First and Second Class.
8 Greim (1892â1945), see biographical entry, p. 227.
9 The V-1, Vergeltungswaffe -1 (weapon of reprisal), known internally as FZG 76 Flakzielgerät (flak target device), was Goebbelsâs propaganda term for the Fieseler-103, an unmanned aircraft armed with explosives (the first semi-guided missile).
10 The Fi-156 was a high-wing, single-engined propeller aircraft developed at the Fieseler Works, Kassel, and called the Storch for its high, fixed undercarriage.
11 Against his own orders, General Heinrici had ordered the retreat of von Manteuffelâs Panzer-Armee. Keitel met Heinrici personally but was unable to convince him to use his forces to mount an attack to relieve Berlin by opening a gap in the Soviet ring around the trapped troops. Heinrici considered this would cause senseless losses. Keitel then relieved Heinrici of command at his own request. See Joachim Fest, Der Untergang , Berlin 2002, pp. 111ff.
12 Himmler had attempted to negotiate with the Western Powers through the Swedish diplomat Count Folke Bernadotte and had even said he was ready to âcapitulate unconditionallyâ. See Joachim Fest, Der Untergang , Berlin 2002, p. 114.
13 Misch did not wish to reveal the name of the gunman, out of regard for the latterâs family.
14 According to Traudl Junge, Joseph Goebbels dictated his own Testament to her while she was working on the dictation of Hitlerâs Will. Goebbelsâ Testament was to have been an appendix to Hitlerâs. See Traudl Junge, Bis zur letzten Stunde â Hitlers Sekretärin erzählt ihr Leben , Munich 2002, pp. 203f.
15 Major General Rudolf von Holste commanded XXXXI Panzerkorps to the north of Berlin.
* Not a rocket âRaketeâ; propulsion was by ram-jet. (TN)
Chapter Fourteen
Hitlerâs Last Day: 30 April 1945
SHORTLY AFTER ONE IN the morning, Hitler wanted to know if there were any fresh reports from OKW. There were none. Two hours later, around three oâclock, a long-awaited radio signal arrived from Keitel, which extinguished any remaining shimmer of hope. The attempt to break the encirclement of Berlin had come to a halt. Upstairs, they had to send another signal. Dönitz must take immediate action against all traitors ruthlessly and as soon as possible.
It was not until much later, around midday, that the Berlin city commandant, Helmuth Weidling, reported that the Russians were in immediate proximity to the government district.
Suddenly, Hitler came shuffling along the corridor to my telephone switchboard and stood in the doorway. I rose, assuming he had a job for me. He looked me in the eyes. His gaze was lustreless but clear; nevertheless, it was not the old Hitler gaze. I had the impression he wanted to communicate something private. Before I could think how I should respond if he spoke to me or offered me his hand for the last time, he turned away without a word and shuffled back to his room. In a way relieved to have avoided an undesirable scene, I resumed my seat at the switchboard.
Now it would be soon. Towards 1500 hrs, I heard a quiet murmuring in the corridor. For the last time I heard Hitlerâs voice, and I also heard Günsche, Goebbels, Linge, Bormann and perhaps Axmann, but now I am no longer so sure. Hitler was speaking quietly and unexcitedly. I pricked up my ears but could not understand anything precisely and had to concentrate on my work â telephone calls were coming in all the time. Now and again I stood up, went to the door, then turned back to take the next call.
I caught a last glimpse of Hitler as he disappeared into his study. Eva, now his wife, followed him. She looked pretty in her dark blue dress with a bright white frilled collar. She rode out the the last hours of her life differently from others who saw their end approaching. For me, she is the only one who went truly nobly to her death. In any case, Eva lived until death. She had married a dead man â
8 Greim (1892â1945), see biographical entry, p. 227.
9 The V-1, Vergeltungswaffe -1 (weapon of reprisal), known internally as FZG 76 Flakzielgerät (flak target device), was Goebbelsâs propaganda term for the Fieseler-103, an unmanned aircraft armed with explosives (the first semi-guided missile).
10 The Fi-156 was a high-wing, single-engined propeller aircraft developed at the Fieseler Works, Kassel, and called the Storch for its high, fixed undercarriage.
11 Against his own orders, General Heinrici had ordered the retreat of von Manteuffelâs Panzer-Armee. Keitel met Heinrici personally but was unable to convince him to use his forces to mount an attack to relieve Berlin by opening a gap in the Soviet ring around the trapped troops. Heinrici considered this would cause senseless losses. Keitel then relieved Heinrici of command at his own request. See Joachim Fest, Der Untergang , Berlin 2002, pp. 111ff.
12 Himmler had attempted to negotiate with the Western Powers through the Swedish diplomat Count Folke Bernadotte and had even said he was ready to âcapitulate unconditionallyâ. See Joachim Fest, Der Untergang , Berlin 2002, p. 114.
13 Misch did not wish to reveal the name of the gunman, out of regard for the latterâs family.
14 According to Traudl Junge, Joseph Goebbels dictated his own Testament to her while she was working on the dictation of Hitlerâs Will. Goebbelsâ Testament was to have been an appendix to Hitlerâs. See Traudl Junge, Bis zur letzten Stunde â Hitlers Sekretärin erzählt ihr Leben , Munich 2002, pp. 203f.
15 Major General Rudolf von Holste commanded XXXXI Panzerkorps to the north of Berlin.
* Not a rocket âRaketeâ; propulsion was by ram-jet. (TN)
Chapter Fourteen
Hitlerâs Last Day: 30 April 1945
SHORTLY AFTER ONE IN the morning, Hitler wanted to know if there were any fresh reports from OKW. There were none. Two hours later, around three oâclock, a long-awaited radio signal arrived from Keitel, which extinguished any remaining shimmer of hope. The attempt to break the encirclement of Berlin had come to a halt. Upstairs, they had to send another signal. Dönitz must take immediate action against all traitors ruthlessly and as soon as possible.
It was not until much later, around midday, that the Berlin city commandant, Helmuth Weidling, reported that the Russians were in immediate proximity to the government district.
Suddenly, Hitler came shuffling along the corridor to my telephone switchboard and stood in the doorway. I rose, assuming he had a job for me. He looked me in the eyes. His gaze was lustreless but clear; nevertheless, it was not the old Hitler gaze. I had the impression he wanted to communicate something private. Before I could think how I should respond if he spoke to me or offered me his hand for the last time, he turned away without a word and shuffled back to his room. In a way relieved to have avoided an undesirable scene, I resumed my seat at the switchboard.
Now it would be soon. Towards 1500 hrs, I heard a quiet murmuring in the corridor. For the last time I heard Hitlerâs voice, and I also heard Günsche, Goebbels, Linge, Bormann and perhaps Axmann, but now I am no longer so sure. Hitler was speaking quietly and unexcitedly. I pricked up my ears but could not understand anything precisely and had to concentrate on my work â telephone calls were coming in all the time. Now and again I stood up, went to the door, then turned back to take the next call.
I caught a last glimpse of Hitler as he disappeared into his study. Eva, now his wife, followed him. She looked pretty in her dark blue dress with a bright white frilled collar. She rode out the the last hours of her life differently from others who saw their end approaching. For me, she is the only one who went truly nobly to her death. In any case, Eva lived until death. She had married a dead man â
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