Walther Hewel
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Walther Hewel (January 2, 1904 – May 2, 1945) was a German diplomat before and during World War II and one of Adolf Hitler's few personal friends.
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[edit] Early life to World War II
Born in 1904 to parents Anton and Elsa in Cologne where his father ran a cocoa factory, his father died in 1913, leaving Elsa to run the factory.
Walther graduated in 1923 and attended the Technical University of Munich. It is unknown when he married his wife Blanda. The same year, he took part in the Nazi's failed Beer Hall Putsch.
He served as a diplomat in the Foreign Ministry, and on March 15, 1939 transcribed the conference between Hitler and Czech president Emil Hácha.
[edit] Position in the Third Reich
Although, technically, Hewel was an ambassador and was supposed to serve as Joachim von Ribbentrop's liaison to Hitler, he spent most of World War II without an official portfolio. Survivors of Hitler's inner circle claimed he owed his position to his "low Nazi Party number" (meaning he was an early member of the party), and because he was one of Hitler's friends/cronies.
In her memoirs, for example, Traudl Junge described Hewel as somewhat of Hitler's major domo, placed in charge of coordinating his household, keeping peace between the military and civilian officials around Hitler, and regulating contact between male and female members of Hitler's entourage. Other members of the inner circle recounted that, unlike many other Nazi leaders, Hewel was able to stay awake and attentive during Hitler's long monologues on topics such as anti-Semitism.
[edit] Death
Until Hitler committed suicide in April 1945, Hewel remained in his inner circle. As one of the few people to remain near him until the end, he was said to have tried to cheer the suicidal Hitler up. Hewel was also, apparently, the last individual to engage in a long, personal conversation with Hitler, although the topic of this "conversation" was apparently Hitler continuing to rant against Jews and other enemies.
Following Hitler's suicide on April 30, 1945, Hewel escaped the Führerbunker in a group led by Wilhelm Mohnke. However, he was apparently suffering from psychological duress - in her memoirs, Junge claimed that, after Hitler's death, Hewel appeared extremely confused and unable to make the simplest decisions for himself.
Upon arriving at an army holdout on May 2, 1945, Hewel made remarks to the effect that he planned on committing suicide. Despite the efforts of Dr. Ernst-Günther Schenck, who attempted to talk him out of it, Hewel killed himself in the same manner as Hitler, biting down on a cyanide capsule while shooting himself in the head.
While Hewel's ultimate motive for his suicide remains unknown, some bunker survivors suggested that Hitler had actually encouraged Hewel to commit suicide, as he gave his "friend" both a cyanide capsule and dual-suicide instructions. The movie Der Untergang follows this suggestion.
After the war his 1941 diary emerged.
[edit] References
- To the Final Hour, Traudl Junge
- The Bunker, Jack O'Donnell
| April 22 Julius Schaub • Christa Schröder • Johanna Wolf | April 23 Theodor Morell • Albert Speer | |
| April 29 Robert Ritter von Greim • Hanna Reitsch • Heinz Lorenz • Wilhelm Zander • Heinrich Müller • Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven | ||
| April 30 Otto Günsche • Gerda Christian | May 1 Wilhelm Mohnke • Martin Bormann • Artur Axmann • Traudl Junge • | |
| Ludwig Stumpfegger • Hans Baur • Erich Kempka • Johann Rattenhuber • Günther Schwägermann • Werner Naumann • Hans-Erich Voss | ||
| Still present when Soviet forces arrived on May 2 Rochus Misch • Erna Flegel • Werner Haase • Johannes Hentschel | ||
| Date of departure uncertain Heinz Linge • Walther Hewel • Constanze Manziarly • Hermann Fegelein • Nicholaus von Below | ||
| Committed suicide Adolf Hitler • Eva Braun • Joseph Goebbels • Magda Goebbels • Wilhelm Burgdorf • Peter Högl • Hans Krebs | ||
| Killed Goebbels children | ||
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