Profile: Eva Braun
So devoted was Eva Braun to Hitler that she spent 13 years of her life as his mistress before killing herself rather than live an hour without him. Born in Munich, the daughter of a schoolteacher, she first met Hitler in 1929 when she was 17 and working as an assistant to Heinrich Hoffmann, Hitler's photographer.
First meeting
Eva Braun was born in Munich, the daughter of a schoolteacher. She first met Hitler in 1929 when she was 17 and working as an assistant to Heinrich Hoffmann, Hitler's photographer. She described the meeting in a letter to one of her sisters, commenting on Hitler's 'felt hat'. At the time Hitler was still infatuated with his niece Geli Raubal.
Hitler's mistress
After Geli's mysterious and still-unexplained death in 1931, and against the wishes of her parents, Braun became Hitler's mistress, 23 years his junior. However she was not permitted by Hitler to be seen with him in public and her love was not reciprocated in full. She survived a suicide attempt in 1932.
Hidden life
Hitler allowed Braun to move to the Berghof, his Bavarian mountain retreat, but she was still excluded from much of his life. He would only permit her to be with him in private, or with old Nazi Party veterans. Her existence was kept a secret from all but a handful of Germans until after her death. Hitler always made it clear to her that he did not want children for fear that they would disappoint him.
Strong devotion
Although her diary frequently complains about Hitler's lack of attention to her, she remained with him to the end. She often stated that it was 'better that 10,000 others die than he be lost to Germany'. Hitler admitted to Albert Speer that his only true friends were Braun and his Alsatian dog, Blondi.
Suicide
Hitler and Braun were married in a Berlin bunker on 29 April 1945 by a local magistrate. Their wedding certificate still survives. Braun refused to leave her love at the bitter end, so she took cyanide and her body was burnt alongside her husband's. Her remains were later discovered and then secretly buried by the Russians, before being destroyed in 1970. The rest of her family survived the war, including her two sisters.
Eva Braun was born in Munich, the daughter of a schoolteacher. She first met Hitler in 1929 when she was 17 and working as an assistant to Heinrich Hoffmann, Hitler's photographer. She described the meeting in a letter to one of her sisters, commenting on Hitler's 'felt hat'. At the time Hitler was still infatuated with his niece Geli Raubal.
Hitler's mistress
After Geli's mysterious and still-unexplained death in 1931, and against the wishes of her parents, Braun became Hitler's mistress, 23 years his junior. However she was not permitted by Hitler to be seen with him in public and her love was not reciprocated in full. She survived a suicide attempt in 1932.
Hidden life
Hitler allowed Braun to move to the Berghof, his Bavarian mountain retreat, but she was still excluded from much of his life. He would only permit her to be with him in private, or with old Nazi Party veterans. Her existence was kept a secret from all but a handful of Germans until after her death. Hitler always made it clear to her that he did not want children for fear that they would disappoint him.
Strong devotion
Although her diary frequently complains about Hitler's lack of attention to her, she remained with him to the end. She often stated that it was 'better that 10,000 others die than he be lost to Germany'. Hitler admitted to Albert Speer that his only true friends were Braun and his Alsatian dog, Blondi.
Suicide
Hitler and Braun were married in a Berlin bunker on 29 April 1945 by a local magistrate. Their wedding certificate still survives. Braun refused to leave her love at the bitter end, so she took cyanide and her body was burnt alongside her husband's. Her remains were later discovered and then secretly buried by the Russians, before being destroyed in 1970. The rest of her family survived the war, including her two sisters.
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