Eva Braun was the mistress and later the wife of Adolf Hitler. Braun and Hitler killed themselves on April 30, 1945, the day after their wedding—a decided alternative to falling into the hands of enemy troops.
1. Eva Was Sent To A Convent School
Eva Braun was born in February of 1912 in Munich. As she crept up into her teen years her only interests seemed to be clothes, makeup, and boys. Although her parents lavished all three of their daughters in various lessons, Eva got average grades and didn’t seem to be excelling in any particular subject other than sports. Eva was described as a bit boy crazy during her teen years and as a cautionary measure, her parents felt it was wise to keep her in a convent-school environment. Eva decided it wasn’t a good fit and in efforts to gain financial independence from her parents, she applied for a job in a photography studio. She got the job and it would change her life forever.
2. Eva Had No Idea Who Adolf Hitler Was When Their Flirtation Began
The shop that hired her belonged to Hitler’s personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann. Eva Braun first met Hitler in October of 1929, when she was only 17 years old and had just begun working there. There was an instant attraction between the two of them and he was introduced to her under a false name. She called him Mr. Wolf in diary entries, and in a letter to her sister describing her first encounter with her new crush 23-years her senior. Even after she was told his real name and about his work in politics she was completely clueless and simply stated that she didn’t follow politics.
3. She Was Far More Influential Than Historians Give Her Credit For
Eva may not have been a decision maker where the criminal acts of the Nazi party were concerned, but she was an important part of Hitler’s inner circle. While she was completely uninterested in politics, her loyalty to Hitler earned her a strong position in the hierarchy. In fact, Albert Speer and Joseph Goebbels worked hard to gain her favor and get closer to Hitler. Some even claimed if Eva Braun didn’t like someone, they wouldn’t be invited to Berghof, Hitler's home in the Alps.
4. Eva Created A Creepily Calm Image Of Hitler
Eva was quite the shutterbug and her photography was used to create an image of Hitler that simply wasn’t true. She amassed quite the collection of photos and film of Hitler, and creepily enough they portrayed him as a normal, caring person.
She took portraits of Hitler with the children of family friends and shot home movies that depicted him as a family man. Eva captured it all and perhaps these staged photographs are how she truly saw him or what she’d hoped he could be.
5. Eva Braun Played An Artistic Role In Nazi Propaganda And Profited Greatly
She sold her photography of Hitler's intimate life to Heinrich Hoffmann. In fact, much of his famous picture books of Hitler’s so-called private life, were actually shot by Eva. She made a sizable living off these Kodak moments. She was a rich young woman, one home movie alone earned her 20,000 marks.
6. Eva Shot Herself In The Chest
Eva attempted suicide near the end of 1932. She took one of her father’s pistols and shot herself in the chest. She missed her heart and when found she insisted Hitler’s personal doctor treat her. The fact that she insisted on Hitler’s doctor led people to believe she only did it to get Hitler’s attention and sympathy. It worked. Hitler came rushing to her side with gifts, apologies, and promises.
7. She Overdosed On Pills Because Hitler Didn't Call Her For Three Months
Eva attempted suicide yet again in May of 1935, by taking sleeping pills. Found scribbled in her diary was, “God, I’m afraid he won’t answer today. I’ve decided on 35 pills this time and it’s going to really be a 'dead certain' business. If only he would have somebody call.” That second attempt on her own life earned her a three bedroom villa from her "Wolf," and by 1936 they were living together in Hitler’s Berghof chalet in the Bavarian Alps.
8. Eva Spent The Last Days Of The War Carefree
By the end of the war and the end of her life, Eva was exactly where she wanted to be and with the man she loved. She truly believed in Hitler and had proven more than once that she was willing to die for him. He rewarded her loyalty and the pair finally got married.
9. Eva Fed Into Hitler's Paranoia
Hitler believed he was surrounded by traitors and Eva fed his delusions. She fully supported the idea of him dying a “hero’s death,” rather than end up at the mercy of his enemies. Some sources claim that even Albert Speer and Martin Bormann began to fear her in those final days—she wanted to die in that bunker with Hitler.
10. Eva Married Hitler Hours After He Had Her Brother-In-Law Killed
On April 28, 1945, Hitler had Eva Braun’s brother-law killed. Hermann Fegelein was found drunk, trying to flee Germany, and in the possession of stolen goods from Berlin. He was also in the company of a woman that was not Eva’s sister. Apparently, the woman escaped out of a window when Nazis arrived to haul Fegelein off to Hitler’s bunker. Hitler decided this mystery woman must have been a spy and had Fegelein dragged out and shot. Hitler and Eva were married a few hours later and instead of going on a honeymoon they committed suicide the next day, April 30, 1945. She was only 33 years old.
(via All Day)
1. Eva Was Sent To A Convent School
 |
| Galerie Bilderwelt/Hulton Archive/Getty Images |
Eva Braun was born in February of 1912 in Munich. As she crept up into her teen years her only interests seemed to be clothes, makeup, and boys. Although her parents lavished all three of their daughters in various lessons, Eva got average grades and didn’t seem to be excelling in any particular subject other than sports. Eva was described as a bit boy crazy during her teen years and as a cautionary measure, her parents felt it was wise to keep her in a convent-school environment. Eva decided it wasn’t a good fit and in efforts to gain financial independence from her parents, she applied for a job in a photography studio. She got the job and it would change her life forever.
2. Eva Had No Idea Who Adolf Hitler Was When Their Flirtation Began
 |
| Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images |
The shop that hired her belonged to Hitler’s personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann. Eva Braun first met Hitler in October of 1929, when she was only 17 years old and had just begun working there. There was an instant attraction between the two of them and he was introduced to her under a false name. She called him Mr. Wolf in diary entries, and in a letter to her sister describing her first encounter with her new crush 23-years her senior. Even after she was told his real name and about his work in politics she was completely clueless and simply stated that she didn’t follow politics.
3. She Was Far More Influential Than Historians Give Her Credit For
 |
| Express Newspapers/Hulton Archive/Getty Images |
Eva may not have been a decision maker where the criminal acts of the Nazi party were concerned, but she was an important part of Hitler’s inner circle. While she was completely uninterested in politics, her loyalty to Hitler earned her a strong position in the hierarchy. In fact, Albert Speer and Joseph Goebbels worked hard to gain her favor and get closer to Hitler. Some even claimed if Eva Braun didn’t like someone, they wouldn’t be invited to Berghof, Hitler's home in the Alps.
4. Eva Created A Creepily Calm Image Of Hitler
 |
| Galerie Bilderwelt/Hulton Archive/Getty Images |
Eva was quite the shutterbug and her photography was used to create an image of Hitler that simply wasn’t true. She amassed quite the collection of photos and film of Hitler, and creepily enough they portrayed him as a normal, caring person.
She took portraits of Hitler with the children of family friends and shot home movies that depicted him as a family man. Eva captured it all and perhaps these staged photographs are how she truly saw him or what she’d hoped he could be.
5. Eva Braun Played An Artistic Role In Nazi Propaganda And Profited Greatly
 |
| Galerie Bilderwelt/Hulton Archive/Getty Images |
She sold her photography of Hitler's intimate life to Heinrich Hoffmann. In fact, much of his famous picture books of Hitler’s so-called private life, were actually shot by Eva. She made a sizable living off these Kodak moments. She was a rich young woman, one home movie alone earned her 20,000 marks.
6. Eva Shot Herself In The Chest
 |
| Keystone-france/Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images |
Eva attempted suicide near the end of 1932. She took one of her father’s pistols and shot herself in the chest. She missed her heart and when found she insisted Hitler’s personal doctor treat her. The fact that she insisted on Hitler’s doctor led people to believe she only did it to get Hitler’s attention and sympathy. It worked. Hitler came rushing to her side with gifts, apologies, and promises.
7. She Overdosed On Pills Because Hitler Didn't Call Her For Three Months
 |
| Ullstein Bild/ullstein bild/Getty Images |
Eva attempted suicide yet again in May of 1935, by taking sleeping pills. Found scribbled in her diary was, “God, I’m afraid he won’t answer today. I’ve decided on 35 pills this time and it’s going to really be a 'dead certain' business. If only he would have somebody call.” That second attempt on her own life earned her a three bedroom villa from her "Wolf," and by 1936 they were living together in Hitler’s Berghof chalet in the Bavarian Alps.
8. Eva Spent The Last Days Of The War Carefree
 |
| Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images |
By the end of the war and the end of her life, Eva was exactly where she wanted to be and with the man she loved. She truly believed in Hitler and had proven more than once that she was willing to die for him. He rewarded her loyalty and the pair finally got married.
9. Eva Fed Into Hitler's Paranoia
 |
| Ullstein Bild/ullstein bild/Getty Images |
Hitler believed he was surrounded by traitors and Eva fed his delusions. She fully supported the idea of him dying a “hero’s death,” rather than end up at the mercy of his enemies. Some sources claim that even Albert Speer and Martin Bormann began to fear her in those final days—she wanted to die in that bunker with Hitler.
10. Eva Married Hitler Hours After He Had Her Brother-In-Law Killed
 |
| Bettmann/Bettmann/Getty Images Ullstein Bild/ullstein bild/Getty Images |
On April 28, 1945, Hitler had Eva Braun’s brother-law killed. Hermann Fegelein was found drunk, trying to flee Germany, and in the possession of stolen goods from Berlin. He was also in the company of a woman that was not Eva’s sister. Apparently, the woman escaped out of a window when Nazis arrived to haul Fegelein off to Hitler’s bunker. Hitler decided this mystery woman must have been a spy and had Fegelein dragged out and shot. Hitler and Eva were married a few hours later and instead of going on a honeymoon they committed suicide the next day, April 30, 1945. She was only 33 years old.
(via All Day)
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