Friday, December 16, 2016

Adolph Hitler by Nick Dunn


           Image result for pics of adolf hitler
           During the Soviet Union’s march to take over Berlin to defeat the Germans in World War II, Adolf Hitler was hidden away in his secret bunker with Eva Braun and his staff, where he would later commit suicide on April 30, 1945.  According to history books, this marked the end of Hitler’s life on this earth.  In recent times, however, many conspiracy theorists have been concerned with the question of whether or not he actually died in Germany.  Many prominent theorists seek to reverse what the history books state, with some researchers stating that he most likely escaped to South America and lived the rest of his life in hiding.   Recent evidence gathered in the last few years could potentially produce the truth of those conspiracy theories.

            Adolf Hitler is probably best known as the most infamous and hated man in history.  For this reason, many conspiracies were created to find out if the world’s most infamous and powerful person in 1945 actually died in a bunker in Berlin, or if he found a way to escaped and live the rest of his life.  Hitler’s authoritarian style of leadership, which caused him be hated by many, did not develop until years after he served Germany in the Great War.

According to many psycho-analytic researchers during his reign, he was viewed as unstable and unpredictable due to the decisions he made in terms of fighting the war and managing the government (Hyland et al).  According to one of these researchers, Harvard professor, Walter Langer, “Hitler was believed to be a neurotic individual bordering on the psychotic.  He argued that Hitler had “a strong messiah complex” (Hyland et al).  His messiah complex would cause him to be hated by some Germans and other nations, because it would justify his authoritarian way of rule.  Interestingly enough, Langer predicted that Hitler’s most likely outcome would be suicide, because of his mental health and because of how his cowardice would most likely show at the hands of defeat to the Allies (Webb).  Hitler was greatly influenced by the mayor of Vienna, Karl Lueger.  Lueger was a strong believer in anti-Semitism, which was “more practical and organizational, rather than ideological.” (“Adolf Hitler: Early Years, 1889–1913.”)  Lueger taught Hitler different strategies and techniques to rule by force and control citizens to his own political advantage, which led to his hatred by many people all over the world.   

During his rise to power in the 1930’s, Hitler began to persuade the German people through state-controlled media and his infamous speeches.  The German people were expected by the Allies to pay off the enormous debt that the Great War produced.  They had also seen the collapse of their empire and the seizure of land that used to be part of Germany.  According to Hitler’s speeches to motivate and persuade the Germans, the debt was unfair and excessive and the German empire was destined to rise again and reclaim land.  War-weary, starving, and exhausted citizens allowed for Hitler’s influence to become popular among many citizens because his speeches of what they could accomplish under Nazism gave them hope for a better future.  He promised to fight the debt of about $33 billion placed upon Germany by the Treaty of Versailles (Sundath).  He also would fight the restrictions placed on Germany, such as the limits on size of the military and amount of weapons in the country.  Soon, many Germans would become loyal to Hitler and his Nazi party and millions of people all over the world would die because of his Third Reich.  World War II later became known as the most devastating war of all time, and its reputation as such is now attributed largely to Hitler’s authoritarian rule.  

The German people considered Hitler to be their hero, and they followed all of his demands, even concerning his demands of imprisoning Jews.  He would not allow any disobedience nor would he take “no” for an answer.  Hitler increased production in war materials and trained millions of soldiers in his preparations to declare war on the rest of Europe.  Because of the German people’s intense respect and support for Hitler, they were upset when news broke that he killed himself in his bunker.  Many of his supporters in other countries such as Spain and Argentina, were known allies to him, which would explain why there was a great possibility that Hitler was able to fake his death and escape to another part of the world.  
Image result for pics of adolf hitler

            According to history, the world has always known that Adolf Hitler died on April 30, 1945.  This soon brought the Nazi empire to its knees and caused Germany to surrender on May 7, 1945.  The war in Europe had ended, and history changed ever since that date.  However, recent discoveries and conspiracies have claimed that, while Germany had surrendered and the war in Europe was over, Hitler quietly slipped away from attention and escaped from Germany to continue living his life.   The prevailing conspiracy theory is that Hitler escaped to Argentina and lived the rest of his life there, and this theory is backed by two major points of discussion.

            The first major reason for the existence of this conspiracy involves evidence found in recent years.  This controversy is largely due to the Soviet Union’s discovery of Hitler’s remains outside the bunker.  When the Soviet forces arrived at the bunker, Hitler and his girlfriend, Eva Braun, had both given orders to the German troops in the bunker to have their bodies be cremated after they had taken cyanide capsules to kill themselves (“Adolf Hitler Commits Suicide in His Underground Bunker”).  To ensure his death, Hitler also shot himself in the head with his pistol (1).  However, when the Soviets arrived, they could not confirm the authenticity of the skull.  

At the 1945 Potsdam Conference, Joseph Stalin allegedly stated to the Western leaders that there was a possibility that Hitler may have escaped to Spain or South America (“Hitlers Escape – The Facts”).  However, the testimonies of the other people in the bunker had convinced the world leaders that Hitler and Eva Braun had legitimately died in the bunker (1).  However, these witnesses’ testimonies were not all in agreement (1).  

The Soviets stored Hitler’s remains for many years after the war, and it is very likely that they mishandled his remains.  It is also possible the Russians mixed up his cremated remains with the remains of Joseph Goebbels’ family in an unmarked grave (“Hitlers Escape – The Facts”).  However, in 2009, an archeologist from the University of Connecticut analyzed the skull and found that it belonged to an unidentified 40 year-old woman and not Hitler or Eva Braun (Osborn).  The Russians have never admitted the skull could belong to a different person as the Soviets tracked down an assistant to Hitler’s dentist in 1945, who claimed that the skull did belong to Hitler (1).  Due to the conflicting reports of the analysis of the remains, conspiracy theorists have been given reasonable evidence to believe that Hitler did not die in 1945.  

            Another major reason for this conspiracy regarding the death of Hitler involves evidence found in recently declassified FBI documents.  There are many documents showing that J. Edgar Hoover wrote back and forth to informants about Hitler’s possible whereabouts (FBI).  One of the documents reveals that the FBI was aware that mysterious submarines with high-ranking Nazi leaders arrived on the Argentinian coast (“Hitlers Escape – The Facts”).  Also interesting is the evidence collected by an unidentified eyewitness account of the German submarines.  This informant allegedly was one of the men that had met two submarines at the docks (1).  The documents also suggest that the Argentinian government accepted Hitler and helped hide him in their country (1).  This same informant also gave directions and descriptions Hitler’s whereabouts in different villages (1).  This informant has never been identified, as he had requested for political asylum and anonymity in return for his information (1).  Oddly enough, the FBI never investigated these claims in Argentina, but instead they kept Hitler under surveillance.  There have been many other claims by various accounts over the years and some alleged photographs of Hitler have emerged.  However, none have been able to be confirmed by scholars or officials.

            In recent times, a television show called “Hunting Hitler” has produced large amounts of credible evidence of Hitler’s escape from his bunker.  Veteran CIA investigator Bob Baer and his team of investigators have made convincing discoveries of how Hitler could have escaped Berlin to Spain (Rampton).  From there, Hitler possibly could have escaped to Argentina and lived the rest of his life in secrecy (1).  The team has found evidence planes carrying high-ranking Nazi officials and Hitler’s personal belongings flying out of Tempelhof on April 21st, 1945, the day after Hitler’s last public sighting (1).  The team has also speculated that Hitler used a network of tunnels from his bunker to go undetected while he traveled through the subway tunnel to get to the airport (1).

            A survey of 20 people concluded that 90% of people in general believe that Adolf Hitler died in his bunker in 1945.  This is due to the lack of evidence and secrecy of the possibility that he had escaped.  However, recent investigations and research could rewrite history books if irrefutable evidence is discovered and analyzed.  Due to the fact that the skull analysis of Hitler’s alleged remains proved to not belong to him, and that there is a lack of evidence to confirm his escape, the most likely outcome is that Hitler died in his bunker on April 30, 1945.  The reason for the creation of conspiracies of his escape would be because of his supporters in Spain and Argentina.  However, if the Russians had not mishandled his remains, Hitler’s true fate may have been confirmed, and all conspiracies would be disproven.  Unfortunately, it is possible that the world may never know the truth.

The world has always believed that Adolf Hitler died on April 30, 1945.  However, conspiracy theories about the actuality of Hitler’s actual death have yet to be confirmed as authentic.  As of this date, there are investigations that are currently still underway to find the truth.  While the evidence can be compelling and believable, major evidence must be found in order to satisfy the case.  Because the of the unclear evidence concerning his death, the truth of Hitler’s final days will remain disputed, but the world will most likely continue to believe that Hitler died in his bunker, as history has told for generations.  It is unsatisfying to many historians, investigators, and other subscribers to this conspiracy that the world may never know the truth of the matter.



Works Cited

“Adolf Hitler Commits Suicide in His Underground Bunker.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/adolf-hitler-commits-suicide-in-his-underground-bunker.   

“Adolf Hitler: Early Years, 1889–1913.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 2 July 2016, https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?moduleid=10007430.

FBI. “Adolf Hitler Part 01 of 04.” FBI, FBI, 23 Mar. 2011, vault.fbi.gov/adolf-hitler/adolf-hitler-part-01-of-04/view.

“Hitlers Escape – The Facts.” Strange Unexplained Mysteries RSS, coolinterestingstuff.com/hitlers-escape-the-facts.



Hyland, Philip et al. “A Psycho-Historical Analysis of Adolf Hitler: The Role of Personality, Psychopathology, and Development.” A Psycho-­Historical Analysis of Adolf Hitler: The Role of Personality, Psychopathology, and Development , http://www.psychologyandsociety.org/__assets/__original/2012/01/hyland_et_al.pdf.

Osborn, Andrew. “Adolf Hitler Suicide Story Questioned after Tests Reveal Skull Is a Woman's.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/6237028/adolf-hitler-suicide-story-questioned-after-tests-reveal-skull-is-a-womans.html.       



Rampton, James. “The Hunt for Hitler.” The Hunt for Hitler | History Today, www.historytoday.com/james-rampton/hunt-hitler.



Suddath, Claire. “Why Did World War I Just End?” Time, Time Inc., 4 Oct. 2010, content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2023140,00.html.

Webb, David. “Psychological Analysis of Hitler.” Psychology, http://www.all-about-psychology.com/psychological-analysis-of-hitler.html






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