Erna Flegel
Encyclopedia
Erna Flegel born in Kiel
in 1911, was a German
nurse.
From January 1943 until the end of World War II
, Flegel served in that capacity for Hitler
's entourage and during the Battle of Berlin
. She is believed to have been in Hitler's bunker
when he committed suicide
. She had originally worked alongside one of Hitler's physicians, Dr. Werner Haase
, as a nurse at Humboldt University Hospital and was transferred by the Red Cross to the Reich Chancellory as the war ended. During her time in the Führerbunker
she befriended Magda Goebbels
and sometimes acted as a nanny
to the Goebbels children
until their deaths.
Upon the Soviet capture of Berlin
, Soviet troops advised her to remain in the bunker complex where it was safer. Later interrogated by the Americans, Flegel then lived a life of anonymity until 1977 when documents including her interrogation were declassified. The media later tracked her down to her residence, a nursing home
in Germany.
Flegel died in Mölln
in 2006.
She was portrayed in the 2004 German film Der Untergang ("Downfall") by Liza Boyarskaya.
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
in 1911, was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
nurse.
From January 1943 until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Flegel served in that capacity for Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's entourage and during the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
. She is believed to have been in Hitler's bunker
Führerbunker
The Führerbunker was located beneath Hitler's New Reich Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. It was part of a subterranean bunker complex which was constructed in two major phases, one part in 1936 and the other in 1943...
when he committed suicide
Death of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler committed suicide by gunshot on Monday, 30 April 1945 in his Führerbunker in Berlin. His wife Eva , committed suicide with him by ingesting cyanide...
. She had originally worked alongside one of Hitler's physicians, Dr. Werner Haase
Werner Haase
Werner Haase was an SS Obersturmbannführer , professor of medicine and one of Adolf Hitler's personal physicians.-Biography:...
, as a nurse at Humboldt University Hospital and was transferred by the Red Cross to the Reich Chancellory as the war ended. During her time in the Führerbunker
Führerbunker
The Führerbunker was located beneath Hitler's New Reich Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. It was part of a subterranean bunker complex which was constructed in two major phases, one part in 1936 and the other in 1943...
she befriended Magda Goebbels
Magda Goebbels
Johanna Maria Magdalena "Magda" Goebbels was the wife of Nazi Germany's Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels...
and sometimes acted as a nanny
Nanny
A nanny, childminder or child care provider, is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service...
to the Goebbels children
Goebbels children
The Goebbels children were the five daughters and one son born to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels and his wife Magda Goebbels. The children, born between 1932 and 1940, were murdered by their parents in Berlin on May 1, 1945, the day both parents committed suicide.Magda Goebbels had an...
until their deaths.
Upon the Soviet capture of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Soviet troops advised her to remain in the bunker complex where it was safer. Later interrogated by the Americans, Flegel then lived a life of anonymity until 1977 when documents including her interrogation were declassified. The media later tracked her down to her residence, a nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
in Germany.
Flegel died in Mölln
Molln
Molln is a municipality in the district of Kirchdorf an der Krems in Upper Austria, Austria.-References:...
in 2006.
She was portrayed in the 2004 German film Der Untergang ("Downfall") by Liza Boyarskaya.
External links
- "'Hitler's nurse' breaks silence" BBC News, May 2 2005
- "Interview: Erna Flegel" The Guardian, May 2 2005