Until the Final Hour
Encyclopedia
Until the Final Hour is a memoir of the last days of Hitler's government, written by Traudl Junge
. The book was part of the basis for the film Der Untergang
(The Downfall) in 2004.
spent with Adolf Hitler
as his personal secretary. When he first hired her, by chance as it turns out, she was 21 years old and was sought out because a secretary needed to be replaced.
During Traudl Junge's time with Hitler, she claims that she was blind to the genocidal
activities that were conducted around her because she was so spellbound by Hitler's paternal charisma
.
She also describes in great detail some of the luxuries that she and other secretaries took advantage of while working for Hitler. For instance, she was treated to tea-parties and dinner parties with Hitler, Eva Braun
, the other secretaries (all women), and the military chiefs.
Traudl Humps married Hans Hermann Junge
, one of Hitler's military "orderlies". Although they were in love, they were hesitant to marry so soon because they had not known each other for very long. Hitler, however, goaded her into marrying Junge, which occurred in June 1943.
As the years passed, Hitler's health deteriorated, Germany began losing the war, and Hans Junge was killed in combat at the front in August 1944.
They traveled a great deal, going from the East Prussia Wolfsschanze (Wolf's Lair), to the Berghof
, to Munich, to the Reichskanzlei (Reich Chancellery
) and back, all by way of train. Once the Red Army began sweeping across eastern Europe after Stalingrad fell, the Wolfsschanze had to be abandoned.
Hitler had two bunkers built around the Reich Chancellery to protect from the air raids. The author was in the Reich Chancellery, the Vorbunker
and the Führerbunker
with Hitler. Therein, they (along with Eva Braun and the others) awaited the eventual, inevitable fall of Berlin to the Soviet Army.
Reichsführer-SS
Heinrich Himmler
provided everyone with cyanide
capsules. Hitler stated outright he would stay in Berlin, head up the defence of the city and shoot himself before he would surrender to the Soviet Union
. The mood in the bunker in the final days was one primarily of depression and hopelessness. Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda Joseph Goebbels
and his wife Magda
poisoned their six children with cyanide (to Junge's horror) and their bodies were found, in their beds in the Vorbunker
(upper bunker), by the Russians a few days later. Goebbels and his wife either committed suicide or had the SS guards shoot them ("eyewitness" accounts differ on this point).
Hitler was dubious that the cyanide capsules would be powerful enough to kill him, so before he attempted his suicide, he tested a capsule on his beloved dog Blondi
. The capsule killed Blondi almost instantly. Hitler killed himself with a gunshot wound to the right temple, using his own Walther PPK semiautomatic pistol chambered for 7.65 mm/.32 ACP
while simultaneously biting into a cyanide capsule. Eva Braun, his bride of less than 40 hours, used cyanide alone.
Eventually, Junge and others still in the bunker were led out to try and break out of the Soviet encirclement. She and another secretary wanted to avoid the Russians, so they decided to flee. Junge was eventually captured by soldiers of the Soviet Army, but was held only briefly when she was in the custody of the Americans. Considered to be merely a "young follower" she was quickly released, and was never prosecuted for any crime.
In 1989 her manuscript detailing the war years was first published in the book Voices from the Bunker by Pierre Galante and Eugene Silianoff (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons).
Traudl Junge
Traudl Junge was Adolf Hitler's youngest personal private secretary, from December 1942 to April 1945.-Early life:...
. The book was part of the basis for the film Der Untergang
Downfall (film)
Downfall is a 2004 German/Italian/Austrian epic war film directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, depicting the final ten days of Adolf Hitler's life in his Berlin bunker and Nazi Germany in 1945....
(The Downfall) in 2004.
Synopsis
This memoir deals with the years (1942-1945) that Traudl JungeTraudl Junge
Traudl Junge was Adolf Hitler's youngest personal private secretary, from December 1942 to April 1945.-Early life:...
spent with Adolf 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...
as his personal secretary. When he first hired her, by chance as it turns out, she was 21 years old and was sought out because a secretary needed to be replaced.
During Traudl Junge's time with Hitler, she claims that she was blind to the genocidal
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
activities that were conducted around her because she was so spellbound by Hitler's paternal charisma
Charisma
The term charisma has two senses: 1) compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others, 2) a divinely conferred power or talent. For some theological usages the term is rendered charism, with a meaning the same as sense 2...
.
She also describes in great detail some of the luxuries that she and other secretaries took advantage of while working for Hitler. For instance, she was treated to tea-parties and dinner parties with Hitler, Eva Braun
Eva Braun
Eva Anna Paula Hitler was the longtime companion of Adolf Hitler and, for less than 40 hours, his wife. Braun met Hitler in Munich, when she was 17 years old, while working as an assistant and model for his personal photographer and began seeing him often about two years later...
, the other secretaries (all women), and the military chiefs.
Traudl Humps married Hans Hermann Junge
Hans Hermann Junge
Hans Hermann Junge born in Preetz / Holstein was a German SS officer who served as aide-de-camp to Adolf Hitler....
, one of Hitler's military "orderlies". Although they were in love, they were hesitant to marry so soon because they had not known each other for very long. Hitler, however, goaded her into marrying Junge, which occurred in June 1943.
As the years passed, Hitler's health deteriorated, Germany began losing the war, and Hans Junge was killed in combat at the front in August 1944.
They traveled a great deal, going from the East Prussia Wolfsschanze (Wolf's Lair), to the Berghof
Berghof (Hitler)
The Berghof was Adolf Hitler's home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany. Other than the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia, Hitler spent more time at the Berghof than anywhere else during World War II. It was also one of the most widely known of Hitler's...
, to Munich, to the Reichskanzlei (Reich Chancellery
Reich Chancellery
The Reich Chancellery was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany in the period of the German Reich from 1871 to 1945...
) and back, all by way of train. Once the Red Army began sweeping across eastern Europe after Stalingrad fell, the Wolfsschanze had to be abandoned.
Hitler had two bunkers built around the Reich Chancellery to protect from the air raids. The author was in the Reich Chancellery, the Vorbunker
Vorbunker
The Vorbunker or "forward bunker" was located behind the large reception hall that was added onto the old Reich Chancellery, in Berlin, Germany. It was meant to be a temporary air-raid shelter for Adolf Hitler, his guards, and servants...
and 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...
with Hitler. Therein, they (along with Eva Braun and the others) awaited the eventual, inevitable fall of Berlin to the Soviet Army.
Reichsführer-SS
Reichsführer-SS
was a special SS rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945. Reichsführer-SS was a title from 1925 to 1933 and, after 1934, the highest rank of the German Schutzstaffel .-Definition:...
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
provided everyone with cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
capsules. Hitler stated outright he would stay in Berlin, head up the defence of the city and shoot himself before he would surrender to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The mood in the bunker in the final days was one primarily of depression and hopelessness. Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda Joseph Goebbels
Joseph Goebbels
Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's closest associates and most devout followers, he was known for his zealous oratory and anti-Semitism...
and his wife Magda
Magda Goebbels
Johanna Maria Magdalena "Magda" Goebbels was the wife of Nazi Germany's Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels...
poisoned their six children with cyanide (to Junge's horror) and their bodies were found, in their beds in the Vorbunker
Vorbunker
The Vorbunker or "forward bunker" was located behind the large reception hall that was added onto the old Reich Chancellery, in Berlin, Germany. It was meant to be a temporary air-raid shelter for Adolf Hitler, his guards, and servants...
(upper bunker), by the Russians a few days later. Goebbels and his wife either committed suicide or had the SS guards shoot them ("eyewitness" accounts differ on this point).
Hitler was dubious that the cyanide capsules would be powerful enough to kill him, so before he attempted his suicide, he tested a capsule on his beloved dog Blondi
Blondi
Blondi was Adolf Hitler's German Shepherd dog, given to him as a gift in 1941 by Martin Bormann. Blondi stayed with Hitler even after his move into the Führerbunker located underneath the garden of the Reich Chancellery on January 16, 1945...
. The capsule killed Blondi almost instantly. Hitler killed himself with a gunshot wound to the right temple, using his own Walther PPK semiautomatic pistol chambered for 7.65 mm/.32 ACP
.32 ACP
.32 ACP , also known as the .32 Automatic is a pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol...
while simultaneously biting into a cyanide capsule. Eva Braun, his bride of less than 40 hours, used cyanide alone.
Eventually, Junge and others still in the bunker were led out to try and break out of the Soviet encirclement. She and another secretary wanted to avoid the Russians, so they decided to flee. Junge was eventually captured by soldiers of the Soviet Army, but was held only briefly when she was in the custody of the Americans. Considered to be merely a "young follower" she was quickly released, and was never prosecuted for any crime.
In 1989 her manuscript detailing the war years was first published in the book Voices from the Bunker by Pierre Galante and Eugene Silianoff (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons).