"Eva Braun's life with Hitler" -by G. A. Odell (Summer 2004)
Eva Braun was Adolf Hitler’s primary mistress from 1931 to 1945 when she finally became his wife and committed suicide together in his bunker. The years of there relationship, however, were not happy ones for Eva. Most of the time she was very depressed and sometimes suicidal, while Hitler usually remained aloof and indifferent to her feelings and needs.
Why would any woman want to put up with such a man as Adolf Hitler? Why did she stay with him for 14 years in such an unfulfilling relationship? There is strong evidence to support the fact that Eva was very depressed through out their relationship with two suicide attempts and probably had a tendency towards depression.
Eva Braun was born in Munich, Germany on February 6, 1912. She had one year of education in a convent school where she learned economics and bookkeeping and eventually went to work as an office assistant for Heinrich Hoffmann, Hitler’s personal photographer. In 1929, at age 17, Eva Braun met Adolf Hitler in Hoffmann’s photography studio (Wilding, 2003).
The relationship did not go as well as Eva would have hoped, and she was often very lonely and depressed. First of all, the relationship was strongly opposed by both families. Her father was morally and politically against Eva being Hitler’s mistress, and Hitler’s sister, Angela, looked down on Eva as an inferior and often treated her as such. However, the worst part was the fact that Hitler was not a very attentive lover to Eva. Hitler was a man more concerned with politics and becoming Chancellor of Germany then setting a lot of time aside for his mistresses. This was more then Eva could tolerate, and in 1932, she shot herself due to his lack of time for her (Wilding, 2003).
The relationship seemed to move along as it normally did after the first suicide attempt with Eva constantly feeling anxious and depressed regarding Hitler’s lack of attention. In her diary, started on her twenty-third birthday (February, 6, 1935), she seems to be in a constant state of anxiety and obsession over Hitler. According to her, he was far from attentive, usually taking her for granted. Certain things, like failing to buy her a birthday present, or meet her for dinner, were very distressing. Her obsessions were even greater; such as whom he was seeing, why he wouldn’t see her, the nature of their relationship, etc. (Braun, 1935)
The last page of her diary, dated May 28, 1935, seems to convey a major depressive episode as evidenced by her lack of appetite, feelings of guilt, depressed mood most of the day, loss of interests, indecisiveness, and self-destructive thoughts and behavior (DSM-IV, 1994) such as her contemplation of overdosing on sleeping pills. Furthermore, the last few sentences of that entry clearly seem to be a cry for help: “If only somebody would help me -- it is all so terribly depressing.” Her last entry ends with, “I have made up my mind to take 35 pills this time, and it will be ‘dead certain.’" (Braun, 1935)
After her second suicide attempt in May 1935, Hitler seemed a little bit more willing to take his relationship with Eva Braun seriously. He first rented an apartment for her and her sister, Gretl, only to move her in 1936 after rumors began circulating about their nightly visits (Wilding, 2003). She eventually moved into the Berghof, Hitler’s mountain retreat, where she would spend the greater part of their relationship (“Her Life With Hitler,” 2004).
However, life at the Berghof was not much better. Hitler would not permit Eva to be seen with him outside his immediate circle of personal friends. She was often banished to her rooms the moment high ranking Nazi officials would show up at the Berghof, and most Germans did not even know of her existence (Wilding, 2003).
Hitler never had any intention of marrying Eva Braun claiming that a family would get in the way of building and maintaining the Third Reich, and doing so could also cost him the female vote in Germany (Wilding, 2003).
Hitler also tended to have a misogynistic view toward women and was even quoted as saying, in Eva’s presence, that “a highly intelligent man should always choose a primitive and stupid woman” and then went on to say, "Imagine if on top of everything else I had a woman who interfered with my work! In my leisure time I want to have peace … I could never marry. Think of the problems if I had children! In the end they would try to make my son my successor." (“Her Life With Hitler,” 2004)
At the Berghof, Eva would spend her days exercising, reading, watching romantic films, and brooding (“Her Life With Hitler,” 2004). Photography was also a favorite of hers (March, 2002) and most of the home photographs she took still survive today (Wilding, 2003). However, she was usually very lonely and depressed. Her cousin, Gertrude Weisker, recalls that, “Eva always lived in a dream world. When the reality was not good, she pushed it away. Politically, she was not aware of anything. In that sense she never really became an adult, she was a child: she was mad about sport, she liked to take pictures and she was interested in clothes and fashion. That was her world. We never once had a profound conversation."
Albert Speer recalls feeling sorry for her and says in his memoirs, Inside the Third Reich, "Eva Braun was allowed to be present during visits from old party associates. She was banished as soon as other dignitaries of the Reich, such as cabinet ministers, appeared at the table ... Hitler obviously regarded her as socially acceptable only within strict limits. Sometimes I kept her company in her exile, a room next to Hitler's bedroom. She was so intimidated that she did not dare leave the house for a walk ... Out of sympathy for her predicament I soon began to feel a liking for this unhappy woman, who was so deeply attached to Hitler." (“Her Life With Hitler,” 2004)
Later on, in 1944, Eva was allowed a visitor at the Berghof – her 20-year-old cousin, Gertrude Weisker. Today Gertrude is in her mid 70s, and is Eva Braun’s only surviving relative. After arriving at Hitler’s mountain retreat, the cousins would spend their time together warring makeup, smoking, taking photographs, and other feminine indulgences. Gertrude claims to this day that her cousin was not a Nazi, and that she actually seemed quite oblivious to what was going on around her. By this time, Eva had pretty much created her own reality - a reality that was still completely centered on Hitler. Gertrude recalls Eva sitting by the telephone for hours, waiting for his phone call. If he was late, Eva would become very anxious. "I could have said anything at those times but I knew she was not listening. She just sat there waiting, straining for that call as if it was the most important thing in her life." (Marsh, 2002)
After his assignation attempt in July 1944, Eva wrote him an emotional letter ending with “From our first meeting I swore to follow you anywhere - even unto death - I live only for your love.” (“Her Life With Hitler,” 2004)
Gertrude
stayed with Eva at the Berghof until January 1945. She would often try and comfort her cousin but, in the end,
it was of little use:
"For
me that world was oppressive. And I felt oppressed by my challenge -- to get her
out of that lethargy. That is why I stayed. I wanted to get behind what it was
that bound her to this man, I wanted to support her. But she was very depressed
and I was not a therapist -- I realized that she was completely lost. She was
the unhappiest woman I have ever met." (Marsh, 2002)
Eventually Eva was forced to fact the reality of the destruction around her. Gertrude is then quoted as recalling:
"She became quieter and less cheerful. She was less of a dreamer. It was as if she had suddenly woken up to reality, a reality that she did not recognize. It has only recently become clear to me that, had I not gone home, she might not have gone to Berlin." (Marsh, 2002)
It was after her cousin’s departure, that Eva decided to join Hitler in Berlin (Marsh, 2002).
Early in the morning, on April 29, 1945, Eva Braun and Adolf Hitler were married in the Chancellery Building in Berlin – just as the Soviet army was closing in on the city. 36 hours later, the newly wed Frau Hitler followed the Fuhrer down into his bunker claiming to be the only one still loyal to him. They committed suicide together by swallowing cyanide and him shooting himself in the head. Their bodies were then cremated together in the Chancellery garden where Soviet troops found their charred remains later (“Her Life With Hitler,” 2004).
It is plainly obvious to be that had Eva Braun never met Adolf Hitler, she probably would have had a better life – but, sadly, that was not the case. From the moment she met him, she allowed herself to be treated like a doormat by the Fuhrer of Germany. She also had serious problems with depressions, most of which could probably be attributed to the nature of the relationship which was far from fulfilling. I also believe that there was possibly a tendency towards depression on her part before she met Hitler, but I have not yet found any proof to back up that theory.
It is clear, however, that Eva Braun suffered from severe, chronic depression throughout her entire adult life while with her beloved “Wulf.” This is all evidenced by her two suicide attempts, her obsession with Hitler, her feelings of guilt, her complete submission, dependence to the relationship, and later her complete denial to what was going on around her. (Braun, 1935), (DSM-IV, 1994), (Marsh, 2002)
I honestly believe that had Eva handled her predicament with more healthy regard to herself, she would not have lived such a sad life. There are a least a few possible solutions Eva could have utilized in order to make her life more enjoyable and less depressing. First of all, it would have no doubt been in Eva’s best interest to get out of her relationship with Hitler and possibly go home to be with her family. She could have also sought some form of counseling at the time to help her through her depression. Perusing a career, such as a photographer’s assistant, would have helped her establish independence and possibly boost her self-esteem.
In the end, I believe the best solution Eva Braun could have taken to help alleviate her problems with depression would have been to terminate her relationship with Hitler and go back to her family. Her family was not very fond of Hitler, so they would probably have been more inclined towards their daughter’s well being, then Hitler’s own indulgences. At home, she could receive the love and support of her family, friends, and church. In time, given the fact that she had a higher education degree and experience as a photographer’s assistant, she could have started a career and had her own independence. All in all, removing her from a negative relationship, seeking her family’s love and support, and establishing independence would probably have helped her eventually overcome her problems with depression.
Had Eva Braun been stronger, her life could have been
happier and more stable. In order
to regain her emotional stability, it is clear that she should have removed
herself from the relationship since it was proving to be very destructive.
Had she returned home to her family and friends, she probably would have
received the love and support she needed to help her heal.
Proper counseling (like from her church) and reestablishing a career
could have also helped gain strength in overcoming her depression.
However, leaving some one like Adolf Hitler would have been easer said then
done. Even tough he neglected her,
and did not seem to be in love with her, leaving him probably would have been an
affront to his ego and he wouldn’t have reacted very well to it.
It is also very likely that Hitler was in love with her too, but was
unable to show it.
The field of psychology was also still very new at that time, so diagnosing and providing proper psychological treatment would have been inadequate. Furthermore, there were no psychiatric drugs available that would have been sufficient enough for her to take either.
It is also important to note that being a mistress at that time period was considered shameful and cause for ostracism from friends and family (Wilding, 2003). So, it is very possibly that Eva’s family might have disowned her on the grounds of brining shame and sin upon their household.
To top it all off, she lacked the courage to leave Hitler in the first place, which would have been the crucial first step to a better life.
Really and truthfully, in the end, who can say what would have been best for Eva Braun? Maybe she was doomed to a sad life the moment she met Hitler. Regarding the end of Eva’s life, her cousin Gertrude is quoted as saying:
“Braun was a young woman who happened to fall in love. She was apolitical and I think she would have loved him whoever he was. Right from the beginning she probably said to herself, 'I have chosen this path and I will follow it.’” (Marsh, 2002)
She then concludes with:
"It was a suitable conclusion. She had nothing. He ripped her out of her job and damned her to loneliness in the mountains. It was an unavoidable end and the logical result of everything that had gone before." (Marsh, 2002)
Copyright © G. A. Odell 2006
