World War II Adolf Hitler "The Last Days in Hitler's Air Raid Shelter" Hanna Reitsch Interrogation BACM RESEARCH WWW.PAPERLESSARCHIVES.COM About BACM Research – PaperlessArchives.com BACM Research/PaperlessArchives.com publishes documentary historical research collections. Materials cover Presidencies, Historical Figures, Historical Events, Celebrities, Organized Crime, Politics, Military Operations, Famous Crimes, Intelligence Gathering, Espionage, Civil Rights, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and more. Source material from Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Agency (NSA), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Secret Service, National Security Council, Department of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of Justice, National Archive Records and Administration, and Presidential Libraries. http://www.paperlessarchives.com World War II: Adolf Hitler: "The Last Days in Hitler's Air Raid Shelter" Hanna Reitsch Interrogation A US Army Interrogation unit report on the interrogation of Hanna Reitsch. Reitsch was a famous female German test pilot. She was the only woman to win the German Iron Cross. She is believed to be the last person to leave Hitler's air raid shelter alive. The report gives her firsthand account of the last days in Hitler's bunker. From the report’s introduction: "This report is the story of the last days of the war as they were experienced by Hanna Reitsch the well known German test pilot and aeronautical research expert. Her story does not pretend to add any sensational details to what is already known of those days. It is rather an eye-witness account of what actually happened in the highest places during the last moments of the War. Her account of the flight into Berlin to report to Hitler and of her stay in the Fuehrer's bunker is probably as accurate a one as will be obtained of those last days, although the "is he dead or is he not dead" fate of Hitler is only answered to the extent of describing the mental state and the hopelessness of the last- minute situation, from which individual opinions must be drawn. Her own opinion is that the tactical situation and Hitler's own physical condition made any thoughts of his escape inconceivable." Also in this set are the reports "Last Letters from Hitler's Air Raid Shelter" and "Condemnation of Goering by Hanna Reitsch." The “Last Letters from Hitler's Air Raid Shelter” report deals with the fact that Reitsch was given letters to deliver by various occupants of Hitler's bunker during the last days. Included among them were letters written by Eva Braun and Himler. Reitsch had close contact with the leadership of the Luftwaffe. In the third report she paints an unflattering portrait of Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Göring to her U.S. Army interrogators. Photo Title: Der Führer verleiht Flugkapitän Hanna Reitsch das Eiserne Kreuz Translation: Hitler presents the Iron Cross to flight captain Hanna Reitsch Hoffmann, Heinrich, 1885-1957 , photographer Date Created/Published: [1941 March 28] Summary: Adolf Hitler shaking hands with Hanna Reitsch, aviator and only woman to win the Iron Cross; Hitler's adjutant Nicolaus von Below, Hermann Göring and Luftwaffe General Karl Bodenschatz stand in background. •• - -OffilJ'IDENmt!. Bet No AnJ/IS/l AIR DIVISIOn. IiEAI)QUAR'L:RS WITED STA~S FORCES IN AUS~U Air Jnterro ~~tion Unit (USDIC) APO 777 US ..lRMr 8 Octobl~ 'l94& , !; .\,- ....' -, r •• INTERROGATIOn SU IiWiY) I ~R 1) THE MST DAYS IN !iITLER'S AIil ~ID SHEL'l'Eli. ... • ' J ", "7' I ~; 1. SOURCE: NA.'1e: J'rll.u1ein HAJ1np Relhch' 1 I, RAnk: J'lur-kA.piten (CR~t~ln ~f tho Ai~on~r~ title p.t ven tor o ut s t Andi n~ aeronAuticAl f\chieve~en t. .' DRte ~ f ~ i r th : 29 l~.rch 1912 . ' l.fttritA.1 l ....f~ '.: · ,; "f' OCCUllA. tionl ••• • l,. Mdres8z Leo:,:! olda Kr"M OA.stlo, · Sa1~burg·. Au.. t~1~ · ...';;:.:' · · ~ ·r , ! ;-: Political Sta tus! " ~ . " ' : ~! ' ; ... ~ ~~ ., ~ . r I - '!'.,-. DecorRtbns: I Nn Oross tiret e.lnBB. :}':1~:· . ~ . 't • \ ' ~ :.' .. ~ . 2. mTIDDUCTIOH: This reTlort is the story of the .1.t..l t l• ~a '6t ',:Jf", ", -: /~~-) the ~Ar ·A.B they wre experienced by HannA iU!itach.; the 'well',know / i<;; : : '. :.,:,~,~, DemAn teat-pl1ot M el Aeronll.uUcnl rescE\rch-eipert. ' . He~ ' s t o17"doet " '0>' ' n?t p'retond t o add tl.Jq sensf\ttonnl detf>lls t o whllt h 'l'Ilrill,dy 1di6iftf: t " . ' of t1io'e,e dAYst it is rl\ther An eye-witnees ~cco'lint of"'what aetiua.!ly ,, happened in the h~heet ~lA.ces duri nr the litet ~o· iien t'.· ot · ~ ''!flU'. Her Mcqunt -of the f1iMt into :Se r l i n to re;,ort tt.' Hitler Rnd bf her ~ " -, stRY in the Fuehrer's bunke r is ,., robl'l b~ AS f\court\te l'l one A8 ' ill be " obtf\ined 'of th C'se ll\st c.AY s , t\l thoW:h the ' "1'8 he deflld"'or iahe, (It ', )i;:' dep.d" fpte of Hi t l e r 1a only I'nswred t ., the extent or des riblnthe ..... ~e n tf\l st~te I\nn the h~pe1eBeness of the 1pe~~ute· e1t~'1on. m· '.~ which inr\1vidUEl1 oT> i ninne ':lust be drnwn. Her oWn, onlnl(1n :1e !, t tiA t he .. tf\etiCAl .sl t UEl t 1on· nnd Hitler's ~ wn ,,.,hy s ic p l con1it1on rnl\de 'AnY~~ . ts or his eaCA.~o inconceivf\ble. t ~ .' '. ; 3. Her ato17 is rel:ll\rkA.ble only in thP,t she '')It\ye~ p. .~,..1l' PArt ', in the even t s nf the Wl\r' Bend Allr' th-\t ahe hAd l'e'rsonl\l con t'8,ct" with '" .; ", .." the toi>-'brMkot 1111,zh lI\8 thRt en!t descendod. ~ n then. It)~ Allo ..or.lf \. r interest f\S it is likely that Hettich, is one f:l f the lA8t, ,·U .not' .t he" ·,·, ~ , ve,ry ll\st ner s "l n who ~ot ou t of the ehelter,·:nl1ve. · Her infOrMt.~nnl.1e . ; ~ .'),-,1: : '; ev!\lUf\ted t\8 rel1l\.ble 1\lln it .1& I\081l i bl e tbnt her story l1"Y throw sof.!e·,'" .-: H,;ht or perhA.ps serve 1'1. tU1 'A.1 d to III fuller 'kn qwl oC!r,e ot . Wh8.t .liit.ppened ' . during 't he 1Il.st ·~"of i3e r l1n lind ':f the WAr. ' ." " -. ,',,:,: ~ "'J' " ,','. ~ ~"~1~~/;, '~ ~~ :i~ ,~,~, ' ,;.~ "f • , . ' • . \ 4# . .. ..: 4. At time.• she is not cert~lin II,s' t o np':IeB. I'l~ 8I'eo1f'!.~ ~.t1oe •• " ,r • J. I ~1.AneS escl\pe her. In l!IP.ny case e the cont A.c ta hereib rell\tei;· verequite " U nited inps~ch as ' they hp,vo ·t" dn cnly with'. the tast ;.:f'e~, :dPt•• " Her· 0 . • • • r •\ " . .' " '.. , • °t• .. : \' . '" . COUFIDElfrIAL tineo r:lt\y 'be i nAccurAte as t he 'events of t ht'llo days followed each o t nor wi th such t u~t t h~t she is often unable t o roncrwer t he prop er oe~ quence of e vonto. 5. It wi ll be noted t hnt nu ch rJf the repl')rt c on ce rna itself with tho Nnzi f\nd G e rr~n interpretatinn of "honorr.. Reitsch hersolf, in Mswerin~ querios, cFlrefully wei~hl1 the lIhon orll aspocts of ewry ro­ r.nrk Md then g i ve s her MS'fi\;rS cnrefully but truthfully. Tho use ef t ee word Nr.ount s p r ~ c ti cnlly t l'l n fotish c onplex with the source nnd ie' nl:"lost .... n lnl,; ,~ni;r'1 1v"'S onbod incn t of h er on t!r e philoso:PhY. Her CI1n­ stnnt r epe tition .... f t h~ word is in no MAnner ns obviou s t o her RS it is t o tho i ntcrr l') ~~ t o r , n ~r is the ~ HAnin g t he S~le, nor ~oes sho recog­ n i ze t ho in c n n ~ ~n u s u~o she nnke s of t h~ word. Therefore eAch tiMe llhonor" nppeAl' s It is '\P I1J.·o i~uti l,; nlly uu.br:itt ed in quo t At ion s. 6. She t olls he z: story i n c 1nversAtionnl f or::, pn~ Rltho'U{',h it 1a , i n pnrt, r cprodu ccd i n ~ h A t nannur h('nJ, no pretenso 1a a pde thnt the qun t a t Lon s M: 'e ~ n nll CRGeS exac e ; thoy nr c sicply r,ivon a a ahe renc nb crs the!1, !f it Is kep t in r:ind n .on thnt t his nnteri11.1 10 1\ stf\tenont of he r :lwn op i n ion s And obSOrVI\t!ims, the inforoAtion [',ay be considered AS cO!1pletcly r oliRble. T 7. .~ ; -....-. T:c:r TC : :;; i : ' ; H:!.tl er had sent f\ tel~ p;rE\..'1 to Municjt on t he 24th of April t o LieutenAnt Gonornl Ritte: von Greie, instructin~ h ill t o rcnort t o t he ReI ch ac hnnceL'Lor-y I'm '!, 1':.1~hly urp:ent ~n t t e r . The :pr oble:: 11[ p:ettinr; i n t o Berlin WA.S t hen plroa<'ly f\ very precAr!'lUS one , f\S t he Rucsinns had p rnc ticl111y enc i r c led t.~e city.