From Bormann's Secretary to British Housewife - Hitler Bunker Escaper Else Krüger
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- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- Else Krüger is not a name many associate with Hitler's bunker, but as Martin Bormann's senior secretary, she was present to the end, and even managed to escape to the British occupation zone. She married her British Army interrogator and moved to England. She has remained an enigma owing to her refusal to give interviews concerning Bormann and the death of Hitler. Was she hiding secrets? For over a year, I've been trying to find the truth. What I've found adds some important new information to the last days of the Third Reich, and suggests Fraulein Krüger knew more than she let on.
A great many thanks the following individuals and institutions for their assistance during research for this project:
Robin Bird for kindly sharing with me his extensive research into Else Krüger and Martin Bormann
Judith Curthoys of Christ Church College, Oxford, for locating copies of correspondence between Krüger and Hugh Trevor-Roper
Professor Blair Worden of the Literary Estate of Lord Dacre of Glanton for kind permission to reproduce letters
Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA, is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.o...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Credits: US National Archives; Library of Congress; Bruce Marvin; Angela Monika Arnold; Joerg Zaegel; IngolfBLN-Berlin - Magnus Manske; Kaspar Metz; Smith & Sons; Liverpool Echo; Daily Mirror; Azeira
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Every time I think I’ve heard it all regarding the Nazis’ final days, I’m humbled by Dr. Felton’s vast encyclopedic knowledge. Love your work as always Dr. Felton!
How deep do Felton's sources go? Few historians delve so far down into the vile history of this terrible period of our past.
Agreed !:-)
You have been under Nazi rule since 1945. Hello 👋
@@philhawley1219have you was beevor’s Berlin?
@@philhawley1219he goes a little deeper then most but he uncapable of hitting hard on occulted subjects.
I'm 43 years old and I literally become giddy when RUclips tells me you've uploaded another video. The content is so damn good, and I've been watching documentaries about this subject for over 30 years now. Don't stop.
I’m 32 years old and am just as giddy when I see these pop up on my feed. Top tier documentaries. 🤌🏻
45 and I've spent today mostly watching Dr. Felton's videos.
Same ! lol
40 and hold Mark Felton responsible for my unemployment 😂
I'm 40 I've loved the ww2 genre since childhood
Just when I think I’ve heard all there is to hear about Berlin’s last days in 1945, along comes Mark Felton flinging wide the door revealing a whole warehouse of intrigue, stories, and tantalizing details. Bravo!
Miss Kruger had to have known a wealth of information regarding the going's on in the bunker regarding Hitler & Bormann- She no doubt swore allegiance to them as well as secrecy, which it appears she kept.
❤❤❤❤❤your work
Good for her escape and finding romance love and a new life in England with the English Captain, being a young attractive office girl-secretary is hardly a crime. Great story. Thank you…Mark
This is my theory, as well. She was faithful to them and probably swore to a vow of silence.@@RustyK5
*@**17:37** The bag of diamonds likely went as a bribe to the British commander of the train repatriating French forced labors from the Soviet zone.*
Just when I thought I knew quite a lot about my local area I find out that a Hitler bunker escaper was living a happily married life only 5 minutes away from my parent's house. Thank you Dr. Felton, well researched as always.
Did you go and burn her house down?
@@Tugela60 Didn't fancy an arson charge or ruining the new occupants' home funnily enough
@@Tugela60 It's not the house's fault who lived there. Besides she was only a secretary no matter what she knew.
@@artm1973 People are not logical, they do stuff like that though.
One of the things a lot of people forget is that in situations like that, most of the party "faithful" are not really believers at all, rather they are exploiting the circumstances for their personal benefit, whether it be for material gain, career advancement or access to power. All autocratic states are like this. Later on, when everything has passed, everyone else decides that they are evil and consequently the rules of civil behaviour do not apply. Not while the focus of their attention actually is in power mind you, that would be too risky, but only afterwards when the are defenceless and afraid. Then it is easy to be brave and do bad stuff to them while rationalizing it as being moral.
Overall. Germany's contribution to humanity has been nullified forever by those 13 years of unspeakable horrors forever.! Some 80 years ago. My generation that lived through those times do regard Germany as "different " from other
Europeans!
Living here in Switzerland since 2018 I've met a number of men and women who were children/grand children of former Nazi Soldiers. One that will go name less and has since passed away in 2021 was extremely interesting to talk too. Most people who are in their mid 90's don't have the mental clarity to truly explain detailed memories, especially some 70 years prior. This man was different. When he told his story of being in Wroclaw Poland in the end of 1945. He spoke of escaping Poland. I listened for over 3 hours about him hiding from Soviet soldiers and finally escaping to South Africa and finally Switzerland in the 70's.
However what i found most interesting was hearing about Germany BEFORE the war. What was Berlin like in 1938? The food, the smells of the time, what his duties were as young Oberleutnant in 1937? It was interesting to hear a completely different view of s story told many times. He talked about his fondness of the U.S. officer ranks and how well they got along when he was around captured American POW's. Just an Amazing conversation.
and of course I asked if he had met Hitler. He had not but had been close to him at 2 separate events. He did say the charisma from Hitler was unlike anything he had seen before that or since. Anyways i wish i had recorded it. It was something I'll never forget.
That's interesting what he said about Hitler's charisma. Traudl Junge said much the same. As she put it:
"He (Hitler) wasn't what you call a handsome man, but he had a presense, a magnetism about him that made you want to be where he was all the time ."
Half your luck hearing those first hand accounts from the “Other Side” human stories must have been enthralling.
Write down what you remember. You touched history! Best wishes.
Something i didn't mention before but will now was this man's complete belief in Nazi Germany. His ice blue eyes squinted in despair when he heard Hitler's plan to attack Russia. His belief was fighting on 2 fronts and especially attacking so far into Russia was suicide. He thought they should have finished off England made a peace deal with America and bought time.
He also talked about Germany after WW1 and the pain Germany was put into by the Reparations. He spoke about the pay back against those who forced Germany to pay. When German families starved and children were dying of hunger.. revenge was gonna be brutal to those who pushed their financial tirade against Germany. Pay back was gonna be brutal and he definitely got a thrill in his voice speaking about the Revenge the German people got against A particular segment of the European population.
Anyways these were a couple things i didn't have time to write earlier.
@@wayneantoniazzi2706and yet as a young man it seems Hitler didn’t fit in with his comrades very well and was seen as a bit strange and a loner who,sucked up to officers in his rear area HQ job.
Not what you’d expect of such a magnetic personality. I think it may have more to do with the people saying this not really knowing the man but admiring the myth and position.
Her and her husband seemed to have a nice house right after the war considering he was just ouf of the war, going to school and she was unemployed in England. Diamonds? what diamonds.
Gold hidden/ smuggled thru Switzerland ?
Leslie James looks interesting too. So many unanswered questions. Great video, Mark.
My thoughts exactly!!! They would have been quite valuable and absolutely untraceable in those times.
"Follow the Money "
Given the post he held in the army, it’d be safe to say he was comfortably middle-class. So the house and ability to take a career gap aren’t necessarily anything out of the ordinary.
This is the kind of history that doesn't get adequate coverage; thank you for the detailed work.
Hitler's bunker+its personal get plenty of coverage,I can also think of 4 films off the top of my head about it
My hunch is that she was a true believer until the day she died. This was so fascinating that I’m going to go rewatch your piece on the disappearance of Heinrich Müller, the ultimate mystery imo.
Very true.
The true believer stays loyal to their belief system because renouncing it would upset their self justification. Revealing the actions they took in previous years would require being responsible for those actions.
I'm going to play devil's advocate as to why this woman refused to talk about her experiences in the bunker. One possibility is that, as time went on, she felt that she and all of Germany had been duped by the party. Perhaps she was bitter and embarrassed about the part she had played in the regime. She may have experienced trauma during the escape. As we age, there are/can be parts of our past that we feel are best left buried in the past. Maybe what she said in testimony about Borman was true, and she was ashamed to have become involved with such a man. We can speculate until the cows come home and never hit the cold, hard truth. Just my humble thoughts on the matter.
Yes. And what did Mohnke have to lose making the accusation about the letter and the diamonds. He had already spent 10 years in a Russian gulag by that point. I have a theory on the diamonds... when she and Christian were kicked off the French repatriation train and then 'let back on'... I'm sure a bag of diamonds would have come in handy at that point.
Yes, good point Sienna. I wouldn't trust her on anything but she landed on her feet, didn't she? She was definitely wily and street-smart. Leslie James must have been a complete fool in that regard, academically smart but otherwise naive.
I wondered about James' acceptance of Krueger as his wife, and you're probably right. He was her only ticket to a safe and secure future, and she knew exactly how to manipulate him...sad.@@sandraobrien8705
This is the kind of content that really sets Mark Felton apart. Lots of research, lots of verification, lots of acknowledgement, lots of admitting that parts devolve into speculation and hypotheses. Brilliant.
My father fought in WW2 & my mother was a refugee from the Channel Islands. As a result I was brought up with wartime facts being drummed into me. This spawned my lifetime interest in WW2 subjects and I thought I knew the subject well……until I discovered Mark Felton ! Brilliant original research and presentation. Mark, thank you so much! 👍
what is a fact ?
No offense hogfather, but it really is a good question. It would be nice to be able to have a good discussion but I suppose facts are not always that popular.
She described Bormann as stupid, violent and vile. Yet, she was his mistress. She was with him throughout the war and until the very end. She obviously was a true Nazi believer. Yes, there's much more to this woman's history than we'll ever know. She was definitely a survivor...
That was the very first thing that popped in my mind when she wouldn’t speak, was because it would’ve been obvious she was a sympathizer
That’s the way it is with opportunists and careerists. Happy to switch allegiances at the drop of a dime. She would have been equally as ruthless during her time with Bormann, betraying and denouncing anyone who might pose a threat to her position. Corporations, governments, and businesses are leaden with such types.
Did Hitler say who got his parking space 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@mangore623Good one!
@@mangore623 This is happening today in the US government big time. DC is cancerous with this kind of activity. It's human greed and vanity on steroids.
It still amazes me that all these years later there are still so many unanswered questions about the war. Or, they were answered and are still under wraps.
The latter, I suspect!
@@MarkFeltonProductions more will be coming then?
Name one historical event where everything is conclusively wrapped up to everyone's satisfaction and therefore no questions remain.
@@Velts125 As long as there are conspiracy theorists making up facts and stirring up fears, there will be none.
Most of the history are lies.
Utterly fascinating, start to finish.
One of the finest I have witnessed from the good professor.
Many Thanks for all yout efforts !!
I was born in the Netherlands in 1950. I heard the echo's of what happened in WWII. But I'm still astounded by the amount of evil and opportunistic people who got away. I don't have much faith in people.
Just remember that for all the awful people who infest history there are just as many "paragons of virtue" in society as well. (With a large mass of the "uninterested & indifferent" in the middle) But the nature of their virtue means they seldom if ever receive any publicity. DON'T be so despondent, it's how the inhuman globalists want us all to be.
My husband was also born in the Netherlands, in 1949. We heard much about those years from his family and it is appalling how cruel and sadistic some people can be. We toured Dachau and it felt eerie and unbelievably sad.
I love the Netherlands. It’s a great country with many wonderful people.
I've been a subscriber for years, still my favorite channel. Thanks for all you do, Mark.
I found this report exceptionally interesting! Thank you so much for your tireless efforts in bring history to light, Dr. Felton!! I'd love to see a complete video history of the Third Reich, tied together chronologically by you, sir!
Always a good day when a Mark Felton video drops,this was fascinating thank you.
The fact she did not divulge what she new speaks all about what she knew
Dr. Felton is a master of his craft: facts dispassionately presented without any hyperbole. Simply wonderful and in my opinion the most engaging videos of this genre on RUclips. Well done Dr. Felton!
Bormann the secretary had a secretary, who would have known? Thanks Dr. Felton!
Oh definitely
In the Soviet Union they even had “General Secretaries”.. Top that 😝.. Don’t tell me there isn’t a future in stenography 😜
@@Wollemandqqqq
Who was in charge of many other secretaries.
and she was the chief secretary to up to 30 secretaries , truly a secretaries secretary! 🤓.
Another brilliant episode! Thank you Dr. Felton!
I seriously doubt, having survived the ruin of the German Reich, that Else Kruger was anything but a tough individual. She has gone, what she knew of those days about Adolf Hitler, Martin Bormann, et al has gone with her. Very interesting as always Mark, thanks.
You seriously doubt. Tell that to the victims & survivors. She played her part.
Some people are just .... persistent. Read up on "Typhoid Mary" yes she was a real person, and her goal in life was to make as many other people sick/dead as she could. She didn't build bombs or anything, she was just very, very persistent in getting out there spreading typhoid. She was able to spread disease for decades on end. It's a strange goal to have in life but that was hers and through sheer persistence she was uncommonly successful.
@@markgayle5453I agree. Some people here think it might have been trauma for the reason she wouldn't tell some things. I don't care for any Nazis "trauma." When the citizens or some Nazis say they never knew most are lying. Berlin had more than 3,000 concentration camps, slave labour camps, extermination camps, ghettos, and brothels, in and around the city. Like you said, "she played her part." She knew and apparently approved.
How is how you seriously doubt worth commenting here?
Because we can all share our opinions can't we?@@clvrswine
Mark you are an amazing historian and storyteller. I cannot miss any of your videos. Thank you for providing what educators do not.
Why would schools or even Universities go into this level of detail?
100% agree. Facts as such are reached. Until otherwise any others can bring it to all ( knowledge dictates primarily sources are gone/dead) thank you Mark for being a factual historian.
Every time I think I’ve heard everything about the last days of the Reich, you manage to bring something new to the table. Thanks Dr. Felton.
I'm at awe, thank you for sharing. Ii was born June 4, 1944. My father was with airborne in the D-Day Normandy invasion.
Nothing to be proud of Lady. Watch "Europe The Last Battle" for a glimpse of genuine history.
Im so interested in WW2 but more about the people involved, not so much about skirmishes, so I just love your episodes!! Thank you for all the work you do!!
The full Traudl Junge interviews from the "World At War" series DVD collection are incredible and believable. Twenty-five+ years later, she had time to process where she had been and what she had experienced. According to the producers, she had been hiding in public and had not been previously profiled. Fairly chilling stuff that apparently happens when a vicious dictatorship dies.
I’ve watched those, or at least large parts. Changes your view of women working for Hitler. Traudl Junge appeared to be an intelligent and charming woman, confident and self-aware. Would’ve been interesting to have seen similar interviews with Else Krüger, she also must’ve been rather special if she managed to befriend and marry her interrogator.
I remember seeing those interviews back in the day.
She died in 2002 at 81.
It’s amazing to think that after all these years there are still so many secrets about those final days in the bunker to be unlocked, but also frustrating to think of how many secrets by now have simply been lost forever. Either way, this was another very well researched and excellently presented video!
Because everyone covered it up for their own reasons USA Britain Russia they all had a hand in it. And between them there was zero trust
Well maybe because a lot died and others were deliberately lying to cover their behinds?
Well of course, so many people unwilling to talk, and those who did, how do you know if they're telling the truth?
@@kbanghart strangers to the truth
@@nicolad8822 check out the story of Von Braun...how the hell did he manage it ..cos he was a devious sob
The story of Else marrying her interogator would surely make a good film.
Professor Mark Felton FRHistS. Thanks again for an absolutely fascinating short documentary on a forgotten piece of WW2 history. Like a fine wine your channel just keeps getting better and better
I met a German chap in Glasgow the other weekend. I tried out my rusty German and drinks were had. He told me his Opa had apparently been a Gauleiter. My Italian fiancée had no idea what we were talking about. When we left I explained and she asked "Is that bad?"
I explained to her, yes very.
Innocent Italian soul... 😇
Wasn't a Gauleiter just basically a mayor? Although, in those times you weren't allowed to even be the dogcatcher unless you joined the nazi party.
So simple is life: He was a "Gauleiter" and that was bad!
@@NikolausFedermann-im5nfA 'Gauleiter' was not a very superior position. Many people were 'Gauleiter'.
@@monikaquinton " President" is not a very superior position. There are many presidents.😂
Thanks, Mark, for another thought-provoking video. More questions than answers, perhaps? I've just finished reading Traudl Junge's book, Until The Final House, so the timing of your video is apt!
Whoops - a typo! That should read "Until The Final Hour..." She was not an estate agent!!
@@suepalin9202 "Traudl Junge, Estate Agent" would be an excellent comedic skit for Benny Hill or Monty Python: "Here are several bunkers listed for sale, or perhaps this SS Headquarters castle would be more to your liking?"
My name-sake, Michael Palin, would make a great, oleaginous estate agent in this role! And don't forget the marvellous Python sketch about RAF banter - it's whizzo!@@danielbeck9191
There were plenty of 'Fixer Uppers' in post war Berlin
@@earl3358duct tape should work
Mark you are a historian who manages to find the stories that no other historian can and once you find one you leave no stones left unturned. Another great piece of historical research I'm looking forward to the next installment whatever it is. Best wishes
No Hollywood fiction.
Me too.
No stone left unturned but alas still in the dark.
Literal gold. The world needs more content creators like mark.
Nazi gold ?! 😮
Another very interesting documentary by Mark Felton. Pity that so often with evil people after their deaths we are left with more questions than answers.
I don"t understand how she was evil...she was a secretary ?
@samsungtap4183 As was Martin Bormann, and his evil isn't questioned.
I am quite obviously referring to Hitler, Bormann, as well as other SS officers.@@samsungtap4183
@@samsungtap4183Anyone working at that level had to be pretty adoring and adhering to the principles of their bosses, young female or not.
Yes maybe Netinyaho might join the club!!
It's troubling to me how many people who had direct connections to historical incidents decide to remain silent and continue to keep them a secret. I believe it is a true disservice to humanity .
I totally agree ... but with the caveat that it's not me who must choose to upend my life (and possibly those of my loved ones) so as to not risk a "disservice to humanity."
If they don't want to talk, how are you going to make them talk? Persuasion? Bribery? Threats?
"Contribute to the historical record ... OR ELSE!"
I agree. I was kind of shocked to learn that maraina Oswald is still alive. I do believe it’s about high time for her to talk.
@@thetechlibrarianas if she cares.
These people don't care about serving humanity at all, they are very selfish individuals.
Describing a figure like Bormann as, "not street smart" gave me a double-take. He was probably the most savvy of the whole damned bunch. I'd have been less surprised to hear that he got away via a network of Berlin's pettiest criminals that he'd put together and kept safe.
Her testimony could have been the words of a woman scorned. She may have said those things in anger that he'd left her, regardless of what was going on around them. There's no accounting for how people will react when a relationship ends, no matter what else is happening.
On the other hand, her testimony could have been planned in advance to make it more plausible that Bormann couldn't have survived the escape attempt, thus throwing the Allies off his trail, IF he was still alive. Just speculation on my part.
She said it so they wouldn't keep looking for him. If she and most of her group got out, he could have too. If they'd chosen to, they all could have had a pretty good chance at getting out by the sounds of it, even at that late point, especially travelling alone and in civvies.
Borman was a thug throughout his life. Ordered the murder of someone in the early 1920’s and, through connections, got away with it. He was definitely ‘street smart’
Her description of Bormann was false insisting he was dead due to his stupidity. Her way of protecting him
@@karenmcgarry3846I don't know, I think it's possible
Excellently researched and produced. I never heard the story of Else Krüger before. A beautiful and clearly highly intelligent and cunning woman...
Dr. Felton is a Dr for a very good reason, his research & attention to detail is just Superbious. Marvellous!
Another great video from Dr Felton! Super interesting fantastically put together and obviously very well researched, he really does put mainstream historian’s and channels to shame. I can always rely on his content to inform me about something I did not know about or not enough about. I am very grateful please keep up the excellent work!
What a fascinating story, especially when she came to Britain, and where she lived Ivy Cottage, Green lane, Wallasey. For nearly 40 years l was a HGV driver, driving a refuse wagon and Green lane was part of my round.
30 years or thereabouts ?
Bormann was the smartest, very elusive, like a mob boss that worked from behind the scenes
Yes I agree, Bormann was a slippery character, he even looked the part, but see how the nazis can keep their mouths shut, loyal and silent
All Nazi party members were like mafia mob
Yeah, up until the end.. I have no doubt that someone probably betrayed him
Endlessly fascinating. I hope one day you will publish a book detailing all the facts and theories surrounding the final days in the Bunker. Superb research as always!
Dr. Felton, your knowledge is second to none. The depth of your videos is unmatched.
Fascinating video. To think she made a bolt for Wallasey with James after the war is very interesting with me being from Birkenhead nearby. I definitely got the impression she was a formidable character who was hiding plenty.
A type of Operation Paperclip ..UK style :)
I wouldent call it a bolt
@@anthonymitchell8893 a dart ?
Great subject and clip. I also think Else Kruger understood men and was very astute. She understood Bormann and then 'understood' two British Intelligence officers, marrying one and keeping in touch with the other. Needless to say surrendering to the British as they will be 'Gentleman' definitely worked. And she continued relations after he war, knowing Trevor-Roper's address to send him her letters, they even eventually 'met up' at Cambridge. Her contact with them may have immediately been for survival but perhaps she realised there was no future for her in war torn Germany.
What was the connection with Cambridge?? Cambridge after all is famous for research & other " activities ". Ya, the whole episode is open to suspicion.??the escape, the British, the marriage, Roper, the " story" & her self.
Most interesting...had me riveted...
It reminds me of years back when one listened to the radio on a series...of interest...
Thanks for taking me back in time...
Brilliant.
This is an intriguing bit of history that is well-narrated and put expertly together. Well worth watching!
Another Meisterstück by Mark Felton. This one may be the most nuanced and the most sublimely presented. Thank you sir.
Thank you Mark that was enthralling viewing. No book to cash in but yet a nice cosy life through tough times for most, you have to think Diamonds, what diamonds.
Let’s go I’ve learned so much about small events in history because of you thank you Mark 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Have to wonder why she was allowed into Britain after the war given her position. Did she ever go to Bolivia for dental treatment?
Some things don't change... like an attractive woman getting a free-pass.
Well i suppose that as she was never even accused of any actual wrong doing there was no legal reason to exclude her from Britain once she had married a citizen.
My guess is so that British intelligence could keep an eye ... and an ear ... on her to see if she had contact with fugitive Nazis or might slip up and reveal some other valuable information.
@@voivod6871 If working in the heart of the 3rd Reich isn't actual wrong doing, then what is?
@@BlackMan614I've seen some flattering photos of a young Eva Braun. But did she ever age badly. Rapidly, too. In her early 20's she needed only overline her thin upper lip to simulate beauty. But once her whole face fell apart, there was no rescue nor remedy anymore.
There's an online photo of Eva Braun where she looks like a ghost from Slapped Ham. Maybe it was foreshadowing.
One of your best, Mark.
I love these crazy stories of “ordinary” people
Of all the events of history's most cataclysmic war, the last days and hours of the Furherbunker probably are the most fascinating. Your wonderful video only adds to the intrigue of this chapter of WWII.
Thank you for your service to us Dr. Felton
Fascinating to get a description of the routethey took, as someone very familiar with these locations it was very immersive! 👍😃
Her son may have nothing to share - it's entirely possible she didn't like talking about traumatic episodes in her life. Thanks for another great documentary!
I agree. I doubt that she ever told anyone the full truth.
Ehh, as she started to age, it would’ve become clear just how important of the historical event she was involved with. Honestly, it should’ve been a condition of her being allowed to live in Britain or stay in Britain to what she knew.
That is what I was told - though I find it hard to believe.
Her son also benefited from diamonds, so that is why he isnt talking
Yes, of course he knows a lot. His mother will have had relatives in Germany. There were a lot of people he could have learned things from and they would have slipped up if they talked long enough. He knows enough to know that he shouldn't start talking and it will be his parents who made that clear to him.
Meticulously researched and clearly articulated, Mark is superb.
The amount of research you must have done to piece this story together is astounding
Operation Dishwasher was a great success in rounding up and relocating German women to the UK for domestic duties.
In the Pacific, the US Navy had a similar operation Chore Patrol.
Also known as hitting on a stripper
Thousands of the Nazi creepers managed to slither away to safety in the west. Some knowingly, some in secret. The villainy never washed off.
Operation Paperclip.
@@kutter_ttl6786 There's been a lot of things said about Operation Paperclip, and not much complimentary given the advantages and luxuries of 20-20 hindsight. The question is would the second-guessers be happier if the Soviets had gotten their hands on them? Don't think it couldn't have happened. A number of German engineers were kidnapped by the Soviets post-war and taken back to Russia to work for them. Once the Russians had gotten everything they could out of the Germans they were released. I should add those Germans were used but not abused.
@@wayneantoniazzi2706 : Yup. That’s why so many convicted Nazis were released after only a few years into their sentences. It was politically and militarily advantageous in the Cold War. They never paid for their crimes. It’s better if we acknowledge that Justice not a real thing.
Well put . . .
@@Occident. : Nothin’ I have to prove to you.
Thank you Dr. Felton. I wonder if more papers will be revealed in another twenty years??
I expect they will.
I think there should be a book written on how you are able to gather all of this information! It is an amazing feat - not to mention presenting the story in a clear way. Well done - and much respect.
Love you Mr. Felton. You and your channel is an goldmine for any history buff.🎉
Else lied, not only did he write Bormann's notes, but he also knew how to operate the special telex of which Bormann had only 5 manufactured by Siemens in February 1945, these telexes could only communicate with each other, four were managed by personnel from the navy, the 5th was handled by Else.
Verrrry INNNNteresting!!! This fits with her profound reluctance to speak about this time. Looks like she knew a LOT more than she let on. Marrying James probably helped her keep her silence, as well.
@@danielbeck9191 I believe that she did not marry, but that it was another woman who took her name....who actually did not take the name Else Krüger, but only Else James...there are obvious differences between the two, in addition to that the Else from England was born in 1915 and the one from Paraguay with Bormann's children was born in 1921.
He? Else is a female. Why are you repeatedly using he? Please use English or don't comment.
@@clvrswine I use Google Translator to write in English, what this program does with genre articles I cannot control... I only write in Spanish... out of courtesy and etiquette I do not write in Spanish, since the author of the page uses English....please look at the content of what I write and not the English grammar that Google Translator uses...
@@jorgebordon5131 How about some evidence for these claims? You Believe?? Billions of people believe in the nonsense of religion - so what is your evidence?
Hello Mr. Felton. I enjoy your videos very much. I am a longbow fanatic, and have read about a man named ‘Mad’ Jack Churchill, using a longbow during WWII. Seems like quite an eccentric fellow. I often wonder how you would shed light on this man’s story. Thank you for the hours of entertainment and knowledge.
I quick did search on him just for fun thank you
To those he fought beside, Jack Churchill seemed like a man without fear, but to those he faced in combat, he was a terrifying figure, such was his bravery in battle. Few could withstand him at close quarters. He moved quickly and quietly, workmanlike and efficient, most often with a basket-hilted broadsword in one hand and a rifle, bayonet honed to a keen edge, in the other. The combination of sword and bayonet suited him. He practiced hard and used his skills at any opportunity.
Jack was a crack shot with a rifle or a pistol, but he had a talent for archery, too. Before the outbreak of war in 1939, Jack was in Oslo, Norway, competing in the World Archery Championships. In ’39, the championship was in its eighth year, and it still runs today, but during the war years it did not run, and Jack Churchill had to find another venue to display his abilities with this particular weapon. He took himself and his bow back to Britain.
The fighting around the ancient port of Dunkirk in northern France in 1940 was some of the fiercest the British army had yet seen. All across Europe, the chaos of war was escalating rapidly. Countries fell, governments were replaced, maps were redrawn. The steady advance of the enormous Nazi war machine seemed unstoppable.
It was during May of 1940 that Jack Churchill performed the feat which cemented his already growing reputation. ‘Fighting Jack Churchill,’ they called him after that.
They were in a tower overlooking an empty little town. Jack was in charge of a small unit of men, and they were preparing an ambush. An enemy patrol was due through the town at any moment. As usual, Jack was armed with a longbow, broadsword, bayonet and small arms. He fairly bristled with weaponry. There were two knives and an unusual looking revolver on his belt.
There were grenades on his belt, too. His small pack hid water, a little food, and a very comprehensive first aid kit. Ammunition in pouches was strapped under the pack, the quiver of arrows for the bow was strapped securely to the side. There was a keen look in his eyes, and the men around felt their fear lessen as they watched him. He was not afraid.
The orders had been given to the men at the base of the tower, and to the men concealed in the surrounding streets and buildings. Fighting Jack’s tower would the signal the attack.
Through the rough opening in the floor of the tower flowed the loose-limbed form of the tall longbow archer. The bow itself was by no means a small weapon, being almost as long as the man himself, yet he negotiated the ladder and the hatch with ease. He clinked and rustled as he moved forward to the parapet and peered over.
In the street ahead, the men of the enemy patrol appeared, moving at a quick trot. They were formed up into a tight column and their weapons were held loose and ready in their hands. A young sergeant led them, looking suspiciously around as if he suspected something. Jack stood up to his full height, suddenly, and the bow was in his hand.
“I’ll shoot that first man with this arrow!” he said in a clear voice. “Ready!”
The arrow he fitted to the bowstring was very long and very straight. The point of the arrow was heavy and barbed, the feathering at the back was clean and neatly clipped. There were another nineteen in the quiver. In one flowing, practiced motion, he took his stance, raised his bow and released the deadly missile. The bowstring thrummed heavily in the tense air, and the arrow crossed the distance between Churchill and the Sergeant at a terrifying velocity.
The Sergeant raised his eyes to the tower. He took in what was happening in an instant. He was raising his hand and taking a breath to shout when the arrow hit him in the soft spot at the base of his neck. He was dead before he hit the ground.
The tower was full of soldiers, they were raising rifles to their shoulders. There were soldiers in the buildings on either side. Sudden machine gunfire peppered the ground behind the patrol. They dropped, sought cover, tried to return fire, but they were pinned down by Churchill’s unit. The man himself appeared with the sword in his hand at the bottom of the tower. Leading a small group of men with him, he sprinted forward, keeping his head down as he ran.
Above him, the men in the tower provided covering fire. He heard the machine gun again, and a barrage of rifle fire. Then he held up his sword and yelled “Charge!” through the din. The men around him began firing and yelling as they surged forward to engage the patrol, but Jack slipped to one side.
He counted to ten. The patrol was fighting hand to hand and pressing forward against his unit. The suppressing fire slackened. Jack ran at full speed into the side of the press of enemy soldiers, vaulting a low wall, and laying about himself with the broadsword.
Jack felled three of the enemy before they were even aware of him, and another two as they were turning to face him. Then he shot two at close range with the revolver in his left hand, and somebody shouted out in German and raised up a bit of white cloth. The patrol surrendered, laid down their arms and were taken prisoner. That day Jack became a legend and he was to go on and serve his country with distinction.
Jack lived to be eighty-nine years old. His last years were spent in the warm and pleasant county of Surrey in the south of England, where he died in 1996.
Is this the man? ruclips.net/video/q6tS6-DU9Lg/видео.htmlsi=4Buh0iwj94QCmwmu
"He must be dead by now" wow she did not have any faith in him. Great story Mark, thank you.
Or was she covering for him? That possibility popped up in my mind while I was listening.
@@riceflatpicking4954 i too
Once again Mr. Felton you've presented us with another great video. One which makes us think.
Was Else Kruger just lucky? Or was she skilled and exceptionally street smart. Which would have enabled her to maneuver around the difficult conditions and situations she would have encountered leaving the Fuhrer bunker amid the chaos that was Berlin at that time? Probably the answer is a little of both.
Its remarkable that she was actually in the Fuhrer bunker right up until the end and actually was one of the few we know of who truly escaped.
Your channel is always filled with excellent content that can't be found anywhere else. I'm glad to be a patreon supporter of your channel.
That she was street-smart is a given. Nobody who wasn't street-smart would have survived in close proximity to Hitler and the inner circle. That she chose to be close-lipped afterward reveals her inner knowledge and loyalty to that inner circle. She must have had her English husband firmly by the balls.
I really enjoy your WWII videos. My dad (RIP) is a WWII vet of the ETO, US 30th ID. He had plenty of stories, souvenirs too.
How did he get the souvenirs?
@@monikaquinton He fought in WWII, nine months of active combat.
Dr. Felton, thanks for your excellent work and research when it comes to making these videos. RUclips has a lot of crap content on it these days, so it’s nice to see some quality content.
I always wondered what was discussed during those last days in the Bunker when they realized all was lost and their dreams shattered. Fascinating story/history. Thanks, Mark
They realized all was lost when Stalingrad fell, especially after the failure of the Battle of the Bulge. They had months to contemplate and plan for the end.
@@joebombero1and some were apparently inept at planning.
Nothing to wonder. Plenty of them survived and wrote books and were interviewed about it.
@@Velts125 there's always something to wonder about, because there's always details omitted and some of them will never talk about it and have never talked about it
@kbanghart
Yes i agree. There is always something to wonder about if one chooses.
No historical event is ever conclusive- where no questions remain.
Still flips me out that people so close to Hitler and his party just walked away or got slaps on the wrist.
The other side, too. The emperor of Japan died at a ripe old age, rubbing shoulders with world leaders at fancy dinners.
Japanese War crimes would make a proper Nazi blush pink.
Eh, she was probably working for Allied intelligence. For sure after the war
Always. Most of the Nazi women really got away with murder
I knew Lady Armytage of Kirklees House. Huddersfield. She told me of her escape from Germany 1945. She was presumably an aristocrat because she married Lord Armytage in the UK. She was a very dignified lady. She also gave me a copy of the Rise and fall of the 3rd Reich
I suspect Else's reasons for remaining silent were personal.
If she was Bormann's mistress, she was sleeping with a married man, and a war criminal at that, and admitting to that would have been embarrassing and would have made her something of a pariah. (Alternatively, if she had resisted his advances or wanted to break off the relationship once it started, well, disappointing Martin Bormann could be hazardous to one's health.) If she'd been given diamonds to smuggle out of Berlin, perhaps she and Gerta, realizing that they would need some sort of resources if they were to have any hope of survival in the postwar chaos, split them up and pocketed them.
If the above is correct, then Else was a desperate individual who had done some things that she wasn't proud of in order to survive, and would have wanted to keep them secret for that reason. Completely understandable.
I agree with your theory.
Michaelmorley7719.
What are you doing Michael?! You're heading in the wrong direction - towards down to earth common sense.
Stop immediately, turn around and follow the masses of Sheeple towards the land of deluded conspiracy theories.
Imo, she should have been jailed for refusing to talk. But then she married a British soldier and that was her ticket out.
@@elsonck2523
? She did talk. She was interogated by the British. She was detained by the British for over 12 months like all other Nazi witnesses / suspects. She gave written testimony to the Nuremburg trails.
She just didnt want to talk to the Press or anyone else
Only thing that bothers me is that people are assuming she was Borman’s mistress. Being a devoted secretary does not automatically make one a mistress. An assumption that maligns the occupation. I agree with all your other comments.
That intro hits every time
If Gestapo Müller, according to his own words, left at dawn on April 29, in his Storch from the oblique axis that crosses the East West axis of the Bandenburg Gate, Bormann may also have done so....Book by Gregory Douglas "Gestapo "Chief"
Brilliant stuff Mr. Felton. Personally, I would go with Mohnke's version of events. He was a hard fighting soldier, not part of the bunker's multitude of intrigues. Kruger, on the other hand, worked for and with Bormann. Bormann was up to his neck in every intrigue going, even long before "bunker time". Kruger who never wanted to give anything but the barest of details about her relationship with Bormann and what went on in the bunker, documents, diamonds, kept her mouth shut. It is obvious she had a lot to keep hidden. I'm fascinated by this period in history. Have read many books on the subject. One character from that period, a Wili Rogmann, sounds like a storybook hero, but concrete information on him is very difficult to find. Maybe you would find him a suitable subject for a video.
I don't see why he would have lied about this.
There are few things in the world of narration that are as boring and lifeless as unsubstantiated references to evidence or events. Even worse are the divas who seem to want to put themselves front and centre of any such film or TV documentary.
That's why we are all so amazingly fortunate to have Mark - his research is astounding and the way he always backs up his findings, conclusions or theories with evidence is beyond exemplary. This film is a classic example of how perfectly he presents and describes any topic that has come within his spheres of interest.
Fascinating and spellbinding.
This was fantastic. Thank you for sharing. Impeccably researched and excellent as ever. Those last weeks and days of the war in Berlin and the fall of empire have always been fascinating…
I appreciate that Mark puts the names of the people in his videos so I can look up their online history. One person of interest is Vice Admiral Hans-Erich Voss. Mark did a video about one of the rarest Nazi medals, the Wound Badge of 20 July 1944. Voss has the distinction of being the only person presented with the 20 July 1944 wound badges in black, silver and gold. He was imprisoned by the Russians and East Germans until 1955 and lived a long life, dying in 1969.
Always fantastically done!! You're a gem Mark, Keep up the great work!
Fascinating as usual Doc. You are the greatest content creator on RUclips and 2nd place is not even close.
The man, the Myth, the legend...MARK FELTON!!! Always such a delight to watch, seriously the best historian! Thank you Mark
Of course everyone will speculate on just how much illicit Nazi loot in diamonds, (or any other intrinsic form) she managed to salt away for a cosy, 'quiet' life in post-war England.
Accommodating the heinous and infamous Nazi of Hitler's inner circle, Martin Bormann, was expedient to ensure she ate well every day during the stressful times of Nazi Germany.
Masquerading as a 'Danish' war bride and sliding under the radar, with a respectable, yet nonetheless complicit British ex-army officer was infinitely preferable, albeit the price was still intimacy, with necessary sharing of any hidden Nazi loot. . .
Survival was what it was obviously all about in those times and if done in comfort, considered a bonus.
Another incredibly outstanding video from Mark. Kudos. I am always excited when I get an alert that another video arrives!
I believe, nor trust any of them. Many people died to defeat these people. Examples of willful ignorance, on the part of the allies, sickens me. They upended the world, and so many escaped justice.
I strongly suspect that the two secretaries divided the diamonds and hid them before entering the brewery and then after the dust had settled retreived them , this would explain why neither of them published memoirs.
Exactly. And she was a nazi fan after the war too. She did everything to clean her own street.
When i was a student nurse i had to go visit an elderly german man in a small Somerset market town. This man was in the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. He had key insignia plaque and a picture of himself with Himmler on his dresser in full SS uniform. You just never know what anyones back story is. I bet his was fascinating.
my brother in law lives in yorkshire and there were a few years ago a group of men estonian of birth who served in the Waffen SS . they hated communists and given the subsequent takeover after 1945 were happy to fight against the red army to be independent ..
Thats it mate, i never asked him. But I suspect the reason he never went home in the late 40s was because like the Estonian men you met they couldn’t return home.
@@thephantomtippler6851 true ..
This one really makes you think, I will have to watch again as I don't think everything sank in - Excellent stuff Mark!
Dr Felton. Great work. One detail: it seems odd to me that while on the run, she actually could find a working toilet to flush the letter
So does the fact she didn't write a book about her time in the bunker give us a clue as to what happened to the diamonds?
I was thinking similarly. No need to become notorious and cash in with tell all books when one has diamonds to convert to cash.
@@lornayounger1414 she seems to have had a very comfortable life post ww2 she didnt suffer the hardships of post war germany i agree diamonds
This post is outstanding work once again Dr. Felton, much appreciated and another original footnote to be added to the history of WWII. (Did you look into the general financial history of Kruger and her husband from 1947 to death...might shed some light on the "bag of diamonds" component of this story. Thank you for your hard work and publishing this information.
And that's why her son Harold is keeping tight lipped too. The whole family is suspicious.
And how would he do that? Leslie James’ Estate was valued at £93k in 1995, hardly a fortune. Not always the whole picture admittedly.
Im 47 years old, the comments are amazing,we learn as much from them because of you,we keep learning more
Ending up as a British housewife is some form of punishment I suppose 🇬🇧
what’s not to like … tea and crumpet … better than some housewife’s state of affairs
😂😂😂😂
Hahaha
Wasn't she a German housewife in Britain after all?
@@monikaquinton Yes she was … always raising her right arm when saying hello to the neighbours … some of which mysteriously disappeared. It was rumoured that the german nazi engineer who designed the first ever ladies Wunderbra was in his hiding there also .. his name was Dr Stoppenfloppen
Exceptional video from Dr. Felton. What an interview she would have made. Unfortunate that she refused any requests for interviews.
One of your best Videos Mark... After hearing about Elsa from the Liverpool Echo "back in the day", I always found her story of being someone at the very centre of one of human history's most pivotal episodes, living as a housewife in post war Wirral FASCINATING, and to see some of the primary source material from the "archive delving" that you undertook was gripping stuff.
Thank you very much for your efforts.
Thank you for these documentaries. I’ve loved learning about WWII since I was a child. 🌹
I'm getting quite agitated about those people who know, but won't talk. Growing up with the Mauer des Schweigens, I still feel the desire for more information and answers. And there are so few people left who could help. My own mother, who is still alive would deny WWII ever happened if she could help it.
Your mom? Wow.
I'm impressed!
Now, Dr. Felton, please do a research and video about another Bunker "survivor". Gunther Swaegerman. Often listed as "his post war fate is unknown since the late 1940s".
He is very interesting, and I expect I will one day. I believe he was alive until relatively recently.
You have thee Best history of knowledge on the Reich 3rd. I appreciate your work I'm black American I have a small library of the 3rd.Reich & one thing all of them had in common they all lied whether they were indoctrinated or not you have read between the lines. Do something on present day German Billionaires who profitted from those camps thank you
Mark "Very Interesting" My mother was a German war bride, my Dad a former US Army WW2 POW in Germany. My Mother was the same age as Else Kruger and She too worked for the German Army in WW2. But She was not in "the Bunker". So I heard about the war from American's point of view from my Dad and the German's point of view from Mom. As all "Good Germans" from the war, she claimed all the Nazi's died in the war!
Very interesting, that description of all Nazis died. I was an Air Force brat living in Pforzheim in 64, 65, and 66. I can honestly say that there was a faction still alive and well in those years. They were just as much a threat as the Soviets. An underground organization, I'm sure exists. I could tell you a story, that would be too long to describe here.
@@cynthiaweber8486 The 'Nazis' were not a threat anymore in the 1960s. But the Soviets were a threat at the time!
@@monikaquinton we don’t know the secrets they held or work they continued.
My father’s family raced out of Germany during the last year of President Hindenburgs Administration. His oldest brother Arthur enlisted in The US Air Force. He rose to the rank of Full Bird Colonel and flew in one of the back up planes to the Enola Gay that brought WWII to an end. Irony’s best example. I’m 61 and I haven’t heard German pronunciation like yours in many years. Perfect. I’ve seen almost every episode. For some reason I didn’t know you had 2 RUclips channels. Guess what I’m doing after I finish with this post. My husband is a big WWII AFICIONADO GUY!!He watches AMHC and Smithsonian. I have my reasons for my dislike of The Smithsonian. AMHC-rambling and stock footage. I wait for every new episode. Today we watched Himlers Guns.