As far as his closest aides were aware, he kept to
a strict healthy diet and drank only lukewarm water.
a strict healthy diet and drank only lukewarm water.
But Adolf Hitler would regularly stave off attacks of.....
midnight munchies by tucking into specially made ‘Fuhrer Cake’
and other gooey treats.
midnight munchies by tucking into specially made ‘Fuhrer Cake’
and other gooey treats.
He would raid the kitchen after staying up late talking to guests and
rarely get up before 2pm, according to a maid who worked at his
mountain retreat in Bavaria.
rarely get up before 2pm, according to a maid who worked at his
mountain retreat in Bavaria.
~~~~~
Elisabeth Kalhammer has broken her silence after 71 years to reveal what life
was like at the Berghof when the Nazi dictator was in residence.
was like at the Berghof when the Nazi dictator was in residence.
Mrs Kalhammer, 89, says that Hitler’s mistress Eva Braun – whom staff greeted
with a ‘Heil M’lady’ – ran the house.
with a ‘Heil M’lady’ – ran the house.
All the maids knew Hitler had trouble with his spleen and kept to a strict
diet devised by a personal cook.
diet devised by a personal cook.
But the famously sweet-toothed dictator secretly feasted on chocolate biscuits
and cream scones, Mrs Kalhammer says.
and cream scones, Mrs Kalhammer says.
A ‘Fuhrer Cake’ – an apple cake strewn with nuts and raisins –
had to be baked each day and left out every night for him to raid like a naughty
schoolboy as the rest of the household slept.
had to be baked each day and left out every night for him to raid like a naughty
schoolboy as the rest of the household slept.
‘He loved sweet things,’ she said, ‘and Eva Braun was our best friend.’
~~~~~
Austrian Mrs Kalhammer – then Elisabeth Marchtrenkerin – went to work at the
Fuhrer’s retreat near Berchtesgaden in 1943 after answering an advert in her local paper:
‘Maid wanted. Location: The Berghof on the Obersalzberg.’
Fuhrer’s retreat near Berchtesgaden in 1943 after answering an advert in her local paper:
‘Maid wanted. Location: The Berghof on the Obersalzberg.’
She did not know that her employer would be Hitler.
Her mother had asked her not to take the job but the teenage Elisabeth felt she
could not turn it down and the Reich’s employment office told her she
should be grateful for the work....[...]
could not turn it down and the Reich’s employment office told her she
should be grateful for the work....[...]
~~~~~~
Once she broke a cup and was punished by losing several of her days off.
Conditions at the Berghof were in stark contrast to those faced by ordinary
Germans and Austrians.
Conditions at the Berghof were in stark contrast to those faced by ordinary
Germans and Austrians.
While Elisabeth’s family had little to eat, the maids enjoyed freshly pressed
apple juice and had plenty of food.
apple juice and had plenty of food.
She said Eva Braun ‘was always good to me. She behaved like the lady of the house,
even though she was not married. She designed our uniforms.
For Christmas she presented me with wool, to knit socks for the men on the front.’
even though she was not married. She designed our uniforms.
For Christmas she presented me with wool, to knit socks for the men on the front.’
Hitler was obsessed with movies and had a private cinema at the Berghof.
The maids were allowed to use the cinema when a propaganda film starring
actress Marika Roekk was shown. Braun was ‘spellbound’ by Roekk, she said.
The maids were allowed to use the cinema when a propaganda film starring
actress Marika Roekk was shown. Braun was ‘spellbound’ by Roekk, she said.
But the mood changed in July 1944, following a failed assassination attempt
against Hitler by army officers. Elisabeth worked on at the Berghof until almost
to the end of the war, when it was evacuated and bombed in an Allied air raid.
against Hitler by army officers. Elisabeth worked on at the Berghof until almost
to the end of the war, when it was evacuated and bombed in an Allied air raid.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου