Hitler moved into the Führerbunker on January 16, 1945, making it the center of the Nazi regime until the final week of World War II in Europe.
The History Channel has been airing a documentary series, Hunting Hitler, which aims to prove that Adolf Hitler did not commit suicide but instead escaped to Argentina. While the series is undeniably intriguing and compelling, viewers unfamiliar with the historical record might find themselves swayed by its narrative.
However, the documentary omits key pieces of evidence that challenge its premise. It begins with April 20, 1945, the date of Hitler’s last public appearance, and uses this as the supposed starting point of his escape. What the series neglects to address are the numerous eyewitness accounts from individuals who were with Hitler in the bunker up until his death by suicide. These testimonies provide a well-documented and widely accepted account of his final days, which undermines the documentary’s speculative claims.
One of the people who stayed in the Führerbunker was Constanze Manziarly-Hitler’s cook and dietician.
Early Life and Career
Constanze Manziarly was born on April 14, 1920, in Innsbruck, Austria. She trained as a dietitian, a profession that gained attention in the mid-20th century as nutrition science became increasingly recognized. Manziarly was described as kind, professional, and dedicated to her work, with a calm demeanor that helped her manage stressful situations.
Her expertise in health and nutrition led to her recruitment as Adolf Hitler’s personal dietitian in 1943. Hitler, a known vegetarian with specific dietary preferences and health concerns, valued her ability to prepare meals that adhered to his strict regimen. Manziarly became a trusted member of his inner circle, though her role was primarily professional.
Life in the Führerbunker
As the war turned against Nazi Germany, Manziarly accompanied Hitler and his staff to the Führerbunker, a fortified underground complex in Berlin, in January 1945. The bunker was intended as a last refuge as Soviet forces closed in on the city. In these claustrophobic and desperate conditions, Manziarly continued to fulfill her duties, preparing meals for Hitler and ensuring his dietary needs were met even as supplies dwindled.
Witnesses described her as maintaining a sense of normalcy amid the chaos, though she was clearly affected by the grim atmosphere. Survivors, who often remarked on her youth and quiet demeanor, note her presence in the bunker in several memoirs.
Letters from her depict him as both demanding and highly particular about his meals.
Manziarly wrote to her sister in 1944, describing how Hitler’s relentless demands left her “feeling that I have one foot in the grave.” She added, “I am not exaggerating. I encounter unimaginable difficulties that I cannot report.”
In April 1944, she wrote, “I have to stay as long as he is there. It is my cast-iron duty. But what wears me out is the immense burden of responsibility I must bear with it.”
Hitler’s legendary love of his voice often subjected his inner circle to long, tedious monologues about the Jews, grand strategy, and his supposed exceptional leadership qualities.
His cook noted that during these late-night sessions, he would “lose control” and devour the cakes that Frau Manziarly had baked earlier in the day.
“I bake a lot every day, often for hours, but by evening, everything is always gone,” she wrote to her sister.
The Endgame and Mystery
The collapse of the Third Reich marked the final days of April 1945. Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide on April 30, followed by the surrender of Berlin to the Soviet forces. In this chaotic environment, Manziarly’s fate became uncertain.
On April 22, Hitler personally requested that Manziarly, along with Traudl Junge and Gerda Christian, leave Berlin. However, all three women volunteered to remain with him until his death. In response, Hitler reportedly gave each of them a cyanide capsule in case they decided to take their own lives.
By April 30, at around noon, Hitler informed his private secretary, Martin Bormann, that the time had come—he planned to shoot himself that afternoon. Manziarly joined Hitler for his final meal at 1:00 p.m., along with secretaries Junge and Christian.
After lunch, SS-Sturmbannführer Otto Günsche, Hitler’s adjutant, informed the secretaries that Hitler wanted to bid everyone farewell. According to Junge, later that day, Manziarly prepared a meal for Hitler as a diversion so others without direct knowledge of his death would not become suspicious. On the evening of April 30, 1945, Manziarly prepared Hitler’s final meal: fried eggs with mashed potatoes.
According to some accounts, she was last seen on May 2, 1945, attempting to leave the bunker with a group of survivors. Witnesses reported that Soviet soldiers apprehended her, but what happened next remains a mystery. Some believe she was executed on the spot, while others speculate she may have been taken to a Soviet camp or even survived under an assumed identity.
Legacy and Speculation
Manziarly’s story is emblematic of the many lives caught up in the machinery of war. As a young woman with no apparent political affiliations, her proximity to Hitler placed her in a unique and perilous position. Over the years, her story has been the subject of intrigue, with historians and writers speculating about her fate and her perspective on the events she witnessed.
Though little is known definitively about her inner thoughts or motivations, Constanze Manziarly remains a figure of fascination for those studying the human dimensions of history’s darkest chapters.
Sources
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5110677/Letters-reveal-nightmare-Hitler-s-chef.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5112509/Adolf-Hitlers-cook-meal-vanished.html
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5248878/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constanze_Manziarly
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106940528/constanze-manziarly
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