Hitlers Last Appearance for the cameras

[coburg22]

Hello Mark,

Thank you for clearing this matter up about about Hitler's last appearence since all of the movies I watched and books I have read indicated that this took place on April 20th rather than March 20th which is the correct date.

Best,

James

[jeffhan373]

It seems that popular history will never get this sorted out. Still today most every book/DVD has a date of April 20 for the filmed ceremony. This is completely wrong, and Mark has summed it up perfectly!

[Matt Gibbs]

That runs with the information I recieved from Armin Lehmann when I wrote to him several years ago, he said he was there on 'birthday' parade, 20th April. Its amazing that there were no photos taken on that day, but perhaps they just haven't survived. I never thought to ask him and of course, now its too late, whether there was any photographers present on that day. I am sure I have read in several texts and captions that the photos were taken on Hitler's Birthday

[AlifRafikKhan]

Maybe someone know the list of HJ member in this award ceremony, especially the one who shaking hands with Hitler?

Source: http://dachaukz.blogspot.com/2011/03/my ... h-may.html

[AlifRafikKhan]

Mark Costa, in the "Lorenz, Axmann, Fegelein, Schaub, AH, Guensche, Burgdorf, and Heinz Linge" photo, can it possibly be Wilhelm Mohnke behind the Führer?

And also there's a Luftwaffe officer behind Axmann...

[Helly Angel]

If I remember well, please do not believe totally, Mohnke arrived later to the Bunker that day.

[Mark Costa]

AlifRafikKhan:

Excellent photo above here of the March 20th ceremony. I noted on the link you provided that it stated April 20th like so many others sites. That is a rare photo as it shows Hitler with the HJ boys at the end of the line which is rarely seen in either photos or the newsreels. Note Willi Hübner can be seen looking down the row, right under Hitler's turned up collar.

Mark Costa

[leodienasty]

My reason for being here - I have just finished Richard Overy's The Third Reich - A Chronicle. (£8 in The Works,UK) A good read for a rainy day if you know little about the Third Reich. Anyhows, RO mentions AH last public appearance was 20 March, and as he does not give any notes to his words, I came here to find out. And I did. Thanks to all who took part in this topic. I, too, was under the impression that it was April. Who do I believe....

Another point RO also mentions that

"What became known as 'race shaming' (Rassenschande) could eventually lead to incarceration in a concentration camp or, later in the war, public execution." pp.124/6

I am unaware of any public executions during the war for this offence. If somebody could enlighten me, I'd appreciate it.

Thinking about it now, I don't think I have read anything that the government of 1933/45 carried out any public executions. By this, I mean a sentence passed from a court, and not a kind of kangaroo shenanigans.

Thanks.

[wartourist]

New user, so Hello to all.

I realize this is a late reply/question, but anyway: I do not question the conclusions of the Forum as to the date of the filmed ceremony, but I wonder why Lehmann himself states otherwise in his book "In Hitler's bunker" (Mainstream 2004). On pages 82 and 83, he clearly specifies, that the ceremony took place in the Chancellery Garden on April 20th, and that "A Party Officiel prepared to record the whole affair with a newsreel camera"

Just curious...

Dan

[Mark Costa]

Dan:

Welcome to the forum. There were in fact TWO events which have always been mistaken for eachother. Armin Lehmann was NOT at the famous March 20th event shown in photos and movies taken in the Chancellery Garden. Lehmann refers to another event involving HJ boys that were presented in the Ehrenhof (Honor Courtyard) on April 20th, Hitler's Birthday. This was a much smaller affair and this event was NOT photographed. Well, at least no photos have ever surfaced from this event. Other than Lehmann, no one else present on April 20th mentions a photographer being present. Lehmann may just be confusing the two events. He WAS present at the second event on April 20th. Lehmann is an interesting character. His books mention many events that he could not possibly have been present for. He was Axmann's courier, but I believe he "stretched" his importance to write his books and told stories that he only "probably" heard about from Axmann himself or others.

Mark Costa

[wartourist]

Hi Mark,

Thanks! Sounds like a reasonable explanation. The book was first published in 2003 where Mr. Lehmann was 75 years old. I don't know exactly when he started to write it, but it is a fair assumption that two, rather similar events may have been mixed in his memory. And yes, I have also wondered how he could have the comprehensive knowledge and experiences, the book demonstrates, but hey, these were turbulent times

I will probably come up with many questions in this forum of experts, just gotta figure out how to use it properly first. The Battle for Berlin is a key interest for me - have visited the city some 10-12 times now - and there are still numerous unansvered questions...

Dan Reedtz

[lancer_325]

Another photo of the MARCH 20th ceremony. This one was taken just before Hitler congratulates the boys. Axmann had already given the boys their Iron Crosses before Hitler arrived. All Hitler did was go down the row and shake hands and pat their faces. The windows of the dining room are right behind Axmann's saluting left arm. Right after the ceremony Hitler, Schaub and Bormann went to inspect the damage to the room and it was there that the very last photos were taken -- on MARCH 20, 1945. One month and 10 days before Hitler commited suicide.

Mark

Hi. I'm new to the site and it's a brilliant source of info, so well done to all involved. just one observation on the photo of axmann with his raised left arm saluting. i'm not so sure that the location of the picture is taken near where the window of the dining room forms the backdrop. The windows of the dining hall were small circular windows atop long rectangular windows. If that is the dining hall behind axmann, then that would necessarily make the bunker exit ought to be off to the left of axmann's right shoulder in the pic and directly behind hitler wouldf be kempha's house. the orientation is not suggesting that as the location. Anybody have any views on this or does anybody know where the ceremony took place?

[Mark Costa]

Here is a photo of where the March 20th took place. The boys were lined up from left to right along the wall at the base of the back of the RK. So yes the Bunker, garden pool, Garden house and Kempka's house would have been behind Hitler as he reviewed the boys. The windows behind Axmann saluting in the one photo would have been the area that was parellel with the Hermann Göring Strasse, my mistake.

Mark Costa

[lancer_325]

Hey Mark, wow that's great. thanks for the quick reply. And of course wouldn't you know, i've done it again. I keep getting the dining hall mixed up with the ballroom. Your pic def puts everything into perspective for me now. Thanks.

[lancer_325]

i knew i had some pictures somewhere of the moments before the ceremony. You can see the hitler youth lined up waiting for hitler to approach. You are correct Mark, it took place in front of the Reich Chancellery and they were lined up left to right along the wall at the base of it. I have included some pics for people to see. Unusual pics because they are stills taken from the film clip of the ceremony which was “sanitised” by goebbels so as to cut put the parts where it was clear to see hitlers shaking left hand.