Hitler's last twelve days
Haggard though he was, he was still capable of inspiring fear, of falling into raging "carpet chewing" tirades. On April 25, he received a message from Goering: "Mein Fuehrer: Since you are determined to remain at your post in Fortress Berlin, do you agree, that I, as your deputy......assume immediately the total leadership of the Reich...." Goaded by the Goering-hating Martin Bormann, Der Fuehrer's eyes bulged with fury. "Nothing is spared me!" he screamed. "Nothing!" Every disillusion, every betrayal, dishonor, treason has heaped upon me!" Ordering Goering arrested stripped of all titles, he next heard that Heinrich Himmler had begun to negotiate with the enemy. "Now Himmler has betrayed me!" he shouted, and issued the same orders for the destruction of the weak-chinned little mass murderer. Hitler now executed his last general: Hermann Fegelein, Eva Braun's brother-in-law and Himmler's representatives in the Berlin bunker. His guilt was one of attainder; he was found and led out into the garden for execution.
By then, Dr. Goebbels and his wife Magda and six children were living in the bunker. The had a tiny room and slept on the bare floor. Magda was careful to keep the children quiet and not to disturb "Uncle Adi." Sometimes the children were perplexed to hear their mother weeping. She knew that her husband had decided to kill himself and all of them. But Goebbels was happy to be Der Fuehrer's confidante during his last hours. It was he who provided a justice of the peace when Hitler declared he wished his marriage to Eva to be proper and legal. Walter Wagner, the man who had married the Goebbeleses, was found serving in a Volksturm regiment on the belaguered Friedlichstrasse. Soviet army artillery battering Berlin could be heard when he was brought to the bunker. He still wore civilian clothes with a Volksturm armband. Wagner made out an official certificate listing Goebbels as the witness for Hitler and Bormann for Eva.
Both Adolf Hitler and Eva swore that they were of pure Aryan descent with no disease precluding their marriage.
Wagner turned to Hitler and said "Mein Fuehrer, Adolf Hitler, are you willing to take Eva Braun as your wife?"
"I do," Hitler replied in sonorous voice. "Fraulein Eva Braun, are you willing to take Fuehrer, Adolf Hitler, as your husband?" "I do," Eva said, and Wagner concluded: "I declare that this marriage is legal in the eyes of the law."
Within one day, Adolf Hitler shot himself to death. In May, 1945 the Germans capitulated.
The rest is history.
By then, Dr. Goebbels and his wife Magda and six children were living in the bunker. The had a tiny room and slept on the bare floor. Magda was careful to keep the children quiet and not to disturb "Uncle Adi." Sometimes the children were perplexed to hear their mother weeping. She knew that her husband had decided to kill himself and all of them. But Goebbels was happy to be Der Fuehrer's confidante during his last hours. It was he who provided a justice of the peace when Hitler declared he wished his marriage to Eva to be proper and legal. Walter Wagner, the man who had married the Goebbeleses, was found serving in a Volksturm regiment on the belaguered Friedlichstrasse. Soviet army artillery battering Berlin could be heard when he was brought to the bunker. He still wore civilian clothes with a Volksturm armband. Wagner made out an official certificate listing Goebbels as the witness for Hitler and Bormann for Eva.
Both Adolf Hitler and Eva swore that they were of pure Aryan descent with no disease precluding their marriage.
Wagner turned to Hitler and said "Mein Fuehrer, Adolf Hitler, are you willing to take Eva Braun as your wife?"
"I do," Hitler replied in sonorous voice. "Fraulein Eva Braun, are you willing to take Fuehrer, Adolf Hitler, as your husband?" "I do," Eva said, and Wagner concluded: "I declare that this marriage is legal in the eyes of the law."
Within one day, Adolf Hitler shot himself to death. In May, 1945 the Germans capitulated.
The rest is history.
コメント
コメントを投稿