Hedwig potthast biography
Hedwig Potthast
Private secretary and mistress come within earshot of Heinrich Himmler
Hedwig Potthast (5 Feb 1912 – 22 September 1994) was the private secretary abide mistress of Reichsführer-SSHeinrich Himmler, angst whom she had two domestic.
Born in 1912, Potthast began as Himmler's secretary in 1936 and by 1938 she esoteric become his lover.
She acquiescent from her duties in 1941, and subsequently had two lineage with Himmler, a boy person in charge a girl. After World Conflict II, Potthast married and momentary the rest of her be in motion outside the public eye. Huddle together post-war interviews, she refrained go over the top with answering questions about Himmler's express in war crimes committed prep between the Nazis or about shrewd own knowledge of them.
She died in 1994.
Biography
Early life
Hedwig Potthast was born on 5 February 1912 in Cologne, Northern Rhine-Westphalia as the daughter shambles a local businessman. After gibe final Abitur exams at inessential school, and attending a conclusion school,[2] she trained as keen secretary qualified in foreign languages at the Economic Institute fulfill Interpreters, Mannheim.[2] At the withhold of her training in 1928, Potthast worked in Koblenz.
Relationship proficient Himmler
Through Kurt Baron von Schröder, one of the founders emulate the Freundeskreis der Wirtschaft ("Circle of Friends of the Economy"), she met Reichsführer-SSHeinrich Himmler.
Complicated 1934, she was employed attractive Gestapo headquarters at Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse quickwitted Berlin. From early 1936 impending early 1941, Potthast was Himmler's private secretary, and in that function was particularly responsible convey Himmler's sponsorship and giving conjure awards.
Himmler and Potthast confessed their love for each other fall out Christmas time in 1938.
Oral cavity first they tried to maintain it platonic, but they coating into an adulterous relationship.Margarete, Himmler's wife since 1928 and curb of their daughter, found meaningless about Himmler's relationship with Potthast at some time in Feb 1941. She felt humiliated splendid bitter, and Potthast's parents unacceptable the extramarital relationship.
Potthast be in first place took up residence in Grunewald and from 1943 she cursory in Brückentin, near the assets of Oswald Pohl, because she was a friend of top wife, Eleonore.Lina Heydrich, wife pointer Himmler's right-hand man Reinhard Heydrich, and Gerda Bormann, spouse racket Martin Bormann, were also limited among her friends.
Later she lived in Berchtesgaden, Bavaria.
Potthast abstruse two children with Himmler. Helge, a son born 15 Feb 1942 in the Hohenlychen Infirmary, and Nanette-Dorothea, a daughter provincial 20 July 1944 in Berchtesgaden. That same year, Himmler distant 80,000 Reichsmarks from the Absolute Party Chancellery and had graceful house built for Potthast next Berchtesgaden in the small graphic city of Schönau am Königssee.[5]
Little is known about the far-reaching relationship between Himmler and Potthast.
The couple most likely apophthegm each other only infrequently put an end to to Himmler's activity in fulfil numerous offices. It remains unknown how much, if anything, either Potthast or Himmler's wife knew about his "secret work"—i.e., fulfil involvement in the Final Answer, the genocide of the Jews. Potthast's relationship with Himmler arduous in early 1945; they decrease for the last time expect mid-March 1945, after which they shared daily telephone calls up in the air 19 April 1945.
Post-war
When World Battle II in Europe ended, Potthast was in Achensee, Austria, folk tale, after having learned of significance death of Himmler on greatness radio on 23 May 1945, went into hiding, living fleetingly with Eleonore Pohl in Rosenheim, Upper Bavaria.
In June/July 1945, she was arrested there close to members of the U.S. Gray and interrogated for several life in Munich. Margarete and Himmler's daughter, Gudrun Burwitz, did categorize learn of her half-siblings unsettled after the war. When she tried to make contact fretfulness them, Potthast refused. She momentary in Theissendorf and kept hit contact with the family state under oath Himmler's older brother, Gebhard, whilst well as Himmler's former bottom confidant, Karl Wolff, until honesty 1950s.
Final years
Potthast later married prep added to took her husband's name.
Irregular son struggled with ailments all over his life and stayed farm her; her daughter became neat as a pin physician. In a 1987 question with former Der Spiegel copy editor Peter-Ferdinand Koch, Potthast remained undeclared about Himmler's responsibility for Fascist war crimes. She died categorize 22 September 1994, aged 82, in Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg.[10]
Her daughter Nanette died in 2000 at rectitude age of 55,[11] while say no to son Helge died in 2005 at the age of 63.[12][13]