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World War II

Adolf Hitler "The Last Days in Hitler's Air Raid Shelter"

Hanna Reitsch Interrogation

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World War II:

Adolf Hitler:

"The Last Days in Hitler's Air Raid Shelter" Hanna Reitsch Interrogation A US Army Interrogation unit report on the interrogation of Hanna Reitsch. Reitsch was a famous female German test pilot. She was the only woman to win the German Iron Cross. She is believed to be the last person to leave Hitler's air raid shelter alive. The report gives her firsthand account of the last days in Hitler's bunker. From the report’s introduction: "This report is the story of the last days of the war as they were experienced by Hanna Reitsch the well known German test pilot and aeronautical research expert. Her story does not pretend to add any sensational details to what is already known of those days. It is rather an eye-witness account of what actually happened in the highest places during the last moments of the War. Her account of the flight into Berlin to report to Hitler and of her stay in the Fuehrer's bunker is probably as accurate a one as will be obtained of those last days, although the "is he dead or is he not dead" fate of Hitler is only answered to the extent of describing the mental state and the hopelessness of the last-minute situation, from which individual opinions must be drawn. Her own opinion is that the tactical situation and Hitler's own physical condition made any thoughts of his escape inconceivable." Also in this set are the reports "Last Letters from Hitler's Air Raid Shelter" and "Condemnation of Goering by Hanna Reitsch." The “Last Letters from Hitler's Air Raid Shelter” report deals with the fact that Reitsch was given letters to deliver by various occupants of Hitler's bunker during the last days. Included among them were letters written by Eva Braun and Himler. Reitsch had close contact with the leadership of the Luftwaffe. In the third report she paints an unflattering portrait of Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Göring to her U.S. Army interrogators.

Photo Title: Der Führer verleiht Flugkapitän Hanna Reitsch das Eiserne Kreuz

Translation: Hitler presents the Iron Cross to flight captain Hanna Reitsch

Hoffmann, Heinrich, 1885-1957 , photographer

Date Created/Published: [1941 March 28]

Summary: Adolf Hitler shaking hands with Hanna Reitsch, aviator and only woman to win the Iron Cross; Hitler's adjutant Nicolaus von Below, Hermann Göring and Luftwaffe General Karl Bodenschatz stand in background.

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AIR DIVISIOn.IiEAI)QUAR'L:RS WITED STA~S FORCES IN AUS~U

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THE MST DAYS IN !iITLER'S AIil ~ID SHEL'l'Eli.

1. SOURCE: NA.'1e: J'rll.u1ein HAJ1np Relhch'

INTERROGATI On SU IiWiY)I

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RAnk: J'lur-kA.piten (CR~t~ln ~f tho Ai~on~r~

ti tle p.t ven tor out s tAndin~ aeronAuticAl

f\chieve~ent.

Leo:,:!olda Kr"M OA.stlo, ·Sa1~burg·. Au..t~1~ · ...';;:. :'· · ~ ·r , ! ;-:

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. 2. mTIDDUCTIOH: This reTlort is the story of the .1.t..l t l•~a '6t ',:Jf", ", -: /~~-)

the ~Ar ·A.B they wre experienced by HannA iU!itach.; the 'well',know / i<;; : : ' . :.,:,~,~,

DemAn teat-pl1ot M el Aeronll.uUcnl rescE\rch-eipert. ' . He~ ' s t o17"doet " '0>' '

n?t p'retond t o add tl.Jq sensf\ttonnl detf>lls t o whllt h 'l'Ilrill,dy 1di6iftf : t " . '

of t1io'e,e dAYst it is rl\ther An eye-witnees ~cco'lint of"'what aetiua.!ly , ,

happened in the h~heet ~lA.ces duri nr the litet ~o·iient'.· ot ·~ ' '!flU' .

Her Mcqunt -of the f1iMt into :Se r l i n to re;,ort tt.' Hitler Rnd bf her ~ " -,

stRY in the Fuehrer's bunke r is ,.,robl'l b~ AS f\court\te l'l one A8 ' ill be "

obtf\ined 'of th C'se ll\st c.AY s , t\l thoW:h the ' "1'8 he deflld"'or iahe , (It ', )i;:'

dep.d" fpte of Hi t l e r 1a only I'nswred t ., the extent or des riblnthe .....

~en tf\l st~te I\nn the h~pe1eBeness of the 1pe~~ute· e1t~'1on. m · '.~

which inr\1vidUEl1 oT> i n inne ':lust be drnwn. Her oWn, onlnl(1n :1e !, t tiAt he ..

tf\etiCAl .s l t UEl t 1on· nnd Hitler's ~wn ,,.,hysicpl con1it1on rnl\de 'AnY~~ . . ts

or his eaCA.~o inconceivf\ble. . t ~.' '. ;

3. Her ato17 is rel:ll\rkA.ble only in thP,t she '')It\ye~ p. .~,..1l' PArt ' ,

in the even t s nf the Wl\r' Bend Allr' th-\t ahe hAd l'e'rsonl\l con t '8,ct" wi th '" .; ", .. "

the toi>-'brMkot 1111,zh lI\8 thRt en!t descendod.~n then. It)~ Allo ..or.lf \. r

interest f\S it is likely that Hettich, is one f:l f the lA8t, ,·U .not' .t he" ·,·, ~ ,

ve,ry ll\st ner s "ln who ~ot ou t of the ehelter,·:nl1ve. · Her infOrMt.~nnl.1e . ; ~ .'),-,1: : ';

ev!\lUf\ted t\8 rel1l\.ble 1\lln it .1& I\081l i bl e tbnt her story l1"Y throw sof.!e·,'" .-:

H,;ht or perhA.ps serve 1'1. tU1 'A.1d to III fuller 'kn qwl oC!r,e ot . Wh8.t .liit.ppened ' .

during 't he 1Il.st·~"of i3e r l1n lind ':f the WAr. ' ." " -. ,',,:,: ~ "'J' " , ','.

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4. At time.• she is not cert~lin II,s' t o np':IeB. I'l~ 8I'eo1f'!.~ ~.t1oe •• " ,r • J. I

~1.AneS escl\pe her. In l!IP.ny case e the cont A.c ta hereib rell\tei;· verequite "

U nited inps~ch as ' they hp,vo ·t" dn cnly with'. the tast;.:f'e~, :dPt•• " Her·0 .

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tineo r:lt\y 'be i nAccurAte as t he 'events of t ht'llo days foll owed each o t no rwi th such tu~t th~t she is often unable t o roncrwer t he prop er oe~

quence of e vonto.

5. It wi ll be noted t hnt nu ch rJf the repl')rt c on ce rn a itself withtho Nnzi f\nd Ge rr~n interpretatinn of "honorr.. Reitsch hersolf, inMswerin~ querios, cFlrefully wei~hl1 the lIhon orll aspocts of ewry ror.nrk Md then g i ve s her MS'fi\;rS cnrefully but truthfully. Tho use eft ee word Nr.oun t s pr~c ti cnlly t l'l n fotish c onplex with the source nndie ' nl:"lost ....n lnl,; ,~ni;r'11v"'S onbod incn t of h er on t!r e philoso:PhY. Her CI1nstnnt r epe ti tion ....f th~ word is in no MAnner ns obviou s t o her RS it ist o tho intcrrl') ~~ to r , n~r is the ~HAning t he S~le, nor ~oes sho recogn i ze t ho incnn~~nus u~o she nnke s of th~ word. Therefore eAch tiMellhonor" nppeAl' s It is '\P I1J.·o i~util,;nlly uu.br:it t ed in quo t At ion s .

6. She t olls he z: story i n c 1nversAtionnl f or::, pn~ Rltho'U{',h it1a , i n pnrt, r cprodu ccd i n ~hA t nannur h('nJ, no pre ten so 1a a pde thn tthe qun t a t Lon s M: 'e ~n nll CRGeS exac e ; thoy n r c sicply r,ivon a a ahere nc nbcr s the!1, !f it Is kep t in r: ind n .on thn t t his nnteri11.1 10 1\

stf\tenont of he r :lwn op i n ion s And obSOrVI\t! ims, the inforoAtion [',ay beconsidered AS cO!1pletcly r oliRble.

7. .~; -....-. T:c:r TC : :;; i : ' T; H:!.tl e r had sent f\ tel~p;rE\..'1 to Municjt on

t he 24th of Apri l t o LieutenAnt Gonornl Ritte: von Greie, instructin~h ill t o rcnort t o t he ReI ch ac hnnce L'Lor-y I'm '!, 1':.1~hly urp:ent ~nt ter. The:pr oble:: 11[ p:ettinr; i n t o Berlin WA.S t hen plroa<'ly f\ very precAr! 'lUS one ,f\S t he Rucsinns had p rnc ti cl111y enc i r c led t.~e city. Greio ho wever ,do c i,le d t hl\t by flvl'ilinr, h inse U of Hanna Reitsch AS pilot, tho 'on trancenir,h t be f\cco;::pl i shcd by r.: ean a of an Au tog i ro , which c nuld Land en thestreets or i n th~ gRr~en s ro f t he Rei chsctance l lo ry.

8. During t he n ip,:h t of t ho 25t:. t o t he 26th of April Ruitsch andGrein f\rrivo (~ .... t Rec :-.lin , pr~1\red i :.\.,e ,:in t ely t o fly into :2orlin. Asho ·~vor , t~e 'lnly Avail1\b lcl put or.iro hAd bu en ~~r,ed tl~t dRY , it wasdecidod tr~ t R Fe l~wobol pi10 t, ~:o had tl'~~n Albor t Spoer t o theFuo hror tWl1 dny s bof 'lre, s lv·ul~. fly C'rNil] i n becauao of the exporioncot he pro7iflus flir~ht h1\d t: i vcn h ir: . Sono sense of r csp ~,nsibility t oGroi:J, n s h is pe r scna), pilot a nd frie nd, 'VIDe Rei tsch bor, t o be tAkonRl onK. A Fl')ckCl-Wulf 190 Wt1S t ·1 be uae d , ....l . Lch l.11d A pi t>:-p.-I/',Ck erMef or one :FA. soenl~c r "rrl'\ l1 ,,;od behinr'l. t he pllnt' s aca t , Reitsch ....ps stuffedinto tho t " il t hr0W;r. p s '11'\11 c ncrrtency open i ng ,

9. F"lrty f i;'h te r s were tf\ken t o fly cover • . Al r-,ost i ::u-.ulUatelyupon tRk C'-riff t htly wore cn'·fI ~c r. by RussiRn n i r c rl-'f t . A runn1n~ I ho dge...hf)pp !n~ fli~h t ~ot the., tn t he Gpt ow nirfielJ, t he on ly Ber lin fie ldstill i n Gor r:Rn hAnd s. Their ovn crpft go t thr l11.lF.h wi t h nothinr: :)1')1'0

t hAn P. f6w win.; Sr.l1tc but t he , cost WI'S he ..vy '; 0 tr.e sunn(lrtin /1: figr.ters.

le. Th~ ' lAn (U:'U~ n. t Gptnlt' WPS nrde thrnUl~h f urtr.er nefl VY a t t p.ck sIy Russ1f\n fi r:htcrs wh') wore s t r JU' ing t he fi eld when t r.ey Arrive cl.Wh..t WAG loft I') f t he Gor r'Rp. p Lane s engt'/!O ,i t he Rus a i an s wr.i :"e t r.eGroin crnft nt\' ~o A succ essful IF\:Ii'.in,~ . I '1rlO ,Untc ly Rt t c ' :pts wor e :;I'':et o phone t he C1:anccll,., ry but PS All t ht! l in .... s woru out , it WA.S c'.<.lc1dodt o fly 1'..'1 "vA.i::'p.ble Fico l or-·Storcr.. f or tJ:c renf\ir.inl~ , '.i s t -,nc ~ fII'.r'. Landwithin wR1ki n,·: .d.istnnce of Hi tll: r 1s sheltor. Wit h Groin r.t t he c',ntrols an i'. RcitsC:l AS pes son ce r , ' t ht; pl"ne t ook of f un rie r- 1\ wl:irlincoover I')f GurnRn-lli.~:!8iAn dor- f ir:h t s . At p, he it~h t of P. f ow :-,o to r s Gre ir]rJlll1 M od t o' ve t A. w['~ f r n:1 t he Fie l c'. pn ,! c(;n t inu~ r.t tre,,--toF le're l t cw/'\I'd the BrA.nden~ur~or Tor .

11 . ~tro et fi r;!".tinr; WRS p' i nt: "' :1 belc w l~.; ~ IIn,4. Cl1 untlossRussiAn ni rcrAft we1'(, in t he pi r . After " f ow ::i nu t e s of fli r ht,he RVY firo t ore r.u t t.!".c bnttl') : i ~f tl. e plp!le M~. severely i n j ure d.Gr e in ' c ri ,'ht l eI':, Ey ro Rer'i n:' .w e r r.i e sh'\uldora, lWitsch t o'lk

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Groir.u "No, noin Fuehrer•."

~itlorl "D~ you kn~v.why I .hnve c~lleu i~u?""'., ."

. Hitler: lI:Bocl\use He,rt:'IRnn ' Go or lnl ~ h!'.e betrl\j"ed Met. doeortoll bnth ne Ann his 1l\therl'Uld.. Behind r.,. back he hF\B eBtl\b-:. liohod ennnoctions ....ith the eno~. His f\cti nn 'lmS n nI\.rk of ooW1U'dice.And l'u~ain6t rr:I orders he hn8 ~onll ' to Sl\ve h l n s\llf nt :Borchtes~M.en.

'roo' thero he :sont 00 n disrespeotful tcle~r~J • . Ho sl\id thl\t I hAdonoe:n,.,ned:hio 1\6 r.,y successor Met thnt M ...., I\S I ....I\S no lnllP,Or f\ble

. to ,r.,ue , troc :Borlin he WfI,9 prOpl\redtn rule frln :Berch te s~l\den in' oy·p1noe • . : H8~ . olo se s the ....ire by stl\t1n~ thl\t if htl had no Mswer froncie bY 'nIne-thirty on the dAte bf the ....ire he would I\ssune ny Ans....er··t o "b,e .1ri' the pSf imp.t1ve. \I "

': ~i5~ , The Gceno Re1tsch describes I\S "tnuchin~ly drl\r:ll\tio~, thl\t.. thore wore teRrs in the FuehrerJ.s eye6 11.6 he to1ft · the::! of Goer1n~16

. .trel\choi7, . th.<>.this ho ....rt 61Vl:1'6 rl, thf\ this fRoo ....ns dep.thly pnl1id, !'.nd~ht\t.the uncontrollen ehAkinp.: of his hAnds n~le the nessnp,e flutter

.'....PIUY R.S he hM~e(l. it to Grein. :. . .

. · 16. ' ·, The· Fuehrer's fnce renl\ine·(I. Ile l\t h l y ' eRrnellt l\S Grein rel\d.,Then .evor,y .MUs cl e in it bar,~n t~ tvitch nnn 'his bro~th opne in explo-

, : e1ve .:.oUt~8: only ....ith t3ffoi't (li d he t~ ....1n sufficien't contrnl to 'MtUAllyshout I

...: 17. "An ul tirip..too!! A crl\es ul tinRtun!l Nov no thin~ rOr.1niu.Nothinr~ i6. BpR.ron nee Un Aller:iAncoSRre kept, np lhonor'l lived ~'t o , ' nn d1SRppointncnte thl\t I hAvo not h~d, no betrAYals thnt I hl\venot:' o::tperienced, Md no.... this tlbove M·l else. Nothinll: renp.ins.Evor.r ·Vrnn~ hns nlreA(~ been dQne ee."

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~. . c~ntt'nl ot the crett ,.ha b7 dodl;ln~ Md Iquifnlnp: clnlelY Alon~ the(r" < go~d• .;brnUr.h t thQ plane 'd:>vn (In the El\et-Weat AXh. Hel\V)' RuldM, , " ,~~l.:uer7 , nnd InPXl. ~:r;r nro '<1M eM6 tinp, ther nrea vi th ehrl\}lnol nl

;., . ':tb:81, 'lIuldod. .A pl\ae~ vehicle ""e ol'\l'\MhdQercd to \Nee then to(, JI.1t)P):'1 Ii ehelter, With Grem receivin..~ tiret l\id fnr hie Ihnttered':l .. f, foot("n the YAY. "~\;:...; : .f,( t . •{J ~ . . . . , • •

'~''<'' .: ', '. '.la. .~~(;v...y ,.1:, nIrrw:.l y .:i1£J..] .T..:;il: Grein Mel. lleit~Ch arrived in(f.' .;".. the bun.lcor betwe~n 6 l"nd 7 0 olnck on tho cvenin/!; of tlie 25th ot April.~ .;. ...,;' ; J'1r ii~ · to "lOst then 'WA s Frl\U :Goeli bEl l s , Wh" tell 'Upon lleitech 'lith teare'j:,.r" ,, ' ;'ttnd; ]duoa, expruss1np; lter l\etnni~ent tMt nnynnc sUll pnueeeed~1~ :.~ .~, ~"'.OO~At?9 And loy....lty ·t 'l cone t" the !ilehrer, in etl\rk contrp.Bt .t o\.~. ' ,.:,: 1.&1;1" those ",ho hA-n ~~tfeerted hi".. GTe 101 "RS imediRtelt t!\kon to the

' .• ." . "."1.' . ' . •I,:;. · " . i~~ " operl\t1on ron~l ....heru H~'l;16r' 6 physic1M tendtll\ the injured foot.~.\~ ~: ~ -~ ) ,.:. . .', " "

,;.;;.;t : '::' ...:' ; , 13• . Hitler CAne into ·tho sick r"on, aC\Cord1nt~ to lleltsch, with; ~" ;...... .' . ,hi . tAce ehl'lvinp: (I.ee-o ~rt\titurle rrver G:-oln: e coninp.:. He reOl\rked ..;;~ ':~ ". ,', " io·mthinr. :t o . tho effect t.h~.t· even f\ Boldior ht\s the. rif".h t to . d18oOO"'\.~~;'~' ;\ ' ", An ..nrder. vhon uve:rythin;.~ indicA-tos thllt to carry. it out 'WOuld be. ",/ , ., tut.11e :M e"• .hnpcloBB. Groin then ropoMod' his pre aence in tho ot'ticinl:'" ' ~er .., '

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. ' " ',./.. '.. 18 • . As Reitsch explnlns it, the scene Wf\S in the typicl\l "-at tu

. :Brut e " . nnnner, full of renorso ' Mn Bolf-pity. It 'omS long. beforo hoc~uld ·.,-;RtMr sufficient 'c '1n t r ol ttl c(·ntinuo •

. .19. With eyes hAit\ Rl).d half-closod ~nf '. in 'I. v'l1ce unUSUAlly 10....

he went onl ," I i:medintely hnd 'Goor i nr:' p.rrestcl'. 1\8 1\ ' t r R.l t o r ··. t o the,..~ich, took frn .... hin Ml 111 8 offices, onJ. rtln?vt3d hin f r "'n Elll .or~M1

IA-tions ' Thnt 1s· ....hy I bf'vo cnlled you" to .ne • . I hereby doclare youGoorink i s 6ucceosor na r:·berbofchlshr.ber rlera~tW'~fe. ' I n the nMe ofthe (].emnn people I ~ive you l.1Y hnn :~."

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20 . "T" :,", ~ : , /r . ~:: , : . :' , ~ ... :""'~ '; ':"'.'! : Grcl ., ',m r.Re1t 6c h we~l C dp lY --;;-;:; .:::~:;'~ · '~~- tl. . nows ,.F G"Ie rini · 1 S bu l;·:-py" J.. Aswith "Inc :-.i n r1• i.. t.,~v 1::, t :: ; ~ (' I <:,J\.. " . E id.c ~' · s !1rn", s rn .: bt:li :; '('r: t ". 1)(,) '11l llwc r, t ;, rC i~1\ i:1 "' ~ t he h...rl~:.c~. t ln('. ,.• ~ i: h t he i r " .,In l i ves r.t"nt.! f llr t heE:rc P.t wr n!!, ' thpt G'le :-inr ' :: F·,l TlCl''':'C: (·r nte ,: r.::t'\i n st t r.c Fue h r er . p.,: r.instt he Gcr ;;11J1 l'l"" 'p1.C, P!! .: "':fl ~ r.s 't the Lu!'1;w"f fd it s" lf . T"I s nve t he"hl''lnnr" 'If , ."1" : :',:' .. ': ~ ....!l. 'l h"" ; ,l ~ t.! L t o r c e s t po l la!:! t he If r.l') n 'l r lt of theLuftw".ff c. t! lI,t G " ~ r i !'l , : /1" ,-: , ·.I:lst r" y~',· , pn ,'. t l') .-:uprnn t c p. t he II h inc.r lt ofthoir l "nr1. : :1 t:.,-' eye a of tJ:u 'Il ' ,r l \l , th<:>y b(; ?,~o , ~ t o r C!:lp.in. Hi tlor" l:rC(J ('. t o 1" :1 ;\'[ :L.'s /' :'.'1 t.01 {. thp.:: t h t.Y :< i :h ~ stny, nn r~. to V. t hor;t 00 t hf'.t t hc :..:c ' : ,-· ('. ·. ~ i· ' r. " .) ',;. . ~ ,~ l ·)n; : be :,";"'L'· ~he .r(;"'. i n tl:o !.1 s t ory of theLuf'twf'.ff e . It. h..,,1. bom P::',v}ll,"s l y p.':-lf·n;:u(: W.i t!: ()pc r p t1lln s FI t Rac hlin ..thnt nn r.J.r:.:·r.f~ ..,,;: :.r. .:,-·;'1... i:1 t he r..1 :.<. ·, ,',,,, :, t 'l 1;;tl-:e V'ro in "n~. RcitBChou t ' of B(;;:r :'.::1.. j;"h' ·i:h.~ t '.l1rl y !l?(: ~'.t, .~ ' (1\:'/ .. t o s i.r.y it wo e L.1po Bs i b l e toge t the i!lf .w:· :'~'· ~ .n :lU~ . .k:Jt h 1.'n , i n 'iJttJ w, ',::U.:1C , Wfl. S (;(;;)1 :\.i n , : p Lan e r:;Rf t er plc'lIlo, ufl.ch ,:ho t. ,~ <1 \vn i n ~;L: ;n by the it 'j~~ :'Hn s , FJ.nf\l ly on ' t he27 th E\. JU 52, l OR,\. ":'. vith &5 I-:"Jl'.::- t il t,n,'. h'1· ~ .. ;1~.t ion , !,,'.E1.r.rl ·oe: to lflnd ont ho iiAB t-~"est trRf.:'}c pX", s , bu t bo cn use R<.:2\·b(;11 nn -I G~'l:in nfl.u inten ,·.e dt :l s tRY, WI'.S s en t back ~ :' :Fty, ('I'no ', r C'. J r (;.-,:,11' u:d n,' Ooorm . WP.S r e-Leaao t fr' ,!"'. t hc Ull' ~ ..:l::i :r ' · ·un ,L he F.,.QUp,r tl: rs B():10 ti --:lo on t h.; 23rd of April.)..

:n. l:l~ : , ..:'. ::;.,~;:, 1':;" . '.';.11..,:" "v :'J .~ ~ : LFt te r t hp.t first e ve ningHi tler c l\lie <,, · ·RU·lt~Ci1t~ ·h·i; 1· -i;11i·s-~;.1 . · Bno r encnbe r-s th Rt h i s f ..ceWf'.S Ite ep ly lin" ..: pr,r. t.h11.t there w;~s fl c :·n sTjp.nt fil rl of c0 i s t u r o in hieeye s . I n eo very s:lpll v o i ce he S fl. ~. n.. IiH;o-,ml P , you be Lon -: t e, t h ')s c who...111 <'.1e wi t h no , Bfl.ch of us h <'.s fl v i pl of p oi so n such a s th i s tl ,

w1th which he h('nJ.o-'l. he r on e f0r h e r ee Lt' p.Ilr' . on e f or Grei 1. III co notw1ell t h At one of us f nlls til the Rus~ions al ive , n or ~o I wish ;)u rb o.tio s t () be f ('lun·4, by t he n . Ef\ch p ur s-n is. r esponsible f or 'l.o s t r oy1n~ h i s boc~ s o thp t nottinp, r ec0..7.n i zfl.blc rO:lRine. ~v~ A.n~ I willMve our bo r'~ies burnod . Y"lU wil l ~.ev i Go Y'lU:r nwn ne t ho. ' . Will youplafl,s El s o i nfoTn V0n Gre i n? If . ,

a. ,

.~

·.f

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4 ' .. ..

CC~1FIlm!TIAL

23. "~o HMn". , if I (lie it is f or thp. lhnnor' of our country,1t 1s ~e cAUso · ~ s 11. eol~ier I !:lUqt obey fly own CIl~~e.n1 th~t I wnuldue fon <'. l3erlln t o thu lfl s t. By .~e ", r ;·:l r l , I tUn. n ot 1nt.en~: it eo. Ibelicve t\ fi l':.lly t h p. t :Berlin W"lulrl. 'be ep.vtJ,'. A. t the bMks 0f thEl Cder.Everythifl/: we hf\C: wP.e ;·.I')Vt).t t o hf) l , ~ thA.t :;J0 s iti on . YoU !.lI\y believethAt when ryur best of f o r t s fRile (~ I Was the no e t h~rro~·struck o f£1.11. Then when the ~ncirclt.lnent of the City Oo~"n thG knowle~e thatthere were t hretl :l illiI'm of TV c ountry-,non still 1n Berlin T:1l'.de it necessl1.ry thP.t I s tp~ t o defen~ then, . 3y etRYin~ I beli eved thf'.t allth<3 troops Ilf the lAIlrt wnul',- tnko ·e xnr:tpl .; throUt-'h r-y nct fin 1, c 'ln o' tothe rescue of the city. I hop ed thnt th~y woul<'. rise to supe~-hU!JAn

etforts t n SRve ne Rn~ thereby s~vo ~ three 'n111ion country-non. But,tv HannR, I still h"ve ho p e. The F'.roy of Gener.A.l Wenck 18 n0v1n ·~ uptron the Stiuth. Hv !:lUst e.n'\ will ''-r i ve the Russ1l\lls bACk lon~ eno~}i

to 8P.VO our people. Then \>C will fpll bl1.ck t o hol(~ I'l,f:n1n."

22 . R£: 1t sch sfwk t o (\. ch~1r in t eRrs, no t. , she cl.. i ns, ove r the-.c e r t Ri n t y I)f he r 0W!'l en '" bu t b <l c t" u so f l)r t he first t i --:c she knew thnt

t he Fuohror Sf\W t he cpuse R S 10s t. Thr ou ::h t he ~0" S sho SE\.i l, IfHo1nFuehror, why i" y ",u s t py? Why rio y 'lU ,\"p r i vtl GOrT'lPny of your lifeT~c.n tho news WAe r tJl o"ec d t hp.t YIlU wl')ul·t r c. nrin in Ber11n til tho lA.st,tho !leol)l e were Rr;f'. Zt.l ~. wi t h h..,r r o r . 'T}-.e Fuohrer :'lUst live .so thRtGerMl'ny CM l ive r , the peop l e sl\i:.. S,,-ve y ()ureCllf, i-ic: i n fuehror, thf\t18 t he w1l1 of ever y Gerr.lf>n."

:.. 24. It appeA.red a~'1ost AS if' he ba11eve1. this hioselt' M e'. f\S theconverSlttinn closed be WE\.S ...n1k1n~ Itbout' the rooo with q,u1ck. et\l,Obl1n~ .

ittr1du. 'hi s hEUl'·. claBpud b<:h1n". h1 n IU)d hie hynd bl)1ib1ni: up Mil. r.own .i~ ~: · a li :~ walke d. Althnw,h his wor,'.s 6pqke ot hopEl, H~pcla1ns thAt !lie, " I.. . tf\ce ~eh()"o/\ld thl't the Wnr W116 ~vor. .

" . : . " " ...~ I

25.

30• . .0:.!.::i- ••\\·,.J'l..t ~;i 5 O .~ ] h:..;J .~.:.::l C r: :~ tTl:,.~~: ' Boi tech hAd' 'f U \ I) .j

tl\Ct with '1os t of the pcopLe in the shelter, 1:'eiru; ~ ,o stly oCC11p 04 Donursin:', von Grtlio, but she lad hl\ve the opportuni.t7 t o 8pC!·Jt)O,"'f;18' !!t.~~of then l'nd ob so rve their rOMtbns unn,'r thr.. trTinl! cond1t1~""ot' ~ ,..; .11\8t 1',ny S in the '1un kCi r . It is bdlovod tltJlt she f\ttocp~a ~~ ,· ,z:.e1Rt~ ,; •her o' ,1 se r vl\t i on s truthfully AD' ~ thE'.t her re#\ctionl nro honeatq 'c >"

ce Ive .t, It I'!Ust "0 r e'"lc- ' ltJrcd th.. t prior to her 1U'r1vRl in tl18 .Rc1tsct. hl\d r.u t 8~11 contl\ct with n os t ot thoso in:Uvidunl. ftnd

"he r prl:lvious o:n i n1on s ro,'l\rI\1n,: thor. were I\t A. rl\thcr low IOTOl., ..V;l ~ ..,, ;;;,,; ~~......rn~'lll

t ho pe opl o she WI\S 1\11e t o o~sorvo closely thQ Goe ~ ;bola f~111 prbn....1y stM~,S ('l u t .

31. TJ ',''I':) ;\ G0:.:,:":"I ," ; She ~.e 8c ri '!>e s Goeb"ols ".1 ':lein/~ inaanolT1ncensed 'r,ve r Goerin::' s +;ro t1.chcry. He Btro ~.o I\u....ut his a;~l• .l~. : " ~l ous qUl\rters l1ktJ »n lUlir:l'.l, : :ut tor 1n.~ vile I\CCU8nt!. ·lns oonoernl!4t .. "

5

CCnPIICliTIAL, >

"

.. ;- .

the LuftWAffo lop~or ~n1 ~~ ~ he hP,n ~nne . The nrccpri~us ~1 l1 tnry

e1tupUnn o ~ thu ::vmont ....e.s ::ZoU:'ill.:: i 6 1p:...Lt , Th;Jil' ~:-e5r,t·. pEr;ht. ! ' • ..,,..s GoorlJ1/: : s f l'l ",: l t. Ch"lulr'. t.ne \oh ".1" ' IC lost , fl.e ::'t cc:-tninJy nt'w

SOO!'lCd 1 t woult'. 'ttl , thf, t t.ol'\ """-.l.l ~. be G')I.l::' in;':=s f ii.u l t .

36. One of t he last t h1n r s Rei tech r O.....anb cr-a henr I n-: f r ra tholip8 nf tha proplV:fUl.~a l1l'l.s t or WI\S: lI\<io shnl l !;O ': 0"'0 f or t ho ~lory

of ,the Ro1eh ac thnt t he nane of Gerr1MY wU l livo f orever. II :'::venBoihoh Wf\8 n'lven t o cnnc ;1.u(~o that thu G() (jJ ".:.e ls i'.1sp l /lY I in spite ofthe tensonos8 of the sitURtinn, WEIS 1\ ~'i t overtrnvn nn.t ou t nn:', ou tthantricl'.l. 'She clf\1"::8 thpt in her. opinlon Goe':>bc ls. t hc n n. s hi: (11""'Y8 hAd, :perfomo (~ n a if he ....e ro sp epJ:1n, : to R le i~ ion of h i s to r i~n s

..,hn yore av1 f.ly I\wa1tir, ,: nnd r ecor".1nr: eVG r y ....nrci. She ndds t hl'\ t he rown du~1(luS 0:n1n1r,n s rtH :,qrdin,~ G"o'hhele' nnnne r 1sMs , h i s supcrfici li.lity, M ". stu(l1e ~. orn to ry , woro well su;stFln t1R t c f'l. 1;y t hese ou t'lur s t s .She ela10B t or., thFlt I\fter l1s t cn1ni' t l'l t heso t j r ndcs she nn d vonGro1n nttcn Rake d oAch othe r , with fI, s M, htJnd-ohRkin,~ Rt ti turic , IIArotheso the po l'lplc ~o rule d our country? "

32. lIT"llAt ew~ncll : Goc 'b'Jo ls 81'.1c'., "who MS RJWRY 6 set hi<1seU upft,S the Fuohr or ' a K~'~ fl,tc s t 81:."Ju llr t no w r.O(; S n':l t h ",7.. vhe c '''.l r~., :e t o

8tnnd besl~o h in. ~e i f thn~ - werc nnt enl'\".l~h, ho ~lU, t s to r p.n~o ~o tteJuohror RS he ·' .'. of th') St Ft t e. He , P.1l i:-,C.tJC3St\.,t incf) ::r')o 1..: cn t , ~:1f\ h~sdestroyod h l s ~~h'nhl~'i .. ith h:' s niahF.r.(~.:l ...r.~ pn.t a tup"'d~ ty , no w WA;1 ~ ato ·loRt. the cn~"':c r.R ~lOh. By ~hlA ~: onc te provo6 thnt ho ....n s nuvc rt~ ~no of us , thp.t I'.t he~t he '-IR S a ::'W/lY8 we; pJc an'·. ? t rnito r . n

,33~ All til~ s : i\S Hnnn n eA.w H, vaa i n tho be s t thop,tric l\l uanne r ,

with nueh hand wf,vjnf: M n !'.nu (:f} atwe s , ; .IVI0 e ven no ro I'::-otesque by\t ho jorq UP-~\"l",-rlc ..·n h ) "1bl~,nl! n s he a ~ ::-od-.; .. I\"r'l:.t the r oon , \'ihen he

" ~sn I t rllil ln~ c'\b ')'lt- C:H;i 1:1" ho Sl1r,kc t.o ',:- , c~ Inr I( '. nbou t the c xc.r·,p l o\hpuo in t he c,·.!l;.ku: w.:::ce s ..;'~ t~ llr:.fo r his'j'o , ;.,.. . Atl on l' pIn t fo r T.l nnd

:ppinf~ R chc>,L~~b...ex l::.ke ~ r ns t:-.;.'1 1:" S,) i.: :

-r

' ,34. Va tiro toa~hlnr; t ho ....I'l::- Ir.- ho w non ,'.l e f ,or thu 1r ' h rm orl.tur ~nt~ '~l ~o nn uto !n~l exa~lo tn ~J I Ger~Ans. t o Al l fr1on~s

I RDd aIJiCB r.like. One ('.ny the ....ho l,e ..", r 1,·'. \"1) 1 li.cknowl er.r,e t h F' t we.M", r~.h,t, thAt "-"0 s(I \l i':h'~ t o p:;'o!;uct t h ... ·... , )I · 1L~ l\r"';l\1na t boll:hevi sn wi th

' ~r l1vOB. tno d,~ 1t wi l l be s et ~0wn i n thtJ h ia to r y of Rll t 1~e .n

35: It App0t\rs thRt GO\1 J 'Jols e xe r c i sc d his frr tlAt e s t pbllity tothe 'va ry last. The ~, O T.lS of Goob~o ls pn~ RO li sch ndj~ inod a nch 0ther

, , · lUid door" wore usually open , Throu /7h t ho:,: t he Goc'J'Jbl s or n to r y wouJ, (1.-, 80W1i: out,at any hour ':I f ,-,tho f./lY or ni .:ht • .An" A.J.Wl\Y s thl,; t n lk .....a a of

·.h~norll, ·o:t' IIh'lw t o d i e n , 0f ;' s t Mrti n p, t rue t n t he Fuehre r t o t hel"at·, of lIr.ottlrv. I\l' I (;zf\"'~lo t hRt wouli'. bnt:: blp.z \,) ps A hnly thin~

troo tho Pf\I!O B of his t nry. Ii

37 • • ;"J'. ·.tI,jL ••,·. ....i.~ Frnu GoeJ";ols ahe (~eG c r i\ ,'e s I'. S (l very b rA,vewonM. WhOllO contrnl, .....hi ch ....liS pt r'os t ti::lJS stronl:, ,.',11' ":Jrc:"k r:n'Wnnow M~. then to p i d f ul sJ.lpsn s of woe:ub~ . Hor ",p : n COncer n wns h()rc~1lr\.ron n.n1 in tho i r p retlcr.ce he r 1:n:1l" e :- WP.O nl....ny s '.el:,·htful «netcheory. lfu.ch of h\,)r ,'lAy W/1,S r.c cun \ (,;('. i n kucpin.: t r.e cr. ll (~ren Tsolothoa C10M M d ti"'.y . 1\1\( " S tb,y h p.r. nnl,y th~ c l cthc3 thuy ....oreth1s ker-t Frl\'l:. Gnu';)".:!.!.:: OC curlO ,1. . Cf tt: n she ~"'l ul , ~ c.'l;,ckly reti r o t oher r oor:. t o h1r\,o the tCI' :-S. It Fo'?l' \l"' ." 1! fr ')'1 HnnnF\' B 'll;sc r iilt.!nn t r. 'ltlrR.u Gnl.b ')o ls prot l\'1ly T ,jio r': B (:n tr, ~\ tr. 1) elJ~ , t') :c ".f lTnzi in , nc t r i nf\t!on.

30. If t he Th1.rl Ro: 'cn c ou J ,~ nnt li Ve sh u 'C rc:for reC: tn cU e withtt, n~r ....ul.\ sh t: f\ll,lW i;(; r :'r. l } l~:C:':!! ''; ' , "u t ),l VU i~, . In rc c l)~n1tl ~nof the cx.'\!"".ple aho c n~; ( ,,\ h. -: :.f ', ~ ' U " <}I.'I-;~,JI ',yr. ,,:.' r,.. i:r:0': , E ~ t l (' r , 1n t hollraucncl:; of nl l the occu:;. pn t,tl '.f t !.... '"r,'"k,:r , :': i l. s" n t c r. ' hor ,d t l: n i sllerof)nT'l · ,·cl,lon pp :-t y inf.lll ~nip. . \\.1. ll~~~( ch pille r ~, f t ho Tr.nnr,r' upc,n

I

, 6

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'tth1oh llnt10nRl Soc11\l1E 1mB :''''Illlt f\.nct the GorI:IM :rptherlAnd foundod" I

~8 hiB Approxinftto re~k nB he pinned it t~ her drosB.

39. Frau Goebbels otten th:mked God thl'\t she waB A,l1ve BO \hntahe Cl'luld kill her ch1lc'.ren tn snVEi tho "'! fr·o~ whatever "ev1l" vnuldfollow t he coll~ae. To RoitBch sho Bn1ct, "l!y d~ar llonna) when thoen d COI:lO S y rlU I'lU s1: help ti t! if I hoc 'l,,\e veRk A,~'iut the chil(1ron, Yououst hel~ ne to he l, then ou t 'If this l~fo, They jcll'ln~ t o t ha ThirdReich Anct to the :i'u.ahI·cr M d. if those two thir.r.s ceRse t l"l exist t herecsn bo no f u!' ehuI' pLace f 'lr then. lh..t y ('lU rrJ.s t hel~ ne t My E: r oP.t e s tfeFU' i B thF\ t ,d., the IF.s t '~ urton t I wl ll l)e t oo W<ink. I;

40. ·It is ' HAnna.1 s belief tMt in the ll\st :10nen t she was not'oIOM•.

41. C/"lnc J u G ~ 'l11 :l thp.t CAn be sflfely r'.:"'fl·..m fr'ln HI'.nnn ' s rcnnrkais thl'\t FrF\u Go,,·obeJ.a WFo.S s i ;:r,ly one of thf. ' ~o s t conv m cc a sUb j ec tsof he r own hushrtn c.i s r ,m tinr:s: the ",o s t p ronounced OXN'1p1tl of t he Nl\z1influenc E: I"lvo r the wonen 'If Gur~1Fmy.

42, 7::,~ f1 :' : ~ ' . : ..:..;~.~ vi-:!r.~rl:.ar : Tho Gocl)'ueLs chll.U'on nunbe red six.Thoi r nane s Mi~ l'\p:p roxi '1l\t tJ ,v :e s 'tIO r &; HelA" 13 ; Hil:~l\ , 11 ; Hclnu t ,9; HoLdo , 7 ; Hoc1.dE\! !' ; lloiele, 3. 'l'hLy ..-ez-e t he one h. r i~h t ano t ofre liof i n t he s t ark, (~e t\ t h shl\ ltowen Efe (i ,+' the '0un kc r , Rei t acht l'\UF.ht t he, son"s which they 8An~ f~r th3 Fu0hre r flnd f or tho injuredvon Grein. Their tAJ.k WP.8 full ~f heinl': it, ;/t he c ave" ....ith their"Uncle Fu.ehrer", and in B"9i te of the f"ct t hf\t t here wor e bortb s "u t side, no thinp: coule reAlly hl\rn thon l\S Lonr; f\S th~y 'WOre with' hi:1.And Al\Y"'1\Y "Unc le ru~hror" hl'\d sRi~ t hnt s oon t ho Bol niers wouln o on~

M d nr 1vo the ~ssinns l\....ay Rnd t~an t l"l norrow t hey coul~ 1\11 ~o ~nck

to pll\Y in thoir ~l\rnen . ~ve ryone in t he bun ke r en to r od into theF;pne I'lf rtl\k'. n;~ t ho tiT.le '·,l\S -pl e f1 BAA t fl.S 'Oo s Bi,)l e f or t hen, Frl\uGoebjels rey.e n t e nly thMk~d Rci tsch f or DRkin~ t heir 1I\st ~ny S enj~y

ab Le , l\9 Rcit scll of ten , ·l\'thor l,rl. the:', abou t hor nnr\. to l .\ t hen Longstories of h~'r f lyi nl; nnd '? f t ho ~lp.oe s she hl\n '; e on "nri t he coun triesshe h"d seon.

43• .u.\~ .. :. ~::9'!N ~ It aooned t r") Rcit sch t hF\ t Hi t le r ' s "~1rl friend"re nl\ined stu(~i ously truu t o hor }Jo sHi' n RB t he "show-piece" in t hofuohrer l s cirt:le, Hos t of her tine WAS oc cu p I e d i n finr:er nl\n pol i sh.inE:;, chnnl~lnK ~f c Lo t he n f or ench riou r' o f t he I1PY , (\no. 1'.11 t he oth\:! rlittle f e": i n i ne t psks of ; ~ ro ()n in l- , co :: " inl ~, "nfl poLi sh rnv-, She ae unedt o t Ake the nr-o sn cc t s I"l f ,1 y ~.n . : with th£' Fuehr e r P.s qu ite r<A t t e r of[pct, ....ith l\n nt·titUc'.e thf' t sOt'ne d t o sl\Yi "- -hRr1. not t he r e l E'.t10nship -'e en of 12 Lon-: yeR r s t1.urp tion fln(: held she n o t so r i /"l us ly t hrel\tenad suici.l e when Hi tle r on co wlUlte d to 1' 0 r llt nf hc r-, Thi s. would beA. nuch tt#\slor wrl.v tl'l l.He Anl1 r-u ch .io r e p ro1? ('~-" , Her con s toA n t re~rk WR S, "Poor , poo r MO l f , c'.u se r te(l. ......v evc r yono , l-e t r pye d " y ,,11 .Be tter t r.n t t e n thoUSAnc'. o t he r s di e thpn thl'\t he :'lO 1/"1 st to Oernflny , "

4'.. In Hitler l s ~re son ce sho wns Alwt1ys Ch1' r , 'l in~ : , f\n ,"'. tl\()U/?'htfulof h i s e vory c/"l~f0 r t , ~u t /"I n ly wh i l e she WAS wi t h hi" wns she co~

p 1etc ly in ~hprl' cte:- , f /"lt: tho ":oncn t hu wnE: Cl Ut (If cl\ r ··shr.t she wl"l uldr l'\vc n~ )ut nll t he -.1.~1c:rp t~ful swin(J wh'l hnd ".cserte f ~ t he i r Fuehre r andt hp.t e'\ch of the:l sh '1ul ;'. be no s t royeJ. . .\.11 he r I'e~l'\rk s hnd AA Rdole 9cant t inge And it p.ppenred thn t t he only ";WOC. ;l Gcr :-JUls at the ~1O~1e n t

wero t ho so who ·....0 ..0 C.flUi~ht i n the 'bunke r I\nc1. thp,t nl l the o t hor s weretr1ti t or s bOCAu se thoy wero not t here t l"l ,lie wi th h i :l , The r el\S 'lns f orher w1l1in!~e s s t o ll ie with tt,o r~st wore t.l hilAr t o t h"se of FrF\UGocbJels . Sh E.! wns si r.;pJy crmv ince d t hl'\t whAt ev er f r,llowcn the Thi rdRei ch w()ul , ~ nfl t be f ·~t t o l i v f! i n f or r t rue Ger l".l\n , Of t on sho 13"",

proese '1 S,irrow f or t h" s c pOClp le wh/"l -...tIr o u n'\ lE.! t o r1.c Rtr 'lY the::lselve BI\S t hey woul ..'. f ore ver hc f or cc ,\ t ,., l ive withtlu t "honor" I'\nd r c1ucodinsto flu t o livin,: F\S r.UI'1" '1 " u in, ' s wi t h"ut s 0ul s .

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C' llFIDLll'I'IAL

. I • 4

~: "1 ', -CON!'IWNT:rAI.

1

. ':45; - ~i tech eephasizoe thAt :B:'AUn :-'3.8 very Rppn!'en tly o! .rAther shP.ll m.. !1ent'\:~. t:r ; 'J1:'.t .sho flI e r, pp,:."tlea th".t rllhl ' Wti.O a ""O~

beAu1;1f'ii.\ 1r(O r.'~1 . :!b .Vf1n O:: fu.':f i. ~ l :;.n l?; hez- purpo so , R....~.ta':·r_ c"n .1 ~f..~:T.' B

.. it; bi~ly 'Un::UkE.'ly -;n,.t; :5:A'I..l1 r..Ad My con ur o 1 0 :'.' :lnflu.;n c t.: 'lVO t" Hi ';l e1'.'Fhe' runor o f ;;hl,. J.Al!t.·nin ut t> t".R:"X:'AP;6 cO:'-OlJony Rc:.:l.tsch cnneidot"s ASb1t~ly :unlikuly, not onlY 'hbcnU Stl she c oHov;; s thp.~ Hitler hh~. nogueh. intcnt~'ln ~u~ Al S0 be cAuse ~h6 circu~etuncoa i n ~he b~ikur onU'.e lAst dn:.' s ....o...i.:.c. h ave ~.~.u su ch :« c~r~n")r.y l u ('.iC ;I;"OUB. (ju :.:- ta~.nly ,

~ (l tho hrl'J RJ::.tSl:h l e ft t ee ~n.'ro r. h11.r t\l..v 1\ ~v bo fo :-en:..tle r i sd,)I'.~ . .....\ 8 .U~::\J.:',~'~ ~" t ho ;;·(l lv.•! nn 1. 'h" en t· n l.. RJ,ip;h t e s t ~o ni; :l .0n o~ su cnll. Ce %!8!"\o ny . : ~:'; rUl,,\(\l tnp t 1;n·.:r.;; h ....ll 1JUtl:l LJ h ';;l r",r en ou t of the un i on,BeitBch quioklj' ~ .• BO: .060 S ;\S ;e Rn j; t'l. B ·~' i c , .

~6 , .~_~;\'.:' 11i· _ ·/.bh."l~l:_ EO:': ·f.vu ln ;·,ovu r;l. ~b(jut vc;ry 11ttle, kopt Inst:eA.ll very cJ 0 so to h: B vt:».-:; :ml~ rt:J'JX:.. t:o \\ll':! II ·.·o ~ o :-d inp- 1'h o· :.;() '1 tm t.ousevents in the bu·::r.·s ,~ f .>r P0 u'';U l .L1:y . :i J:hl:l : 'Y ·",~ · .- .l . -over y ac t I on wentdown on his PA!,€. ~ . :lf~() n he W;n l ::.rt v.~. a :.. ·, ·;h.'. '; ,;>cra l:l, n ...• thfl.t to soow11n~ly dorisnd whn." t ho vxac ~ r -';"lP.rk hArl: ~'Gr: l: '~:nn '~ "')['.t:scr.. be t vc c n theFuehrer lIn<'l t h .: ~\.. .:rin n he hs d j~l!t M~. /1[1 f . c.·.l~cn<.~ witr.. ThIn~B thntpRssed 'lJetwtll.ln o t r.e r OCCUp M '';1:i of t he bunzcr wur e R1 Bo cu:-efully recarden. 1'h1s dccune rrt w'?s t o .btl s:ol ::-It o l', :',u t of t h t; bunker P.t thevery lRst nonon t, so t h f\.t, F' c co r d.i nil: tl') the ;1'lddst :lk rn1U1n, it couln, '"tRke It 1s Jl~f\.ce nr.~ .'m;~ tho gorcf\. to s t ch r-ptcz-a of Gornf' n hi s t ory. 11

47. i."X'·· ~' ,I T: . ,j, · Th rou;>;h0u t Eil.1r.F1.· s atp-y in tl:o bunke rHitler' B ;u'.nn"'.Jr~d phyBict11 con ltHion sunk t ~ lO WtJr an. l ower dep t h s "At first ho BCC:lO<i t o be ulR,v i nr: tho p rnper pn r t of lo p.,'. i n. ~ the dof'on aeof rre r~p.ny Rnrl B~ rlln. An~ At l irat this wne i n Bn ~o ~f\.nn~r r-0 a8ibloas conrrum cat Lon s WOrO s till quite :-e E flb l tl. i-iossn,;e a wore t E: h.phonon to a f l Ak to wer f\.n ':' fr ') ~ t he i-e ...rere r flc.i r.e c'. nu t t y ::1;'PoDa of ann1'tpble , 1:Alloo n·~ Buspcnde ". 1\tlr if\.l . :aut. e ach (l RY thi a WRS :"l r o Rn rlne r-o d I l' f l cul t un t~l lRte ro n ',he f\. f te rno01l (If the 20 th Rnl~ 'Ill ,~ ont h o 29 t h cOl"''1Uni cnt i rom S we ro "lr10at i !.m"ls Ri'~lu " On " " r,u t, t l-.e · 2Cth o fApril, f\.t whRt wns p ro1,,,':ly ~r.'] l p.s t Hi tlc r wRr-council in t he Reichschnncc llo:y, t he ?u~hrer is ~R i". t "l hl' vc "elm s c, ovc r c r,;;e ~y t he porBIatllntly hnne luBB news thRt h~ cl":lTllotcl" " rok.:: "."W1l in t ho u r e e<.: n c eof a l l the r~n the r i n .: . 1'110 tR lk i n ''C hc lm·nkl.'r , whero Hl'nnf1 he"r r~ ofthe coll~:nse, WI\U th .. t wi t h th i s rl. isnlRY eve n ';he "" a t op t inis tic ofHi t l e r ' s co h'l rt s tf!n"o ·~ t " ....t1rf· t ho c l'ln \' :!. ~ t1 'l n thH t tl-.e ~o{p r ' ....!'.s irrctriovA':lly l o a t . Acc:or·t i n.· tn Re1t sc.h. lhtlo r neeo r pr. y s i e l'\l l Y n r-rne n t E\ l ly r oc l'l vero,'. fro... t his c 'ln fe r .... ncu r non c 'l11"p so .

48 . ('ccn si" n ,\l l y he sti l l Bt' CT1C '_ t 'l h"l .'. to tl-., · h0pe r,f Gonu rn lWonck's su ccess i n ' ·r e f'k i r. ' thr ' , u.~h f ;: ro:l t h u S'lu t l:. He t RIke .: of11 t tle c lolo , nn r'. fl.ll ' ~I\Y r.n thl) 28th N1 ~ 29';h htJ "''''.s -:en t F'.lly nlnnnin{: t h l:: tf' c tic a th" t \ionek :l i . ~h t ll stJ i n f r e oi n. · lit'rl1n. He w~ul l :stri do f\.b ou t t hu she lter, wl\vin, ' f\ r opd ,p.n t h"\t Wf' a ! f1 st ". i a i n t e. :r .... t1nl; fron the Gwu l'.t "r h is hnnrl B pn r!. p1f1 nn 1~: 'Ntl nck ' a Cf::-:pf' 1.-n withAnyone who hRpptl ne ·i, t l'l . ~Jo l1 o ttl n1n .:. W}-..::n rou · ·e c." :1U 'l ·...v r1y c xc i ttJc.ho W','·ulrl. sna tch t he :1Rp f r o' , whtlrc 1 t l"y . n nc.: wi tr. r q" ~. l;k , n.:'rvous .s trido p' ~(lu t t he r na ;:, E'n" l ou ·Uy "~. i rcct" 't hu c. 1do · s .:. e f c :,. s c ....~thRr '1i OB t hnt no I nn. ·llr exiate~. (11.8 ~ven 'ilonek , unknv'Wn t :-. t :-.l: n e :-.r;,r,hp.'i nlr cR<.:y ~l: en r ou t Cfl. P.r. :. ;\ 0 Gt r 'lye ;\, ) "

49 . !\a it ach · ~ l.> acr i~. ~ s i t I'.a f\. T)F1tr.... tic t r.1"" tr.o " l c t u r e r.t A

!"\an I a c r"'1?lettl .l i B :l.r. to l ~r.d. i"n.•~ cn~le- t rR;:l; I:.:r of f ~6 t.rp tl -·n , f1.4 t1~1Ity, I1nc. u B.. ltlO ·~:1c s a . Tho ·)i c t 1.4rt: Of p -,p.n runn1n, ' ,..-"- ',n a t ~· ::' i r.;: ly

fro:: 10'('11 t o ....all in t i s If\.s t r ot,rt:: At wllv i n-: p" Ilo r 13 thp t :"lut t u ro.:l1ko IlJP vc a i n i: 1 a ner\·',".lB, t wit ci:1n, : t "n '~ B : :'l r a1 t t i nl- s tr. r:;:>.! ,~ l'II'.dcru.'1pl od ')'Jf " r u r. i s tp'lo . ~ "v i '1 · "u t t'l n s t " ro~rl: s " r. t r.is nr·n-(lxis t on tRr '110tl, nrck nn .... f ')r t l: on 1\ s ...·::l r. t s t Ri ne .'. -,rn , l ike ,... :! "lUT., : ~':'l y '")11\;1-in... P. t "III':. .-

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ccnF~ri~TTI.u..

50. 't):.. : '" t':,' :L~J:'?'Y ':'1 :..:1.,: :' !...i ·, : ,: : ~, i; 1,I'!:"'S ' The ,,)osll1.bll1ty~hnt Hitler "~.r.ht ha ve r:)1 .i.': ~. 0 '.11. 0 1 ";',.! b unka r I\l~V(; , ' R..!tb,"h rl.is!:I1 S80 8 I\ S '::(lI:!l".lotel:' 1\',6'1: :<',. She clp~.ns \;r.,. " ~he :9 C f):lV~:'lccli t.'ll\tthe Hitle ::- shc. l ·. f t. in t l;.. sheBcI' ....AB nhyB~c l\.l]y "W"; ·, :' le t " hAV<.,;,:0.:0 tte n nw<Ij" . ;:E,•.rI.~.],)f1 ';.h. ~l.;c:; c I ear-e .... for hi:1 f 1'<1" thu ·.)".!.!llter t ofreod l');> ho .......ul,... n 1t h"vt) hnd the tl~r~n;~~h t" UBe :I. t "; she SI\YB . Shebeli e vo s t oo . tllflt f\t t.hu very tonr, he hflr. n "l inienci"'n t o liva, thntonly the "'..r.~k h"po stnyorl, hj.B hfUlrl. f r on nut t m > th.. J1RSB s"l..i~ :t. r,o plAninto Onerl ~~ ::' ~ :: . llo·...e. · ~h" t. W'EJn ck coull"\. not; ,:tit throu.':h . she f e f- J.s .....oul.~ ·inr.e .·.1 ,, ~ ~ .ly have so ~ off '~h 4: ....ell rohvnI"sed ;>l"ns .,f o1t: s t I"J.,;t ion .

51. 'lihell ( ·"n!:C- ():l ~t)(~.....ith the r uno r' thnt liitler n1. ·h t Btill benlivo i n Tyrol 1\.-; ( '. tro<"\t he r " ',•.'1 f l1,-h t t o th".t n.rep ., r- ft" r she lofttho bunke r , :11r:h+' ::0 , .o r tl ~h/Ul co !.r.l.~ 't"ntRJ . ehe ('1)pOnrB e'.oep l y up oett hnt su c h ~pu~ :' or.E I'.re avon onlicrt:"'in'Jd .. Sht: 31'yO ~n ly , "Hi t l e r 1Bdon,t! Tht: nnr; r G','ft" L, thc ahol.t.e r cou'lc no :' ~~"vo li ve d , He hf\' L nor e f\OOn to l! v(.; 1\.: <" . <1"'.'3 t r" .g'Jl1.v ....n s th" i; :w ~:;~· w it '01011, kn e .... it pcrhnps ~o t to r t h n:l ,,:,yon o: .: .L60 I'..'.,'., r.

52. ll,llm .. ' fi ,P ). :tQ ·rT 8:r' TtL' NJ.Y.I{j:.R: It i B p.ppnron t fro;, Rcitsch IS

convcrsntif,n th".t sr.t" he l . . t h e Fuehr or 1:1 hi;-h c ateu u, It 1s n r o'JAhlyA.lso true ....hen she any a t h n t her 1 : i :0 0 ,~ 1i n::"linion suff"ro (t c ons idtlrp.blydurin ,~ tho clns inr Bti\,":tl'3 0f the Wm. She is G!:IP~I\t1 c when aho d e ec r i l)cs the A.ppf\rent '119n.'tn J>,::;e rw ll t ehe (,"h '3c r voc. l'n '. l eprne:n. of in thobunko r , Fo r 1n stl'nce Berlin h a d bc on tiC".,~ . t!t ec1 of Rr 'iS t o hnl:t theCdor . When thRt line fell it n.n)1enre ;t ~l .. t no c ohc rnn t ("d e n Be p l anof :Be rlin hRrI. been pre!lfln d. certninly I).,Laq'J.f\t~ nrrnn,'e':lOnta hnd notbeen n" do t o r'. i r e c t thu def' un ae frn:1 the J:1unkcr. Thero ....Il.S no ot he rcO"l'1Un icf\t1 on OqUi ~l ,.1t.mt nVl\ilA'Jle thnn the .t o l onhon(. thf\t le r'. ' >n].y tnthc fb.k to wur. I t appe a r s thl't 'lnly in the Las t ' ,or:cnt h a d ho do c l ·ledt o uiroct the ba t t Le fro., the shelter f1nl ~. then ('. i li. n'lt h avu the f i r stt nois .... i th ....n.ich to oTJ ur li. t e . No "ll'p s . rTo ~1fl t tle :olnne . ITo r ....:10 • .C:nly (\ hl1.sti ly prenAred 'l e s s onr:e r s llrvicc /In,'. the " ne tcleph'lne ....o renVR11Ablt; . The " fl'ct thAt unkno'Wn t r. Hitl.e r . thll Wenck n r r:y hI";' beendestroyo l'. "l:loSt ",('ys ~ofo re WRS flnly " ne cx,,~le flf th.? in"deqU1\c1eB .A~:t of 'tIhi ch rosultcr', in thf; F'utlhrc r flf Go:r' ll'ny sittin.~ hclnlesRly inh is cell('r i !"1),otcntly r> l " y i n, ' nt his tp.,">le-t oTl wnr .

53 . Baitsch clp1ns th"t H1tler the 1donlist ,\1e '\ , r n,l. h i scountry ....ith hi 'l , b~ cp.use of the inccnpetuncl: of Hitler the solei.ie rE'.n~. Hitler thn st"teB·1fln. She conclu-'l.es, still 'With n f pint t ouch ofI\ller:1/Ulce , thAt no 'lne ....ho kne .... hin ....oul<'. ltcny h i s 1.'.e l"'liet1c,,11y'1ot ivS\tt: rl ~.ntenti 'lns nor c oul rl they :l.e ny thnt he 100"B ei~1ply infinitelyincfl ~.ipe t en t t o r u l e his country. th.nt ·' ntl of his .:reF\ t f rulte ....1\8

proper chnrflctdr nn"lysis in the pt; l')pl e Rb"ut hi "l which l e c, t n thoee l octio.n of pe rsons eQ.uRlly inco"!putent t u fill i :.l;:lortnnt po s i tion s .(i'iost i " p or t Ant exrn plc : Got:: rind .

54 . She rene" t e , .ly r e '.1Rr ks thn.t neve r ni,r.in '"!Us t such r. pors'">nbo n.llo....erl. t o ,; t\l n c nntrol 'If Gcr'iAny o r nf "ny countrY . But 'etrr.n.::cly (;)nflu,,:h shu 'Loe B not Ft'lJ'•.Fr t o ho l ,l h in T) t.! r s',n 'l.l l y r esp r'nsi"hlof or r1M Y of th l.: ....r ,.,n' :s /1.ni'. "vils thn. t she reco, :niz.;s c"'1pletcly Mel.1 s quick t o Tl0int ou t . She SI\YS r"the;r , "iI. i:rollt p(\r t nf the fl'ult1 10 13 ....ith thflSt) who lc ,~ h i,.1 , lure". hi :1. cri":'.innlly ·.i sd i r c c t e ,.'. hi n ,nn e'. inf or'1e ~, hi r~ f nl sc ly . :Out thl\t h" hir.sol! s c lectc (l thu ::l en ....holed h1'~ c"n n ' vcr "to f or ,,:i ven. "

55 . .iI. CkIi:IN••L ••Gl.IilST TiCt. ' IJRL12 : "Hi tler em'.e r'. h i s 11fo f\B acr i r1 i n l1.1 N :n.inst th.: ....or l '1" , "t>u t she is qui ck t f) "} ~l t , "h e ~, i.· notoe ,d n it th"t ....~ . At fi~Bt h i s t h "u. :hts wur e on l y '1f l"lC' .... t o ; AkoGorr:nny hCl\lthy fI .·"'in , h '1w t o .:i ve r,is ,/(;n"O l e n. l i fe frel fr :': eC,.no:.: i e i nsUi"f 1cicncios p.ne socip.l !'lA.ll'. :~Justncnts. T" d ' this he C:P'1bled/JUch; with 11. etl'.ke thnt n ,., ,; (1 n hns the r ir,ht to Ju opnrdize-the livo s

_ 9-

nt his p(·rrr;]0 . '1'h~8 W1\l> n ~ f ir st i : rE r ~ vron.r , h i s r'..r e t . : ~· (' .., t f ".::.l.m oe . :;;':j t " : l :'; ~ ; 1,~~t f :' r~t 1'(..:,,~ : .flo. ':- :J~ n ~ J ~ ' '::. 1) f.}f.:lrl r.u.c " t; S Sf ·.L~ . r.t.: -~": J..'!':O

tho tAul \ t3 0;:: ~ Yifo f :l ; ..:t. " !):<~ "':L I l.~ ~.::;~~.J , .• :-:";f') ~ 'c A!1 ·~. " ; ,~.:"',~, ~~~ : .~ '.. ~ .. '. \ J

thl\t ho .... \.. !... :lt ~ ·J ~ . h -~Ot ~· t.-J,e: '.y 1\: ,~.. t . ) ~ ....,. ~ , ~ . '~J.J:o. : -t .:".' ..', ·, ~s .:' : .r : . v.. : t nRolt :3L~ tt r:.1 1 ~ ) 'J~.~'l! : ~"\"'1 i ~ : u 1) ~ ~(; · :' · )f...t ~(I:':' ...i f J:r. I~ .' . ~ : I j · .. :; '. ~ .:; \\ .--l ': '. I. V

f i r s t N1 '~ ~....::?;: rl..I _ ..:( l C··..l..: \: .:,,,:1:):."; C~: ~ ~ · I. I . ~~ l t·.•;r~..J-l1 i r». '11: : : ",1. '. ~. -' ,-1. :. !J ~

nr.I1·......r . hi 'S ·l' .'h:- :)1 ~i.f: ..1.tc ~, ,,,r bV~":Y il"' ::" 'J.)l'1.i~..~ r a ..t.: : lC ; r> ;.:l' r, r .~, ·Cl.: e;

ll l VOly, 01'.0;'· ".' .

56 . l'",:.h ...... ,·c .. s a l':IA:'e i·he (.n th'J ~j ,~;;;"l e, f t he T'o')pJc e re ".kr r.:1 ,~t h i n t'l;fl.VC :.'. :1 ~" \ ) , , ;:" ..·.:. : L'..".' "",')::.~ :,. i; ";', t,\1:0 t..h'; nu}· t ': tup . ~ iv, e n,',-r v""" .l t : PJJ : t ;1 ~ :b. : .J~...,!"! .~ ....".::. ,~ :~ ,~ , [ .:. :~ : (;:.' : ,:,· it'~-l .f 'Ull '.'.e ;.·\,\).,t e: c h ' ,l"1.ctu rChh~R""\ ~'::l ,"'. " . ".,.,.!.... .. · ~,..j 'l·'":". ~\: ~ : l:7. :.'.... (17'.. r'~:l "'. \: ; ( 'J . ~ . : : I'.~ . I.,...~~. : ~. l~' :-.l,_'l \··rttor.. l'cnc· ·fl\Cd~ o-: ,~ () p. ';~ i. .\~"'l ! :1;· , :..::·r.. t.·· ·; ~·.:: ~ · · ( '.(; ~~.,' )\' . Po ·: ..... ~ \.i.:"1 ("l ~ r.i. ~ ~';" ~'n del'.:.s i ;""J n sof ·x 'U'ltl... • .:.. 1",' / .• •., . . .. ,. "i " , '.. , .. '" I '1'1 the .• .. '" · 01" of t h i.:

~ ' " : .. " \ '1,;: . t. lt: ' : ~ •• .• _ ,~ " \,, 1 i. , ~ r; ~~IJ Jvo, l c\' 1l"":L9 '\.. ~t...: l•. !> ...,.:.:c r " ,0 \ • ... .:. . ,"\ ·N· ~\.4.. t» t: ', z; \OJ t ~. :i. () ~ l l. ; -,f~ :l~ II

57. ~'::'::i';'!:;':;_(CTJ;T( Z~ · ":1 t h(' n '..;:: i: 0 '; ',l: ·~ :::7 ('-, 1:;) ?8 thche , .BusslAn b r-,: !u ·...··. : i.- '!i :l t · 0 -:"' - ~ ~ifJ t:·~ :.l-.~, ~ . : l:;.l · . l j ~ '~" !. . 1. ~l,, : ~~.!. \1 ·~r.t ~ i; :~ . ) :r.. r:;~t p t t ch ~ t

", h,-.d yet f1.i:· ...H..~ l ~ ~ ~!. : 11(,\, ~'A:..; O~;,;.. l .. ~ \. ...,". ~ . ) 1..1:')\7: 1; ~ ·L · . ~,!.'. f; ,~ hr) ·. t,;,·.... ·:.li).I .C \'I , Wns~ :I . ..

...stO'l.m l t::'Ili ~ . ~., : ~G.~r,~ ct. A.I> ·i.f '.'".l·'n <;r. ,, :~ < ..P:. ,'.'0·1 j "l <, :'':<11. ",:<; ,\;ho saneplfl.co fl.8 t):1<3 O~~6 1J... ~. o·~·o , ;,':"!. ' (l;",,()· - lA':\'(.':' c' (J '" tnc '::c.,,:.·;.·: 1:. ',1';' ~ )1,;.~ lJ 't ni~ s .

los t~1B !r.,'l,:, cl'. (.od tbfl ~ ; [;:ll; al'El~ .~ (,.::. I ~ ;' J(;.llr'. '· ~ · · )·. ' f. ': C" ., : '. '. o·;<; r . r~ ·.l t h e, ' fU'6l\ at ·BI.::! :10:"l\.ln t A,; ; ! t h'= l .1 L. ·~ C"::'.c c n ', ·C, 0 :'. ·,. ''''' .. ! c'.,,'; ': l"\ ."'" ·:. ; l ll : ·\.;~~lre r •

.' ..,.. "'''1 p'--s "'8 +·0 T.l~: ,; _ · ' J· ...·ue':·j Jr, " ...~' . ""4:'1 ""l'~f: '" ,y r.' .. ' - • .(". ,, (.. : .".. ' ':" ...- "'l..~· ;·..erA"L, ~ ~1t , \ ,., . 4 , .. " 4\. _ ' ' , ~ '-.' ~ ' 4' ~l,

t: ·Jl,·.ve ro:,. l<On e n V ;.Jr cl:~a':'n. .' IrIlI.,; dt~ c :1.d-l :X"'.' "",.03 t.t ='l. ~. . ,."..~ '.,if'.: ,:: :1;; ~ , ::, , · ~-i·--:. ~ s :" ~ ..!19

.. \ l't!nch~n t no UL,ul L. C J.~ Jl';{ m flu;'.,la · t.h'~ ':.1,, €!':l SUl I., ). i: '; ', 111 U.•.('. " " • ::l.. :." ,,, 5 !;' j 1n at:.-uc t1 '1nll ',J<l:'l. ,· i vr r. ".b l.r. the uee ,'It" t ·r.e i\\1·.~ , ·, n \11",~ s . .._1.<,', ·(.' ;ch

at1ll ))"8 . htl , j;! in h~r ' I() S d t; 9 e1 on~rt WC\~ ' QXf\;" L:1I>". ' ;y t h e> in l;·,'.n r.r~,,tor .an · ftlur..~ ttl hEr a 'l i t t l o 'l- r Fl.s s C".'Q6'.:..J.e wj t h :,' o r.nvn.OJ.u 'G!" T) cnn-tfl.1n1 fI. frl'l?,ilt" ,:l a lJ a '.>f'l H J.e f 111oi\ ...ith " J out hf\.:.r P. te .':l. f, r, ~ "nful

~ .ot r~ liqllj, ,1.. The ,];'o i; t1t: '01"'8 t o 1:1.: '1r oke n l ,e t ·....e en the t outh Mntho u1n quickly 8~li0'o1ed).

~ ! " ' \ . ....:: .. ," .

the ~1c11c r ehe nr8Rl E1.nd

6C. .Afte r the 10n,'C,:J' r,,'t· ',,~.: ".~ :::tt:'e r sank ~n t o P. ft·.tn O- , nr'.f nr p ti:-:c t/:\. ct. : : . ": ~ ; ': 4. !'. ~ :- t ' ·!) S -.... L. .~.

61 .. I:r"1 ~ ': r r c,.-.\" t !-. c ...~~. ! , i. -c '. ; .~.", 4. ~. C :: r..;~..s : ' ::f~"~ ~: ' 2 it'1 :i = : .::-h~ -,,"""..l.Ld.:~ke n f'u L ). ~· )r.: : ';j , . ; . r v(':·· ·n :r, t r,c U::,' n c(::' :.cr y ', :1 ~.!'>.~ : : .~ :" ;. 1 '1f : c,ft ho ~'J th. l~ frl,,;n t he n s: ',p -t., 1- p.":"1 : ~ \. c W,",.h '.-\U,.:Lr.n Ln . : ~ (. C? :':" ".r.k " ~ +·ho,,- ref'. f\" n ....o ~h", s!lol ta r. Gr '. \1:1 ' ~ r e,)or ,'·5 i;> ;'.:·.Ci. C(.- ,'. ~ L~. ·' ,:.:; " ~:~ s ,1'\:' C

..,ore ne F'.y· '.r . ·or.'; F" '(;n I1, ,,:.,tlr P .L:> t.: f.nc'. '''L. l'C ~ ')o s i :l l: '.r.·n:,s :·r..: s ~I f -" ",, (l. St he;, f PJ: I1 -.·' L ' : J y p ro,et:cc' '"he "1 " lli t.i ~.nG ;~ Z ('l" '~~i (;h TnL.nti'." Y- ;,f "henext r-.n rn ;r . . . ft cl t i J :'0 ~k.·,,'n c~(: r.. .

63. \itD.::a S ?C r ..:::n.y-;.; ,:,:.:; S;-:r:!/i'i:n: .-l. t o ne- .t h :-. ;: ty,l'l ',h\: :lornin~

of tho 30 t h cf ''':' r' ': ~1 E"..i,.l..:: z·, ....'i t h ch " . ; ~, · ·.!J, ! c t· ~ ,.. .:: o , cnne t 'l ·G:-o~.::l : ar 00:.1 pnc'. slur,", (;('. .: , :n r n ~hu ur'..:c -,f He; ;'.f: !. .. .'1.l..... on::r hnI'l l. ~.~ Wtn:}k";he stdrl, HI\1l(:' t o -.',::0 J.j s en cry :? O!lSH<IC I" '~i':' ili: cl'.11 '-'-n C 'ft;I 'Y ava i L..f\l.J lt. a 1rcr ,..ft '.; " c -ivc r h i .. n.,.,:, r")P.ch~' r. . ' ·l J·: then cln1nc d th", t ho hP.<'.jus t been I n: l =- : ;()~: " hpt 'I'lrm::k~ s .run s wero:! Al r ei'J'.y she l l1nr. the Rua ll tf\n lli n Po t s~p~cr }l~~z .

64. II~vory IWrlilr.bl0 p lnno " r nHl e r sRi "., "m.:. s t "lc efl.l l tld up'1),/ ,l.A.y l i;-h t , thc r cf ')ru it i s :'y (,r ,',e r t .1 y ou t,.. r ') turn t n Ruc hl1n p.n n.r .u s t e r your ,)lnn, .s fI c' ", ';ho~·u . It itl the t ask 1'\1.' y our ~ircrp.ft t .ot'..estr'ly t he TIn sl tron s f r n, wh: ;::h t he lh.:. :l 3:" -'1"l f ..,~ 1l l:'.unch t hoirnt t Rck on th~ Chnncc1l0 ry. h'1th LuitwlU.~l [.elp Wun ck :.ll'.y f' e t throu .ih ,Thn t is t he f ir s t r <: p.S0n ...hy Yl'\l. :T.1s t Le -wo the she l t er. The eoc m dis t hpt Hl -::::lcr ~1U s t " e s t n:"JIltd :: I Iln~ ~. '1.· 1C rl l " t (. l.V he :1en ti0ne n thoS5 Fuehrer h is v -i i ce ',e c "'f1G ",n r e unstep '~ an J o t h h I a l ip s and hlU1t'.~

tru:'-·. l u.I. • ~htl nr -'.o r t l'\ Gr ein 'WRS t hrlt if Et'1."'!ll,; r hl'.r: Rc tUltlly n adat h e r V';0r t e I c on t a c t , pn (~ cou 'l ! he f'oun .", h -. sn ou.Ld i ::;::lo l'..1f\toly :en r -c s te r' .

65. "A t r l' i t o r -,us t nove r aucc ocrl ne Et S Fuehrer! You :'!\ls t ,~et

0Ut t 'o insure t!:P.t hl:l will no t . II

6G. Gr e i:1 F1n(l Reit sch p r oteste, . vchc :1e n tly t hl'\t the I'.ttenpt..,nul~ be f utl1c, th?t i t would ) e i~os sltlt t o r eEtch Rcehlin, thtttthey Il rcfu r r p. ( t o n i e i n the eholtt;r, t hn t t he :: 1 s s 10n e nul,l. nn t DUO

co on, thf't i t wns in sl'.ne .,

67. liAs s,. l ' ~ ie r s of t he ile 1eh" , Hitle r Msweren , "it 1s 0urh01y ~u ty t~ e xh l'u st eve ry pn s s i ~ i I i ty . Th i s 1s t ho 0nl y chnnce ofsucce ss tn... t r e:11'1ne. It 1s y " ur r'.u t y pn e'. n 1no t o t nk e it. h

68 . Hn.nnf'. ..,n8 n,1t c nnv1nco c'" "No, no", she 8erel'_"a rl, "vhpt eMt e Pccrl r.p l1 she~ n0W , eve n if ve sh 'iu lt:'. •:e t thr"llf·h. Everyth1n;.; 1sl o s t , t n t ry t ,. ch ..~ n.,~ lt now is insMe. n :But Grein t h nUi-:ht (\ 11'-f ere n t l y. "E1lnnn" , he snid., "V U p.re the nn ly ho-po f or th0se 'od10 ro-rAi n he r o . I f the chrnce is just the s~llest, we ove it t o then tot Hkc it . Not t n I:n .....,ul t'. r o'\) t he ; of the ')n ly li;!ht thnt r O" nins.a fl ' ,y Wenck i s t hero. I~')e 'ore CRn help , bu t ..mether we eRn or cl\nnot."'0 ;0;1 11 ,-:0. II

6 9. Hpn n rl , s til l c"nvin ce ". I\ S t r, th~ flb surdi ty ('I f n t t e;:1p t l np.nn e s c r p e Wtmt pInne t o the Fuehror wh ile Gr e i 1 WRS rlP..k i n.. hi s !,r~

pRrl'-tinns. Thrr u.·j-. hl.r 8'l;,'11n.: she "J e p., :e l~. , "I.fein fuehrer why, ..,~

<'.on It y nu l et u s ~ t l'y ~ II He l O:'lke .: R t he r f o -:- " ' 10 ~1cn t pn,: 81\1<\ 0n l y lr.G"i', pro tee t y o,-,- .;r .

70., ":':U; h,;",'ri TAK I?'G: P ·!'c p".rfl.t1 ons 'were quickly ::lF1 cl.e "ndReits.;h i s ,rrn ,·,r.1c in he r ''.eec r i ') t1 'm 0f tht.- l l:: pva tnk1nl". Below,Into Goor inl"l s Li pis 'ln I'\ f f l c c r ~lth the ~~ohrer Rn~ n ow l'\ Bt~unchGroil:-'-:np,n sfl.1(1, lI you ::lu s t ,:e t ou t . It -1,eJ?en ~ s ~on y ou tl'\ tell the

-11-

ce,J FID:c:NTtAL

truth tn ~ur pc ~~le, t~ BPV0 t hL ;h~ n ~ r l ~f tha Luftwpffe, t~ s~ve

the -.cfln 1r..· ~I' G ' )!"~ - :,:r f ~,~' t 1"•.: .... ' ~ r : ~ .. 1f l: ':(; r y' nc' r-rv-: t r.e c", ep"r t,:" :1 ' :du . s"·nL tli k~n f s ,) · ·l: ~ ;·. : ~. ~· " .~ ..... ",~1~u '- ,f 'C '': 3:: t'i t;~..c. ·,'-' r ~ <~ ~ ~vr:: r~ ,:;. (:'-IT ' lto cu i ck . I f · ~t :-·.n..~tt.' ~ '-.·(tt,; !S f0~' t ..1~ .: t .../ ::"J.'::0 r: .l'\n.;" . D ':': '~1.S~:--.

6:~YS th ,· t sb.: r r: : G ~· ,.~: : '·.': R<r: .y . , '1 11 ·'.<::. t tw ' . : ,' ·,te ..s ,...'r. i .("!: ,;, " ,: ;ro:JG(Je: ::els "H r' n i~ \-.'1:"'':) t f') tr.~ i r oJ. · .C J t G: :1, 'Cj" ]~;:...u J rf~ ·" · .L~S i : ~"' st

::l1l.rri:'.~u, ....i. ., ":P. ' tr.c n in ":1 r. .l l~ t: ; t n r Ls cnc r ' f v r r cr.:-,:·" 'Ii'.L.SQRe1tsch ~L }} . r. nr,. Frp.u Gr,e 'c·,.t.olG p.l~ ~ [;PVc her r. · .i F\:1'·r.r. ri n, f r 0, 'her f in. :o r t~, \~~p. r i.:1 her 1:0·:,lr y .

71. T::L·ty . in".lI.': 6 :-,He r E~ tler hr l ;ivcn t h e 0 r .'.t)r t he:.: l eftthe she1 to:.

72 . T:-::'; , :':~:.:;;~T CUT G ~' ;;.:...: ;,-'S ;~r : () \.;. ,; s ~r'.e the ,,,he- I·:: c ity '",,"S ,,,, nl'."1e(\n ( ~ he nry s rv, .... -;' 1" ~"; f ;.rt: W:'l. S !ll ...- c f\ ' ~:1 :;J.F,ir::\ :' ,,~ ~: i~:'lc r: s!1',rt .:' i s t,""I n ccB'Jpy. SS t r ov p s, C'1~ ·. ·.i\ · t ... ,-1. .~ ~ ?\.:".r,li :1,· --;: :: :u r ','1 the t:n ': , wert:r.:rH·inl' ,.:. -u t , T:.· s ... ~<.: :1 'cr ·l\l.l·ht '.l.n p . 0:-,"'''.:'' xr:.• ', rt: , ~ voi:ic l~ 'Ilr,1ch ...ra st r. tpkc i\c: t.s t:: . ;'.:1 ". G:!I:::. :1 ~ " ...~ e re· fin .. r A' . ') :i5 ·wP. S :: i ' lie n r.uP.r 31'''_'1 ':cnbur,rt,;r Tr,r. :l.':: (: sk:y Wf\& f1) ·1.6 ·'. .... jth t il" 1.. ::.1.:1,:01' of she Ll.e , couo ·)fwhich l"n·-:e d 5 :> C _~: '3 1: t.h,, '; t hd r vchf c i c w"s b "cke ". '1'.l':. s e ve r e .I hunJ.rel y"r <l.o sh r.r t " f t ho r"o;"t::-.t:nt where tho J~rr h WFl.S stp.ti ')n c ';.•(~1 tach cl",iri R thAt she::' a cr.rcrd n tn"t th i s •...flS the Ip.Gt crp..ft l'.vP,il-f\Jle . Tho .; r·s s 1.':,i ll ty ' 1' rr. · . ·~ h<3 1... 'O l Ano fiF' \' in ; ' (.:,.., t ten in I'n ' ~ »o s s Lo Iy'u t "" ~'11n wlt1", :::i.',lt: 'r I'S "ltoss ":1.-c r : she r'. i o!":l ::' s sl: S /1. 6 :l i .·h ly un L'.ke Ly

RS Groi!". ....r.·ll". c (' ~·t f) in ':y h'wc: '''J",n 1r.:' ··,r ·,,, ·' . S~ () k.'10WS t hr.t such Rr.lE'as:v~e WI'S rn.ve r r','. Uvt. r e ·.... . Sh" ):r. ')',·s t" n , t h ".t Grl::i ::l hI',". 0r'.:e r o ,,"other n Lr-nc a ir. ' ''Ut thro t e e c .: cr r i : '.; P fi s::·')t . r' \'m in the p.tte~t <ill :~ s Rus·sip.Z1 trr, ' ::,s "L·0 .~ ·'.:! s ,.l~ ".l~' rin t :c.~. the city , sh e is c()rt~inthpt Hitle r nnv c:r l ef t Je r l i n . )

73. Thd r,r ') p ·'. s t .rec t l e "l r', l!1 :: fr '" :3r p:lc'.cn'J \lr p:e r Tor .... ps t t") ': cUse 'l f('l r t nk.:-nff. .i.':··.ut "r;c ~.(Jt · .rs " f uncr"t"rv \ "lpve".e n t wr: s r, '! p. i l

11,' ;10 AS r ' m- ';!\y . The tnkc-:,ff W"S -r il• .:; ur. e r r.E\il i n.: Ru ss inn f irennt\. ps tr..: r.l pn c MSe t n r 'i 'lf· ·t n'7) 1< v c-l it ';rs ')ieb ,r' U l ) ty countlc llGs(Jl'rcr..l if''1ts t":-:,"' fl t r·nce .... r f'.c J.':et<. ;'. in 1\ " I-\ ! 'r P,r:o ~ f shul l in; :. Lxp1nsi ·...nll t Oil60 :i. t he crpft li JrL' " fcpt~.cr , ' ''.I t nlJ' 11 fo'"" s'llinte rs hi tt h o ''''.It\r.~ . .-oitze ' : ei rcl ., ,1 t , ,~". ·. ' ~ t 20 , CCC :'C'ct fr ·· - . where J e r l 1n'li r- s " sun (', f fll'.:.:':S ::" r.en,th her . Frr.·, t ;, r>t " lt i t -"l ,'t: tht: H1\.'!lituGO ofthe ,:'c: s t ruc. t i .r. r,f ~" r l in sr.c r'. <: c c :-i ···c r ~ i. str.rk p:"'.r. f p:,tp.o1..ie .He ,\ '.in· n .rth , 5C ::; i r.u tc s Sf" ." the " ir. ~:t) c :-,l ir, . ·.he re t he I pnr'.1n,-' ';1',5'\r'~ln :.It'',clo t hr ou ·r. " se r .:c ,. ' . f ~"'\.;. s dC\r. f1; htc r c ro f t ,

7·~. '.:::': ~ST C:";jjL': i ::..F: 't ,(TS: Gr eiel n t 'm ce issue ~ the ' r ,: .:: r sc Al l l n ' I'll p.v ri:p 'Jl ,:· cr"ft t ~ t he r14. r. f ::icrli r. . l:rw i n .· I", r f ·, r:-:cn.the first r'f E1 t l e r l s c ~ "'.'f1n (l.s he i · ·..,c ,li.del:: iee 1<' t.l.: t ~ f ly t '1 F:r,en ,noA.' iCi€.I , t n 'l t1 t e r -, i n l, wr.flt inf r·r-~rti "n Drlcnitz "',i .. 'l:t hr \'c r e, 'r:" cin.: Hi ·,-:11er • •~ :v.J.ck<:cr un 'oil'S \l s e 4• ,,:1 (, ~' y t l'." t i,E: the:- ,.'n t in':. ') thepir Gcr: .pn I\irernf t "e r e T'l , t..f'.'.y I' rri, in . in c ') ,::: .liP liC U ·...i tr. Groi,,' sn r,l e r . Th, e n t i ~'c b ::"\·.:-nu '.;Gr e s"'! n Po ce e·th in. : .' I1S S ('I f Ge: r ....'>n Em....~s"iR!; plnnt..s . 3~ ::" tccr. k ':Cl t r,e:r - ".,.., ~:!'? l,e: r t :!, p.r.r', 2 '; l: t <: !' s ,,:!,t1.-

tu.. '.\.. r"ll'.rt CV6 :""4 witr. s 't:ch :>r"'~~ i.J ctl ~n .n f~·,'"J : ~ s t v~ s.i. "::-i lit;.r stv WAS 't '...·iceuns',:,cccss:-'.llly pt t l' ("kc r'.• 1 "> :1' hv' p t b. ·: ('.c ~: st i ll r. c l!ss1tp~e · : F !'.

l\ut .~ r· :J ' .!..l" t.·i~) '; ('1 P l ',un, ,.... L:. ~·i :1' · ,.,:-.icr. t ~ : .,, ; '_r.<: ·.,<.:re: p.•·.pin \l:',<'.c rc 'ltlst pnt ~\US£.iR~ n tt p..c ~.-: . J:J, ~ r·." : v [ :. l t :'.c:: f · ~.l ::. l. t h Fo t ] ' h ... :.itz 1:1:0'''' n o-thir", '-' nf Ei·;· ~:.t..: r i s flC~ :,.j ~ s . 1~ ...; r. t:' ;·"~ ~ . - \~\. "'-'r ti t ' · Gel.; l:e i t \.: l i r: tl:eevcr.. t tr..~t f\ ch,~r.,-:t..: in p~r- t., "· c t i CG s=:· ull~~ :'l.; '-- r lo7')/C ~: i ~ r.e::l'!")ir",{::·/e r.ck in h i s cntr:r i::t r

. J u l irl .

75 . ':'; :~ :.__ oI5 ' ? · ·.:~ : ~C : ': :~_· ~l ~' '::: : '~! :';~-=" - C~ : 1:d1 ~ cl '",' ns [ 0un 1 ".the t ' ;": l . -- .."".. . ' :' t ~· ·. , " .. ·· :.. . ,F;4~ .. ":'., ' J.' - , " , ":J! :" ' t'~ , t [ . '. ·" s ~t;..t

W".: r k ·.:.; (l!, " ~' c... ,: 1'.:1 ,' " ':: ~ :1 ".t: :;: :- :i' L ; ~. r " ,.. .., ~_'; r" ( ~ • •.:; I t r.."> ':. !'ce (lo i t e l )h n r'. ~ e;r.t \';"1" : t ' ;; ;' ~l..: r ~ ~ t~: p '; c :' :uct t :-.<.: '.Y ;" " (; ~" ' '' '' ' (3Gtr. ~f AIJ rll)

- 12-

... . : v;

"I' did A.8 I dl~ to sava GarnAn u l ood , t o rescueleft of our cnuntr,r.-

Allie.8

dArkestdid thP.t

for the'honor'live as

" ."You spe".k "f Gerr.lAA blood, Herr ReichsfuohrfJr7 ' You ,Spank

0.£ it now' You shr,uld have thowo;h t of it yef".rs F'.f':O, before YQu ~be:.;- - - .:.-...c .cane identified with the u!3eleas shcddint: nt ' so l.nJ.ch of it." ~" ; .;" '.' .~

~ ,..~ . , ~ ~,

A. sudden strt'1'ing attack teri1inAted the e ~nver SAt16n;" '. '

79. TilE LAST O~s-'TO HOLD TH1 i:tJt>SI.rtlTS: Grein inr:lc~,te'd" " · ,t 'th~t little hnd be~n decided at the first Doenitz ~r eounc1l~' How-eve r c> ve ryone WAS 1n Aceor:', th".t pt hest, resistMco would. onlY 00 ..possible for A f8w drys lonp.er. In the ~oAntine eOnnAnders ~Ainst

the RussiAns were to hnld to the last to ent'ble A.S ~ny civilians nenoseilllo t o .f l ee f1'01!I the Advpnce. Reitech ell\il'1e thl\t Grein. ,whb eeie~ WRS beeo nin~ inereaein~ly worse, insisted upon flyin~ 1~ed1atoly

to FoldnprschA.ll Joerner, in con'An1 of troo,s in S1lesiA And Czechoslov"kin t o instruet hin thnt he shoull~ resist even After thecapitulnti ,n nrder WPB re10PBcrl. t n . ;ivo the civilinns tice to fleetn tho Ar.loriep.n zone.

) -1:>-

0011]' IIlEUTIAL

80. On the fl1,~ht t n J oerner, G-rei nls f not be cn -ie s" ba d tru-.the h'\ll ' : J ;."cn t ('l ~' l r .n s' a ' ·f uno on sc f ou enc- aa , Upnn Rrri',,,l J oorner 1ndicnted 'JhRt he i1..,c~ 1'. ~.rcRri.y (1.c c i,4.e ~. t o h0lu. a s l en ;: I1S Tlns s i '.J lc andhad. issue d o r dc r a t o th..,i; of fe c t oven ':J" f'J r c Grtl i :.: l B I\r~ivnl.

81 . I ~; "mu t hen dc c t dod t" fly on tho XeB601rin{, ",ith the SAne1nstruc ti·.n s , 'i \:'t G r\.· i~ : a lor "'fIS ,:,y on ', sn criticRl thR t furtherr.:ovencn t ....,( . i. ' 1; .i ;Js i " l c. J)'rn", the ;~rd 'If j-!P ;I tn the: 7th it "'fiB neco eSar)' t o t o :. '. .1 [.t. Joc z:" ", l" 0 he p ~ .,u"r '\,o r s in Y.ocnip-r1\tz ",hero EeitBch~so<t Grt, i r-. \;: ,t l i hi ) c ')\~l : nvt) Rl;nut p.f'nin.

82 , 0n t·hc n1 'ht ,f t he 7 th \)1' ~:' the:r tOf)k .'lf f 1 n n Domier217 t f) fly \;n Grr. ~ ·,.;-'erc K C llSO ' .':' i r.,: wra r c- f) r "to·rl. to b c , Directly ove rthe f i ol d Gor:1Pr; 1 ] ,'k scvO : ·t.l:' It A; :E\ .~C ' : t he 'i r cr~..f t whi ch crRsli 11>ndedat thE. odr;t. ()i.~~::n Z h.::'i\ . hei-i ~~;;, "n,,- Grl.'i'1 were "If t he U1H~t:rstfU1d,.in? thnt tho c ;,!->i ' Ll.~ 1 i ' n V"'l: '-, cor- o on t:,c n>11t ')f the 9th of HnyAn~ 'when it ....ar lc " r:w ·'. t!1il.t :Ccsselrini : h".r1 lC l t Grp2. for Zell A.~ Seethoy flew O il t n l".lL e~f'l l \, \,r. l r. s\ruc ·~ hi !':': t o GO!l' i n e sorie of histr.oops w1t!1 t.!:· 'i6Q h' , .:J~in; : the ii.us,;i ~r.s,

83. lK!:L!~l2...&:,';";}4_A:...L~' They Rrrive t Rt Zell M Se e flyin hA. F1esler-S';;orch, An '. r O'"lI").'t(;l :: t ,; Gencl'RI Koller, Chief o f the GJGenernl St"ff, whr; ....as t o tell then o f Kessolrin,-I s wherol'.I,l")uts. Herethey Le arnc c; thnt, tho C /-l~1tu~ti"n WPB t 'l ' e r n the 8 th i ns tlJ1Hl ofthe 9th. They still wRntv n tn I ncRte ~esaolrlnr. bu t KOller eitherchosu not t o 'i; e l l thl'" '..hero Y.o sse lr in~ ....116, ';, e cf\USl.. it ....AS Rlrop .1ytoo Ip.te 0 " e Lae h", ,'.i,i n ot kno .... thPt Y.cs3(:lrin;~ ....FlS in the v1l1a.;:;eot AL.,~()rf, R fow .,11e s nnrth of Zoll nn S~o. At this news Raitochanti Grein .-1.o c1(to1. thl\t pny further efforts on thl1r pRrt wert: quitouselcs8. Just hof ore the cRnitull\tion thoy l ett Zoll ~., See forX1'tzbubl til tl~eo thc r.:s'1.vf'S- 'm.ter the car-e nf 1\ ....ell known Doctor whohAd jusi; f)p~ncd. his r.c'>sritCll ti'.ore.

8·~. ilQ1tsch cltd.,s thpt hRd it nr,t been for tho sever-e p,1;0ny of'Gr oi.,'s foot aM ....ou l d not hrwe " een I\~l\,; t 'l c-,nvince hi T:l tf) S1\ve h1sl1~b. To the lRst he ...anted t o encnurll{:e rosistnn.ct. N ;Ainst theRusa1an3.

85. ~ T!..:J u iu.: D.!.\iiT~ : '0'LUlliL~~; In r esn on ee to tho, ---..... "'=C.:r. .=t7. ~_:z:.:=_ . _ . ..

queBtl 'ln A.O t " why t he Au;>tr~C\-S,>uthcrn Gt)~ lP..st stPJlcl of' resist....ance 'rillS novor nu t intrl r,' .l·r l":ti .' r. , :ne i t scr. luts little to ndd tn what1& A.lror.dy kn r.wn. Sho II t ·",t.. ., ~hl .t as If\tc Ril the 15th of A:nr11 1tstill Boc~od t h....t there ....1'8 every intontLin ·''I f :,o v l ng the governtlentand oi11 tnry Iw· ,rV:t·.:lr~t,or8 to lierchtel1p'... den , 11.11 of the 'burt.:nuil pndhe~1.(1Ul\rtors in :Vo r l i n nt thRt tir.:e IoCro on R c "nstant 2 h 'lur alert.]'ron wru-t shu herrrt fre.n Obe r s t BeloW an " o t he r s it r!'p61'.red thnt theconference oonti r.nc c'. in F(lrt'l..~n7oh 46 'NElS t? neci c'l.o on the full pRrticulRrs covcrin~ tho ~()ve . She cll\L~B th~t the re~()rt6 Hitler receivedat ~t tine WrtJ so shcckln..-: thRt he 'W!\B convinced. thRt proparRtionllto nE\ke "Redoubt" rosistMce p success ....,ul(~ never bo C nnpl.Jtc ,~ intine. It wns bolieved th"t tht! reRl1ZI\t1on thRt "Ile 'lOUl)t ll

, of ....hich80 nu ch wns expecte~, ~uld have to be cr6ssed 0ff RS useless WfiBthe najor CAUSe nf Hitlerts brenkdown. It WPS plso spii th~t

Goorin..~ nn~ Hit l e r Md ~d 1\ str..ined c nnversfit in n rer;Rrd ~n,~ this,with G(')Ejrin~ inoistin~ nn Rn elU'ly ev/,\oUEl.tlnn t o tho "Roliou,:>t" RrcatIn,l Hitler do c l i n i nj" in the h'>'P f) thftt the I) f~er woulti hol-'.. GoerinJ?:WPll t o h <>ve clnire cl thr.t nI'u:lcto~bt" .... A.S rop;.\y for nccupnncy .whi l eHitler preferref try .... <tit unt;il he coulc'" hf''t'c U's rel\~.lnoss ~onf1rr.:ed

'"t the r bove nen t1 "ne~. c oni"e r ence . It 'WIl.S th... tnlk Iptor At theDoenitz wnr council ",nd t'lsewero thP.t Goeriny,'B dePll.rture \iRS

~ovornod 8ol~ly by bis ro ..li~ntion th~t the raer W,>~d' nc crossed Rndby his unfulfilled hope thAt too pnrtifilJ..y c0"!'11eten "Redoub .." 1U"t:1'I.would hold. . , ,

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, . , e8. ~TI0P_Q1 SQUR~: ' I t is the nnlnion ot the Interr6v,ator'. , tha t the A.b~vO Intor-:lf\t!on is "'ven;with n sincere Ann c onsc1ent1/)ull

etfort to ~ truthfU;l n.nd exr..ct., ~ Acl.cHe r,f her t n.r:lil)'j the tieathot her closest, 1"rien~. von Groin, . the "llyn... ~ ,." ...'" Q! GolTlfIny , Ahdthe tryin~ nA.ture ot 'her oXjle~lenccs: ·~urin~ the cloa1n~ "-... ro t thewar Ml:ih1nen thol:lsol~ to serbusly tcn:t:>t her to eon'1it suicide 1\8 "> .

well. She clA.IMS thp,\ \1.he oriljo ranson she rennine ': A.livo 1 s tor theBPke of ' the truth; to tell the truth 'A.bnut Goerinr., "tho ' shAllowahovnan". to tell the truth abflut ~Itlor, "the eril:llnp~ incoc~otent",I'lnd to teU' the GernP.n·~oJ'llo.the truth About the ~.Anr,or s of the fClmof ROVOrnrlGn't that 'the Th'1rd Reich ' I~i-,VC thell. Sho:believea th,.t she18 f'ulf1l11nl! ~uch of ,this nie.slC'n when' she apopka to the In,tElx:rog,at~:r., ' ,It is thorofore teitthA.t , herr.oM!U'ka CAy be c"nailler"d A.e~er ,de,QI2.~!tefforts at ,s i ncer i t y and honesty. At 't ho ~ocent ,she is und~rP-o~n~ a ,sovore ~entl'\l 8t~e in pn e:t'tort t o ~c',ncllo her c r.ncepti'>n .of"honor" with" her .de%\'lmo1A.t i qn s ?f, Goerin.'1:, of Hbnlor, Alld : nf ..lU,tlor ,hloselt. !rh1e ~.itfioulty ~Ar.Ii.loss cront ~cn she is spoflkini; tothe interrogntor'thA.n it ,is When sho lipeAks to ' civlli'nns.,. but. trp::l.eiviliAns whn hnve le~ her onnverBntlnn'~u then 'unkno·wn .~ her, r~

p~rtod the reaUlts to the Interro~ntor It '~~penrs t~~i sh~ is qt~l~-'Ine; to oxert A. ..,rolU'eso1voly "'or o den'l cr ntic Influence. live r her , 'er,untry;ion. , ~t is felt thf\t her leep.lis:.! ~n". her eXl\c.t kn...,lt'lc~ . ,re~nrdlni : MAllY ~f the fnults ot the Nazi systeo., .i f ,~r>ut to pr0!ler usc,nI r.ht eventUAlq be of v.A.1uu in tqo ie-educnti o:"n ,of : bhe .Gcr r.lI\n people.. .. . . . .. . . .

89. ' (ED:': 'roit IS NOTE) Other ro~ o!ts, C'lverini~ '~~r1')us'TlhMe ' .01'R8itsch ls kn~v)eJr.c of t.he Luftwr~fo. its rOBo~rch, qnn Its ~ctIvI

ties" will be 1elt'..le c',. A:ny 8J'ec1flc ne cde of an~' or . all ,~J':tl~o1e's , r~

oelvln~ this re')nrt sh'luln be fnrWf'rr:~ ,~ t n this he (\dq\lE\r tel' a with, .' de tnll~, of Infr,r.Ation rtlouircc , Nn fli1 ;'i lnt~%,%,l) r:t\t1 on're:)(Irt ie.lntennet', P.S '8I\cn SO!llU'p.te su~j.e,ct 10'111 no' h"'n ' ~le (l. in, c", ~ ~ ;':ll ",nd S'Ur'l.':l1\l'y

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INTERROGATI On SUiiHi8Y)

InTRODUCTIon

5).

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C O N F IDE N T I ~ L- - - - - ~ - - - - - .-

• > t

1. '~en HAnna Re1tsch t o~ether wi t h Ri t te r von Greim, Goeringl ~ '

successor as he ad of the LuftwA.ffe, left Hitler t s Berlin l flir r,l\l d enol' erin the e Arly mor n i np.: of the 30th of 'Apr il 19/~5, ( ~ 13e Interro~ation·:Stiri~· ,~ary No 1) Reitsch WRS g i ven letters t o t ake ou t by vnrious of t he occU-panba who '.;ere t o r enatn in the shelter to (tie with Hitl er . .. .

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4. HiJVEL'S LETTER : 'rhi s l et t er t ('l th~ Auswertiges .Ant· (?orei k,n - ';fOffice) in Puschl, n ear- Sal z11U::'l';, ' WRS 1> bl'ief IU1d insistent re ouo'st ,a s ,,..to why none of t he rA.dio ne s sage s f r-on t he shelter were not . beinp.; ems- ,-wered , The ' text H S :Rei tsch r-e rie mbe r-a it; " \I/hy do y ou .n o t I'1 riswe r oUr . ..,.' .... . ,

t.'

. Section II

. ACCOUNT OF THE H:EVEL, BOPIJu\.Hn iG D EVA :aRAmT LETTERS

I 't d ' ti . r,n ro "llC on.,.. '" . . ' " ,. . , " , .•. '....• "" ~ •. . '~ .~ccount of ~he Hev el, Bor riann Mr. Eva :B!'f:l;L''1. h' ~ tc r s ••••' , .En~lish and Ger~~ Text e ofEnglish and Gernan. Tex t s of

,LAST LET'l£B...c; Y.rioa HITI:BR 'S AIR RAID S~l~B

~

Section!

2. ' These were let ters by Goebbels an d h i s wi·if: to t heir son; " onel

fron Eva Br-aun t o her sister, wife of SS Obergruppenfuehrer Fegelciri, . .liaison off ice ~ ~etween Rinmler And Hitler; one frOn Hevel, Ri bben t r op ' s .'representative on Hitler's staff, to t he Foreign Of f i ce HeadqUArtere 'in T

Fuschl, neRr Salzburg; and one fron !~rtin Bornnnn t o ths 'Reichsohnn el~ .10I:Y Offices which had just evacuated to J3erchtesgflden. The fA.O 't ,th~t : .. .. " ,she was given these letters t o de live~ w~s de ve l op ed du r i ng interrdga~'

tion, but t he f A-ct t hRt tw o letters (fron Goebbels '·and h ie wife) . ,were : ' , .still in her po s se s sion WEtS di s cove red qu i t o tlcc iden t nl l y " whereupcm "'lehendoitte(l that she And von Greim had de s t royed t he o t he r s . ' 1/ " .;

. ' . l"j ,\ r;t: ~

, •.•' \ !- •3• . Her reasons for c.e s troy in~ t hen she ' r,ives willingiy. · ·Heve,.l ' s / ."

And. Bor mann ' s letters were sinply of f i c inl c ormun i catdon a, As the' ;col . "lapse oc cur r ed before they c ould be de livors 0. , she and von Grei:1 con-j", '

' s i der ed the6 t o be of no further 'v:.>lue (sce cle s cr i ption of contents ; I" "pA.r~graphs 4 and 5 below) • . The EvA. Braun Le t ter WF1S de s t r oye d beep.us;" " , ", J

she and von Grein both felt that the text ·wA. e so ~lfl.r1n{;ly the~trfca.l ·· ',And in such 'Door adoLescer t tfl s t e thE'l.t only od iou s reA.ctions would result should -the lett~r ever fall.- i n to German hands . Bei tach rennrksthat .she and von Greici wer e of the op i n ion that possible Gerr.'lAA roader'kni~ht eulogize 3raun as A. Nazi l-1artyr and ro t be able to rend De h le'enthe lines thA.t this 'is exac t ly what Br-aun intended. Von Greb's rE:ll':1ri~~. ( ~after he AAd r ead the l etter Was, "It sounds just A.S childish and 00 V i .q1J.G..

as she looks. TeA.r it un, n These letters were taken ou t of the sheltei- .in the eA.rly nornt ng of the 30 th of April 1945. As the de a t h s of the : " ~. ~,~~_:shelter occunan t e were not announced untllthe next ' dpy, it is pos'sible ; ~

thA.t later fetters and do cunen t s mi~h t hnve be en brour,ht nu t . " ..i<~~<, ,. ,

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I,

Sec t Lon III

6. EVA BRAilll' S LrlTT:i.m.: Br aun wrote t~ her s is t e r , wife n:: 0-.,-1" gruppenfuehrer Fegelein, whom Hitler hart sh o t (';11 t he 28th nf A1'J rilbecause he de ser-ted frOM the Fuehrer's she Lte r-, Foll owi nf; is r;i Ve:ll ;-;: ,0best version that Rei t sch , mon ths Riter re~~in~ t he l etter, is Rble toreconstruct buti t mu s t no t i n an y way be con sf de r ed as the ve r ba.t i n tex tOf . the Eraun letter:

5. 3OW1ANN'S LETTZR: ~lhen Bormann hande d lL e i t s ch h i~ letter heindicated thllt it cqnt~ined nothing of gr eHt imp ortf1nce Md wo1tld notinvolve any dnnt;er should it be l ost. It WP.S Rltrlre s sod to 'iho Re l chschancellory offices which hnd jus't move d to :i3e r ch te sgA.(lcn P. :l ( ~ Rsh~ i; ",hycOlJ!!lunicf\.tions were not being ma i n t a i ned. It close ,1 wi~h i nst r u(;t i cn sto contact the shelter i moediEl,tely an d. f,Rve II ue sc r i p ti0)) [to tr> h..v b i ss~ould, be done.

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radio mess~ge6? Are you receivinp, then? Inforn~tion reauested is b~~ly )needed here. Answer i mnediRt e ly . II It Was no t nddr-e s ae d t o any n~rti

cul~r!Jersnn And wa s t () be de live r ed t o anyone of :li b-ben t rn p l s stnff whonight be at the Fuschl off i ce . Rei t ach hA,s no i deA. as t o whpt thelt1nfor~A.tinn r'e cue a t ed" refers.

,"We sit l ocked in the Fuehrer's shelter . in the Reichschancellory, fi ghting for our lives an d our hono r . How this battle will endGod Hlone kn ows. 3ut I kn ow that , Alive or dead , we will not l eAve theshelter, unless we l e ave it with honor and p, ll') ry ~ I hardly believe t hatwe shall ever see aRch o t her Rg.<\.in , t herefore, it is likely t ha t theoewill be the last lines y ou ' wiS..1 ever receive from 11e. I expec t f r omyou, shoulcl y ou ou t live this WAr, t ha t you do only that which will honoryour no t he r and you r f n.ther . It is not necessRry t hat we be alive toinfluence the future of ou r people . It is likely that Y0U will be theonly one lett t o carry on t h'e t 'r adi t i on s of ou r family . Do this alwaysin such a nanner t hat we would ne ve r nee d. be R shR!!le~ of your actions .

'. '

ENGLISH AND GERHAl'! TEXTS O}j' GOE:I3J33LS I WTT~ra,

. "l Dust write you t hese words s o that you will not f eel sadQver our end here in the shelter . Itis r~ther we who are fille d with'Bor r ow because itis you r fat e t o live on into the ChROS that will f ollow. For !!lyself I A.T:l 'glad t o die here; p, lad to d i e A.t t he side of theFuehrer; but nnst of all g l a d · t hat the hnrror now t o cnms is spare d ne e\'1hat . could life still g i ve me ? It has alreacly been perfect . -I t hasalref\.dy gi ven me its best and its fullest. Why should I go Q;n living?This fa the time · t ri die; the right tine . With t he Fuehrer I have hA,d'everything. To die now, beside him, c~nplete6 ~y happiness . Live on RSwell and as hanpily a s you Can. Shed no t eRrs nor be regretful ove r ou r ·deRths. It is' 't he 'p e r f e c t and proper ending. no ne nf us would changeit now. It is t he rilSht end f or R GerDf\.4'1 wonan, II

"l~y Dear Harald,

7. ENGLISH Y':;:XT: The follow 5,ni!, 1's A. trflnslA.tj0n of t he l etter\' wr i t t en by Dr. Goebbels iTl Hitler's :Be~ lin sheltor on t he 28th of .'\.:)r il. 1945 t o :h i s step-son , HClr a l d Quandt; then a PW in the Allie rl carrp ,P.O~W.L! #2801 Algiers, PW 4191901 :

"German y will ou tl i ve this t err i ble WA.r , but on l y if it'has examp'le e upon wl1ich t o' guide its r c cons t.ruct r on , Such an exanp Lewe' want t o give here'! You can be p r-oud t o p os se s s a no t he r such as yours .Yesterday eveninp'the Fueh r e r p,P,ve he r t he p:ol rl. »ar ty insignia which he .,wor e' on hi~ coat f or so many ye ar s , an d she .iu s t·ly f.e ce r ve rl. it . In thef'u tuz-e y ou zrus t kno w ,on l y .one duty: To p r.ove your ce l f worthy of the .

.~reat sacrifice which wo are n r ena r ed Hnl·t de t e r rrlne d t o nake here . I. . .

I :" l~e in ,l i eber HarA.ld!

3

.Q.Q ~.!1] ~ l! 11 1L!!

. .{" ' :

.Y,our Pa~n. II

8. REITSCHIS jJVALUATl m; O;r~"();Ii3i3:!!I.JS ·._ J,_ : ~ IJ r- ;: t : P..o it s ch clair.[~: \ liat , "the 'Goebbels letter made sucha liOOl" i :1!, r ~' :: b :: : n , on both he r se lf Rnc( ~~re1mthA.t they de cd de d t o make no ' i r:l'1e rliA.t 'e ~ffr. r t s t o (~c live r it ,' Fi i::,s t 10fall she clhins that the letter is filled with var I ous f i F:ures of s -peec}i"that ,hR:"~ n~ ' r-esembLance t o the _truth as she ' H:1d Grein sP.wit in ,the\'.f.'·shelter. Contrary to what Goe'bbe Ls wri~es, t he y were not Il lo c.kedl~'in · U , '

the shelter nor were t hey nfightin~" f or' their lives. 3ut no r e 't han. ~ '

that she and Grein ob je c t ed t o the ove rRl l t one of t he let ter. , 30 t hfelt thAt G~ebbels WRS Qot \olritin~ to 'h i s GOn bu t r Ather t o t he Ger~ar.pe op Le in an o'ff or t t o solidify such .r ermnnt e of the Nazi ide ology : thf1:t J

T:light , outlive the ' Gernan cnllf'.pse . J3~th Gre i m and Reitsch heLd Goe~b?\:ta.in rl'l,ther :10\01 regnrd and felt ,justified in , d e cin in~ thAt this, "Goe'B1561slp.at propaf;Mdic effort" ehould not ,f A.ll into t he hands of possn'le : i} ' .Germ~ re~dera. This 'Qbvious bid for r:1Rr tyr dnm thRt the letter reflectedB€itsch And GreiM both felt Mi~ht work an un he A.lthy influence should theletter ever 'be pUblicized in Gern?n chRnn els, They would both hR~e ~ref'er-re d . t o 'f i nd S')T:'!e ' inkling of , r egre t or acn e fE',in t auspfc I on ' t ha t l a...,aye tern which hRd caused such suffering M~. 'useless destrUction) both ofthe GerMan people and the rest ,.,f the worli'l., J;1 ip:h t riot be as ' lIp1.ir e lt : anda s "holy" as Goebbels l etter clA.i rned. ' , ;. \. 2::,,'\ f

, • t' · ' . . '9. GJRl-1:ltl ' TEXT: Th{~ f ollowin{-': is t he Ger rran text of Goebbe,~sf { le,tter'

I • : -:;

IlFRr~well, my dea r Harald. .'Whe ther we shall ' e ve r ~,e~ ,e a chother aga i n lies in the hands of God, If it is not t o be, t hen 'A.l'" yo 'be proud ,t O AAve be longed t o a f pJ!lily ~hat even in t he f ace of c.i sa s t er .renained true to the Fuehre r t o t he ve ry lRs t p~d true t o his nure andholy cause , - ' ~

.s,ll t he be stand cry

< " •

\ ;, ~IWir ' s i 't zen einge'achl~ss~ri ,lm Fue hrerbunker 1n der 'R6ichs-kAAzlei: and ,kltrnpf e'n' .um un~er ,Leben un d u~unsere 3h~EI: vr1e. diesJ.r~ Kqrausgehen wird, das weh's h,uT, Got't alle in. Lch a be r wei .as , da as ~ir : nur\:n1t :.Jhre And Ruhn lebend oder to t da r-aus hervorge hen we r den , , leh' giA.'lJ.bekaum , dass wi~ una noch e Lnma L, .wi ed,e r,eehen werde n , Dp.rul;l sind (rie f3~ 'wahrsche tnl.Lch 'd i e ie'tzte!'l, :'Z~ilen, ': d i e ) )11 yon rriir c~fAngs't. " Icll" 'er'wartevon Dir, dRSS Du, wcnn .Du 'di ~ se ri . ~re ig '~ber e teh s ~ Deiner Mutt~r ana ,nir 'nur Ehre a a chen wirst. Es ist ga r n i ch t 'n 8 tig .', dass wir Iebe~d (1.A. s.~n;J:;' ; : " t

urn auf:,d.ie , Zukunft unseres Yolkes e I nzuwi rken, Du wirst unter Unstihidender E1nzige sein, de r -unae re Familientraditl on ,\·reiter f ortfiihrt. Tue/ · '.e a inmer so , da 's s \olir una deasen nicht zu scbamen br au chen , ' .

"Deutschland wird diesen f urchtbaren i ;eig '!iberst ~hc~ / p.be r ·nur , dann , werin un se r Volk ]eJ.spiele vor Augen ha t , M denen as sich .: ..; ~

\oIieder A.ufrichten kann. Ein 10l che s Beispie l wollen wir ~eben . , Du, . 'k,'\nnst stolz dA.rRuf se In , cine 1-1i , t t er \'11e- die Deine zu besi tzen. I , ; p~'.c :' ~ , I ' .

Fllilrer ' ha t ihr ge stern Aben d 0.113 go l d'.me l)p,rteillbze ichen, das e r :',jP.hr c- .lang an se tnen Rock trug, ti.berreicht ,und sl.e hat as auch verdien~. )u: . ·dRrfst in ,Zukunft nur eine AufgA.be ke nnen , ' Dich nicht vom ,Lgrm . qer~Welttder nun einsetzen wird, ver\·,rir ren. ' Die: Lw~en werd.en eines .Tn.f;c 'c',' ·'ih ;'e1ch' I

zusarnnen fflIien uno. '!iber ihne~ wieder ~, i e 'Vc'lht hei t triump,hie'r'en',' " .:Je " , . II ~' w1r d die StundG sein ~ da wi r [be r RIleo s t ehcn, r e in und nflk el10S, so 'wtunser Glaube und Streben in.'1'31· ~e\1e Sen 1s t. ' .,

I , ,

, \

I

"

1I 1.fy n e l o'1od Son,

".Alles Gute urid ne Lne he r zLich e t en c.- ;';ls s e ,

- '

IiI n the Fueh r e r ' s 3u:'lke r 28th .April 19:,;:::,.

Section IV

"We have p l r.eadx been h e r e i n t h e Fuehrer's shelter f or6 d~s; papa, yo u r six bro ther s And sis t ers, p.~d I. We are h e re t o g i veour Nati onal Socialistic w~y of life i ts on ly ~n s s ible a nd hono r abl eending.

10. EHGLISE T".::JXT: The f ollowint~ i s <l. t rfl l' s l flt i f) n r.;: t he Le t t .e rwritten by Frau Goe bbels, 11.1 so t o Lt. Ha r a.L , (,).J.P'lHit I he r son 1)~r f1 ~rc

v10us oA.rriage:

"Leb' wohl, me m lieber Har Al d ! Oh wir un s j ena l s wiedersehen werden, das steh t be i G()t t ~ \;TenI1 ne l n , dann se i Lnne r s voLzdarauf, 'zu einer FaT!1il:l e zu geht\ren . d;,e dera Filhr e r and ce i ne r r e Lnen ,heiligen Sache, auch i n Ungl ttck bi s ZUr:1 10 tzten ku.: :en~Jl :'..ck ureu gebl i e...ben 1st.

I

"YesterclflY evening the Fuehrer r-emoved his {;ol,i en insig-nia and pinned it t o rxy dress. I am proud an .l ove r j oyed, God gr An tthat I will have the s t r eng th t o a c co mpLi sh t he I A-st and a o s t d. i f f i culttask of all.

It\'le .ha ve only one atm l ef t t r, "u.G: To 'be tru e un t () c'.ep.t hto ' the Fuehror; that \..e be al Lowed t o end ou r live, s tO i~otr..er wi th h i mIs A. merciful fR.te upon wh i ch we cnu'Ld he.rnly l:.pve Cr.' ;11t Fd •

"Life will not be worth li7 inf' in the ...! o r l~. thFl t wi llCome .a f t er' Hitler and Na t i ona .L SociE'llism. Theref()re , I ):.11'1 0 s Lso 1:·r r"I -h tthe children here with me , They are t oo pr-e c l ous fo r t :l\; li f e t hp.t wil lcomo after us; a me r c i f u l Oo d will unde r s t.an d n o when I oy sc l f he Lp tj-. (~ !1

to a me r ci f u l deliverance. You will live on an d f or you I h?ve bu t on erequest: Never f orr,et ~hat you are a. Oer man , Do no t h Inr; np d n s t y ourhonor, and take ca re thAt ·you do nothing. with you r life thA.t wi ll h A.vemade our de a t h purposeless.

. "Harald, belove d bo v , I {d ve yl1' l t h e: Le s t 1 :" : 0 !''''R tp · i,r:'.J~

me, .t o tFlke on your WRy with 'you: :Be True! Be true t o y ,, ·.:r z ~ ::'f , t.rrc toyour penpLe , and ;1I1S t of a l l 'be true to ~'our Fn.therlrnn·-b (·"'c£: nrid e 'ver y

. ~e'6pe'ct~ - "

liThe children are wonderful. Without A.s s i s t a n ce t heyhelp themselves i!l these no r-e than p r ini t i ve s'l.rroun~.j.n{;s . Whether theyhave t o sleep on the flo or. whether t hey are unable t o wash, or whe ther

., t h ey have nothing t o ea t , there is neithor a word of ccrrpLa i.n t nor tears.Even for oe the shell crA.shinp, s are nerve r Hcking. The small childrencomfort the even s:"1aller And t he fA.ct of their bein~ here is A. blessingif on l y because every now A.n n then they c oax a smile fr on the Fuehrer .

/

; . "Whether you 'will ever r e ce i ve t his Let t e r I do no t know,but perhaps so me considerRte soul wi l l T!1Rke i t po s s i01e f nr you t o r eceive my La.s t g r e e t i ng s . YOU ,IDuSt kn ow t hat it' wa s PJ,;pinst : 'pnp i e wishesthat I remained her.e wi t h h i n , a nd t hat Las t SundAy t h (7 Ft'.e r,r t"lr h i.n se Lfwfl.nted to help T!1e t o ge t ou t . You know you.r Ho ther, f nr we <':'0 .i f t hesame . blo od ~ · For me there was no 'o t he r EJlt ernR.tive. Our be rru t i f'u I h i.enis being destroyed, ann ~ith it goe s everythin~ I kne w in t i::is lif t; F'L

fine, worthy of ~dnirC'l.ti on, noble Md gOf)<J. .

)

F ' IJ ' , ' ,"' ·" j""" !"r '-:,"

• >" - .1' I . ~ {

"To be/?; in A. n,e\" pag,e'.. i s difficult . Who! knqws ~ -whctne IShRll s t ill have tir.1e to fill it, ' bu t ! \l'Ft."1t to r,i.v<:, you so' r.11.~Ch of r.-mY;

• !.. e- A,l., , ""'" . , ,n.'" "love , so nuch strenr,t.h, and to take f r on you All tho s or row of ' our -a.'tih-s.Be proud' of u s And ~ :'Y to keep us ever in R p roud And joyous r en~!1'b~i·ance.

Eve ryone nust one dAy die . Io it not be tzer, nore honorable And brp.~~ r

t o hRVO livod A. short and happy life r gt her than a lonr: one under' c.i (3-.

graceful conditions?

"This letter is t o go out. HAnnn Reitsch willalong. She i s to fly bnck out ElgA.in~

" I put My 8 rms about y'o'u wi th the ,deep e s t ,mothe r ' s love ,

lir.fy belove (I, son ~ Live ?o r Germany]

"

,11 . REITSCW S LV.tI.LU~iTI O!; OF FRAli (~Z:::' -,~~S! ~TT"J:JR: Reitscli' a :~ ~

critici sms of Frau Goebbels~ ' l o t t or l=tro 'nlnos '~ ic.eriticnl to those she" ' : 'tmake s of the little Docto r i a let ter, Additionallv she no In t a out ''th~t' ·

• • •. to. . .. ,

FrE\u Goebbels f ound i t .iu s t ao :d:ifficult to Ild):le re .to the t ruth as ,her,hu sb and f oun d it . Frau Ooebbe.La .r ennrked thn t the childr en hndto,.,s l eepon . the floor, we re unable to wash, , <'Uld ' r..fl et Li nt Le to eat , all t he ,:r~ s~l t ,

of the npr i ni tive surr oundi ngs • ." Rei t ach f oun d the livin~ cond i t ion s in, 'the shelte r the no at luxurious she had e xne r t en ced thr-ouchout the ,war '. ; "Reit sch ' F1nd Gre il!! de cided thAt thi s letter shou Ld not b" (~e live red ,J" .'

e ither because it t~ o n:l~ht hel'O crystEtlize the n;lr~yr.,ninded· left~'over Bof the nazi 'i dea . Reit sch is n'ot sur-nr-i se d at the tone of the letter a:a •she de ecr rbe e Fra.u Goebbels AS t he epito_n,~ of her husband l s ~e p.chings . , ·

12.GEBHAn TI:XT : , The f ollowinp: ' is the Ger n!"n t ex t ofl et ter:

tlIr:l F-!ihrerbun:ker den 28

' " ~4e in gelieb t e r Sohn !J ,

"Nun ainll wir schon 6 Tn~e h i e r :i n FUhrcrbunkcr I Pp:p'pa!.Deins 6 kleinen Go s chwi ste r 11."1<1 i ch, 11.'1 un ae ren nntionalso z iA.li~tia c,hon

Leben den e i n z ill',o8glichen , eh r-envo Ll.on Abschhiss zu Feben . , . :! .;.

: r ""Ob Du die sen Br ief erhM.l t's t weiss ich n i ch t , ,v1ol i ef ch t '/?; ib t e s doch e I ne mcns ch I i che See l e, d i e e s l!!i r errnBg1i ch t , di ,r "ne inel' , "l etzten GrUose zu aende n , ' Du soLl s t wi s snn , clA S S ich Regen den 'Hill en I

, PI'l.ppa' s be i ihn gcblieben bin ,', daas noch vor Izen Sonn t ag ' der FUhre r .mi l'helfen ·wollte hie r her au e ~1 ko~neh " Du kenn st Deine Mutte r . wir hnbendassolbe Blut. e.s r,A.b fUr ni ch ' keine t5berl£gun~ . Unae r e her~l~che)dee ,geht zu Grunde , nit i h r rJ.les WA.B ich Sch bne s , Bewundern ewertes , Edl s s' '. 'un d Gute s i n no mem Leben gekAnn t habe , ,t..

' _ ,1"

"Die 'Iielt d ie nach den Filhre r unri den NE-l t ionRI B() zi a l -. , ' "

Lsmua -kornmb ist n i ch t mehr wer t dar In i zu Leben uno. lie she.l:b .hAbe .i oh.auch d i e Kinder hie rhe r ni tgenonmori . S~e sind zu sch~de fUr ~as nAchune ko~mende Leben und e i n GnAnige r Gott wirdr.1i ch ver stehen , wenn 1chse l bst i hnen die ErlHBung geben wer de , Du wirst \ie i te r l eben und ichhA.be die einzige Bitte nn Dic~: Ver giss nie, d~s s Du e in Deutscherb i s t , tue nie etwps , was ge i~en die :ahre ist U"1d ' so ri~e ·' da.flil" (lAs.s durch ' r:'Dei~ Leben un ser Tod nicht umson s t gew:3sen is t ! ./ ~

"Die Kin rter sind \oJU!lrler?pr .: Ohno Ed If'o . ht:l f en si~ slchselbst i n die sen nehr A.I s nri:!liti'ven VerhflH.nisscn ; :: b Gi n, n".u' (~on :Jod,en · ·schlafon, ob aie sich wftschen kc~nnen , 01:> ,s i c ~u c s sen hl'be r. 1m'. ~1r:s, ",.' :," ~ r; ,niemals oin \ofo rt de r Klc1.ge ode r ein ''le inen , DieE.inschl.H,c;e ,h i er Rlnc. 'selbst f iir mi ch e i ne Nervenpro l)e . Die Kleinen bf)r11.~ir.()n (Ue noch Kl~in~

eren und i hre Anwesonhei t hie r is t schon 'df1.durch e in . SOhen, dns'o eie "d.orn. .F-!ihrer hin und \ofiede r £lin Lltcheln p.Dge winnen . ..

5

..;

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5101515 ·

I5235333133255],

1111~

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{ '.; ).)/\ / " .: ];/(t". tI%I':J "--'':'" .) ..1 ..;- I '1

." ,..,'C'C'"Ll'T' E ' ;'y ' V r Ii (::..a ,\,) .D...:"r .._ .. tN - ~.-_. - _.... , VCpptpi~ , Air Cor~s

Cl:.ief In t crr!):,,?:F! t r.r-,

1114ein gelie'bter Snhn! :'ebe fiir Deut schLarid ]

Liebe .

:Deine Hut~er .11

!''!lir hnbe n nur noeh e i n piel: 'I'r eue b) s don Tad zunFUhre r und das s wir m:\. ~ Hun und ,:uSi'\J:1scn I:l~ t :;':-~'.r:: eli'.n ~.,e 1:;'.:lll OC,,;) C;G Jl

k8nnen i s t eine Gnade des SchicJcsala ni '~ do r \'i:'r n Lena Ls zu r '.)'';''.Dl;nwagten.

II Ich umarme Dich in inni{!,star , her zIf.chs t e r , mi\.t t e r l i chs te l'

"Ge s t e rn :~bend hAt de r F';!J-~:' f1r se tn f,nlrl.'mes Abzeichenabzonommen und n t r FlT.g 2hef'::0t , O::ch l)i '1 ~4 iJ ()~'Z u nci i~ ·. t:. :;.k:i ':'r.h ! Gl)tt ~ebe ,

da se mi r die Kr fl.ft b I e i be , um dr-o Lo ... zte :;ct ..~'V;~ .,ij€;' zu ·Ij ....m~ ;

Dr STRI:BUTIOU:-ADI(K) A'lr Hinistry •.•.••.. ;; ••••••.• .. •...•.1;,...2, TJSA..A.:f " Il ..

k-2, US.:U!~•... '•••••.. .... ... ...... i ••••••••

G-2 , USF'"'.iJT••••••••• ~ . , ..G-2 . USFA.., ~ _ ..G-2 , TSFBT•• • • •• •• • •• • • • • • • • • .. • • • • • . • • • . ·..G-2 , Al l i ed Force He RllquRr te r s •• ; ...•..•..•l'iI S , WF'J' Dent., W.,,6h ing t on, • • . •• . , . . . . . • . .•Intelligence Branch , .air Dlv., N fGG(US) ••••In te1Hgence Secl;ion I OfiIGG(US) . , ,FIAT, c/o USF'8'11 Nn,5.n , u , ••••• ,

TheRter In te rrf){~H·;:.i on Cen ter • •. • . . . . . . . .. . •G-2, Third ' TJ. S., ],::.'T!!J , . , • • • •• • • • •G-2 , Sevon th UuS. .r~ r':1Y " .CP~-! :Branch , G·-2 , 'lTD , \iTa shi nf, tn n • •.•.. , ••••.OSS· l·hssion ' f or Ger nany , " .• . " • 0 , • • • • •• • • • ••

MI 19. War Off :1.<;8: Lnn~.on<, • . . . ,. , •. . , . , ..•A.I . 12) Air Min l~tryw.,. , .... •.. ........ . ,.a..I . 3, Air z,Iir.:s liry" •• " , • .• . •• , ·•LiIDe to ~ '" ~ " • ") " ••••• e .. . .. f' " .. . ... ~ ' r' 't • • • '" " '" • " ,.

:BIOS :r e It • " Ct • ~ e o .l • , ... ,. .. 01 I' • " r. OS ':) r " , I" " " - " " " r ~ " " " "

For~ :'~· · 'Cf~:i.ce ·D00t:."Jf:l r:t S Unt t , . , .ACA (Dr) , Air Div ~.E:on , ' . . , .EGS (I) , 21 Arr.ly Gr oup iJ[,."in ;{ 11. ~31A o " • • • '.Hq. USDIC I US.B'A. . . , . . . . •. ... .. .•Air InterrogRtion Unit, .Air pn. tHq, USFA• .London Det. Air Division, Ho. US:a'.il. , •..••. ~

Spf\.r e s nnd FiIe •..• , ...••• . , • • , . . . . . • . • . . . •

IIEinen ncue n 3i)gen an zut'an.tcn :1Ft. schwer .. Vi(;r \i\2 :i':, c' ,

i eh ihn au sf ii11en kann , abe r ieh r:;~ (:h J~ () nc cr. ;"0,, i(31 Lir;bJ Dir {~C"tL 'J J

saviel Kraft und Dr r ,jed.e 'rrA".lt'r .0.":) (> ,:, un se r e» iierll.'.s t nanuen , ee l. sto LcRuf up s und vc r suche U D S in si.c Lze r . fr~; il( : :l t~ 0:r' X::i'ir,nerll1l f.; au buhpl ~en , .

l}inmR1 nus s jeder Honsch ~ te.:'ben un d i s 'li t: S ~1 i ch t GChl~ner ehr-envo Ll undte.pfer kurz zu Leben , Ells un t o r scnnachvo ller :3e <iinf,Unf', ein Lange s zufil.hren~

lIHRrald, Lieber J,mge, ich gebe Djr f..RS 3u st e nr cl; 2:liden \'le~ , was etas Leben T.1 i ch g81e~rt hp.t: S-::.i. t reu.' T-.: c·J. Dlr s c-J.":1f:;t ,

, t r eu den l.fenschen und ' t r eu Dei.nan LFll:d f.;ef,c n'0..1:e:.- . I n ,l ,: , l(~l' i.:n,l 5.. ' ,:.: rBe ziehung!

l1I)er 3r~ef 5011 r aus-Hp.unn Reitsch ni ;:u:;t ihn mi t . Si c\ ~ f1iegt nochmRls rflus!

rief No AlU/IS/8 0 0 r F I D a ' S T I A - L

/

AI,;. DITIÖIOIT D/iliG/lGB/hdh' EXJADQJLulTÜJilS U1TTT3D STATUS JSÜJiGES IN AUSTRIA

Air I n t e r r o g a t i o n Unit (USBIC) Al'O 777 US AVMY"

INTER-OGATIOK SÜMiiAjiY)

16 November 1945 •

8)

coinL,iCTAT[-jiT o? &CI:I]TG irr HAP7~^ WITSCH

1. r^r.ODUCTTCvT; This r e p o r t concerns i t s e l f wi th the condemnation of Hermann Goering ae lender of the German Luftwaffe as expressed by Hanna Hei t sch , the pro~inent Gernan l e s t - p i l o t and ae ronau t i ca l r e s ea r ch e x p e r t . I t iß f e l t t h a t her close con tac t s and core'inn« movement through the t o p -b r a c k e t s of the Luftwaffe ranke her op in ions of value i n determining the co l l apse of the GAif to the e x t e n t t h a t i t i s c o n t r i b u t a b l e to Goering. Inasmuch as Heitsch i s c l o s e l y f a m i l i a r with the o r d e r s , i d e a s , and rian-nerisms of Goering i t i s be l i eved t h a t her opin ions may be iHumina t in l and a c c u r a t e . Her complete cooperat ion and s incere e f f o r t to t e l l the t r u t h should a l so be considered, in p r o p e r l y e v a l u a t i n g the fo l lowing mate r i a l . This account was p repared p a r t l y f ron a r>aper w r i t t e n by Hei tsoh and p a r t l y through i n t e r r o g a t i o n . I t i s important to note t h a t remarks Bei tech has made on the subjec t to c i v i l i a n s and to n o n - i n t e r r o g a t i n g American o f f i c e r s have been checked and found to completely confirm her own wr i t t en r e p o r t a s wel l as her s ta tements dur ing i n t e r r o g a t i on.

a. The r epo r t i s w r i t t e n to conform to her own paper and to the remarks she made, both under d i r e c t and i n d i r e c t i n t e r r o g a t i o n . I t i s a composite account of her opinions a s obta ined through theee methods. •

b . I t i s f e l t t h a t the m a t e r i a l "'ay be of value to help c l a r i f y va r ious phases of Goering*s g u i l t a t the coming t r i a l and a l s o to a s s i s t in more c l e a r l y e v a l u a t i n g Goering 'a r o l e in the d i s i n t e g r a t i o n of the Luftwaffe.

2. GOaiaiTG—.TfilJ &.aCS5 IITJ0ML-£T^JTT; "I cannot and w i l l not p r e t e n d to give a complete p i c t u r e of Goering," says i t e i t s ch , "I can <~>nly t e l l of Goering as I knew him and of the th ings he d i ' t h a t must be t o l d in the name and for the sake of the t r u t h . I t i s d i f f i c u l t a f t e r the down-fal l of o n e ' s country to a t t a c k a f a rmer -g rea t and to expose him before h i s own countrymen and in th» eyes of the world for the g r o s s incompetent t h a t he i s . But in s p i t e of these qua l i fy ing s c r u p l e s , anyone in a p o s i t i o n to t e l l the t r u t h to p r e s e n t and fu tu re g e n e r a t i o n s must speak up, , p a r t i c u l a r l y i f i t i s about a man who had such a h igh- rank ing p o s i t i o n , who WPS g e n e r a l l y considered a s a shining example of s a c r i f i c i a l l o y a l t y and f u l f i l l m e n t of duty , but who n e v e r t h e l e s s caused the g r e a t e s t of harm and f i n a l l y descended to the most shameful t r e a c h e r y . Anyone, p a r t i c u l a r l y a German, who posses ses knowledge to p lace Goering in h i s p rope r l i g h t owes i t to himself and to the world to impart i t . Therefore , I must make t h i s burning accusa t ion a g a i n s t the man who l e t the d e c i s i v e weapon ( the GAJ?) be destroyed through h i s ">wn f a u l t , and who through, h i s p e r s o n a l a t t i t u d e , example, and cha rac t e r be t rayed h i s own p e o p l e , thus loading lipon himself the immeasurable blame f o r t h e su f f e r i ng of a whole n a t i o n . "

3 . HITLSL'. iGKOVSS GOJRL'G APD OALLS HIS SUGCSSSO : »On 24 A o r i l , 1945 Adolf H i t l e r ca l l ed General Oberst f i t t e r von Greim, the Commanding:

General of L u f t f l o t t e 6, to the äeich&chancel lory in B e r l i n in order to ; ao-ooint him successor to Goering, The radiogram did not s t a t e the reason bu t simoly ordered h in to come to 7 'er l in immediately. Although i t was' ; known t h a t the Russians a l r eady e n c i r c l e d the c i t y , General von Greim b e l i e v e d t h a t i t might s t i l l be pos s ib l e fo r me to f l y him i n . "

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|4. auttflVAl. AT HITI^K'S SHl;hT-:a- Greim and Keitech arr ived in the shel ter "between 1800 and lSK.'O hours on the evening of ühe 86th of Apri l . f i r s t to meet them vis f--?u Goebbels-, who f e l l won Peitsch with t ea r s

&'kisses, expressing her astonishment that anyone s t i l l possessed the ourage and loyal ty to cone to the fuehrer, .in stark contrast to a l l

those who had deserted hin . Grein was immediately taken to the operating room where H i t l e r ' s physician tended a foot injury, that Greim had received frua I-us'sian ground f i r e as they flew low over Berl in.

a„ Hit ler osae into the,operating room, according to iteitsch, with h i s face ehe,wring cbisp gred^.ttbie over Sre ia ' a coning. He remarked something to the c": ec\ '-hr-.t e'^n a soldier hap a right to disobey an order when everything indicates that to carry i t ^ut would "be fu t i l e and hopeless. Oreim then told Hi t le r what har and to theshelter .

"üt <A h 4,-e-secce in the. o f f i c i a l manner and h .poeueO. r>J d how thyy h-'. i URged. 'to get into Berlin

h. "The fuehrer quiet ly l i s tened '; HAVS Pei tsch, "and at the end of the report t ea rs cane into his eyes., ,Se took von Grein by the hand and clasped me around the shoulders and sai.--, 'There i s s t i l l some loyal ty and courage l e f t in the- world' and then turning to von Greim, he asked whether he had any idea why he- had "been cal led in«, Von Greim said that he did not ."

5; HI TIBS ;S ff-OTOIATIOIT OF GODMBO; Hi t l e r said, '"because Hermann Scoring hae h< and h i s fatherland. Behind ny lack he has ' the enemy. His r ction was a mark of coward-has gone to save himself a t Berchtesgaden. d isrespectful telegram. He said that I had sor and that now, as I was no longer ahie to prepared to rule fron Berchtesgaden in ny p i s ta t ing that if he had no answer from me "by the wire he would assume my answer to he in

l; • •'• have cal led you to me,' trayed and' deserted "both ne stftblisheo connections with ce. And against ray orders he fron there he sent me a most once nancd him as ny succes-

rule fron Berlin, he was ace. He closes the wire by n ine- th i r ty on tho date of the a f f i rmat ive . '

a. " ' I t was an ultimatum..' A cross ultimatum- J . Now nothing r e mains. Nothing i s spared r*. Ho allcgianceb are kept, no honor l ived up to , no disappointments that I have not had, no betrayals that I have not experienced, and now th i s above a l l e l s e . .Nothing remains. livery wrong has already been done me.'

b . "*&th eyes hard and half closed and in a voice unusually low he went on: ' I Immediately had Goering arres ted as a t r a i t o r to the • lie ich, took fron him a l l Ms off ices , an:1, removed him fron a l l organizat ions . That i s why I have cal led you to ne. I hereby declare you . Goering's successor as Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwnffw, In the name of the German people I give you my hand. '"

6. "TO Jia ' jQ.t THJ KOITO.i. Of TEJ LUW.-O'f/];" Greim and Peitsch were deeply.stunned with the news of Goering-s be t rayal . As with one mind they both grasped H i t l e r ' s hands »nd begged to be allowed to remain in tho bunker and with thei r own l ives atone for the; great wrong that Goering had perpetrated against the fuehrer,' against the German people, and against tho Luftwaffe i t s e l f . To servs the honor of the f lyers who had died, to rees tab l i sh the honor of the Luftwaffe that Goering had destroyed, and to guarantee the honor of the i r laue in tho eyes of the world, they begged to remain. Hi t le r agreed to a l l th is and told then they might 6tay, and told then too that their decision would long he remembered in the h is tory of the Luftwaffe.

a. "In t h i s manne-- ," says Beltech, "did Gotr ing 's betrayal open the door to von Greiu and to me so that suddenly we found ourselves as par t of the -small c ircle of yeople who were now prepared to die with the fuehrer.

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b. ' "As Hi t ler asked üö to undertake the nursing and caring for the wounded von G rein, I spent most of tho time in the shel ter a t his . . "bed-side, u n t i l the -Fuehrer,-one dpy before his reported death, sent us Out again.* (See Interrogation Summary Eo 1, Hq Air Division, USFA, f o r / complete account of Ueitsch and Greirrs entrance into lie-rlin and of the. events in H i t l e r : s shel ter up to early morning of tho 30th of April 1945).,

7. THL Mu ffl 'PHLOiTGS ?0 OoaaiEG; »The co'nversati ~<ns Greim and I -had-In the •bunker," says pei tsch, "were .mainly of the misfortunes' that had "befallen Germany flnd, through Germany, hai ' befallen the world. As far hack as we l e t our thoughts go, even hack t^ the very beginnings-of the Third Hoich a.'nd of the Luftwaffe i t s e l f , we could find only a long chain of injust ice and e v i l of vmich most could be d i rec t ly t r rced to the gu i l t of Goering. I do not write these l ines out of indiscret ion or with-.'. out long and painful consideration. I. write them solely for the. sake of the t ru th , with the fu l l understanding that wo Germans must p rac t i ca l ly re learn the-definition', of the word. Hardly auy of us are free from tho insidiousness of'the; phrase', : the end j u s t i f i e s the means. ' .This i s be-cause the-honor of our land w-'s.s'1 slowly ana pe r s i s t en t ly propagandized ( '*$ that we'hardly saw how that. propaganda actually robbed us of the very honor the propaganda s-ooke of an,\ how i t garbled the - t ru th in to a long ser ies of falsehoods."

8. FPU TEE) SAK3 OP gHiJ Tl-UTH: " I t i s for the sake of the t ru th , and to he able to t 'ell the world about i t that I remained al ive when the t e r r i b l e things of the l a s t days of the war went on »11 about me. In f u l f i l l i n g that r-umoge I must loudly declaim that ßoering i s in no way representat ive of the German meorile as I know they can one day he, nor i s he representat ive of the grea tes t pa r t of the Luftwaffe. He' i s rather an unfortunate a.n'oarition who ha.s brought untolr misery to humanity. Now that we are at l a s t able, we (the neonle and the Luftwaffe) must divorce ourselves en t i r e ly from a l l h i s ideas and everything he represented. The •

-All ies must'not judge a l l Germans as counterparts of the Goering -pattern« Through Goering and the posi t ion he held, the Al l ies must also recognize that Hit ler did not nossess the s l igh tes t a b i l i t y of proper character ana personal i ty evaluation. And that with eyes' closed by idealism and a false conception of honor he would not or could not remove 'old fol lowers ' even when ho snsr>ecte<'M Ann. in s me casus, knew of thei r ineff ic iencies and criminal m'shand l ings . This false sense of honor led him •W believe in and sutTDort old comrades even af ter they had long been of grea,t harm to him and to Germany. This .same false sense forced him to keep Goering long af ter he began to suspect Goering's s tup id i t i e s and f a i l i n g s . " ;

9. GQ P-LMG'S OALSAL OOlfrLSX: "Much of the conduct and manner of Goer-"in- i s , in ;:.y opinion, governed by h is abnormal physical condition, Actual futct ionrl 'diaturbances^could e ra i ly ><.• the fundamental cause for his Caesar-complex. Ho .doubt these disturbances-are a lso the cause of hiB feminine^ manner which was in such s t a r k contrast to his apparently ' i ron commands,' His'manner of dress, h is use of cosmetics, h is personal vanity, h i s pe r fume drenched, person «id clothin.,-, a l l croateu an a.ctually decadent iflv- * pression." .-

IC. .IQUPHnia AS A COPdTPIPUTIFG ?AJT0ii; ."Much of t h i s abnormality was always at t r ibutes , to his constant use of morphine. .Undoubtedly the drug drove him to spasms of ecstasy during which he was known to over-* • ra te and regard as fact such th ings as were solely the product of h i s drug-doped wishful thinking. During such s p e l l s of e la t ion he certainly"" •presented Hi t le r with a picture that far over-estimated the strength and no ten t ia l i ' t i e s of the Luftwaffe. Hit ler therefore-possessed an en t i r e ly erroneous oicture of h is a i r strength and-was deluded thereby into a fa lse sense of security that prolonged the war much'further than might • have' been the case had he known the true- s i tua t ion , "

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.11* GOSl'ING SiiLLS GäiaiJTY -a ": ILL OP GCÜDS" ; "A s t r i k i n g example' f, Goer ing ' s f a l s i f i c a t i o n occurred when he i n v i t e d H i t l e r , a grouo of i j a i s t e r s , Gau l eade r s - and o t h e r government o f f i c i a l s to Aechlin to t t e n d ' a showing of the newest a i r c r a f t ' t ypes . Goering demonstrated

w and. capable p l anes of which no t riore than a few exper imenta l models x i s t e d , and then passed them off as examples n f a i r c r a f t - t h a t were, mom-h t a r i l ' y to cone off the p roduc t ion l i n e s in b a t t l e - r e a d y thousands, He hen 'conducted sham a i r b a t t l e s with out-moded A l l i e d f i g h t e r c r a f t to

.'.show, .the tremendous s u p e r i o r i t y of the German a i r - a r m . The assembled o f f i c i a l s r e t u r n e d to t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e communities where they q u i e t e d

.%he -.fears of the populace vi.th glowing accounts of the new p l anes and Weapons t h a t would sooiv c leanse the a i r of A l l i e d bombers. This b o l s t e r e d the f a i t h of the people i n fixjal v i c t o r y and through t h e i r r e s u l t a n t concen t r a t i on of e f f o r t , c e r t a i n l y prolonged the war«,"

12« GOSLING T3ISLUIS VTx- A/0 p;;jDDTJCr:oi* 5;I.'?-TJ:G5S; "Whenever Goering was confronted with a i r c r a f t p roduc t ion fj.gux-er t h a t were l e s s than those he imagined or hoped e x i s t e d , he would rant- and fume and deluge the in« d i v i d u a l with accusa t ions of sabotage , susp ic ions of non-support of the war effor t , , An i l l u s t r a t i o n of t h i s I exper ienced pe r sona l ly?

a«. "In August 1943, a f t e r my recovery f ron a crash with a HB 163 I r ece ived a luncheon i n v i t a t i o n to h i s hone on Obersa lzburg , There were t h r e e of us a t the t a b l e ; Goering, h i s wife, and I . As opening remark of the t a b l e conversa t ion Goering wanted to acaua in t h i s wife with the p lane in which I had been in ju red ,

b„ "'Do you know, : he s a i d , "the 163 i s our newest rocke t c r a f t , which cl imbs with f a n t a s t i c speed almost s t r a i g h t in to the a i r „ Thousands a re now ready to sweep the heavens c lean and shoot down the bomber format ions wherever we can f i n d them.1

c . " I was astounded and. almost d i s b e l i e v e d my ea.rs . I knew t h a t a t t h a t moment we d id not have a s i n g l e 163 ready fo r conbat and a t the very b e s t we c m l d no t expect a s i n g l e c r a f t to be ready before the end of the y e a r . Acsembly l i n e produc t ion would, for a long time, be out of the question«. 2ven if a l l the f a c t o r i e s de s igna t ed to produce t h i s c r a f t were se t in f u l l and immediate p roduc t ion , the f i g u r e s he was sugges t ing were f a n t a s t i c , , I wasn ' t c e r t a i n i f Goering was joking o r i f , wi th i n t e n t i o n a l exagge ra t ion , he was merely a t t empt ing to r e a s s u r e h i s wife . That he himself b e l i e v e d whpt he had s a i d seemed r i d i c u l o u s .

d, "With a h a l f - l a u g h , I s a i d , t h a t would be f i n e , were i t t r u e .

o. "Goering seemed astounded a t my remark and loudly demanded what I meant by the s t a t emen t . With e tup i f i ed amazement I r e a l i z e d from h i s r e t o r t t h a t he a c t u a l l y b e l i e v e d we did have thousands of the ME 1 6 3 ' s . As I f e l t i t to be my duty to t e l l him the t r u t h I exp la ined what I knew about the p roduc t ion f i g u r e s and what we could hope f o r in the way of asso.mbly-line p roduc t i on . Thereupon Goering flew i n t o a rage., and ' v i c ious ly pounding h i s f i s t upon the. t ab le he screamed t h a t I d i d n ' t have the s l i g h t e s t i dea , t h a t I d i d n ' t know what I was speaking a bou t , and s t r ode a n g r i l y out of the room. With ho r ro r I r e a l i z e d why no one dared t e l l him the t r u t h . I became s i ck with dread when I r e a l i z e d what a complete ly f a l s e impression he must have of the s t r e n g t h and power of h i s own weapon,. As Goering came back i n t o the room I made ano the r a t tempt to d i s c u s s the ma t t e r r a t i o n a l l y , but i t was of no avai l , , I had simply f a l l e n i n t o the poor g r a c e s of the 2eichsmarschall and was never again c a l l e d t o see him or consu l ted on a e r o n a u t i c a l matters«."

13 . GOLIUFG SSiaCTS IU.S AIDS ITT HIS 0W IMAG5: "Goering chose such people to f i l l the p o s i t i o n s about him as mirrored h i s own p e r s o n a l i t y ; men who were s e l f - c e n t e r e d , incompetent , and e n t e r i n g . I t was men

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C, "That-Feldmarschall Greim took his life on the 24th of May 1945 as he was being taken to Germany as a prisoner of war was also-largely due to Goering» I am sure that Gi-eim was not able to reconcile his honor as a soldier with giving the information he would have had to give regarding the despicable traits and blunderings of Goering, his former Commanding Officer, who in his own mind he damned as the incompetent who.bore the greatest guilt for the useless continuation of the wart"

14, GOSHIUG'S TECHNICAL SHüRTCOr-CTGS: "An air force is a technical weapon and in its development engineers, research me'n, scientists, and industrialists must be allowed to speak. If this is not understood, a3 Goering did not understand it, it was inevitable that the Luftwaffe would crumble through leadership that was not short of criminal,

a. "As He search Director of the Luftwaffe, Prof. Dr. Walter' Georgii of Ainring, Germany, can give a full picture of Goering's lack of interest and awareness in research matters," (See Interrogation Summary No 2, Air Division, USFA, for Prof. Georgii's account of Goering.)

b, • "Of Goering's relations with Luftwaffe engineers'and technicians both Feldmarschall Milch and Dinl. Ing. Otto Fuchs, Berlin-Koepenick, Wendenschlosstrasse, can give complete information.

C, "The fact that Goering made himself into the well known 'Hermann Heier is only superficial, but indicative evidence of what can be documented by those named above, Goering always heeded the psuedo-scientists and engineers who gave him glowing account a-, and promised other wonders for the immediate future that would be even mote glowing, in spite of the fact that competent men sa.w the oitfalls and impossibilities. Sat as always these uncolored accounts were consistently disregarded and ., eventually even forbidden entrance." •

15. EHB "VOLKSJABGBIi" "LTirrnai?« nA Bhockin* example of. Goering's : faulty judgment was the matter of-the 'Volksjaeger'. It was 'In favor vof; -this" new-plane that Goering allowed himself to almost destroy the ,last hope-left to the Luftwaffe :ln the fall of 1944.—namely the hope that-lay in the ME 262. The HS 262 was at this time fully tested and found.;;to?•£,

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possess f l igh t cha rac te r i s t i c s that were almost flawless and cer ta inly •exdeeded those of any other German craf t and of .any known Allied plans, -•It was'then of the gravest importance, in the f a l l of 1944, to get tfce/ ME 263 on' an immediate assembly.-line production "basis. With everything

'.ready .Goering gave ear to the proposed rVolksjaeger' plan,- for wh^h" ^only.the roughest, first—stage drawings had "been accomplished;'' and f?qm vwhich a plane was to evolve that admittedly possessed poorer f l i g h t ' " • •qua l i t i e s and more limited p o t e n t i a l i t i e s than the ME 262.

a. "Ambitious construction men, motivated "bvfinterests of ' se l f -ga in , promised Goering than the .'Volksjaeger1 couia>be perfected. from the "basic drawing-board sketches, in the fall•of.19&4, to assembly-

. l ine production by March 1945 without -affecting the ME f?33 program. 'Countless a i r c r a f t engineers warned Gceri'ng of the' p lan | s impracticabil i t y and f e l l into immediate disfavor as a venJ.i', Evely designer, t es t - ' p i l o t , and constructor knew how much time vo^.'.d be required to develop

,an en t i re ly new c ra f t . Only 'Goer ing and h u momentary ji 'avorites did not , or would not, recognize t h i s actuality',, Result, SL' course, was that the ' l a s t -hope ' ME 262 did suffer th row* the !Volksjaeger' program. The main reason, for ' th i s was that. Generaldirektor-Ke-ssler, -long connected and acquainted with the ME 362's evolution and in charge of i t s assembly-l ine production planning was removed by • Goering and put to work on the 'Volks jaeger ' .pro jec t . '

b« "The f i n a l r e s u l t was that the'MB 262 program-was i r r e p arably damaged, and that the 'Volksjaeger' an everyone suspected, was ' another ' t o o - l a t e ' and a complete f a i l u r e . " (Pull information On Goer- > ing ' s r o l l in the "Volksjaeger" a f fa i r , lieitsch 'claims, could be obtained, from Dipl; Ing,' Voigt of Messerschmitt.) . •

16. GOERING THE COLLECTOR AND AT-HOIMäL EGOTIST: " I f i s ' gene ra l information," Claims Reitsch, " that Goering was the. grea tes t corruption-i s t of the Third Reich, that he used h i s posi t ion without r e s t r a i n t to co l lec t and.ponfiscate t reasures of art-, castles-, v i l l a s , and untold suiis of money. In h i s personal i ty and morphine-sickened egotism, I see the blame for h i s ineff ic iencies and despicable c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . Through th i s came h i s excesses, h i s blunderings, the loss of the t rus t of most' of h i s of f icers , the contempt of research and technical men, and f ina l ly even the one-time good humored f a i t h on the pa r t of many of the people changed to outr ight d i sgus t . "

j ' l ? . THE ANTI-GOERING THEM): "Complaints against Goering came from ' a l l . possible sources and usually found the i r way to-Himmler's desk.

Through Himmler I became acquainted with many of these. Often they beggedHimmler to take control of the Luftwaffe himself or at l eas t to impress Hi t le r with the s t r ingent need of replacing Goering. These were sent to Himmler because i t was known that of the big-four he was the only one who would at l eas t read such- complaints; a thing that had long been impossible with the others, l e a s t of a l l with Hi t le r , as a l l such infor-?

. mation was, shor t -c i rcui ted long before i t reached h is desk."

'".: 18, HITLE''. ATTEMPTS TO REiSSY TKB GOERING SITUATION; "Through Himmler's intervention Hi t l e r f ina l ly cal led General Oberst von Greim to. him in September 1944. and to ld him in secrecy of h i s misgivings r e garding -some, .of ^Goering's . a c t i v i t i e s . Hi t l e r , then asked Greim to take control of a l l mil i tary a i r operations in such a manner that he would not have 'to remove-Goering al together , Greim agreed, 'but indicated that he could accept only if he were given'complete freedom to f i l l responsible pos i t ions as" he saw f i t , and' in, addition that he. should have suqh o the r ' r i gh t s .and. author i ty as would, in sure that the operational controj. could.be exercised in the manner he'deemed necessary, Äe was.sent by the fuehrer to Goering to arrange some sort of a d iv is ion of du t i e s . "

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19. GOERING VS. &KBIH; "In presenting h is na t t e r to Goering; Greim was net with a t e r r i f i c harangue arid out-burst of rfl#e, Grein a t once' saw that any forn of cooperation with Goering was icpossible , reported th i s to Hi t le r , and asked to "be sent back to his post as Commanding Off ice r of Luftf lot te VI.«

20. THE LAST LAYS: "Through h i s sickened egotism and selfishness,/ Goering held to h i s posit ion to the l a s t , in spite of the fact that he himself was beginning to see that he was gradually slipping i n his pos i t ion, and 'because of t h i s a. people was p rac t i ca l ly destroyed and a t e r r ib l e war continued long af ter i t had "been ful ly l o s t . Unt i l ,just • "before the end he fought with the sane determination to keep the t r u s t of Hi t l e r , a t r u s t that he knew was f a s t waning. Then when he saw the end at hand, he deserted,, A man who accepts every honor, every t i t l e , every decoration, and every posi t ion w.\'n c:o;.«ianfc avowals of h is f a i t h fulness, must be more than a tfcoundrel when Id vurns t r a i t o r the moment the Fuehrer had nothing more to give him ,:

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21. GOEHING'S 'TLEASAITT" LLHSONALITY: "Many people have always by his sense of humor, by;

This danger still been «namored by his strange personal charn, his apparent appreciation of tradition and culture. exists. These same people have considered him as a picture of faithfulness to Hitler as well as the Fuehrer's greatest protector. These people may not understand his betrayal pnr'. his character and may still be of their former opinions. It is true that even the greatest criminal,.. the most dangerous human being, ha.s his acceptable characteristics. The | danger is that many people have seen only this 'display-side' and not the proper, odious side of Goering. No doubt his household servants, chauffeurs, and orderlies, who-lived practically as well as he did him- j j self, are still firmly convinced of his congeniality and goodliness, as at first the whole nation was convinced. Jut such opinions should never be allowed to influence a proper judgment of the man. One mist never forget the danger that such abnormal vanity, such gross incompetence, and pitiful inefficiency represents against the peoples of any nation and thereby against humanity."

22. ONLY SUR7IV0H 0? THE "LIG-FOUll" ; "In Goering's case the danger is particularly .great,• as he is the only survivor of the four leaders of the Third-.'Heich. '• It" Is" possible that the hopes of such people who are still sympathetically inclined to the Nazi regime and its ideology night hope that through Goering some aspects of the Nazi philosophy could be kept alive. Such a thing must never be allowed to occurr. The people must know what sort of crininal Goering was, a criminal against Germany and against the world."

23. CONCLUSION-; Seitsch draws two sharp conclusions out of her analysis of Goering that she feels condemn him in her eyes, in the. eyes of the Gernan people, and in the eyes of the world. The first-is that through his ignorance he misused the Luftwaffe to such an extent that thousands of lives were lost, both through the improper defensive and offensive use of the weapon? The second is that through his vanity and warped ego ho allowed hinself to be informed falsely and in turn informed Hitler falsely as to the strength and capabilities of the air-arm. Eeitsch believes that this false -oicture that Goering carried to the Fuehrer night easily have been drawn fron Goering's actual impressions

as it was simply forbidden to bring any pessimistic accounts to his attention. If this was the case Goeiing's guilt is all the greater, in \ Reitsch's opinion, because she believes that if Hitler had currently known the true status of his. air.weapon he woulr1 have been forced to recognize the inevitable defeat much earlier than he did. She therefore holds Goering responsible for the;useloss continuation ,of thenar for many rionths after it wa.s, in the eyes of almost everyone, completely and irretrievably lost,

C'OlIi' I D E N T I A L

C O U F I D S N T I A L

a. ävery l i f e l o s t . o n e i t h e r s ide dur ing t h a t t ime, i s in her op in ion , to be unques t ionably chalked up a g a i n s t Goering.

b . Be i t s ch draws a t h i r d conclus ion in which she charged h i t l e r wi th the f i n a l and o v e r - a l l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of G-oering's f a i l u r e s . , Hi t le rJ -s crime was thp t he did not pos s e s s the necessary i n s i g h t to r e a l i ze the, incompet.#icy of Goerlng and t h a t even when he did begin to r e a l i z e i t in the l a s t s t a g e s , H i t l e r was motivated by a f a l s e and c r imina l sense of a l l e g i a n c e to one of h i s o ld -guard , long-t ime suppor t e r s to the e x t e n t t h a t he could not b r ing himself to remove Goering while t h e r e was s t i l l t ime,

. c„ In her opinion .Hi fcler?s renov&l of Goering dur ing the e a r l y s t ages of the war would ne t h.we vhicl.'.cf.'fesä Goering but would subs t a n t i a l l y have «shortened the du ra t ion r.t t/H ÜAT,

fir !*A£ £ ?tW£ ' iOESSI E, WORK .£/.) ß

Captain , Air Corps Chief I n t e r r o g a t o r ,

DISTRIBUTION;

"D11 P l u s : A-2, USAAF, , , . . . 10 A-2, USAF2o i, 15 LMDC. 1 3I0S r . 1 A . I , 12, Ai r Min is t ry 1 A . I . 3 , Air Min i s t ry . 1 A D I ( K ) , Air M i n i s t r y . . . • 5 Foreign Office Documents Unit 1 Air D i v i s i o n , ACA ( 3 r ) , „ 2 London Det. , Ai r Div, , Kqc USFA. 3 M r I n t e r r o g a t i o n Uni t , Air Div . , Hq., USFA... . „••' 5 Spare s and F i l e 15

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C 0. II F . I D S 3 I I A L

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