New Information on Hitler and American POWs

My friend and fellow historian John Havers of England sent me an email today that sheds more light on the story from a few days ago about the American POW camp near Berlin and the possiblity that Hitler visited the camp and announced FDR's death. The information sheds some doubt on the account, but I imagine we'll never know until Dan Culler hears from his historian friend in Germany about the exact location of the Berlin POW camps.

Thanks, John, for this valuable information.

John writes:


By coincidence I read your piece on the blog about Hitler and POWs just as I had found in our local library Until the Final Hour - Hitler's last Secretary by Traudl Junge. Pub 2002 ISBN 0 297 84720 1. This, as she was then, very young lady was in the Berlin bunker close to Hitler right to the very end.

It is not a day-to-day record of events but does tell a lot of what was happening. Given that FDR died on 12Apr45, and based on what is said in the book, I find it a little difficult to believe that Hitler was outside the bunker around this time; obviously I am unable to prove anything but it does make me wonder about the story.

Best regards
John

POW Remembers Hitler Visiting Camp and Honoring FDR

An aged Adolph Hitler, shown here in the years before his death, visited a small camp of American POWs in Berlin and informed them of the death of FDR, then stood at attention while the camp honored FDR, in a story related by POW Dan Culler.

Here is an amazing story I'd never heard about before, related by good friend Dan Culler, who was himself a POW. I quote Dan's story in its entirety.

"Roosevelt and Hitler

Here is a story you all might find interesting. I learned of it at our weekly POW
meeting at the VA which ended sometime in 2001 because not many of us were left,
and Sam Atterbury our councilor retired. It was told by Harold, one of our POWs who was shot down over Berlin in Jan. 1945 and was placed in a small POW
camp in the Berlin area, with Americans and British.

He mentioned the camp was close to Hitler's last bunker, and they let the allies
know of the camp hoping the allies wouldn’t drop bombs in that area.

Harold said several times Hitler with several guards would come to
the POW camp and would just stand next to the wire and look at the
prisoners.

Then when Roosevelt passed away on April 12, 1945 Hitler
came to the camp and had the guards inform the Americans of
Roosevelt's death and had them assemble in the yard and stand at
attention for a short time in honor of Roosevelt. Hitler and his
guards outside the wire, also stood at attention, and as you know
Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945.

How about that gentlemen, here was Hitler a maniac dictator who was responsible for
million of death paying homage to a ruler who help being him down.
Harold said the Russians freed them."