Pictures of Inga Ley

[Winston Smith]

Another picture of Inga with her husbend.

[Brumbar]

And Trandl labeling Inga Ley as "dull" possibly meant that Inga Ley was a self-obsessed and empty headed bimbo.

Traudl Junge's comment on Inge Ley as being "dull" "could have" meant any number of things....not necessarily that she was a "self-obsessed and empty-headed bimbo."

Inge Ley, as someone said earlier, was obviously a truly stunning woman---strikingly beautiful, at least in appearance. I've always wondered why such women are somehow automatically written off by some as vacuous. In my experience, it's usually a "catty bitch" female comment. Her photos remind me, in a modern sense, of a young Faye Dunaway----not at all an image that I'd associate with either "empty-headed" or "bimbo."

Annelie and Brumbar, I think you're both right on track with your "Power as an Aphrodisiac" thoughts. But then, there's always the "Power Behind the Throne" idea.....

~FV

Fraulein,

Indeed. The "dull" remark by Frau Junge might also have been a reflection of the fact that Frau Ley suffered from dual addictions to drugs and alcohol (this fact supported by the affidavit supplied by Ley's personal secretary cited in my previous post) and that she lived under the cloud of her rather oppressive and bombastic husband's drinking and womanizing habits.

[Matt Gibbs]

Hi Folks,
some interesting photos.

Any second persons testimony on anything is always going to be slightly subjective, and also possibly clouded with some personal feeling. I guess without the benefit of an autobiography or any personal papers we'll have to read into these testimonies as little or as much as we would like? Thus, of course, rendering another level of subjectivity, or objectivity to the proceedings!

Personally I am not too bothered about what drove or decided Inge to marry Robert, I'm more interested in the interesting photos/stills in colour from this time. Apart from anything I think I love Herr Leys white summer party uniform! LOL!! ;D

I have to say that a lot of he said, she said debates leave me wondeirng the motives of the person making the statement. But I guess thats the case with any evidence of this sort!

Regards
Matt Gibbs

[TePe]

Posted 2 not very often seen colorized photos of Inga Ley here:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... c&start=15

Regards
TePe

[Flinker]

Ah yes, beautiful Inge with her man ... a rose among thorns.

This picture was taken while in attendance at Munich's "Day of German Art" in 1939. The picture comes from Michael Stuermer's, "The German Century, a Photographic History." It contains some fabulous plates and for that I give it a good review. For the captions, I give it an F-. The captions are written in the most propagandistic manner (German professors are extremely nervous about stating anything good about the Third Reich) and contain many errors in fact. A good example: Inge, in the caption for this particular picture is given the name "Lore." It is probably safe to state that Stuermer is not the University of Erlangen-Nuernberg's most exacting professor of History, but he's great with pictures.

It was nice to go through this book again. It has been resting in my library without attention for a long time.

To comment further: After first posting this squib, I checked Amazon.com for asking prices for Stuermer's book. One can get a copy for as low as $4.95. I paid $50 when it was newly released, so I've lost a bit of value there. However, my copy of "Hitler the Unknown Artist" I paid $40 when it was newly released, and now sellers are asking $800 and it keeps climbing. Win some lose some.

[Orret]

More beatiful
Why is most dificult to search more for this women?

[Potsdamerplatz]

She is indeed very beautiful.

Does anyone have more information on why she killed herself. All I know is that she shot herself with a pistol in 1942 because she was apparently very unhappy.

Best regards,

[Knut Hamsun]

Ahoi,
I found out something very interesting about Inge Ley at the following homepage:
http://www.clown-grock.ch/1933_1945_07.html
Clown Grock alias Charles Adrien Wettach about Inge:
"Kraft durch Freude mit Inge Ley.
Im Sommer 1940 lernt Grock in San Remo Inge Ley kennen. Die schöne Sopranistin ist mit Reichminister Robert Ley verheiratet und in der Verwundetenbetreuung der nationalsozialistischen "Kraft durch Freude-Bewegung" engagiert. Auch "die liebenswerte und bezaubernde Inge" bittet ihn, in Deutschland für verwundete Soldaten zu spielen. Bei seinen Auftritten im Rahmen der "KdF" sind aber oft eher Rüstungsarbeiter und Parteibonzen im Zuschauerraum. 1941 und 1942 trifft sich Grock sich mit Inge Ley, zuletzt im Herbst 1942 bei einem Gastspiel in Berlin, wo er auch ihrem "ewig unter Alkohol stehenden, unsympathischen Mann" begegnet. Am 29. Dezember schickt ihm die Ley ein Telegramm zum neuen Jahr, am Morgen danach erfährt Grock, dass sie sich erschossen hat."

In 1940 Inge Ley makes the acquaintance of Clown Grock in San Remo. Inge is a sopranist and engaged in KdF and she cares for wounded persons "Verwundetenbetreuung". In 1941 an 1942 Inge meets Clown Grock and in the autumn of 1942 for the last time in Berlin (see the picture at Grock-Bildarchiv 1933-1945). At the 29. of december Inge send an telegram to Clown Grock with her best wishes for the new year 1943. Next morging Grock is informed that Inge Ley committed suicide.

Grock characterized Inge as "lovable". If you also take into account that she was engaged in the organisation "KdF" caring for wounded persons that could be the only truth about her.

I tried to find out where she is burried, does anyone know?
Kind regards
Knut

[Michael Miller]

Does anyone know Frau Ley's date of birth?

With thanks in advance,
~ Mike

[Potsdamerplatz]

From Mimi's website on the cause of Inga's death:

Foolish gossip circulated through Germany about her relationship to Hitler and the cause of her suicide, but nothing is really certain. A lot of speculation followed her suicide but, to this day, it is assumed she was unstable, leery of her husband's acute alcoholism, and had a passion for her Führer. Robert Ley and his wife Inga had three children.
She was an exceptionally beautiful woman and Ley commissioned a life size portrait of her in the nude which he displayed prominently in his house. According to Robert Ley's private secretary,Hildegard Bruninghoff, Inga Ley shot herself on 29 December 1942. She had become depressed following complications during childbirth which had left her drug-dependent. She was also known to indulge heavily in drinking.

It is a tragic story I can identify with.

[Potsdamerplatz]

And Trandl labeling Inga Ley as "dull" possibly meant that Inga Ley was a self-obsessed and empty headed bimbo.

Traudl Junge's comment on Inge Ley as being "dull" "could have" meant any number of things....not necessarily that she was a "self-obsessed and empty-headed bimbo."

Inge Ley, as someone said earlier, was obviously a truly stunning woman---strikingly beautiful, at least in appearance. I've always wondered why such women are somehow automatically written off by some as vacuous. In my experience, it's usually a "catty bitch" female comment. Her photos remind me, in a modern sense, of a young Faye Dunaway----not at all an image that I'd associate with either "empty-headed" or "bimbo."

Annelie and Brumbar, I think you're both right on track with your "Power as an Aphrodisiac" thoughts. But then, there's always the "Power Behind the Throne" idea.....

~FV

Fraulein,

Indeed. The "dull" remark by Frau Junge might also have been a reflection of the fact that Frau Ley suffered from dual addictions to drugs and alcohol (this fact supported by the affidavit supplied by Ley's personal secretary cited in my previous post) and that she lived under the cloud of her rather oppressive and bombastic husband's drinking and womanizing habits.

Just to get this into perspective, Traudl Junge became Hitler's secretary in December 1942 which is the same month that Inga Ley committed suicide so it is unlikely that she could have had much time to form much of an impression of the woman (if indeed they ever met).

On this occasion I would take her remarks with a pinch of salt. Perhaps she was a little jealous of her beauty and position in the hierarchy (as women can be)

Kind regards.

[Thomasine]

Inge Ley committed suicide on December 10, 1942 by jumping out of a hotel window in Berlin.

I don't know very much about except that she was an actress and singer and that one of the Kraft durch Freude ships were named after her. Hitler joined the maiden voyage accompanied by Mrs Ley and there is, according to Angela Lambert in her book Eva Braun, a photo of them together.

As Magda Göbbels, she was an ardent admirerer of Adolf Hitler and he enjoyed her company.

[Potsdamerplatz]

Thomas, are you sure about this?

Renate Müller committed suicide by jumping from the window of her home (or was she pushed) but this was in Berlin, 1937.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0618286/bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renate_M%C3%BCller

The information that Inga Ley committed suicide by pistol shot comes from her husband's secretary Hildegard Bruninghoff. Is it possible however that she had previously attempted suicide by jumping from a window?

From another topic on this forum:

Hello R.M. Schultz,
thank you for the translation Yes I know she began suicide about 18.40 on the evening on the 29. December 1942.

After statements of Hedwig Schröder (the houselady) Mrs. Ley has shot herself with a gun in the head (in the temple (?); German: "Schläfe").

Translation of the mauscript:

"I stood with Otto Marrenbach and his adjutant still beside Robert Ley in the foyer in the first floor when the shot fell. Robert Ley was just on way to the Führerhauptquartier. Of my knowledge Otto Marrenbach was the first in the bedroom and he has taken the gun to himself. After him Robert Ley entered the room.
I was present when the corpse was found in the bedroom. Inga Ley lay half back on the bed, the gun beside her. The wall to the right was full of blood, it was terrible"

best regards
Florian (Koj)

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 05#p754205

Kind regards.

[Thomasine]

Potsdammerplatz,

my source is Angela Lambert's book Eva Braun.

I have never come across any verified information on her method of suicide but it could very well be that she made more than one attempt and finally succeded by shooting herself.

Unfortunately, Inge Ley is not among the women in Anna Maria Sigmund's Die Frauen der Nazis, an excellent book.

[Potsdamerplatz]

I have never come across any verified information on her method of suicide but it could very well be that she made more than one attempt and finally succeded by shooting herself.

Unfortunately, Inge Ley is not among the women in Anna Maria Sigmund's Die Frauen der Nazis, an excellent book.

Hi Thomas,

Yes this is indeed very possible. I seem to recall reading elsewhere (possibly here on the forum) that Inga Ley was a very unhappy woman and had attempted suicide on a previous occasion. This is of course common with most suicides, there is usually a previous unsuccessful attempt which can be a cry for help or plea for attention.

Here is the link here with some information on a previous suicide attempt by attempting to jump from a window:

A ravishing blonde and much admired by Hitler. Wife of the drunkard Robert Ley, head of the Arbeitsfront, with whom she was very unhappy. An actress and ballerina by profession, she once took refuge from her husband in the Obersalzberg. After writing a letter to Hitler, which left him very depressed, she attempted suicide in 1943 by jumping out of a window. On October 24, 1945, her husband committed suicide in his cell while awaiting trial at Nuremberg. His suicide note stated that he could "no longer bear the shame". The villa of Robert and Inge Ley still stands on the Mehringdamm in Berlin's suburb of Templehof.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jso ... women.html

Some more information on her in this thread including further references to her death by gunshot wound. It seems before she married Robert Ley she was an actress and ballerina. Her father was the Theatre Director Max Spilcker.

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=77&t=21771

Kind regards.