HITLER'S FATE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24897, 10 June 1946, Page 5

HITLER'S FATE

STORY OF PERSONAL SECRETARY

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, June 9. “Allied agents have been ordered to bring from Berchtesgaden to the .War Crimes Tribunal a striking darkhaired German beauty who consoled Hitler in his last days,” says the Nuremberg correspondent of rhe Associated Press. “She is 31-year-old Frau Gerda Christian, wife of the Luftwaffe General Eckhart Christian, who is now a prisoner of war. She was Hitler’s personal secretary from 1939 until the Reich collapsed, and is being held as a possible witness. “Intelligence officers revealed that Christian was secretly "arrested last year and interrogated for possible new clues as to Hitler’s fate. She recently was released and went to live in a village near Berchtesgaden. She insisted that Hitler was dead, and before he shot himself demanded that his body should be cremated. She filled in the gaps in Hitler’s last days for the American investigators. “Christian said she believed that Eva Braun herself proposed Hitler’s wedding before his- suicide. ‘Hitler did not think of personal things at that time,’ she added. Braun seemed happy about the marriage in spite of the circumstances. Hitler’s deputy, Martin Bormann, and Goebbels were the only witnesses of the marriage on April 28. 1945. Those four, plus Christian and another secretary, sat down to a gay wedding party, which went on all night, in spite of the battle for Berlin above them. “There was a stream of visitors during the night. Hitler did not mention his failures or mistakes, but recalled the good old times and his earlier successes. and vowed he would never become a Russian orisoner. “Christian said that the morning after the party she saw the first omen of Hitler’s and Braun’s suicide pact— Hitler’s dog Blondie was poisoned. Christian the following day lunched with Hitler. Braun was not present Hitler anpeared quiet and did. not speak about his intentions An hour later Hitler and Braun came from their private rooms. Everybody felt this was the end. The couple shook hands and without a word retired. “‘T went to my own room.’ said Christian. ‘T was toM at 4 p.m. that Hitler shot himself, Rrwn had taken poison, and the bodies had been burned until nothing remained.”’