise Moscow to the ground." "I'll build a reservoir there." "The name Moscow
has to be erased completely." Wilhelm Keitel,
Chief of the Armed Forces High Command to Field Marshal Fedor von Bock
on July 25th, 1941. The speedy collapse
of Russia is vital for German interests since Russia cannot be subjugated. The Führer was concerned
about this situation and asked worriedly: "How much time
do I have left to finish off Russia, and how much time do I still need?" Russia, Army Group South, letter, 1941. It is our war, not as the enemy propaganda
likes to call it, Hitler's War. They don't know that Hitler
is one of us, a soldier like us. We know that he would do
everything in his power for us. That gives us unlimited trust. The Führer leaves no comrade in the lurch,
and when he doesn't help, it's because there was something
more important. Horst Rocholl,
regimental doctor from Kassel. Diary, October 10th, 1941, 11:30 p.m. It's snowing in Russia now,
something we can't deal with well. Eduard Wagner, quartermaster general. There is a winter, you know, in Russia. For a good many months,
the temperature is apt to fall very low. There is snow,
there is frost, and all that. Hitler forgot about this Russian winter. He must've been very loosely educated. We all heard about it at school,
but he forgot it. Winston Churchill. Diary, Thursday, December 11th, 1941. Around 3:00, we listened
to the Führer from the Reichstag. The war with America is also official now. The Führer will make sure
everything turns out well. Henriette Schneider. When the German army, surprised
by the terrible winter of 1941–42, got stuck in the Russian ice and snow,
Hitler was frequently depressed, but as before,
he hoped for a quick victory. "There is only a very thin veil
that we have to penetrate." "We have to be patient." "The Russian resistance will not hold." Christa Schroeder. On December 17th, I visited the generals
commanding the 14th and 47th Tank Corps, as well as the Seventh Army Corps, to again learn
about the condition of the troops. The three generals
reported that the troops were beginning
to have doubts about the high command. Black ice, making all movement difficult. The Russians are prepared
and equipped for winter, and we have nothing. Heinz Guderian, Colonel General. Hans Halder,
war diary, December 17th, 1941. Midnight, summoned to the Führer: "Disengagement is out of the question." "The enemy has only made
deep incursions in a few places." "Setting up a rear echelon is illusory." "The front is suffering
in only one respect." "The enemy has more soldiers." "He has no more artillery." "He is much worse off than we are." Adolf Hitler,
oral order to Army Group Center, December 16th, 1941. Commanders, unit leaders,
and officers are to take personal steps to force troops
to engage in fanatical resistance to hold their position
without regard to enemy breakthroughs on the flank or in the rear. Only with this kind of warfare
can we gain the time necessary to get reinforcements from the homeland
and the West that I have ordered. Diary, January 11th, 1942. How meek
our military communiqués have become. Friedrich Kellner,
court employee, Laubach Hessia. But the burden of work
and increasing concerns from setbacks in the course of the war
eroded Hitler's health. From the winter of 1941–1942 onward,
Morell monitored him day and night. In the end, Hitler began having
mysterious injections almost every day. Christa Schroeder. Diary, Berlin, March 3rd, 1942. The hallmarks of the situation. Further erosion
of the German forces in Russia. Slow further deterioration of the economic
and food situations in Germany. Ulrich von Hassell, diplomat
and member of the German Resistance. In Rostov-on-Don, several waves of retreat rolled
through our area in the summer of 1942. The oil tanks were opened,
wheat fields torched, all so that they wouldn't fall
into the hands of the enemy. On August 3rd, 1942,
German scouts surfaced on motorbikes. Within three days,
German troops moved into Privolnoye. Soviet troops were scattered. Beyond Nalchik, barrier units work
to carry out order number 227 from Stalin. Not one step back. Mikhail Gorbachev, schoolboy. War diary, July 30th, 1942, day 404. In the bow of the River Don,
west of Stalingrad, the Sixth Army of Army Group B
is engaged in a fierce battle, and the situation is at present unclear. Franz Halder. I wanted to come to the Volga,
to a specific place, and a specific city. Adolf Hitler,
address at the traditional gathering in the Munich Bürgerbräukeller,
November 9th, 1942. On September 11th, I was ordered to report
to the frontline staff under Khrushchev. They told me to take over the 62nd Army. My orders were to defend Stalingrad. After I accepted the order,
Nikita Khrushchev asked me, "How do you see this?" I said I understand the order very well. I'll try to carry it out. Either I defend Stalingrad
or I die doing so. I got in the car and drove to Stalingrad. Vasily Chuikov, lieutenant general,
The Stalingrad Protocols. The high point of the war
had been reached. Something unimaginable
overpowered the wildest dreams. The North Cape, Pyrenees, Sahara,
and Volga formed the boundaries of a sphere
of influence created overnight. Sure, there were bigger empires, but this one
included Europe and its nations. There was no reason for joy. You knew what lay ahead of us because the disproportion
of forces was obvious. Udo von Alvensleben, army captain, diary. We knew that Hitler wouldn't stop and would keep
throwing military forces at the front, but he sensed that it was not a battle
for life being fought here but rather a battle to the death. Vasily Chuikov. I feel entitled to demand that
every German soldier sacrifice his life. Adolf Hitler to Heinz Guderian
on December 20th, 1940, 3:30 p.m. Diary, Sunday, November 8th, 1942. The Führer spoke
from the Munich Hofbräukeller. He laid into the war criminals again. The Americans
landed in Algiers during the night. Henriette Schneider. Dr. Theo Morell,
Adolf Hitler's personal physician, diary, December 15th, 1942. Patient day. Sleeping badly
because of the military situation. Profundol. Up until the very end,
the soldiers believed Hitler's promise that he would get them
out of the encirclement. I knew that this was a terrible lie. Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven,
major, flown out of the Stalingrad siege. Interrogation protocol
of prisoner Herman Strotman, lieutenant adjutant of the First Battalion
of the 79th Panzer Grenadier Regiment, on 1918 in Münster, Catholic. Men reached the limits of their endurance, and this limit
was reached on February 2nd. We surrendered spontaneously. Around six o'clock in the morning,
I was told that Russian tanks had arrived. I began to cry, walked out of the shelter,
and laid down my weapon. At what point is one
allowed to view the war as lost? As I see it, very late. Albert Speer, The Cransberg Protocols. Adolf Hitler neither finished school
nor had any vocational training. He occasionally lived
in homeless shelters or on the street. He refused to pursue a regular job. To this day, it seems inexplicable
that he could come to power. Out of nowhere, Hitler became the Führer,
leader of the German Reich. He was one of the most powerful men
of the 20th century, who brought the world
to the brink of disaster and death to millions of people. The nation worshiped him
and followed him blindly into the abyss. However, during his lifetime,
he kept his origins and his life a secret. No one should know how or who he was. Hitler's contemporaries,
from his birth to his death, flesh out the picture: who was Hitler? His mother went to Mass
with little Paula every Sunday. I can't recall Adolf accompanying
his mother to church once. August Kubizek, a childhood friend
of Adolf Hitler in Linz. Hitler had no emotional connection
to the church. He thought the Christian religion
was an outdated, hypocritical, and people-ensnaring institution. Christa Schroeder,
Hitler's private secretary. If people think I'm a religious man,
that cannot hurt. Adolf Hitler
to photographer Heinrich Hoffmann. I can say with certainty
that even before my departure, I learned about Hitler's intention to liquidate patients
with incurable diseases, not only incurable mental patients,
in the event of war. His reasoning was that
those would be unnecessary mouths to feed. Fritz Wiedemann, personal adjutant
of the NSDAP to Adolf Hitler until January 19th, 1939. Memoirs in diary form, August 8th, 1939. Today, we witnessed something cruel. Bouhler and Bormann showed Hitler
the euthanasia film, Unworthy Life. It deals with the life and behavior
of incurable mental patients in a number of sanatoriums. There was a long discussion afterward. The Führer had a harsh attitude. If he had such a child, he'd request that it be put
out of its misery, mostly for the sake of fellow humans. Gerhard Engel, army adjutant to Hitler. For many of Adolf Hitler's crimes, no documents exist that verify
his direct and immediate responsibility. It's not so
with the centrally organized killing of the mentally handicapped,
referred to as euthanasia. Sometime in early October 1939, Adolf Hitler signs a backdated order
for September 1st, the day of the start of the war. With his signature, he authorizes Philipp Bouhler,
the Chief of the Führer's Chancellery, and Hitler's young personal physician,
Karl Brandt. Reich leader Bouhler and Dr. Brandt are entrusted with the responsibility
of extending the authority of physicians so that patients who, on the basis of human judgment,
are considered incurable, can be accorded mercy killing
after a definitive diagnosis. Adolf Hitler. One day, we were surprised by a report that a euthanasia operation
was underway in Swabia. Family members received the ashes
with the official notice that the beloved deceased
had unfortunately died quite suddenly of pneumonia
or from an infectious disease. Through faulty communication
of such condolences and sometimes double deliveries of urns, unrest was created
among the population and the clergy. Reinhard Spitzy,
Austrian member of the SS and NSDAP. The Bishop of Münster,
Clemens August Graf von Galen, finds the courage
to deliver a frank opinion in public. Sermon in Saint Lambert's Church,
Münster, August 3rd, 1941. Now we must expect poor,
defenseless and sick people to be killed sooner or later. Do you or I only have the right to live as long as we're recognized
as productive by others? If it is legitimate to kill
unproductive members of the community, then woe betide our brave soldiers who return home from war
with serious battle wounds as invalids. If the principle that man is entitled
to kill his unproductive fellow man is established and applied, then woe betide all of us
when we become aged and thus unproductive. Clemens August Graf von Galen,
Bishop of Münster. Von Galen's brave protest is based
on concrete critical points, and it's successful. The conflict between the Hitler regime,
the Bishop of Münster, and other public critics
is only partially settled. Hitler suspends the largest part
of the euthanasia program for more than a year, after more than 70,000 people
had been killed. In less conspicuous forms, the euthanasia program was reintroduced
to sanatoriums and nursing homes and practiced right up
to the end of the war. The Führer called me
into Reich Chancellery at 4 p.m. today. To start with, he spent a whole hour describing
the campaign in Poland. The Poles, only a thin Germanic layer. Underneath that, dreadful stock. The Jews, the worst that
you could possibly imagine. Only a master's heavy hand
could rule here. Alfred Rosenberg, director of the Foreign Policy Office
of the NSDAP. Two days later,
I went to the Warsaw ghetto. A brick wall about eight feet high
had been built around the entire desolate area from which all the Aryans
had been evacuated and into which more than 400,000 Jews
had been forced. The entire population of the ghetto
seemed to be living in the street. There was hardly a square yard
of empty space. As we picked our way
across the mud and rubble, the shadows of what had once been men
or women flitted by us in pursuit of someone or something, their eyes blazing
with some insane hunger or greed. Frequently, we pass by corpses
lying naked in the streets. Jan Karski,
courier of the Polish Underground. For a long time, researchers and prosecutors searched
for a definitive written order from Hitler for the murder of European Jews. Such an order from Hitler on the Final Solution
to the Jewish Question obviously doesn't exist. Service calendar of Heinrich Himmler. Himmler's lecture notes. Führer Headquarters, Führer, Wolfsschanze, July 18th, 1941, 4:00 p.m. Jewish question, exterminate as partisans. Restructuring of the Waffen-SS. In any case, I'm totally convinced,
even without written proof, that the extermination of the Jews
goes back to a specific order from Hitler, because it's unthinkable that Himmler
and Goering would've carried this out without his knowledge. Nicolaus von Below,
Luftwaffe adjutant to Adolf Hitler. Immediately after the invasion
of the Soviet Union by the Wehrmacht, the 3,000-man death squads
of the Security Police and the Reich Security Service
begin their killing operations. The political responsibility lies
with Hermann Goering, to whom Hitler has transferred
the coordination of Jewish policy. If I'm asked whether I knew
about the shooting of the Jews, I have to say that I received an order
to attend the shooting of Jews as a spectator. I remember that we had to be
at the shooting site at 8:00 p.m. A Navy captain, Liepāja. Around noon, an old man from Lower Saxony,
Colonel Schaer, visited me. Among the things he talked about
that were especially horrible was the shooting of Jews. He'd been told by another Colonel,
Tippelskirch, I believe. Ernst Jünger, Captain, Paris, diary. I saw a long, deep ditch. SS men and Latvian police
in plain clothes wearing armbands were standing beside it. The terrain was overgrown with bushes,
and the ground was sandy. We watched about one and a half hours
of the execution. During this time, three to four trucks were brought in
from the city to the shooting site. Then the victims were driven like cattle
from the truck to the ditch. Each time, five had to march
in single file into the ditch. The shooting took place
under the command of the SS. The victims stood facing us. I can remember exactly
that after the salvos, the victims collapsed. A Navy captain, Liepāja. Letter to the SS and Latvian Police Chief,
Commander of the Riga Police Force, January 3rd, 1942. The execution of the Jews
carried out in the timeframe of the report is still the talk of the local population. The fate of the Jews is deplored
numerous times, and at the moment, you hear few people
in favor of their elimination. Among other things, there is a rumor circulating
that the execution was filmed. SS and Police Chief, Lapierre. Memoirs in diary form. A grim, gloomy mood. Führer had a long discussion with Himmler, and afterward, there was the usual
corresponding atmosphere. Gerhard Engel. Hitler never told me anything
about the treatment of the Jews. In foreign policy, the subject only arose
when the Jews were to be deported from some country or another. Franz von Sonnleithner, NSDAP member, and after 1939,
Legation Counsellor in Foreign Ministry. Adolf Hitler addressed
the traditional gathering in the Munich Bürgerbräukeller
on November 8th, 1942. You will recall the Reichstag session
at which I declared that if Judaism imagines for a moment that it can bring about
an international world war for the extermination
of the European races, the result will not be
the extermination of the European races, but the extermination
of the Jews in Europe. I was always derided as a prophet. Countless numbers of those
who laughed at the time are no longer laughing today. Those who are still laughing now
will perhaps not be laughing much longer. Danziger Vorposten daily newspaper, May 13th, 1944. Jewry records major losses
in other regions of Europe. The core areas of Jewish settlement
that we found in Poland, like those in Warsaw and Lublin, have today been neutralized. The settlements of one and a half
million Jews in Hungary are currently being dealt with
in a similar fashion. Thus, in these countries alone,
five million Jews have been eliminated. In other European countries, long-standing state measures
against Jewry are also increasing. Wilhelm Loebsack, Provincial NSDAP Propaganda Director
in Gdańsk, West Prussia. During a military briefing
around autumn 1944, the Reich Press Chief Dietrich
came up with an English report. In this newspaper article, it was alleged that the Russians had taken
a German concentration camp by the name of Majdanek. Pictures showed racks on which a large number
of combs could be seen, well laid out
as foreigners would expect to see in a German institution. The text said that
people had been exterminated here. Dietrich presented
the press report to Hitler. We stood there with bated breath
to hear what he would say. The answer was swift. Those are the hands of Belgian children
chopped off during the First World War. It's nothing but enemy propaganda. I believe that I have quoted
Hitler's statement correctly. In any case, we were all relieved. Franz von Sonnleithner, after 1939, Legation Councilor
in the Foreign Ministry. On the third day of the war,
I was wounded near Grodno. When I came to, there were many wounded
lying on the ground. We were at the mercy
of the German soldiers. After a while, those who could move
were driven onward. My comrades grabbed me under the arms because those who fell down
were immediately shot. Dmitrij Dmitrijenko. Since February 1938, Adolf Hitler has been
the military's supreme commander. In this capacity, he is responsible for the mass killings
of Soviet prisoners of war. Whereas one to three percent
of Anglo-American prisoners die, some 50% of Red Army prisoners perish. Of the roughly 5.3 to 5.7 million
Red Army soldiers in German captivity, 2.5 to 3.3 million die. Estimates vary. Only the grave diggers were given food. The camp was set up
in a dense pine forest. We scratched the bark off with a nail
and fed ourselves that way. After a while,
the whole forest had been eaten. Boris Sheremet. Army command is fully aware
of the situation and condones the starvation
of Soviet prisoners. In November 1941, when the chiefs of staff of East Armies
tell the quartermaster-general that the armies need
Soviet prisoners as laborers, but that they were starving
in camps, he states: Prisoners of war
who do not work have to starve. Working prisoners of war can,
in some cases, be fed Army provisions. Eduard Wagner, quartermaster-general. Letter to Wilhelm Keitel. The fate of the Soviet prisoners of war
is a tragedy of huge proportions. The large majority of them have starved
or died from exposure to the weather. Alfred Rosenberg, Minister
for the Occupied Eastern Territories. Wilhelm Keitel,
Chief of the Armed Forces High Command. Such doubts belonged to soldierly concepts
of chivalrous warfare. Here we are dealing
with the destruction of an ideology. For this reason, I approve
and support these measures. I keep hearing
that Hitler couldn't have known about everything. This is sheer nonsense. I know from personal observation
and remarks by Hitler that he knew everything. Heinz Linge, valet to Adolf Hitler. Up until 1940, Hitler looked younger
than he was in reality. After that, however,
he aged rather quickly. Up to 1943, he looked his age outwardly. Later, his rapid physical deterioration
was obvious. Professor Dr. Hans Karl von Hasselbach,
deputy attendant doctor to Adolf Hitler. The death of a human being
didn't bother him at all. He saw people as the links
in a long chain, and he considered the first link
to be himself. Children were, in his eyes,
only the potential by which the greater
or smaller living space of a people was measured. Christa Schroeder. The Funny Privates. The soldiers that I met
were not followers of Hitler and only served the Führer unwillingly, but all approved of war
as an indispensable phenomenon of life. The war is the ultimate exertion
that you cannot dodge. This picture was deeply ingrained in them. Vilna Sturm, journalist and writer. Diary, Monday, July 26th, 1943. Mussolini has resigned. He's said to be ill. Last night Hamburg, Essen
and Kiel were bombed again. Henriette Schneider. While I endeavored
to establish worthwhile targets for Hitler and the general staff
of the Air Force, our enemies launched five big attacks
on only one major city, Hamburg. Although this action contradicted
all tactical considerations, it had catastrophic consequences. Albert Speer. Diary of fighter pilot Hans Ahrens, who was born in 1921,
and killed in action, February 21st, 1944. That first night of terror on July 25th
will remain unforgettable for us and the majority of all Hamburg residents. Personally, I'm glad
that I experienced it all. As a soldier, it led to an ultimate resolute hatred
of our enemy. Letter to Georg Zimmermann,
a soldier in Norway, from his mother. Hamburg, July 28th, 1943. Dear Georg, we are still alive,
but Hamburg de facto no longer exists. No house left standing,
just mountains of rubble. The entire streets are blocked. Dead bodies are not salvaged. Impenetrable smoke, fumes
and fires are still burning everywhere. Disintegration is in progress. No police anymore, nothing. Hamburg is lost forever. Magdalena Zimmermann. When I traveled to the Bardini
from Babelsberg, I met an acquaintance on the train. He'd experienced it all in Hamburg
as an anti-aircraft soldier. It smelled so strongly of corpses that you couldn't get the stench
out of your nose. Leaflets were dropped over Hamburg with quotes from the war speeches
of Hitler and Goering, without any comments. Erich Kästner, writer, war diary. Hamburg, July 30th, 1943. My Hannele, words cannot express
what we are going through here. A government that cannot protect its women
and children is simply criminal. My Hannele, if I could only hear one word
from you and Georg. Your mother, Magdalena Zimmermann. When he traveled to Bavaria
to the Berghof, or the Führer headquarters, he went by train
with blacked-out windows at night so that he wasn't faced
with the devastation from bombing raids. Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven, captain. During the entire war,
Adolf Hitler never visited a bombed city. Albert Speer. Dr. Theo Morell,
Adolf Hitler's personal physician. Diary, September 23rd, 1943, 8:15 p.m. Examination after dinner. Strong flatulence, spasms from agitation, stomach shows increased fat formation. Prescribed a diet. He admired Morell and his art, and he was, in a sense,
dependent on him and his medication. Albert Speer. New Year's Proclamation, 1944. The year 1944 will make hard
and heavy demands on all Germans. The monstrous events of the war
will come closer to a crisis this year. We're fully confident that we'll endure. Adolf Hitler. Diary, May 27th, 1944. An impression
of an increasingly destroyed Berlin: devastating. At the same time, Berliners are sitting
in the sunshine on chairs amid the rubble
and debris on the esplanade, as if it were peacetime. Ulrich von Hassell, a diplomat,
and member of the Resistance. Diary, May 9th, 1944. Patient A, tension headache on left side, legs trembling due to agitation. Invasion is imminent, but where? Dr. Theo Morell. The plutocratic world of the West can undertake
its threatened landing attempt whenever it wants. It will fail. Adolf Hitler's order of the day
to the Wehrmacht. Hitler was told of the landing
on the morning of June 6th. He expressed relief
upon getting the first report and said that it was now possible
to beat the enemy. Nicolaus von Below,
Luftwaffe adjutant to Adolf Hitler. The conviction of the Germans that we wouldn't attack
in the weather then prevailing was a definite factor
in the degree of surprise we achieved. In the Omaha sector,
an alert enemy division, the 352nd, which prisoners stated
had been in the area for maneuvers and defense exercises, accounted for some of the intensive
fighting in that place. Dwight D. Eisenhower, US General, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. Heinz Linge, valet to Adolf Hitler. Among Hitler's habits, which despite our efforts,
couldn't be remedied, was that he kept asking the time, above all, during the war. I principally only ever stop
at five past 12. Adolf Hitler in November 1942. On July 20th, 1944, I'd received the order to prepare
for the move of the operations unit from Mauerwald to Zossen, South of Berlin. It was a hot East Prussian summer's day. Mauerwald was located
just 20 kilometers away from the Wolfsschanze, where Stauffenberg's bomb exploded
around 12:45 p.m. Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven. I remember thunder
combined with a brightly flashing flame, and at the same time, thick smoke. After a few seconds of complete silence,
I heard someone call. It was probably Field Marshal Keitel. Where is the Führer? Heinz Buchholz,
stenographer in Wolfsschanze headquarters. There were agitated calls for a doctor. A bomb exploded. Nothing happened to the boss,
but the hut was blown sky-high. Christa Schroeder. Heinz Linge. When I arrived, I saw Hitler. He looked at me inquiringly with big eyes
and stared at my troubled face. With a calm smile, he said: Linge, someone tried to kill me. Diary, Friday, July 21st, 1944. The radio broadcast details of the attack. The bomb was planted
by Claus von Stauffenberg. Around one o'clock, the Führer spoke
to prove that he had survived. What would have happened
if the Führer had died? The war would be over, and there would be
a revolution in Germany. Henriette Schneider. His confidence,
his faith in victory, his assurance, but also his power consciousness
and delusions of grandeur now exceeded all boundaries of reason. Traudl Junge, Hitler's private secretary. Personal war diary, October 7th, 1944. Morning briefing. Beginning of the attack
on East Prussia and Budapest. A long discussion with Goering. Station 12 heavy
anti-aircraft batteries immediately to protect the Führer's headquarters. Keitel suggests relocating to Berlin,
but Hitler is against it. Werner Kreipe, General of Aviators,
Chief of Staff, Luftwaffe. In the first days of November 1944, we moved out of the Wolfsschanze
because the Russians were close by. Traudl Junge. Germany was under intense pressure. At the end of 1944,
weapons production fell sharply. Trapped in the east,
southeast, south, and west, Germany was strategically encircled
and could not break free. Nevertheless, Hitler took
one ultimate measure after the other. The Nazis suppressed without mercy
the slightest opposition to their regime. It was clear to us
Germany was mobilizing its last forces. However, at the end of 1944, Germany was still able to defend itself
and put up serious resistance. Its military still consisted
of around 17.5 million men, of whom 5.3 million were fighting troops. Georgy Zhukov, Commander in Chief,
first White Russian front. At just 19 years old,
Walter was also killed in action. I was sitting on the roof of our house
that had been damaged in another bombing when I saw the postman
bring the death notice. My aunt called to the house:
Walter has fallen. The death of my brother
was a deep shock for me. Helmut Kohl, schoolboy. Speech to the division commanders,
December 12th, 1944, in Adlerhorst, near Ziegenberg, Hesse. If we suffer a few more
really hard strikes then this artificially maintained
common front can suddenly collapse at any moment,
in a huge clap of thunder. Adolf Hitler. Hitler revealed the following
to a very limited circle of listeners. Due to a noticeable weakness
of enemy forces in the Eifel region, he decided to start the attack from there. The target had to be Antwerp. Siegfried Westphal, Major General, Chief of Staff
to the Commander in Chief West. On December 16th, 1944, General Bradley came to my headquarters
to discuss ways and means of overcoming our acute shortages
in infantry replacements. Just as he entered my office, a staff officer came in
to report slight penetrations of our line. It was through this same region that the Germans launched
their great attack of 1940. Dwight D. Eisenhower. German tanks have been spotted
north of the city of Luxembourg. Rundstedt has ordered the tanks
to advance through the Ardennes in nearly the same place
as the Germans penetrated in May 1940. They are heading
in the same direction again to the Channel coastline toward Antwerp in order to stop the allies
from using the port through which their main supplies come. Stefan Heym,
Corporal of the US Army, writer. It was my opinion that it was necessary
to play Hitler's last card to maximum effect. As a Gorka, I tried to get
as close as possible to the front. The troops pushing forward
were in a good mood, because low-hanging clouds
prevented any aerial activity. I was worried
that the weather would brighten up. Albert Speer, memoirs. As long as the weather
kept our planes on the ground, it would be an ally of the enemy
worth many additional days. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Our last major offensive in the West
with 300,000 men, that was so gloriously successful
at the start, failed in the end thanks to ten days of radiant sunshine. The Anglo-Americans were thus able
to deploy overwhelming air superiority. Léon Degrelle,
Commander of the Wallonien Waffen-SS. The Allies had expected
to reach the River Rhine by Christmas at the latest. The Ardennes offensive prevented that. However, how many men lost their lives
due to the senseless delay? Walter Rowland, industrialist,
commissioner for tank production in the Ministry of Armaments
and War Production. Rudolf Jordan, Provincial NSDAP Leader, Defense Commissioner, December 25th, 1944. When we were sitting together
one sunny morning, tears appeared in my wife's eyes. Where will we be at Christmas next year? This was the question asked
by the mother of our children, the question of the family's fate. This question would be asked
in the house of the provincial leader and everywhere else in Germany. I was frightened, because I felt that
the answer was no longer convincing, but I had to remain the same person: Hitler's deputy, the spokesman of Germany hope
until the end. I know today
that it was the belief in a miracle. In the days after Christmas, it was clear that the expected success
would not be achieved. At the end of the year,
the offensive had to be seen as a failure. Nicolaus von Below. Adolf Hitler, at the end of December 1944,
to his adjutant, Nicolaus von Below. I know the war is lost. Their superiority is too great. I will prefer to put a bullet
in my head now. We will never capitulate, never. We can perish,
but we'll take the world with us. December 31st, 1944, Luxembourg. You sat there
with a half-empty glass in your hand and listened to the hoarse voice
with the unmistakable accent. Two or three times,
the speaker almost lost his voice. He also got his words mixed up, but that was always the case
when he got excited. It was significant that his throaty bellow
no longer wanted to work that New Year's Eve. Stefan Heym,
Corporal of the US Army, writer. Adolf Hitler, last radio address
to the German people. January 30th, 1945. Thus, I now appeal
to the entire German people to gird themselves with an even greater,
stronger spirit of resistance until we can again, as before, put on the graves of the dead
of this titanic struggle, a wreath inscribed with the words:
and yet you were victorious. I, therefore, expect every German
to fulfill his duty to the utmost, to make every sacrifice
that will and must be required. February 13th, 1945. The model of Linz is finally finished. The extensive model
of the development of Danube river banks was now set up in one of the large,
brightly toned basements of the New Chancellery. When I led Adolf Hitler into this room, he stood for a long time just looking, as though overwhelmed
by the general impression. I moved the spotlight to the position
of the sun's rays in the afternoon. Now he was presented with the perspective
of how his city on the Danube would look in his retirement. Hermann Giesler, General Building Inspector
for the redevelopment of the City of Linz. Not a day went by when the government quarters
were not attacked. When a bomb exploded nearby, the bunker lying in the groundwater
swayed noticeably. The light began to flicker, so Hitler raised his voice
as if in a dream. That was close. Those bombs could've hit us. He was noticeably fearful
and didn't feel safe. Christa Schroeder. -Air-raid first aid kit.
-Mid-March 1945. -Air-raid medicine chest.
-Hitler transfers nearly all activities to the bunker under the Chancellery. Since then, he rarely sees daylight. Sometime in mid-March, Eva Braun arrived
at the Reich Chancellery. Hitler tried his best
to get her to go back to Munich, but she made it clear
that her place was at Hitler's side and no one would be able
to change her mind. Rochus Misch, telephone operator
in the Führer's bunker. April 20th, 1945, was always referred to as the date of the last photos
and film segments of Hitler and the delegation of the Hitler Youth. This is not true. They're from a different reception
of a delegation by Hitler. This took place on March 20th, 1945. Artur Axmann, leader of the Hitler Youth. -Right or wrong, my fatherland.
-Between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. April 11th, 1945. Suddenly, cries were heard. They grew louder and louder. We stumbled outside to discover the cause. Somebody shouted: Look, the gate! The crooked swastika had disappeared. Something white fluttered on the flagpole. The delightfully victorious minute, for which our German comrades
had waited for 4,453 days and nights, was finally there. In the evening,
an American infantry unit arrived. Thomas Geve, a German Jew
and a prisoner in Buchenwald. April 12th, 1945. It will not be pleasant listening. I propose to tell you of Buchenwald. We reached the main gate. The prisoners crowded up behind the wire. There surged around me
an evil-smelling stink. Men and boys reached out to touch me. They were in rags
and the remnants of uniforms. Death had already marked many of them, but they were smiling with their eyes. Edward Murrow,
radio correspondent for CBS News. On April 21st, our troops reached
the Berlin autobahn ring. This success created favorable conditions
to totally enclose the fascist capital. Vasily Chuikov, general. That day, I saw Hitler only briefly. The boss could still not believe
that the Russians were at the gates. Rochus Misch. Zechlin, Mecklenburg. Around 11:50 p.m., Hitler calls. He gives a short lecture on the situation
and concludes with these words. You will see, the Russians will suffer the biggest and bloodiest defeat
in their history before the gates of Berlin. Karl Koller, Chief of the General Staff
of the Luftwaffe. April 22nd, 1945. This date marks the end
of the Third Reich for me. The German Wehrmacht capitulated
on May 8th, 1945. However, on April 22nd, a Sunday, Hitler capitulated. Rochus Misch. On April 22nd, we attended the status report
at the usual time in the afternoon. I recognized immediately
that clouds as heavy as lead were hanging over the room. Wilhelm Keitel,
Chief of the Armed Forces High Command. Memoirs. I have already reached my decision. I won't leave Berlin again. I will defend the city till the end. Either I lead the fighting
around the capital of the Reich or I perish with my soldiers in Berlin
and die in the battle for the symbol of the Reich. Adolf Hitler. During the status conference,
which had been loud and turbulent, Hitler had finally uttered
the magical sentence and since then, repeated it to everybody who crept around the bunker
disbelievingly. -Nuremberg, city of the party rallies.
-The war is lost. Rochus Misch. Gertraud Traudl Junge. In the small anteroom,
Hitler stands motionless. In a distant and commanding manner,
he calls out: Get changed at once. In one hour, an aircraft will come
and take you to the south. Everything is lost, hopelessly lost. Eva Braun walks up to Hitler, takes both of his hands, and says smilingly and consolingly,
as if talking to a sad child: However, you know
that I'm staying here with you. I will not be sent away. Hitler's eyes begin to light up and he does something
that no one has ever witnessed, not even his most trusted friends
and aides. He kisses Eva Braun on the lips. The German army dissolved before our eyes. Winston Churchill. Gloom and doom began to spread
throughout the bunker. Artur Axmann. The Führer comes up to me,
shakes my hand, and asks: Have you rested a little, my child? I'd like to dictate something. Get the shorthand pad. Gertraud Traudl Junge. My private will and testament. As I did not consider that I could take the responsibility
of contracting a marriage during the years of fighting, I have now decided,
before the closing of my earthly career, to take the girl who,
after many years of faithful friendship, entered the practically besieged city
of her own free will in order to share her destiny
with me as my wife. At her own desire,
she goes as my wife with me into death. What I possess belongs,
inasmuch as it has any value, to the Party,
should this no longer exist, to the State. Should the State also be destroyed,
no further decision of mine is necessary. Signed, Berlin,
April 29th, 1945, 4:00 a.m. Adolf Hitler. April 30th, 1945. I had close contact with Mohnke,
the commander of the Citadel. Mohnke was often with the troops
on the front line. On April 29th, he reported to Hitler
that to the north, the Russians were a short distance away
from Weidendammer Bridge, to the east in Lustgarten, to the south near Potsdamer Platz
and the Air Ministry, and to the west in Tiergarten. That was only a few hundred meters
from the Chancellery. When Hitler asked him:
How long can you hold out? He answered:
Twenty to 24 hours at the most. Artur Axmann. On April 30th, 1945, around noon, Bormann told me
that Hitler's decision was now firm. Then Hitler said to me
that he would now shoot himself and that Fraeulein Braun
would also take her life. The bodies were to be buried. He assigned me
to make the necessary arrangements. Otto Günsche, SS adjutant to Hitler. My political testament. I die with a happy heart in the face of the immeasurable deeds
and achievements of our soldiers at the front,
our women at home, the achievements of our farmers
and workers, and the efforts, unique in history,
of our youth who bear my name. Above all, I oblige the leaders
of the nation and those under them to scrupulously observe the race laws
and to offer merciless opposition to the poisoner of all peoples,
international Jewry. Issued in Berlin,
this 29th day of April 1945, 4:00 a.m. Adolf Hitler. There cannot be the slightest doubt
that Adolf Hitler took his life in the Führerbunker
of the Reich Chancellery in Berlin on April 30th, 1945, with his own hand,
namely by a shot in the right temple. Cause of death,
District Court 2, Berchtesgaden, December 8th, 1956. Valet Heinz Linge reports
the hour of his death as 3:50 p.m. He says he noted this time from a grandfather clock
in the anteroom to Hitler's office. Adjutant Otto Günsche cites
his final hour as 3:30 p.m. He said he'd looked at his watch. It was not disloyalty, but rather his suicide
that put an end to Hitler's organization. He and his organization
were one and the same, and thus it ended with him. This man, who rose out of nothing, had offered himself to Germany at a time when it was longing
for a new magnet. He formulated a doctrine based on a mixture of fascism
and race theory. The totalitarian system allowed him
to act without restraint. The mechanization of the military gave him the trump cards
of lightning attacks and surprise. All of this led to repression, and that in turn led to these crimes. Charles de Gaulle, memoirs.
