2. Until the Final Hour - Traudl Junge

Since the writing of this book, the memoirs of Traudl Junge have been made into a movie about Hitler’s private life (from her perspective), and his last days in the bunker in Berlin, up to and after his suicide. A movie entitled ‘Downfall’ (Der Untergang). Junge wrote her memoirs in 1947 as part of herself trying to come to terms with herself and her guilt. She started working for Hitler in her early 20s, and despite her absent father being a member of the party, she had little idea as to the political side of German life.

Her memoirs are written in a rather simple way, with little attempt to make it sound more fictional or more intelligent. She simply writes what has happened, as she remembers it, and does not try to justify herself which helps to make it seem like an account rather than a reflection of the time. As she describes instances she dined with Hitler and Eva, and socialised with his dietician and valets, the language used to describe Hitler is very unexpected. It is written affectionately, as she has mostly positive memories of these times. She was not involved in the meetings with the military, and knew nothing of the horrors of the war. She wrote reports of death-counts and damages for her boss, but asked no questions, which to some extent could put her to blame, that she chose to ignore what was happening.

While reading it, it puts the people involved in the horror of WWII, in a more personal light. You see that they were only human, and when faced with hardship, people will take any option they can to get out of it - in this case, the German people dismissed the racism and discrimination in the hope that Hitler would improve the financial state of their country. Recently pictures were released of the leaders of the Auschwitz camp at their summer house nearby, socialising with their wives and enjoying the weather - these have a similar effect. The people commiting the atrocities were simply that - people. And when pushed, some people can change immensely, in this case Hitler can order killing and torture in a meeting in one room, and then act as an amiable host in the next. Highly recommend it.