Bodyguard who found Hitler and Eva Braun's dead bodies and once walked in on Führer's mistress in a flimsy nightie reveals intimate details of their private lives in candid photos
- Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard, Rochus Misch, offered an intimate look into the Nazi dictator's life
- Candid pictures show Hitler and Eva Braun, among others, relaxing on the terrace at the Berghof residence
- Among the incredible set of photographs is the last meeting between the Führer and his Nazi troops
- Misch saw Hitler dead when his body was still warm: 'His eyes open and staring, his head fallen forward'
Intriguing details of the Führer's final moments, as well as clues to his relationship with lover Eva Braun and the truth behind Rudolf Hess' peace mission to the UK, have been revealed in a book by the person who found Hitler dead.
The collection of photos belonging to Hitler's personal bodyguard, Rochus Misch, inside the book also offer an intimate look into the private lives of the Nazi dictator and those close to him.
Candid pictures show Hitler and Eva Braun, among others, relaxing on the terrace at the Berghof residence, inside one of Hitler's many studies and homes and Misch standing guard.
The details of Hitler's last minutes and other details about his private life have been revealed in Rochus Misch's book, Hitler's Last Witness.
Pictured here is Adolf Hitler's last visit to the troops. It was taken at the Ninth German Army HQ in Oderfront on March 11, 1945. Behind a seated Hitler is General Ritter von Greim (wearing spectacles), to the right is General Theodor Busse who was the commanding officer of the Ninth Army (also wearing spectacles) and between them is Luftwaffe Colonel Hans-Ulrich Rudel
Adolf Hitler's lover Eva Braun on the Berghof terrace looking at photographer Rochus Misch. Kneeling is Sepp Dietrich with two of the Speer children and Hitler's secretary Christa Schroeder. The picture was taken in 1942
Adolf Hitler travelling to the Berghof - his home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgadenin - in two Ju 52 planes. Hitler would board the first plane with his close entourage while the second was reserved for all his bodyguards, known as the SS-Begleitkommando and the members of the RSD, or the Reichssicherheitsdienst, which was an SS security force of Nazi Germany
Rochus Misch (right) with Joseph Graf in a Ju 52 aircraft in a picture taken around 1941. Misch was a bodyguard of Adolf Hitler and witnessed the Fuhrer's final moments. It is his incredible selection of photographs that give an added insight into the life of the Nazi leader
The book's commissioning editor Martin Mace said that on April 30, 1945, Rochus Misch was at the switchboard in Hitler's bunker when he received the message from General Keitel.
The message was that he had failed to break the Soviet encirclement of Berlin, and that the end of WWII was both close at hand and inevitable.
'Shortly afterwards, Misch heard Hitler talking quietly to Bormann and others. He looked and saw Hitler walk into his study, Eva, now Mrs Hitler, followed him in,' said Mr Mace.
'He saw Otto Günsche, the Führer's adjutant, close the door behind the newly-married couple.
'Güsche told Misch that the boss was not to be disturbed.
'Hitler shook hands with Günsche and told him that all soldiers were released from their oath of loyalty.
'Hitler had already told his adjutant that he did not want his body to be publicly abused as Mussolini's had been and that he wanted his corpse to be burned.
'This had already been arranged by Günsche with an SS Reichssicherheitsdienst man who assisted Misch on the switchboard.
'Everyone in the bunker waited nervously. Then there was some commotion.
'The study door was opened and Misch looked inside.'
Misch told his editor: 'My glance fell first on Eva. She was seated with her legs drawn up, her head inclined towards Hitler. Her shoes were under the sofa. Near her … the dead Hitler. His eyes were open and staring, his head had fallen forward slightly.'
The details of Hitler's last minutes and other information about his private life have been revealed in Rochus Misch's (right) book, Hitler's Last Witness, which is available to English readers for the first time and is published by Pen and Sword. He is pictured here with Michael Stehle
Enjoying a rare day off, Rochus Misch (pictured nearest to the camera) is seen lazing at the Moysee near FHQ Wolfsschanze - Hitler's first Eastern Front military headquarters in the Second World War kown as Wolf's Lair. He was with his colleague Karl Weichelt (right) and a female stenographer
Rochus Misch at the Berghof as he stands behind the main entrance gate some four years before finding Adolf Hitler dead in the Nazi dictator's study with his lover Eva Braun
There was a lively trade between FHQ Wehrwolf staff and the local Ukrainians, in which fresh geese were exchanged for sewing needles. Führerhauptquartier (FHQ) Werwolf was the codename used for one of Adolf Hitler's Eastern Front military headquarters located in a pine forest about seven miles north of Vinnytsia, in Ukraine, which was used between 1942 and 1943. It was one of a number of Fuhrer headquarters throughout Europe, and the most easterly ever used by Hitler in person
Rochus Misch on sentry duty outside the FHQ Wolfscchanze known as The Mosquito Home - during the winter of 1942. FHQ Wolfscchanze, which translates to Wolf's Lair, was Adolf Hitler's first Eastern Front military headquarters. The complex, which became one of several headquarters in various parts of Eastern Europe, was built for the start of Operation Barbarossa – the invasion of the Soviet Union – in 1941
On August 1, 1936 Rochus Misch and his Aunt Sofia saw his later boss for the first time. This photo shows the South Gate to the Olympic stadium by which Hitler entered
This is the man (left) responsible for bringing Rochus Misch to Adolf Hitler. His name is Wilhelm Mohnke - one of the first SS men in Hitler's SS Stabswache Berlin and commander of 5th Company SS-Leibstandarte. Hitler's sister Paula (right). Early in his service in May 1940, Rochus Misch travelled to Vienna to give her a letter and a parcel from her brother
After leaving the Borsig Palace through a cellar window in Wilhelm-Strasse on May 2, 1945, Richus Misch crossed the Wilhelm-Platz on his way to Kaiserhof U-bahn station (pictured right in this photo)
Hitler's study in the Old Reich Chancellery, which was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany. Today the office of the German chancellor is usually called Kanzleramt (Chancellor's Office), or more formally Bundeskanzleramt (Federal Chancellor's Office). The latter is also the name of the new seat of the Chancellor's Office, completed in 2001
Hitler's study in a wooden barrack hut at FHQ Wehrwolf. The Nazis destroyed the site, including mining access to the underground complex, on abandoning the region. The site was examined after the Nazi departure in March 1944 under the orders of Joseph Stalin, but no documentation was found. The Soviet Union took steps to permanently seal the underground parts of the complex.
After being seriously wounded in the 1939 Polish campaign, Rochus Misch was invited to join Hitler's SS-bodyguard. There he served until the war's end as Hitler's bodyguard, courier, orderly and finally as Chief of Communications.
From his close contact with the Nazi dictator Misch could observe many things and believed Hitler and Eva Braun were lovers long before it was revealed.
'For instance, Eva was introduced to staff and visitors as the 'housekeeper' at the Berghof,' said Mr Mace.
'But her room and Hitler's had private communicating doors. 'One soon had one's own ideas about this', Misch commented.
'He also saw Eva in 'a flimsy nightie' in the guestroom when he was on his way to deliver some despatches to Hitler. Eva put her finger to her mouth to tell Misch to say nothing.
'Misch shot out of the room, fully expecting to be dismissed from Hitler's bodyguard (or worse!) but Eva, seemingly, said nothing to Hitler about it.
'He also states that he heard both Eva and Magada Goebbels declare their determination to die with their respective men. 'We have lived with them. We shall die with them,' they said.'
Guests on the berghof terrace as photographed by Rochus Misch in 1942. From left to right: Walter Hewel, liaison officer to the Foreign Ministry and Reich press chief Otto Dietrich (both sitting on the parapet); Eva Braun (filming); Adjutant Fritz Darges (bent over table); Captain Gerhard Engel, Hitler's army adjutant (back to camera); Frau Morell (feet up on the sunbed nearest Eva Braun); Commandent Sepp Dietrich (crouching with one of the Speer children); secretary Gerda Christian; Theodor Morell, hitler's personal physician (seated reading); secretary Christa Schroeder and (far right) Margarethe Speer.
One of the many soirees in the Great Hall at the Berghof. Eva Braun and Hitler are seated on the sofa in front of the standing officer. The picture is dated as May 1, 1944
The inner-circle at FHQ Wolfsschanze from 1942 to 43. From left to right - General Erhard Milch, Albert Speer, Hermann Goring, Heinrich Himmler and Colonel Nicolaus von Below
In June 1945, US investigators examine the sofa on which the couple committed suicide. Rochus Misch had been an eyewitness on April 30, 1945. He saw Eva and Adolf Hitler dead in the Fuhrerbunker
Without knowing what significance the area would have for him later, Rochus Misch spent six weeks at the Berghof (pictured in 1941) during military training with 5th Company, SS-Leibstandarte
Gerda and Rochus Misch on the day of their marriage, New Year's Eve 1942. Misch wears the uniform of an SS Unterscharfuhrer (corporal). He is wearing the Iron Cross II, Sudetenland medal, Austria-Anschluss medal, the Infantry Assault badge and the Black Wound Badge
The lobby outside Hitler's apartment in the Old Reich Chancellery with the connection to the New Reich Chancellery
Misch also confirmed that Rudolf Hess did not have Hitler's permission to go to the UK to negotiate terms of surrender.
'He saw how the news was given to Hitler by Hess's adjutant, Karl-Heinz Pintsch as Hess had arranged,' said Mr Mace.
'Hitler was outraged, tirelessly repeating to himself: 'Why did he do this to me?' Anyone who had knowledge of Hess' flight to Britain was arrested and sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
'There can be no doubt, therefore, that Hess did not have Hitler's permission to go to the UK.'
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