Gretl Braun
Encyclopedia
Margarete “Gretl” Braun (31 August 1915 – 10 October 1987) was one of the two sisters of Eva Braun
. She was a member of the inner social circle of Adolf Hitler
at the Berghof and became the sister-in-law of the Nazi dictator following his marriage to Eva hours before they committed suicide together.
n families. She was raised as a Roman Catholic.
After attending the secondary school in Medingen she worked as a clerk for the publishing company of Heinrich Hoffmann
, the official photographer for the Nazi Party, who also employed her sister Eva. In the mid-1930s Adolf Hitler arranged an apartment and later a house for Eva and Gretl via Hoffmann. Their father Fritz was reportedly not pleased with this arrangement and wrote to protest about it.
of the Bavarian Alps, where she is said to have lightened the formal atmosphere somewhat by having fun, smoking and flirting with orderlies. According to Hitler's secretary Traudl Junge
, Hitler explained to her at length why he detested smoking but she would not give up the habit. Junge also claims that Gretl fell for Hitler's SS Adjutant Fritz Darges
, but he was suddenly dismissed by Hitler and posted to command a unit on the Eastern Front following an insubordinate comment at a meeting. Hitler's personal doctor Dr Karl Brandt commented that Eva treated her younger sister 'almost like a personal maid'. Both Eva and Gretl were keen photographers and Gretl attended the Bavarian State School of Photography. She also features prominently in some of Eva's Color home movies that provide an insight into their life at the Berghof. Eva's best friend Herta Schneider and her children were also regulars at the Berghof and feature in the movies, but their older sister Ilse
was not a member of the Hitler's inner circle because she lived in the distant city of Breslau and she did not meet him until 1939.
Hermann Fegelein
who served as Reichsführer-SS
Heinrich Himmler
's liaison officer on Hitler's staff. Their wedding took place at the Mirabell Palace
in Salzburg
with Hitler, Himmler and Martin Bormann
as witnesses. A wedding reception at the Berghof and party at the Eagle’s Nest
at Obersalzberg
were also attended by Hitler, Himmler and Bormann. The wedding party lasted two days. The wedding provided Hitler with a formal link to Eva and the opportunity to include her at public functions.
to be with Hitler, but they left for Berchtesgaden
on 9 February because Hitler wanted Eva out of danger. Eva later returned alone to Berlin and on 23 April she wrote her last letter to Gretl and included a request for her to destroy all her private correspondence.
Gretl was pregnant when her husband Hermann Fegelein was arrested for desertion on 28 April 1945 in an apartment in Berlin
, having gone missing from the Führerbunker
. Initially, out of consideration for Eva, Hitler ordered Fegelin assigned to the front line. However, after learning of Himmler's offer to surrender to the western Allies, Hitler ordered Himmler arrested and Fegelein (Himmler's SS representative at Hitler's HQ in Berlin) shot. Hitler went on to marry her sister Eva in the early morning hours of 29 April. On the afternoon of 30 April 1945, Eva Braun and Hitler committed suicide in Berlin. On 5 May 1945 at Obersalzburg, Gretl gave birth to a daughter, whom she named Eva Barbara (died on 28 June 1971 or 25 April 1975) in memory of her sister.
, Bavaria
, aged 72.
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...
. She was a member of the inner social circle of 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...
at the Berghof and became the sister-in-law of the Nazi dictator following his marriage to Eva hours before they committed suicide together.
Early life
Born in Munich, Gretl Braun was the youngest of three daughters of school teacher Friedrich "Fritz" Braun and Franziska "Fanny" Kronberger, who both came from respectable BavariaBavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n families. She was raised as a Roman Catholic.
After attending the secondary school in Medingen she worked as a clerk for the publishing company of Heinrich Hoffmann
Heinrich Hoffmann
Heinrich Hoffmann was a German photographer best known for his many published photographs of Adolf Hitler.-Early life and career:...
, the official photographer for the Nazi Party, who also employed her sister Eva. In the mid-1930s Adolf Hitler arranged an apartment and later a house for Eva and Gretl via Hoffmann. Their father Fritz was reportedly not pleased with this arrangement and wrote to protest about it.
With Eva at the Berghof
She spent much time with Eva Braun at Hitler's Berghof in the ObersalzbergObersalzberg
Obersalzberg is a mountainside retreat situated above the market town of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria, Germany, located about southeast of Munich, close to the border with Austria...
of the Bavarian Alps, where she is said to have lightened the formal atmosphere somewhat by having fun, smoking and flirting with orderlies. According to Hitler's secretary Traudl Junge
Traudl Junge
Traudl Junge was Adolf Hitler's youngest personal private secretary, from December 1942 to April 1945.-Early life:...
, Hitler explained to her at length why he detested smoking but she would not give up the habit. Junge also claims that Gretl fell for Hitler's SS Adjutant Fritz Darges
Fritz Darges
Fritz Darges was an Obersturmbannführer in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, but he was suddenly dismissed by Hitler and posted to command a unit on the Eastern Front following an insubordinate comment at a meeting. Hitler's personal doctor Dr Karl Brandt commented that Eva treated her younger sister 'almost like a personal maid'. Both Eva and Gretl were keen photographers and Gretl attended the Bavarian State School of Photography. She also features prominently in some of Eva's Color home movies that provide an insight into their life at the Berghof. Eva's best friend Herta Schneider and her children were also regulars at the Berghof and feature in the movies, but their older sister Ilse
Ilse Braun
Ilse Braun was one of the two sisters of Eva Braun. She became the sister-in-law of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler following his marriage to Eva in the early morning of 29 April 1945; less than 48 hours before they committed suicide together on 30 April 1945...
was not a member of the Hitler's inner circle because she lived in the distant city of Breslau and she did not meet him until 1939.
Marriage
On 3 June 1944 she married SS-GruppenführerGruppenführer
Gruppenführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party, first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA.-SS rank:...
Hermann Fegelein
Hermann Fegelein
SS-Obergruppenführer Hans Georg Otto Hermann Fegelein was a General of the Waffen-SS in Nazi Germany, a member of Adolf Hitler's entourage, brother-in-law to Eva Braun through his marriage to her sister, Gretl, and husband of the sister-in-law to Adolf Hitler through Hitler's marriage to Eva...
who served as 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...
's liaison officer on Hitler's staff. Their wedding took place at the Mirabell Palace
Palace of Mirabell
The Mirabell Palace is a historical building in Salzburg, Salzburgerland, Austria.-History:It was built in the Baroque style, with Italian and French models, by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau in 1606...
in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
with Hitler, Himmler and Martin Bormann
Martin Bormann
Martin Ludwig Bormann was a prominent Nazi official. He became head of the Party Chancellery and private secretary to Adolf Hitler...
as witnesses. A wedding reception at the Berghof and party at the Eagle’s Nest
Kehlsteinhaus
The Kehlsteinhaus is a chalet-style structure erected on a subpeak of the Hoher Göll known as the Kehlstein. It was built as an extension of the Obersalzberg complex erected in the mountains above Berchtesgaden...
at Obersalzberg
Obersalzberg
Obersalzberg is a mountainside retreat situated above the market town of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria, Germany, located about southeast of Munich, close to the border with Austria...
were also attended by Hitler, Himmler and Bormann. The wedding party lasted two days. The wedding provided Hitler with a formal link to Eva and the opportunity to include her at public functions.
Downfall of the Third Reich
Three days after Gretl's wedding the D-Day landings took place and the social scene at the Berghof effectively ended on 14 July 1944 when Hitler left for his military headquarters, never to return. In January 1945 Gretl and Eva arrived at the Reich Chancellory in BerlinBerlin
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...
to be with Hitler, but they left for Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden is a municipality in the German Bavarian Alps. It is located in the south district of Berchtesgadener Land in Bavaria, near the border with Austria, some 30 km south of Salzburg and 180 km southeast of Munich...
on 9 February because Hitler wanted Eva out of danger. Eva later returned alone to Berlin and on 23 April she wrote her last letter to Gretl and included a request for her to destroy all her private correspondence.
Gretl was pregnant when her husband Hermann Fegelein was arrested for desertion on 28 April 1945 in an apartment in 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...
, having gone missing from 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...
. Initially, out of consideration for Eva, Hitler ordered Fegelin assigned to the front line. However, after learning of Himmler's offer to surrender to the western Allies, Hitler ordered Himmler arrested and Fegelein (Himmler's SS representative at Hitler's HQ in Berlin) shot. Hitler went on to marry her sister Eva in the early morning hours of 29 April. On the afternoon of 30 April 1945, Eva Braun and Hitler committed suicide in Berlin. On 5 May 1945 at Obersalzburg, Gretl gave birth to a daughter, whom she named Eva Barbara (died on 28 June 1971 or 25 April 1975) in memory of her sister.
Later life
Gretl married Kurt Berlinghoff on 6 February 1954 (in Munich) and died in SteingadenSteingaden
Steingaden is a town and municipality in the Weilheim-Schongau district of Upper Bavaria, Germany. It is the site of the 12th-century Steingaden Abbey and the Wies Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.-Geography:...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, aged 72.