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Typical Adolf Hitler’s day
according to Albert Speer
“[…] After breakfast, Hitler was brought to daily press, whose review clearly affected his mood. Later, Hewel (a representative of Ribbentrop in Wolfsschanze) Reported to him foreign press comments, which Hitler patiently listened to. From the perspective of the past, it seems to me that he treated press opinions more seriously than reality.
After the press review, Schaub brought him reports of air raids that took place last night, which were previously passed by Bormann. Several times I tried to persuade Hitler to look at the bombed cities, but Hitler refused to fulfill my “strange” requests every time. However, I think he was well-informed about the damage caused by air raids… The Führer seemed to be clearly shocked by these relations, but not because of the loss of population or destruction of residential buildings – but because of the loss of valuable buildings, in particular theaters.
[…] While reading these reports, Hitler had the habit of expressing offensive opinions about the English government and Jews, who he believed were guilty of those raids.
[…] He strongly rejected the appeals of Dr. Morell, who suggested he had to take long daily walks. He covered only a hundred-meter section inside the 1st security zone every day. During the walks, Hitler most often did not take an interest in the person accompanying him, but he focused his attention on his German Sheppard Blondi, whom he tried to train on this occasion.
After several exercises in retrieving, the dog had to balance on an board equivalent of a width of twenty centimeters and a length of eight meters, set at a height of two meters. Blondi played in Hitler’s life probably the most important role; it seems that the dog was more important to Hitler than his closest associates: if none of the distinguished guests were present in the quarters, Hitler would eat meals only in the company of his dog.
[…] From month to month, the Führer became more and more silent. From autumn 1943, the common dinner became a real torment. In silence, we ate the soup, making in between the dishes just a few remarks on the weather like a meteorological service.
[…] For evening tea Hitler invited his doctors, secretary, military and civil adjutants, Ambassador Hewel, sometimes Bormann. I was also always welcome. Hitler liked to create a “nice” atmosphere on this occasion, often with a burning fireplace; he handed the cake to the secretaries himself and cared for his guests as a master of the house. There was a silent agreement to avoid discussions about war and politics during these meetings, and not to criticize the leading personalities of the Third Reich. For understandable reasons, he had no need to discuss it. We were laughing with jokes, repeatedly told by Hitler, as if they had been said for the first time. It was difficult to revive the atmosphere of those meetings. It was very boring, and only courtesy and sense of tact forced us to take part in them. After hours of monotonous discussions, we were overcome by a dream, we barely looked at our eyes.
[…] Before Hitler’s defeat at Stalingrad, Hitler listened to Beethoven’s symphonies, parties from Wagner operas or Hugo Wolf’s songs. He could then sit for hours with his eyes closed and listen to music. The same records were always set and the tea participants knew their numbers by heart. After Stalingrad, Hitler was unable to listen to music, so we spent the evenings listening to his monologues. Still on the same subjects: his youth in Vienna, the period of struggle, the history of mankind, micro and macrocosmos, etc. While listening to these stories, we usually knew in advance what he would say in a moment … “
Memories of Henry Picker,
stenographer of Martin Borman
“[…] Hitler’s morning began with receiving reports of night raids. Between 9.00 am and 10.00 am Hitler took a walk in the area of the Wolf’s Lair, during which each of us had the right to address him in personal matters. For example, when one of the waiters of our casino, the father of seven children, was immediately dismissed by Bormann without any prior notice, – because that despite the precautions taken, he allowed a box to be taken into the casino’s basement, without checking its contents, – he could talk to Hitler before his departure, tell about his troubles and ask for his action. Hitler gave him a letter of intent, recommending that he shall be employed in the Reich Chancellery, and when the storm in Wolf’s Lair ceased, he ordered him to be taken back to work. Generally, there was an unwritten rule that no one disturbed Hitler without a need during relaxation. His doctors knew how important it is for the health of the Führer to walk and play with the dog, without any trouble.
Life in the headquarters began around 11.00. Chief of General Staff, F. Halder (later General K. Zeitzler) appeared with his generals at the Southern Council, during which the course of military operations was discussed in details on all fronts.
After the reports of the army commanders, army groups or their representatives participating in the council, discussed the general situation with Chief of General Staff, Alfred Jodl. The afternoon deliberations usually began at 12.00 and lasted one, two hours, sometimes longer. After dinner, Hitler asked one of his orderlies, Linge or Junge, to give him his golden glasses. Since 1935, the Führer used glasses to read, that has been strengthened to 4 diopters (right) and 3 (left) over time.
He used a large magnifying glass to study the maps, given to him by the Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht. In order not to appear publicly in glasses, he ordered – from the time we was elected the Chancellor – to prepare all texts of speeches and official letters on specially designed typewriters with a large font size and 10-mm intervals between the lines.
Delivered by Otto Dietrich press messages, was studied slowly and accurately. After that Hitler passed them to Keitl or Bormann and adjutants tooked his comments and commands regarding the content of the messages. The Führer had an unusual ability to sustain conversation or direct it to other tracks and, which seems very important, never during meals, he did not refer to the significant problems of war, vice versa – he directed the content of the conversation on the most accurate topics, eg he started talking about the harmfulness of smoking cigarettes.
When he spoke, no one dared to interrupt him. Due to the fact that our boss often repeated himself, we always knew by heart what he has to say on a specific topic: it resulted from the fact that all residents of the quarters were condemned to long-term co-presence and knew each other too well. Hitler took private conversations in his shelter with one of the invited guests or with Bormann sometimes.
[…] About 6 pm, an evening meeting began, in which only “gentlemen” from the Wolf’s Lair took part. The issues of the air superiority were mainly discussed. After dinner, Hitler went to his shelter again, unless the order of the day was “Wochenschau” (chronicle – weekly review of events, editions). For this purpose, a specially designed second room of the casino was used.
It happened that Hitler watched the chronicles twice, and then approached the topic presented in the film, sometimes he shared comments, gave suggestions or interfered in the commentary. After the “Wochenschau” comedy films were often screened. Hitler gave up both watching comedies and theatrical performances, because he believed that during the war, when the soldiers on the front are deprived of all games, it is not acceptable to share any pleasures. The exception was a film, displayed on the occasion of Mussolini’s visit and a guest theater performance from Bayreuth “Dusk of the Gods“, devoted to the wounded in 1940.
[…] The only luxury and elixir of Hitler’s life in Wolfsschanze was his telephone night talks with Ewa Braun.
[…] Hor Hitler, Eva Braun was the ideal of a fashionable, athletic and resourceful woman. He felt that he loved her tenderly.
[…] During those “night debates” I met another Hitler than I knew from paintings, newspapers and stories. I think that he showed great knowledge of the masses’ psychology, the ability to synthesize problems, the irresistible will to reform the world, exceptional intelligence, memory and self-esteem … “.
Memories of Christa Schroeder,
Hitler’s Secretary
Excerpts from a letter to her friend:
“[…] Our accommodation bunker has the size of a railway wagon and is lined with cozy, bright wall paneling. Inside there is a washbasin, a mirror over it, a small “Siemens” radio with which you can pick up many stations. The bunker even has electric heating. The room is small, but it creates a nice impressio.
[…] My narrow, hard bed is filled with sea grass. Cabs with showers are also generally available.
[…] Peace of mind is disturbed only by the noise of the fa.
[…] It is cold in the rooms, it is teased by moisture, I feel lead heaviness and rheumatic pains. Before going to bed, you first have to dry it with the temperature of your own body.
[…] The forest protects us against the heat: you can feel the difference when you leave it for some sunny place.
[…] The mosquito plague is really annoing, it causes many problems also to Hitler. My legs are already completely pierced and covered with large itchy blisters.
[…] Hitler claims that he has found the most swampy, the most filled with mosquitoes and the least suitable terrain in terms of climate. “
According to Hans Baur,
Hitler’s Pilot
Some stupid joke made to mosquitos
“[…] Mosquitoes also did not spare the headquarters in Kętrzyn. The swamps that surrounded the quarters were the perfect nesting place for mosquitoes, which were coming in new, blood-thirsty swarms, and in the immediate vicinity of Hitler’s bunker there were numerous swamps. A lot of frogs that gave loud concerts lived there.
“One day they fell silent. After some time, Hitler noticed the lack of frogs noise and he asked what was the reason for it … They reported that … several hundred liters of oil were poured into the ponds to kill the mosquitos, and the frogs did not survive – they got poisoned and the concerts ended, certainly many mosquito larvae were destroyed as well, but many, many of them remained, their reserves turned out to be tremendously large.
“Have you ever seen such idiots?” The frogs were killed, and the mosquitos were left behind, because the frogs catch thousands of mosquitoes every day!”- Hitler screamed.
The poisonous swamps were cleaned in a next few days, filled with clean water and settled again with frogs. “