The photograph shows Hitler and Nienau, then about five or six, at the Berghof and both celebrating their common birthday of April 20th. Hoffmann took a number of photos that day showing Hitler with the young girl, and they became favorites of Hitler, Hoffmann, and the German public. This signed photograph has been further embellished with the addition of nine edelweiss flowers and a four-leaf clover which were applied to the photo by the young girl. [...]
ROSA BERNILE NIENAU (1926–1943), called “Bernile” and “Rosa” by Hitler, became known as "the Führer's child" or “sweetheart” because of her close contact with Adolf Hitler. Soon after their introduction, it was discovered that the girl was one-quarter Jewish, yet Hitler refused to sever his relationship with her until years later.
An only child, Bernile’s father, physician Bernhard Nienau (1887-1926) died shortly before she was born. Her mother Karoline (b. Helwig) (1892-1962) was a nurse and moved to Munich around 1928 along with her mother, Ida Voit, who widowed or divorced Helwig, b. Morgenstern (1867-1942). Thus, young Bernile was one-quarter Jewish, and therefore “Jewish” under German racial laws.
In the spring of 1933, Bernile joined a group of visitors celebrating Hitler’s birthday at the Obersalzberg and she was chosen to have a personal visit with the Fuhrer, probably because of their identical birthdays. She quickly developed a close and warm friendship with her “Uncle Hitler” which lasted until 1938. Indeed, the Bundesarchive retains 17 letters from her to Hitler and aide Wilhelm Bruckner between 1935 and 1938. Research shows that even early on, Hitler became aware of the girl’s Jewish heritage but chose to ignore it, either for personal or propaganda reasons.
