The Death of Adolph Hitler

by Лев Безыменский, Lev Bezymenski

"Whereas Bezymenski contends that Shirer & Trevor-Roper say that Hitler's bones were never found, one Russian Private Churakov did turn up the bones of Hitler & Eva Braun which were later subjected to an extensive autopsy under the Soviet Forensic Commission. They had committed suicide & their mouths contained, along with the teeth & bridgework validated by Hitler's dental laboratory technician, splinters of glass from the ampoule of cyanide. Much of this short book is also directed to discrediting the big lie that Hitler died a 'hero's death with a gun' although one source claims he said 'If you think I will leave Berlin! I'd rather put a bullet in my head!' The smell of bitter almonds is all-pervasive & there is a sad section on Frau Goebbel's disposition of her six children with the help of Hitler's 1st & 2nd physicians. Along with the bloodless depositions & testimony, an inset of grim photographs, & some reservations... Lev Bezymenski, a member of Marshal Zhukov's staff & a journalist, sometimes calls up less creditable sources like Berin E. Gun's unnamed book on Eva Braun's (cf. p. 861) 'indirect yet important' testimony. There are also some cloudy remarks on why none of this material has been previously released & one cannot help but wonder why it is now available 'with the knowledge of the Soviet authorities' for publication in England, France, Germany & Italy as well as here." - from Kirkus Review.

Genres: History

130 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Lev Bezymenski (Лев Алекса́ндрович Безыме́нский, 1920-2007) - Soviet and Russian writer, journalist and historian. Professor of the Academy of Military Sciences, candidate of historical sciences.

Reviews

[Milan Trpkovic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knjiga zasnovana na činjenicama tj. na dokumentima i zapisima sovjetskih oficira i patologa, kao i iskazima Hitlerovih saradnika, a govori o poslednjim danima i samoubistvu najmračnije istorijske ličnosti.
Iako sam pročitao dosta knjiga na ovu temu, zanimljivo je videti iskaze iz ruskog (sovjetskog) ugla. Iako su neke stvari i danas ostale nerazjašnjene, ostaje jedna činjenica: zlo je uništeno.

[Garryvivianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

According to this book, Hitler and Eva Braun's remains were found and put into boxes for an autopsy by a Soviet Forensics team. The charred bones were presumed to be Hitler and Bruan. The autopsy reports described the bridgework for both was validated by Hitler's dental laboratory technician. They also discovered pieces of glass ampules which were found to contain cyanide. He apparently did have a wound to his head, but from statements, he had wanted someone to come in after ten minutes of taking the capsules and shoot him, so it would look like he died "a soldier's death". He even killed his favorite dog by giving it a cyanide capsule to make sure the capsule would work. He was despondent when he learned that Germany was losing the war. He was afraid he would be exhibited by the Soviets and would rather "put a bullet through his head".

Also included are autopsies of the Goebbels family. Sadly they opted to have all their six children poisoned also with the help of Hitler's doctors. Included also are depositions and testimonies and some grim photographs.

[Cjr Udek]

From the book's back cover:

Hitler's shame! The official secrets which were suppressed for 23 years!

"The book sheds fascinating new light on the deaths of Hitler and Eva and of the Goebbel's family.

"The book also reveals that the doctors found that Hitler was born with only one testicle... this may be why Hitler refused to undress for physical examinations. Would also explain feelings of inadequacy for which Hitler overcompensated by unleashing his fury on the world?" - Cleveland Plain Dealer

"A first-rate historical document" - Greensboro N.C. News

"A major contribution" - New Haven Register

"The approach is legal, clinical, military and official. It is also ghastly - and convincing." - Louisville Times

[Lucas Raddavero · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a short book with just a few small extra details surrounding the death of Hitler and the bunker inhabitants at the time of the Soviet invasion in Berlin.
I didn’t like the way the book was organized and despite the technical aspects of the autopsies, it has some minor stuff that could have certain historical value: the rest is not that interesting.

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being brought up with the memory of WWII being very much alive in my family, my mother having been brought up under German occupation in Oslo, Norway and my father having served in North Africa, Italy and the Pacific, I've always been interested in the war and its causes. Shirer's Rise and Fall of the Third Reich was likely the first adult book I ever read. This hardly compares, but it did, at the time of its publication, represent a revelation as regards the last days of Hitler.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went through a World War II period in grad school so I'm sure this was read in the early to mid 80s. The most interesting thing is that it purports to be based on Soviet documents in which they found and autopsied Hitler's body. There may be some sensationalism in it, but I generally believed it to be true at the time.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book that appeared in 1968 somehow with the approval of Soviet authorities. It is mostly accurate, except it attempts to paint Hitler as a “coward” who took poison instead of shooting himself (most researchers now believe he did both) and this book was largely responsible for spreading the falsehood that Hitler only had one testicle. Of course, if you can’t have some fun with Hitler’s testicles, what’s the point?
If Hitler were still alive, I wonder if he would hold it against them...