Hitler and Speer's Children

Adolf Hitler and Speer's children at Berghof. Photo by Walter Frentz.

Life Magazine: Albert Speer’s daughter has no doubts. Her father's role in the Holocaust has shadowed Hilde Schramm’s life:

"I am part of the generation born before or during the war. Growing up after it, many of us were very struck by what had happened and tried personally, professionally, and in politics to build another Germany; a Germany that’s tolerant, democratic and not antisemitic. I always feel I am just one of those people. The reason I’m more known is due to my father.”

Hilde Schramm is talking about Albert Speer, Hitler’s personal architect in 1933, minister of armaments and munitions from 1943, and the father she barely knew when the war ended. With his intensive workload that included designing the Reich Chancellery and performing ‘armaments miracles’ with increased slave labour, Speer did not see much of his six children. As they played in the Alpine countryside, Hilde and her siblings were oblivious to the murderous machinations of the Third Reich and the decimation of the Jewish population. Ironically, ignorance of the Final Solution was Speer’s defence at Nuremburg. This later proved to be a lie, but the reality of being Albert Speer’s daughter has shaped Hilde’s life – curiously in the best possible way.

Now 83, Hilde has dedicated herself to helping victims of Nazi atrocities and antisemitism. Already a recipient of the Moses Mendelssohn Award, in January this year she was given the Obermayer German Jewish History Award for her efforts in keeping alive the nation’s Jewish cultural past.

Source :
Courtesy of Tobi Moll at https://www.facebook.com/groups/237076659811098/permalink/1537839059734845/?__cft__[0]=AZWFoY2KvVzxwxtuHr1X7sDGkcAgDFbnhf2lTWmFbhZvrFmxHbDy3viSaWrpgucKjq8qs8tUGpqe9nIwXqq5plckaOKIQWwaV0zwifenLQwM80kg2SLRnUfrlXEUH2oY-iSRquGOWlj94AmcUqzW5QKWdaIlmTi_g0lCk_u2b9U3KsvzVkFIs2d8YLYnlEhvln8&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/life-magazine-albert-speers-daughter-has-no-doubts/?fbclid=IwAR2aUcREvShJ1ZAuAfNG3KBq7_HwdQEt8apmmK9SjqCYNEruXwKhOrWMJ_g

Hitler and Himmler Walking in the Snow

Adolf Hitler (Führer und oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) walking in the snow alongside Heinrich Himmler (Reichsführer-SS und Chef der Deutschen Polizei) with aid of a walking stick at Berghof Berchtesgaden (Münich), 3 April 1944. Behind them were, from left to right: SS-Obersturmbannführer Fritz Darges (persönlicher SS Adjutant bei Adolf Hitler), SS-Hauptsturmführer Josef "Sepp" Kiermaier (persönlicher leibwächter bei Heinrich Himmler), unidentified, and SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Hermann Fegelein (Verbindungsoffizier der Waffen-SS zum Führerhauptquartier). This picture was taken during the daily walk to the Mooslahnerkopf Teehaus (teahouse), a small building right across Hitler's Berghof mansion (this teahouse should not be mistaken with the official teahouse on top of the Kehlstein mountain), then the car took him back to the Berghof. The Mooslahnerkopf Teehaus was built in 1937 on the northern boundary of the area, just below the Mooslahnerkopf hill, overlooking the Berchtesgaden valley below. Most of Hitler's stays at the Berghof included a daily afternoon walk to the Teehaus. This pleasant walk often became the scene for important political decisions, but Hitler preferred to relax, and even nap, in the Teehaus itself, surrounded by his closest friends and associates. The so-called Eagles Nest is often called "Hitler's Tea House," but this is technically incorrect. Hitler did not treat the Kehlsteinhaus as a tea house, and the location he visited daily for afternoon tea was actually the Mooslahnerkopf Teehaus. The picture was taken by Walter Frentz and it maybe the only set of photos with Hitler wearing sunglasses! In the last few years, an enormous number of official color photographs of Germany during the war years has been released. Virtually all such photographs emanate from Russia. Such signifies that the Russians seized one or more German photographic archives in the final days of the war, transferred the archives to Moscow, sat on the archives for decades—and, in recent years, have finally begun to release such photographs... on a piecemeal basis.

Source :
http://joshuaandandrew.blogspot.co.id/2012/12/hitler-and-himmler-in-color.html
https://picasaweb.google.com/109781830724590960368/TeehausMooslahnerkopf?gsessionid=itkWts3pcXPRhBCo1c0uCg#6050077023740687730
http://www.ww2incolor.com/german_leadership/Hitler_and_Himmler_taking_a_snowy_walk_near_the_Berghof_sometime_in_early_1945.jpg.html

Adolf Hitler's Mistress Eva Braun

 

Eva Braun (6 February 1912 - 30 April 1945) first met Adolf Hitler in 1929 through a photographer and mutual friend, Heinrich Hoffmann. She adored him almost immediately. By 1929, Eva and Hitler were lovers and they lived together in his flat in Munich, despite her father’s opposition, who disliked Hitler as a person, as well as his political beliefs. Eva was not happy and, in 1932, she tried to kill herself. Hitler responded by buying her a villa and providing her with luxuries. In spite of this, she made another attempt in 1935. Hitler and Eva rarely appeared in public together; as a result most Germans were not aware that Hitler had a mistress. In 1936, Eva moved to Hitler’s country retreat at Berchtesgaden. She led a reclusive life most of the time, except when Hitler and his entourage came to stay. In 1945, with the Russians closing in on Berlin, Eva moved to the Berlin bunker to be with Hitler. On 29 April, Hitler and Eva were finally married, before both committing suicide. Hitler left orders for both bodies to be cremated in the Reich Chancellery garden. Rumours persisted after their deaths that Eva and Hitler had both survived and escaped, but this seems highly unlikely.

Source :
http://www.gettyimages.com/photos/eva-braun?excludenudity=true&family=editorial&mediatype=photography&phrase=eva%20braun&sort=mostpopular
http://www.history.co.uk/biographies/eva-braun
https://picasaweb.google.com/105415329396662777221/HugoJaegerExposition

Hitler Residence at Berghof (Obersalzberg)

Inspired by poet and play writer Dietrich Eckart, Adolf Hitler was interested in the Obersalzberg Mountain in Bavaria, Germany. Still living in Münich, he left for the Obersalzberg whenever the opportunity presented itself. At first Hitler on the Obersalzberg stayed in hotels, but after the release of his imprisonment for the failed coup in 1923 he rented a small house. Still burdened with a speaking ban after his conviction, he rented this house to get peace of mind and concentrate on something he had been wanting to do for a long time. It is here that he dictated the second volume of “Mein Kampf” to Rudolf Hess. After this, the house was referred to as “the Kampfhaus” (English: Battle Hause) by the members of his National Socialist Party. And it was in this house where the political course of actions were discussed by Hitler and his followers of the first hour.

But Hitler was seeking permanent living space on the mountain. In 1928 he rented “Haus Wachenfeld” from the widow Winter, which he eventually bought from her on 17 September 1933, when he had already been appointed as Chancellor of Germany. He bought the house, which was only a few hundred meters away from the former Kampfhaus, for 40,000 Reichsmark. In 1920 the Obersalzberg was already a tourist attraction; there were farms, hotels, Inns and spas. After Hitler bought Haus Wachenfeld, he changed the name to “Berghof”, and the layout was altered quite a bit. It was rebuilt, twice. The huge window was installed to enjoy the stunning view on the Unterbergmassiv mountains, the famous stairs were added and so on.

Albert Speer, Martin Bormann and Herman Göring moved to the Obersalzberg as well. Bormann bought an area of 10,000 square meters of the mountain and started to rearrange the mountain to his Führers needs. Civilians were moved off the mountain, some volunteered to leave, others were bought out or received an emptied house of deported Jews elsewhere. The ones who refused were intimidated, or even ended up in concentration camp Dachau. Their houses were demolished and others built up as the Führer ordered.

In 1937 all former residents of the Obersalzberg had left the mountain. But the Obersalzberg wasn’t deserted, on the contrary. The number of people living on the mountain grew with 69% after the takeover by the Nazis. This government city had country homes, barracks, garages, botanic gardens, tea houses, hotels, guesthouses, districts for staff, cinemas and so on. On an average day about 3.000 labourers worked on the Obersalzberg, the total cost for rearranging the mountain came upon 980 million Reichsmark.

Adolf Hitler fled Berlin whenever he could for longer periods of time and lived at the Berghof with a complete staff, his half sister Angela Raubal and daughter Geli Raubal (The latter killed herself in Munich after rumors of an affair with Adolf Hitler). Later on Eva Braun stayed at the Berghof. Eva was the secret mistress of Adolf Hitler, which he kept from the German public for a number of reasons.

The Obersalzberg had 2.000 Waffen SS soldiers stationed there for guarding the mountain and keeping the Führer safe. The Obersalzberg became a tourist attraction during the Nazi heydays. On some days more than 5.000 fans visited the Obersalzberg to get a glimpse of the Führer. The hysteria these pilgrims caused was unimaginable. They even took the cobble stones were the Führer had walked as reminder back home!

Hitler frequently visited a tea-house at Mooslahnerkopf during his daily walks on the Obersalzberg. In 1938 a new tea-house, the Kehlsteinhaus, was built on top of the Obersalzberg mountain. Martin Bormann started this project as a gift from the Nazi Party, the NSDAP, to Adolf Hitler on his 50th anniversary. This Kehlsteinhaus is better known as the “Eagles Nest”. This new teahouse wasn’t liked much by Hitler. In fact he only visited it just a few times. The tea-house on the Mooslahnerkopf remained his favorite place. He kept on taking his daily walk toward this tea house and enjoyed to view on the Unterbergmassiv and Kneifelspitze, two mountains which were visible from here.

The Berghof was a political residence from 1936 on. From 1936 until 1941 every official visit took place at the Berghof. Queens, Princesses, Ministers, Presidents, Businessmen, Ambassadors and Bishops alike all came to the Berghof. The treaty of non aggression with the Russian minister Molotov was set up here. Or the promise made of not going to war to Prime Minister Chamberlain, a big lie to the British and the rest of the world, was signed here.

The Obersalzberg was bombed by hundreds of British Lancaster bombers, including aircraft from No. 617 Squadron RAF ("The Dam Busters"), on 25 April 1945, twelve days before the surrender of German forces on 7 May. At least two bombs struck the Berghof. On 4 May, four days after Hitler's suicide in Berlin, departing SS troops set fire to the villa. Only hours later, the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division arrived at Berchtesgaden along with the French 2nd Armoured Division. In his interview with the Library of Congress, Herman Louis Finnell of the 3rd Division, 7th Regiment, Company I, stated that he and his ammo carrier, Pfc. Fungerburg, were the first to enter Berghof, as well as the secret passages below the structure. Finnell stated that the hallway below the structure had rooms on either side filled with destroyed paintings, evening gowns, as well as destroyed medical equipment and a wine cellar. The Americans reportedly muddled Berchtesgaden with the Berghof and a French Army captain along with his driver were the first Allied personnel to reach the still-smoldering chalet. A French tank crew soon joined them. Over the next few days, Allied soldiers thoroughly looted and stripped the house. The American 1st Battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment (led by Company C) arrived four days later, on 8 May. The 3rd Battalion of the 506th came into Berchtesgaden by a different route and sustained casualties in a skirmish with the crews of two German 88 mm guns. One of the most notable artifacts taken by American soldiers was Hitler's Globe.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berghof_%28residence%29
http://historicalsocietyofgermanmilitaryhistory.com/third-reich-nazi-germany/fuhrers-headquarters-official-sites/
http://www.landmarkscout.com/the-berghof-adolf-hitlers-residence-under-the-eagles-nest/
http://thirdreichcolorpictures.blogspot.co.id/2010/10/berghof-in-color.html

Walter Warlimont and Wilhelm Keitel at Berghof

From left to right: General der Artillerie Walter Warlimont (Stellvertreter von Generaloberst Alfred Jodl im Wehrmachtführungsstab) and Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel (Chef des Oberkommando der Wehrmacht) at the terrace of the Berghof, Obersalzberg, 1944. Warlimont became renowned, with Keitel and Jodl, as one of the German officers most loyal to Hitler and was accordingly sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment in 1949 as a minor war criminal. The picture was taken by Walter Frentz

Source :
http://historicalsocietyofgermanmilitaryhistory.com/third-reich-nazi-germany/fuhrers-headquarters-official-sites/

Otto Günsche at Berghof

Third Reich high ranking officials at the terrace of Berghof, 1944. Hitler's aide-de-camp, SS-Obersturmführer Otto Günsche, is in the center. The Berghof was Adolf Hitler's residence in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany. Other than the Wolfsschanze ("Wolf's Lair"), his headquarters in East Prussia for the invasion of the Soviet Union, Hitler spent more time at the Berghof than anywhere else during World War II. It was also one of the most widely known of his headquarters, which were located throughout Europe. Guests at the Berghof included political figures, monarchs, heads of state and diplomats along with painters, singers and musicians. The important visitors personally greeted on the steps of the Berghof by Hitler included David Lloyd George (3 March 1936), the Aga Khan (20 October 1937), Duke and Duchess of Windsor (22 October 1937), Kurt von Schuschnigg (12 February 1938), Neville Chamberlain (15 September 1938) and Benito Mussolini (19 January 1941). On 11 May 1941 Karlheinz Pintsch visited the Berghof to deliver a letter from Rudolf Hess informing him of his illegal flight to Scotland. At the end of July 1940 Hitler summoned his military chiefs from OKW and OKH to the Berghof for the 'Berghof Conference' at which the 'Russian problem' was studied.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berghof_%28residence%29
http://thirdreichcolorpictures.blogspot.co.id/2010/10/berghof-in-color.html

Heinrich Hoffmann and Sepp Dietrich at Berghof Terrace

Shown here on the terrace of the Berghof Adlerhorst (Eagle's Nest) on the Obersalzberg, from left to right: Heinrich Hoffmann (Reichsbildberichterstatter/Hitler's personal photographer) and SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (Kommandierender General I. SS-Panzerkorps) during the spring-summer of 1944. As regard of decorations, Dietrich is wearing the neck order of Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern (Knight's Cross of the Iron Crosses with Oakleaves and Swords), ribbons of Blutorden (Blood Order) and Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/4 (Ostmedaille), Alter Kämpfer chevron; Goldenes Parteiabzeichen der NSDAP (NSDAP Badge in Gold); Gemeinsames Flugzeugführer- und Beobachterabzeichen in Gold mit Brillanten (Combined Pilots and Observers Badge in Gold with Diamonds), and Kampfwagen-Erinnerungsabzeichen (World War I Tank Badge). Sepp was one of the most impressively decorated soldiers of World War II - not excluding Patton!

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.co.id/2014/08/kampfwagen-erinnerungsabzeichen-world.html

Albert Kesselring and Maxwell Taylor at Berchtesgaden

The day after his official surrender, German Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring (center, Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe Süd) poses with American Major General Maxwell D. Taylor (right, Commander of 101st Airborne Division) and Brigadier General Gerald J. Higgins (left, Assistant Commander 101st Airborne Division) at Berchtesgaden, Germany, May 10, 1945. Kesselring surrendered to an American major at Saalfelden, near Salzburg, in Austria on 9 May 1945. He was taken to see Major General Taylor, who treated him courteously, allowing him to keep his weapons and field marshal's baton, and to visit the Eastern Front headquarters of Heeresgruppe Mitte and Süd at Zeltweg and Graz unescorted! Taylor then arranged for Kesselring and his staff to move into a hotel at Berchtesgaden. Photographs of Taylor and Kesselring drinking tea together created a stir in the United States. Kesselring met with Lieutenant General Jacob L. Devers, commander of the Sixth United States Army Group, and gave interviews to Allied newspaper reporters

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Kesselring
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/the-day-after-his-official-surrender-german-field-marshal-news-photo/106893436