Hitler's personal bodyguard Rochus Misch was privy to the private lives of the Nazi dictator and those close to him.
Hitler's personal bodyguard Rochus Misch has also offered an intimate look in the private lives of the Nazi dictator and those close to him.
Candid pictures show Hitler and Eva Braun, among others, relaxing on the terrace at the Berghof residence, inside one of Hitler's many studies and homes and Misch standing guard.
The details of Hitler's last minutes and other details about his private life have been revealed in Rochus Misch's, who passed away in 2013, book, Hitler's Last Witness, which is available to English readers for the first time and is published by Pen and Sword.
He received the message from General Keitel that he had failed to break the Soviet encirclement of Berlin, and that the end was both close at hand and inevitable.
Shortly afterwards, Misch heard Hitler talking quietly to Bormann and others. He looked and saw Hitler walk into his study, Eva, now Mrs Hitler, followed him in.
Gunsche told Misch that the boss was not to be disturbed.
Hitler shook hands with Gunsche and told him that all soldiers were released from their oath of loyalty.
Hitler had already told his adjutant that he did not want his body to be publicly abused as Mussolini's had been and that he wanted his corpse to be burned.
This had already been arranged by Gunsche with an SS Reichssicherheitsdienst man who assisted Misch on the switchboard.
The study door was opened and Misch looked inside: "My glance fell first on Eva. She was seated with her legs drawn up, her head inclined towards Hitler.
"Her shoes were under the sofa. Near her - the dead Hitler. His eyes were open and staring, his head had fallen forward slightly."
After being seriously wounded in the 1939 Polish campaign, Rochus Misch was invited to join Hitler's SS-bodyguard.
From his close contact with the Nazi dictator Misch could observe many things and believed Hitler and Eva Braun were lovers long before it was revealed.
For instance, Eva was introduced to staff and visitors as the 'housekeeper' at the Berghof, said Mr Mace.
But her room and Hitler's had private communicating doors.
He also saw Eva in a 'flimsy nightie' in the guest room when he was on his way to deliver some dispatches to Hitler.
Eva put her finger to her mouth to tell Misch to say nothing.
Misch shot out of the room, fully expecting to be dismissed from Hitler's bodyguard (or worse!) but Eva, seemingly, said nothing to Hitler about it.
He also states that he heard both Eva and Magada Goebbels declare their determination to die with their respective men.
Misch also confirmed that Rudolf Hess did not have Hitler's permission to go to the UK to negotiate terms of surrender.
He saw how the news was given to Hitler by Hess' adjutant, Karl-Heinz Pintsch as Hess had arranged, said Mr Mace.
Anyone who had knowledge of Hess=92 flight to Britain was arrested and sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
There can be no doubt, therefore, that Hess did not have Hitler's permission to go to the UK.
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