The Conflicting Statements of the Primary Bunker Witnesses

by 

Peter David Orr

When the "Hitler Book" was published in 2005 (edited with added commentary by Henrik Eberle and Matthias Uhl) it was presented as "new". But it was really only “new” in the sense that it was made available to the general public for the first time. This "Hitler Book" created for Stalin was based on the endless interrogations of Führerbunker witnesses Linge, Günsche, and others. Although it’s not popular among historians to give this controversial historian any credit, the truth is that the “Hitler Book” was first used by British historian, David Irving, in the 1960s when he made significant use of it in his seminal work, "Hitler's War". Lev Bezymenski, then a KGB intelligence officer who also wrote the first account of the supposed autopsy of Hitler in 1968, had made the unpublished “Hitler Book” available to Irving.  

Summary of Hitler's Suicide in the “Hitler Book”:

On the left-hand side of the sofa sat Hitler. He was dead. Next to him was a dead Eva Braun. In Hitler's right temple gaped a bullet wound the size of a Pfennig [Penny] and two streams of blood ran down his cheek.  On the carpet next to the sofa a puddle of blood the size of a plate had formed.  The wall and the sofa were bespattered with blood. Hitler's right hand lay palm uppermost on his knee.  The left hung at his side.  Next to Hitler's right foot lay a 7.65mm Walther pistol, and next to his left foot a 6.35mm of the same make. Hitler wore his grey tunic emblazoned with the Gold Party Badge, the Iron Cross First Class and the Wounded Badge of the First World War - as he had done constantly in recent days. He was wearing a white shirt with a black tie, black trousers, black socks and black leather slippers.  Eva Braun's legs were drawn up under her on the sofa. Her brightly colored high-heeled shoes lay on the floor.  Her lips were firmly pressed together.  she had poisoned herself with cyanide...Linge fetched the blankets he had left there to wrap Hitler up on the floor, which he did with Bormann's help... Günsche then ran into the conference room, throwing open the door violently, frightening Goebbles, Krebs, Burgdorf, Axmann, Naumann and Rattenhuber.  Günsche cried out, "The Fuehrer is dead!" and they all ran into the antechamber. At that moment Linge came out of the study bearing Hitler's body, followed by the SS men Lindloff and Reisser.  Hitler's feet, in their black socks and slippers, stuck out from under the blankets as his corpse was carried through the antechamber to the emergency exit and the garden...Goebbels, Axmann, Naumann, Rattenhuber, Krebs and Burgdorf followed Hitler's corpse to the emergency exit. Günsche walked over to Kempka and relieved him of Eva's body, which had yet to be wrapped up, and carried it to the emergency exit. It smelled strongly of cyanide...Axmann, Naumann, Burgdorf, Krebs and Rattenhuber were standing at the top of the stairs...In the end Günsche grabbed an hand-grenade that was lying in the entrance, in order to light the benzene.  Hitler and Eva's bodies were instantly engulfed in flames...Bormann, Goebbels, Axmann, Naumann, Krebs, Burgdorf, Günsche, Linge, Schaedl (sic), Kempka, Reisser and Lindloff lingered awhile at the top of the landing and then went back down into the bunker.

        -Henrik Eberle, Matthias Uhl, eds. The Hitler Book: The Secret Dossier Prepared for Stalin, pp. 270-273.

The Primary Bunker Witnesses

Now, let's move on to the statements made by the most often quoted individual bunker witnesses.  Readers should compare each one against the other while also attempting to measure them against the “Hitler Book”. No consideration of the supposed last hours of Hitler’s life should get away with ignoring the multitudinous contradictions and inconsistencies. 

Heinz Linge

Eva was wearing a dark blue polka-dot dress, light brown Italian shoes, nylon stockings, and the diamond studded, platinum watch that was a gift from Hitler. I wrapped the bodies in thick blankets so no one could see Hitler's face. Two commandos helped me to carry his body up to the garden. I soaked the blanket-wrapped bodies with gasoline with the help of others and then used a newspaper like a torch to star the fire. The remains were still not destroyed by 5:00 PM. At  that time Bormann took charge. He had received private orders. What  they were, I never knew. I then carried out the order to destroy all of  Hitler's possessions. Hours later I returned and was told that the remains were reburied in a shallow bomb crater by Lindloff and Reisser. Later,  the Russians took me back to identify the spot.  They so often  questioned me that I'm sure the bodies were never found. My theory is  that the commandos buried them in a common grave near the Chancellery.

Otto Günsche

Eva wore a simple dark dress. Very little of the bodies remained afterward. They were consumed to the point of being unidentifiable. What was left was scattered.

Erich Kempka

The suicides were at approx. 2:40 PM. It was told by others that two shots had been heard. I saw Hitler slumped forward on the middle of the sofa. At Hitler's right was Eva, crumpled over the sofa arm. Hitler's eyes were closed. He had a bullet hole in his forehead, with blood on his cheek, neck, grey tunic and black pants. Eva wore a simple dark dress. Blood trickled from the gun shot to her chest. Günsche took a grey Wehrmacht blanket from Hitler's bed, spread it on the floor. and wrapped him in it.  Mansfeld carried Hitler's body to the garden with the help of 3 others.  Bormann had Eva's body, but had me take over. Her body was warm and limp. Outside of the emergency exit Günsche took Eva's uncovered body and laid it beside Hitler, face up. I poured 5 cans of gasoline over the bodies and Günsche immediately set fire to them. After two minutes we all went back inside the bunker.  Later I returned and saw their lower parts were burned away, but I recognized Eva by the black suede shoes with high cork soles.

Hermann Karnau

I saw a petrol rag being thrown. Hitler was on his back and Braun on her belly. Half an hour later I returned and could no longer recognize him because he was charred. I spoke to Mansfeld, who was on sentry duty in the tower. By 1:00 PM only skeletons remained. Between 6:00 and 8:00 PM petrol was poured over the remains again. By 10:00 PM only a heap of ashes and smoldering cinders could be seen. At  9:15 PM on May 1 I learned that one of Hitler's personal bodyguards, SS  Sgt. Herman Koicks, had shoveled up and reburied the remains.

Erich Mansfeld

From the sentry tower I could see Hitler and Eva's bodies were burned in the garden on April 28. It may have been a day earlier, but definitely no later. When they were ignited Eva's corpse sat up, her legs raised and bent themselves until her knees were almost touching her chin, and her arms lifted.

Harry Mengershausen

Günsche and Linge carried the bodies of Adolf and Eva out of the Führerbunker emergency exit. Günsche poured gasoline on the bodies and lit them.  Hitler was wearing an SS officer’s jacket when he shot himself and Eva was wearing a black dress and had a bouquet of flowers.  A half-hour later the corpses were burned and Günsche returned to bury them in a nearby bomb crater.  [Later, he changed his tune and said Hitler hat not shot himself; he had only taken poison].

Rochus Misch

Bormann  or Goebbels called for Linge, who abruptly pushed me aside from behind  in the corridor, and then headed to Hitler's office. I followed. Linge  and Günsche opened the door. Eva was wearing dark blue dress with a flash of white, ruffled collar. Her legs were tucked up under her on the couch and her head tilted toward Hitler. Their shoes were under the couch. Hitler sat next to her, either on the sofa or on an armchair. His eyes were open - staring into space. His head had fallen slightly forward. I saw no blood. Linge, Günsche, Kempka and an unknown guard wrapped Hitler in a grey blanket and carried him out. It was too short, so Hitler's shoes stuck out. I never saw the bodies burning in the garden. It was April 30.

Hans Baur

I was told by Linge and Günsche that the bodies were consumed, apart from negligible remains. If I had been called on to help, I would have made sure the bodies were completely destroyed by utilizing a nearby blast furnace.

Artur Axmann 

From about 3:00 PM on April 30, I was sitting in the situation room or map room with Goebbels and Bormann when Goebbels said he thought he heard a shot. Günsche then came in and announced that Hitler's death. It was approx. 4:00 PM.  I got up and followed Günsche to the scene. Hitler was slumped over on  the couch. His mouth seemed out of joint. I saw no entrance wound, but  his distorted chin left me under the impression that he had shot himself  in the mouth. Blood dripped from both temples. His mouth was blood smeared. Hitler was on the left corner of the couch with Eva directly next to him. His pistol was on the floor. Günsche said that Eva had taken poison.  She was just lying there as if asleep, with no outward signs of violence. Günsche covered them with grey blankets, but Hitler's black boots stuck out the bottom. Bormann led the way as Günsche and Kempka carried Hitler's body up to the garden. Bormann returned for Eva. I did not take part in the ceremony or burning.  I  theorize that Hitler's body was never found because of the impact of  the shot fired into his mouth destroyed his dental fixtures.

Conclusion

Imagine being a juror, listening to these statements and attempting to smooth out the rough patches to construct a picture of what really happened.  No honest panelist could escape the sense that many more questions arise from these statements than answers.  Because contradictions involving crucial matters of  time, manner and place abound, an impartial person could only escape reasonable doubt by discarding, ignoring, or discounting 75% of the facts in question – from 75% of the witnesses. 

This article reviews statements by the primary witnesses, without making distinctions between eyewitnesses and hearsay witnesses. Doing so greatly multiplies the contradictions, conflations and confusions of time, manner, and place.  Including the other witnesses and comparing and analyzing all of them would take an entire book...or two!