Himmler's mistress

[Treue Heinrich]

As you all know Himmler had a mistress called Hedwig Potthast.
After he had some problems with Marga, he decided to spend more time with Frau Potthast than with his own wife.

But what ever happened to Frau Potthast and the two children she had from him?

Thanks in advance

[Indra Ross]

I have some additional information on 'Hedwig Potthast'.

She was Himmler's personal secretary, and was 12 years younger than him. she was 26 years old in 1938. She was familiarly know as 'Haschen'.

She was the daughter of a sargeant-major in the Army.
Himmler kept a photograph of her on his desk at all times.
The son's name was Helge and the daughter's name was Nanette Dorothea.

Sorry but I can find no reference of what happened to the kids after the war.

Now I am curious to find out. I will keep checking this post for answeres.

Thanks

[Matt Gibbs]

From reading I have done there seems to be a consensus that Himmler stayed with Haschen and the children for a day or so around the 10th May when he was supposed to have set off for the south. Both Himmlers brother and Haschen Potthast were in American custody at the end of the war and indeed a group of american observers who went to look at Himmlers body after the suicide were highly annoyed that the body had already been dispose of when they got there because they could have got his brother to identify the corpse.
Not sure what happened afterwards. I know that toward the end of the war Himmler legitamised the children he had had by Potthast so I assume that means Gudrun Himmler has two 'half' siblings. Not sure what happened after the war though...hope this adds some info.
Regards

[Treue Heinrich]

Okay thanks for that information

I'll ask some of my other contacts, maybe they know something...
If I hear anything new, I'll post it here

[Starinov]

There is a book on the market about children of promminet Third Reich officials. I think the Himmler kids got an interview in that book. I am not sure of the title or author though.

[Phaethon]

There is a book on the market about children of promminet Third Reich officials. I think the Himmler kids got an interview in that book. I am not sure of the title or author though.

My Father's Keeper: Children of Nazi Leaders--An Intimate History of Damage and Denial
by Norbert Lebert, Stephan Lebert, Julian Evans (Translator)

Also Gita Sereny has a chapter on the children of nazi leaders in her book "The German Trauma" .

Cheers

K.

[harry palmer]

An interesting quote from "My Father's Keeper".....

"Himmlers name and home have a particular - a particularly grisly - significance for Martin Bormann [junior]. About a year before the end of the war he and his sisters were at the house at the Tegernsee, on a visit with their mother. Suddenly Himmler's secretary (and lover) Hedwig Potthast said, with solemn excitement , that she wanted to show them all something very interesting: a very personal collection of her boss's. Taking them upstairs to the attic floor, she opened a room. In it stood tables and chairs made from human body parts. One of the chair seats was made of a carved and polished pelvic girdle, another had legs made from human legs, complete with human feet. Then Frau Potthast showed them a copy of Mein Kampf bound with skin from a human back. Bormann remembers, as if it were yesterday....."

[Marcus Wendel]

Definately sounds like a fantasy.

/Marcus

[Davey Boy]

Definately sounds like a fantasy.

/Marcus

I recently saw an interview with that guy on TV in which he described all of that stuff in detail.

[Marcus Wendel]

I recently saw an interview with that guy on TV in which he described all of that stuff in detail.

It still sounds like fantasy.
Do you really think that these items would not have been used frequently in education, propaganda etc if they had existed? His statements are the only thing I've heard about it.

/Marcus

[Kurt_Steiner]

I fully agree with you, Marcus. If the Allies had found anything like that stuff, it would be wordly known, as the KZs and so on. Perhaps it's just a silly way to try to get pardoned and forgiven. After all, he was a Bormann, and due to that surname, people won't be quite friendly with that fellow, will they?

[_The_General_]

Mister Bormann Jr is a very respected person in germany, he goes to schools and educates kids about the black site of the nazi's.

I can't believe he makes sutch things up, i think that his memory is playing tricks at him!

[Kurt_Steiner]

I don't doubt that he's NOW a very respected person in germany and that he goes to schools and educates kids about the black site of the nazi's. But, after the end of the war, he wouldn't be so respected, would he? He decided to speak about the dark side of the Nazi Germany for three reasons, from my point of view:

a) He abhores the III Reich
b) He tried to return to a normal life and get forgotten because of the fact who was his father. The only way to do achieve that was by showing the darkness of Hitler and his regime.
c) a + b

I'm not criticising him. I just say that this story is quite unveliable. Why there are no traces of such stuff? Neither the Russians or the US/Brits found them? What a coincidence... He can be right, I don't know. But the whole story sounds so "pretty", so adequately places to qualify Himmler and his enviroment as evil -something he WAS, this is out of the question, of course-, that I cannot believe it. Sorry.

[Max Williams]

Getting away from the sidetracked nonsense about Himmler keeping bodyparts, does anyone have any further information about Hedwig Potthast and Himmler's two children by her? Much is made of Gudrun Himmler in the media, but nothing about the Potthast children. I know that Hedwig had a small house near Berchtesgaden and an apartment in Berlin, but information is very scant.
Max

[PHILDHB]

Hedwick Potthast joined the Reichsführers personal staff after graduating from the Industrial College in Mannheim in 1935. She started as a secretary in the typing pool, but very soon became one of Himmlers personal assistants.
The affair became troublesome for Himmler when Hedwick became pregnant with their first child in early 42, as she was lodging with a local family & he could not bring himself to get divorced, he had to find her somewhere to live. However as one of the only leading Nazis without his hand in the till, he had no money. Consequently, he went cap in hand to Martin Bormann at the Reich Chancellery to borrow money. Bormann allowed him 80,000 marks, and with it Himmler had a house built it Berchtesgarten-Schönau which was called `Haus Schneewinkellehen`.
As this was close by to Bormanns summer house a relationship developed between Hedwig & Bormanns wife Gerda & consequently a closer tie between Himmler & Bormann, a development which may have affected the course of the war.
Hedwig had two children to Himmler, Helge in 42, & Nanette Dorothea in 44.
After the war however the trail went cold in my research, I will watch this to see if anybody else has it.
Best regards, Phil.
Incidentally: I have Hedwigs father as a businessman in Mannheim, maybe a retired Sergeant Mjor?