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.
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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