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Early Life<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nEva Anna Paula Braun was the second daughter of Friedrich, a school teacher, and Franziska, a seamstress. She was born on February 6, 1912, in Munich where the family lived. Braun had an elder sister, Ilse, and a younger one, Margarete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Braun went to a Catholic school where she excelled in athletics. At 17, she became an assistant to Heinrich Hoffman, Hitler\u2019s official photographer<\/a>. Braun worked as Hoffman\u2019s shop assistant and sales clerk while advancing her career as a photographer. <\/p>\n\n\n\nShortly after working for Hoffman, Braun met Hitler when he dropped by the studio in October 1929. She was 17 and he was 40\u2014a 23-year age difference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hoffman introduced Hitler as \u201cHerr Wolff,\u201d which was a common moniker for the tyrant. The wolf had become a symbol for the Nazi Party as the animal symbolizes strength and purity<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow Eva Braun Developed Ties With Nazi Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBraun was often accompanied by her younger sister Margarete, better known as Gretl<\/a>, in all the Nazi functions she attended. Braun and Gretl lived together at that time. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThey spent so much time together that Gretl became part of Hitler\u2019s inner circle. During one function, Gretl met Hermann Fegelein, one of the most sought-after Nazi bachelors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was a high-ranking Nazi official who was instrumental in the invasion of Poland in 1939. He was also described as a clever and honest man with a dry wit. Women found him attractive and Braun was no exception.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite her attraction, Braun was already romantically linked to Hitler by this time. Braun reportedly told a friend<\/a>: \u201cA few years ago, the boss (Hitler) said that if I fell in love one day with another man, then I should let him know and he would release me. If I had known Fegelein 10 years ago, I would have asked the boss to let me go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nInstead of going after Fegelein, Braun made sure he became family. Braun arranged for Gretl to marry Fegelein on June 3, 1944. Fegelein found Gretl sexy but also saw her as an opportunity to be closer to Hitler. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While referring to Fegelein, the same historical account stated, \u201cGretl Braun was, as one would say today, sexy, and Fegelein might have been thinking of the advantages of one day being Hitler\u2019s brother-in-law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/eva-braun-and-friends-1024x713.jpg\")
Office of the National Archives<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nEva Braun Gets Closer To Hitler<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBefore Braun came into Hitler\u2019s life, there were plenty of rumors surrounding Hitler and his half-niece, Geli Raubal. Raubal was the child of Leo Raubal Sr. and Angela Raubal, Hitler\u2019s half-sister. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Raubal and Hitler forged closer ties in 1925. She moved into Hitler\u2019s Munich apartment in 1929 which became the subject of many speculations.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just as the uncle and his half-niece started living together, Hitler and Braun became acquainted. In 1931, Raubal was found dead after she allegedly shot herself with Hitler\u2019s pistol. The incident was easily ruled as a suicide back then, but some continue to speculate that it was murder<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\nUsing Hitler\u2019s gun was supposed to make a statement because Raubal reportedly wanted to be free from the tyrant\u2019s control. She had fallen in love with a man from Linz, Austria, but Hitler wouldn\u2019t let go of her. Raubal was only 23. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following Raubal\u2019s death, Hitler became closer to Braun. The photographer was no stranger to suicide as she, too, attempted to kill herself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In August 1932, Braun shot herself in the chest. Many believe it was a ploy to get Hitler\u2019s attention. It must have worked because, by the end of 1932, Braun had fully recovered and the two reportedly became lovers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From that moment on, Braun started tailing Hitler as an official photographer for the Nazi Party along with Hoffman. She was never introduced as Hitler\u2019s girlfriend or lover<\/a> in official events but as part of Hoffman\u2019s team. Braun also worked for Hoffman\u2019s art press.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nDuring their relationship, Braun started spending the night<\/a> in Hitler\u2019s lair.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/eve-braun-1024x791.jpg\")
Eva Braun and Hitler with their dogs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nEva Braun\u2019s Many Homes <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn May 1935, Braun made a second attempt on her life by taking sleeping pills. She was reportedly upset that Hitler was not making time for her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To appease Braun, Hitler provided her and Gretl with a three-bedroom apartment in Munich, the same city where the Nazi leader lived. A year later, the Braun sisters had an even better home\u2014a villa in Bogenhausen, Wasserburger Strasse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Braun also had her own space, an apartment in the new Reich Chancellery in Berlin. It was designed by the famous German architect Albert Speer<\/a> who was Hitler\u2019s main architect. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSpeer also served as Minister of Armaments and War Production in Nazi Germany<\/a> during most of World War II. The gesture showed the luxury that Hitler afforded Braun and what Nazi money could provide.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nBraun also often accompanied Hitler in his holiday home, Berghof<\/a>, which was located in the mountains of Bavaria. By 1936, she had become a mainstay in Hitler\u2019s vacation home. The castle was a marvel and became a tourist attraction. Of course, at that time, entry was restricted and security was tight. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIt was at the Berghof that Hitler met with many high-level dignitaries:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Italian Prime Minister and dictator Benito Mussolini<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Duke Edward VIII and Duchess Wallis of Windsor<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
However, Braun never met any of them. She may have been Hitler\u2019s lover but she was never his official partner in public. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Braun\u2019s presence in the Berghof was never explained. However, the household staff immediately realized that she was untouchable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1935, Braun attended the Nuremberg Rally<\/a> as part of Hoffman\u2019s media team. The event was a Nazi party that was held every few years since 1923 and annually starting in 1933. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAngela Raubal, the mother of Geli Raubal and a housekeeper at Hitler\u2019s vacation home, objected to Braun\u2019s presence at the rally, even in an official capacity. The opposition didn\u2019t sit well with Hitler and Angela was immediately dismissed from her duties.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Didn\u2019t Hitler Marry Eva Braun Sooner?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThere are a handful of reasons why Hitler didn\u2019t marry Braun right away. For one, the Nazi Party had a diminished view of women\u2019s roles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They believed that women belonged at home<\/a> as mothers and child-bearers<\/a> although there were a few who worked alongside them. Women were also important in keeping the German bloodlines pure.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nHence, Braun mostly stayed at home unless she had an official photography assignment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another reason Hitler never introduced Braun as his significant other was his reputation. He wanted to seem chaste in the eyes of the people. Hitler also wanted to be single as he believed it made him more attractive to women. This made it easier for them to do his bidding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Braun embraced her role fairly well. She never became a member of the Nazi Party and politics were of no interest to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Lifestyle of a Nazi Leader\u2019s Lover<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Shortly after working for Hoffman, Braun met Hitler when he dropped by the studio in October 1929. She was 17 and he was 40\u2014a 23-year age difference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hoffman introduced Hitler as \u201cHerr Wolff,\u201d which was a common moniker for the tyrant. The wolf had become a symbol for the Nazi Party as the animal symbolizes strength and purity<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Braun was often accompanied by her younger sister Margarete, better known as Gretl<\/a>, in all the Nazi functions she attended. Braun and Gretl lived together at that time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They spent so much time together that Gretl became part of Hitler\u2019s inner circle. During one function, Gretl met Hermann Fegelein, one of the most sought-after Nazi bachelors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He was a high-ranking Nazi official who was instrumental in the invasion of Poland in 1939. He was also described as a clever and honest man with a dry wit. Women found him attractive and Braun was no exception.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite her attraction, Braun was already romantically linked to Hitler by this time. Braun reportedly told a friend<\/a>: \u201cA few years ago, the boss (Hitler) said that if I fell in love one day with another man, then I should let him know and he would release me. If I had known Fegelein 10 years ago, I would have asked the boss to let me go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of going after Fegelein, Braun made sure he became family. Braun arranged for Gretl to marry Fegelein on June 3, 1944. Fegelein found Gretl sexy but also saw her as an opportunity to be closer to Hitler. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While referring to Fegelein, the same historical account stated, \u201cGretl Braun was, as one would say today, sexy, and Fegelein might have been thinking of the advantages of one day being Hitler\u2019s brother-in-law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before Braun came into Hitler\u2019s life, there were plenty of rumors surrounding Hitler and his half-niece, Geli Raubal. Raubal was the child of Leo Raubal Sr. and Angela Raubal, Hitler\u2019s half-sister. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Raubal and Hitler forged closer ties in 1925. She moved into Hitler\u2019s Munich apartment in 1929 which became the subject of many speculations.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just as the uncle and his half-niece started living together, Hitler and Braun became acquainted. In 1931, Raubal was found dead after she allegedly shot herself with Hitler\u2019s pistol. The incident was easily ruled as a suicide back then, but some continue to speculate that it was murder<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Using Hitler\u2019s gun was supposed to make a statement because Raubal reportedly wanted to be free from the tyrant\u2019s control. She had fallen in love with a man from Linz, Austria, but Hitler wouldn\u2019t let go of her. Raubal was only 23. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Following Raubal\u2019s death, Hitler became closer to Braun. The photographer was no stranger to suicide as she, too, attempted to kill herself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In August 1932, Braun shot herself in the chest. Many believe it was a ploy to get Hitler\u2019s attention. It must have worked because, by the end of 1932, Braun had fully recovered and the two reportedly became lovers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n From that moment on, Braun started tailing Hitler as an official photographer for the Nazi Party along with Hoffman. She was never introduced as Hitler\u2019s girlfriend or lover<\/a> in official events but as part of Hoffman\u2019s team. Braun also worked for Hoffman\u2019s art press.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n During their relationship, Braun started spending the night<\/a> in Hitler\u2019s lair.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n In May 1935, Braun made a second attempt on her life by taking sleeping pills. She was reportedly upset that Hitler was not making time for her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To appease Braun, Hitler provided her and Gretl with a three-bedroom apartment in Munich, the same city where the Nazi leader lived. A year later, the Braun sisters had an even better home\u2014a villa in Bogenhausen, Wasserburger Strasse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Braun also had her own space, an apartment in the new Reich Chancellery in Berlin. It was designed by the famous German architect Albert Speer<\/a> who was Hitler\u2019s main architect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Speer also served as Minister of Armaments and War Production in Nazi Germany<\/a> during most of World War II. The gesture showed the luxury that Hitler afforded Braun and what Nazi money could provide.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Braun also often accompanied Hitler in his holiday home, Berghof<\/a>, which was located in the mountains of Bavaria. By 1936, she had become a mainstay in Hitler\u2019s vacation home. The castle was a marvel and became a tourist attraction. Of course, at that time, entry was restricted and security was tight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It was at the Berghof that Hitler met with many high-level dignitaries:<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Braun never met any of them. She may have been Hitler\u2019s lover but she was never his official partner in public. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Braun\u2019s presence in the Berghof was never explained. However, the household staff immediately realized that she was untouchable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 1935, Braun attended the Nuremberg Rally<\/a> as part of Hoffman\u2019s media team. The event was a Nazi party that was held every few years since 1923 and annually starting in 1933. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Angela Raubal, the mother of Geli Raubal and a housekeeper at Hitler\u2019s vacation home, objected to Braun\u2019s presence at the rally, even in an official capacity. The opposition didn\u2019t sit well with Hitler and Angela was immediately dismissed from her duties.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a handful of reasons why Hitler didn\u2019t marry Braun right away. For one, the Nazi Party had a diminished view of women\u2019s roles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They believed that women belonged at home<\/a> as mothers and child-bearers<\/a> although there were a few who worked alongside them. Women were also important in keeping the German bloodlines pure.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hence, Braun mostly stayed at home unless she had an official photography assignment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another reason Hitler never introduced Braun as his significant other was his reputation. He wanted to seem chaste in the eyes of the people. Hitler also wanted to be single as he believed it made him more attractive to women. This made it easier for them to do his bidding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Braun embraced her role fairly well. She never became a member of the Nazi Party and politics were of no interest to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow Eva Braun Developed Ties With Nazi Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Eva Braun Gets Closer To Hitler<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Eva Braun\u2019s Many Homes <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Why Didn\u2019t Hitler Marry Eva Braun Sooner?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Lifestyle of a Nazi Leader\u2019s Lover<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n